The Wilsonart website has a visualizer. You can tap on the cabinets and select a color. Tap on wall and pick a color. Then tap on countertop, click on the laminate tab, and pick a color. Take a screen shot then tap the countertop to choose another. You may not be able to get precise wall color or cabinet door style, but you will have a uniform background for the different countertops.

IMO, there is significant quality difference between regular Wilsonart and Wilsonart HD.

These are screenshots of quartz. I wouldn't make a final selection with visualizer but it is good to eliminate options.

Sophie and CLC - where I come from, we have historic homes built in the 16, 17 and 1800's. They tend to have low ceilings.

Can we get back to the question?

In my previous house, I could touch the ceiling. I am 5'4" tall. In fact, we actually put a light switch on the ceiling to avoid opening up the horsehair plaster walls.

My mistake - the ceilings are 86 and are within code.

I have 38 year old Formica with that ridiculous 4" backsplash - hate it.

Is there a big difference between Formica and Wilsonart?

We offer a tool to customers thru WilsonArt to try different countertop colors : Room Visualizer

It's a fun tool, I've used it for people before. However, it's not 100% true so I try to caution people to know that.... certainly is a good, "aid" though agree.

Normally, I like WilsonArt better than Formica, but I love their Soapstone Sequoia and that's what I'd pick.

Here's a closeup of our Wilsonart HD Luna Shadow that has been discontinued. It has subtle color variations and texture. It has an entirely different look and feel than laminate from the 60s.

Go to the company websites and order free samples of the colors you are interested in. Most colors will let you order a big sample not just the tiny chips from the stores. It can make a HUGE difference as many are very different in larger samples then in the small ones.

I should say we have ordered and received many samples. It's hard to see the big picture.

We ordered about 5-6 large samples from both companies and could look at them with our lighting, paint, etc. Big samples provide a MUCH better idea than small samples at big box stores.

Thanks - we have numerous large samples of Wilsonart. I think we are just afraid to make a mistake, at least I am and neither of us are very good at seeing the big picture. I have waited and dreamt about this kitchen for SO long and now I'm frustrated and undecided :(

Donna,

Just remember how you feel about what you want to see in the end, "Clean, Bright and Inviting".

I would nail down if you are doing the floors or not as that seems undecided. Then you can put your laminate samples with the wood samples and create what you like.

Going too dark can be problematic for counters (no matter the material) as it shows (as mentioned) finger prints, water spots, dust, most anything as such. That is why I lean toward your option of many darks of Black Alicante as it seems to be the least black from what I see with a more gray or graphite than black from I see on looking it up.

The backsplash? I'm sure you are planning one. That comes after the counters are installed so you can better see the counters with the cabinets and select a complimentary backsplash.

I'm sure it's not an easy decision by any stretch. Just put your ducks in a row and know your flooring (via samples with the rest of your samples) if you are going to change the floor.

"Clean, bright and inviting".

We (I) can't see your adjacent area to the kitchen so it's hard and I'm sure that may toss some wrenches in to some of your skepticism about decisions as well.

Porter, I can't thank you enough for all your ideas and design expertise that you have so nicely shared. I am leaning toward the Soapstone Sequoia...online photos look lovely (samples have been ordered). We are thinking of a wood floor as we currently have an industrial tile which is brown but not very clean and crisp. I will say it has held up beautifully through children and multiple dogs over the years. I prefer a lighter stain on the wood or laminate and my husband prefers darker. Ideas / suggestions are very much needed.

For the backsplash we have found a lovely subway tile - it's a very light blue / white that I hope works with the Soapstone but we shall see.

I think there is an important clue in your last comment. If you already love a backsplash, don't hope a counter works with it :). CHOOSE a counter that works with it! If you're not sure, post pictures here of the backsplash and people here can help you choose the right counter. Your floor material is critical though. Especially if it's not wood. If you're choosing a tile floor that will heavily impact other choices.

Right now, IMO you are going through paralysis by over analysis.

What is important is not the color of cabinets, or floor, or wall, or appliances or countertop, but rather the color palette as a whole.

I use a decision tree.

1. Locked in to a particular wall color such as adjacent rooms?

Y= Use it.
N= Pick wall color last.

2. Is counter or backsplash focus?

C= movement/busy; B = simple.
B= movement/busy; C= simple.

3. High contrast or low?

H= dark contrast (Deepstar Slate, etc)

L= Carrera look.

