What color are your cabinets, your floors and your walls?

I'd go with quartz over granite, but it definitely depends on the answers to Carolyn's question. Soapstone is quite popular right now too, if you like that look.

I like to ask, how is your kitchen going to be used? Are you a big entertainer, red wine drinker, how long do you plan on living there...consideration your lifestyle & of course budget...soapstone does not need a sealer but will still stain, much more expensive then granite starting at $120 sq ft. What is your budget?

I have the "Blue in the Night" granite just like the picture above. Cabinets are a light honey colored maple with black appliances and a black tile floor.

This kitchen was done when I bought the townhouse. The previous owner chose everything. I love the granite although you can't