M= gray tones

4. Finish:

Gloss
Texture.

No one but you can make choice. With white cabinets, I would want a color pop. This can be counter, backsplash or wall color. I don't like high contrast, so I would rule out dark counter. A light (Carrera look) or midtone gray (soapstone) is a true neutral that should work with almost any floor or wall color.

I prefer a texture. The Mirage finish on our Luna Shadow gives good traction yet is easy to clean.

Decide dark, medium or light.

Then hold up two in that category. Pick favorite of the two. Continue within that category until you have a winner.

L-R: Deepstar Slate (dark); Carrera look (light); Soapstone (medium).

Can't show Blue subway tile but maybe light blue wall helps.

We are leaning strongly toward soapstone with a very soft, barely blue tile. Floor? I think light grey/beige, husband thinks darker. I haven't found anything at Home Depot or Lowes that I like so need to hit up the flooring stores. Remember - all suggestions are happily accepted. Thank you all for your help! Hal, you are correct - paralyzed by over analyzing. I make a decision and then change my mind. Make a different choice and change my mind...many sleepless nights.

The last pic was Pearl Soapstone to show a midtone gray to help show dark, medium and light. The medium tone, such as the Formica Soapstone, would work with your subway tile.

Donna,

Thank you...

If you have selected and paid for a backsplash now you have to work with matching a counter which is a horse of a different color. You might consider very light... perhaps your dream I am hoping and something with a light blue/gray hue will be slightly difficult with black and definitely not Bronzite IMO, you are off the hook with dark if that is what your spouse preferred. I would look at the Soapstone Sequoia as you said you are getting a larger sample and even lean toward the Calcutta if the Soapstone Sequoia doesn't work. it.

I'm very sorry, I don't mean to cause you undue stress as I feel this is a painful process for you and it should be a happy process even if it's at time stressful.

If you do already have a backsplash tile, posting it here will help the Houzzer's better help you get the horse in front of the cart and maybe reduce some stress for you....

You had the kitchen for ages and now you are getting a new kitchen. Be patient, don't stress over it... it doesn't need to be done in a day or week, two or three....... as much as you want it to be... it will get there, just so it's done right.

Hal, that was very helpful... I'm sure appreciated...

"Is there a big difference between Formica and Wilsonart?"

No.

Sorry All - we don't have a backsplash purchased, just a small sample that we purchased. I think it will look lovely with the Soapstone Sequoia but will wait for he sample to arrive. We need to look at floors - suggestions / ideas?

Porter - you have not caused me stress - you have helped ease my worries. I can't thank you and Hal as well as the other folks who have taken the time to help me enough.

You can find Uba Tuba granite cheaper than you can any of the upgraded installed laminates. Not even kidding. Go get quotes.

Thanks Sophie - just took a look at Uba Tuba and it states it's an "elegant dark green with gold, brown, and green speckling" we are not interested in those colors.

Thought we had a sample of Soapstone Sequoia but I was wrong. In the running thus far - Dusk Cascade (top) and Benjamin Grey with the tile. Keep in mind this will be white cabinets and floor TBD. Thanks for your input.

both are gorgeous.

Either sample looks gorgeous with your backsplash selection! I don't think you could go wrong with either. If you are leaning toward Dusk Cascade, go with it and trust your gut! Since your cabinets will be white, the dark countertop will add a nice clean contrast and point of interest to your kitchen.

It's amazing how far laminate countertops have come.

Hope this helps!

both are nice... I prefer the bottom sample as it's a pinch lighter.... saw it on a counter via google and well... that is my choice of the two.

Benjamin Grey: a soft grey Jerusalem stone look with sophisticated details shown through subtle shifts.

This is what they show for Benjamin Grey Wilsonart... it appears a lot darker in your photo.

Regardless, of your two samples prefer the one lower which is tiny bit lighter.

Thanks Porter - i am anxiously awaiting the Soapstone Sequoia...from what i have seen I think it will be my choice. The 2 i posted are my husband's choices. The photo is dark - I was trying to show the tile and in the light it was coming through as white. The Benjamin Grey is lighter than Cascade Dark.

Thank you Donna... Do you like the Benjamin?

I'm hoping the soapstone Sequoia isn't pulling green is all... fingers crossed. The photo of the Benjamin is pretty too if it's more as I saw via google!

Donna, this is what we did with Formica 180fx a few years ago. I loved it!

It was the "Petrified Wood" color.

We have a top of that in our Showroom!!

You will find the best help in your small or specialized flooring stores. Many of them do countertops as well. You will also have some!one to carefully walk you through the process. Good luck. You will be so happy when it is done and over. But this should be a happy time!even for you, not a stressful one. I have !any customers take a break and go on vacation when it's all said and done.

Donna, do you have all your samples.... any choices yet?

Ubatuba will actually be cheaper than more than half of this specialty laminate that you are considering. You can find it everywhere for around $30-$35 a square foot. And, it's bulletproof. Never needs sealing and is too dense to ever stain.

Donna once you get your samples, you can do fingerprint tests. The darker ones will show them more definitely. I had a lot of the same samples as the ones you are picking. Bronzite tends to show green and if you don't like the uba tuba as mentioned, you probably won't like the bronzite.

Also, do you have a menards? We have found that their lower priced quartz is on par to the same price you could pay for higher ended laminate or pretty close to it - close enough that you second guess getting laminate (or at least we have). The difference between the lower priced and higher priced quartz is the pattern because they are made with the same percentage of materials. They do have a dark slate grey color in their lower priced quartz options that might interest you. You won't have as many choices which really elimates the analysis paralysis - believe me ;)

The only way to save money on laminate is if you are refacing the countertops, but if you're getting new cabinets, new floor, a whole new kitchen - might want to look into other options as Sophie has pointed out - it's not much more than the quality laminates.

Ubatuba is definitely cost-effective head to head against Wilsonart HD or 180fx.

Great choice if you like it and if it works in color palette. Absolutely worth looking at a slab and bringing a sample home. Anything you see online or printed, regardless of material or color, is not going to be the same in person in your lighting and with your finishes.

To illustrate, I found a sample of Wilsonart quartz wife and I liked from online pics and liked in person. Picked out two other samples and placed all three side by side against the white subway tile we want for backsplash .

What we had as first choice, which looked great standalone, is now discarded.

And we used the visualizer to imagine what it would look like in kitchen (yellow walls) and bathroom (SW Ebbtide; not necessarily to use in BA but that color walls and furniture in living room and dining area).

At this point, comparing to backsplash and wall and cabinetry color, one color has emerged as my favorite.

Like I told my fabricator, I'm not the kind of person who wants granite or quartz just for the sake of having granite or quartz. If I'm going to the expense of a pro install and a more expensive material, it is going to be a finish I really want.

Working through the decision tree, we need to decide low contrast or medium contrast. I know what I would choose if it was not a joint decision .

Hal, what are the 3 granite samples you put in the picture from 4 days ago? I'm in a similar boat as Donna and remodeling an old builder grade kitchen which I have disliked for 17 years. I have been looking at everything from laminate to granite and trying to decide which I like best. We're getting white shaker style cabinets, some engineered wood (probably medium to darker brown) flooring. I haven't decided on the backsplash but saw a laminate metal textured style that looked cool. It was helpful to read through everyone's comments and suggestions here. Thanks. Dee

Dee - we finally decided on Salentino Nero. I couldn't justify spending close to $3200 for a counter. The laminate is less than $1000.

Donna - I like that one! How soon until the countertops are installed? Are you still thinking of the grey glass tile posted above? Keep us updated and post a pic when it's all done!

Dee,

The three samples against the white subway tile are all Wilsonart quartz.

Kolams is the mostly white with some gray.

Via Augusta is the dark gray.

Santiago is the other. It has lots of beige and cream. We had liked it until putting it next to the subway tile and the others. It neither matched the white nor provided enough contrast.

Liked the Kolams but it would have been a third white along with backsplash and cabinets, each of which a tad different.

For that same reason decided against light countertop, and started bringing in greys. Liked some Caesarstone, but chose Zodiaq Gravel -- shown here on discontinued Luna Shadow. Reasonably close in tone to existing counter and the no longer available Cosmic Gray granite we considered during renovation.

The pattern should form a decent seam. Overall very pleased with it.

Our thought going in was, due to expense, not going for quartz unless we found some we really liked. And we wanted white subway backsplash with light gray grout which would cost more than laminate counter.

I would much rather pay $1,000 for a quality laminate I like than 3-4 times that for quartz or granite I don't like.

We looked at Cambria, Silestone, LG, Caesarstone, Wilsonart, Zodiaq and others carried by our fabricator. Prices varied about $10/SF from high to low. At that price, another $500 isn't going sink the boat. We went with the color we liked regardless of cost.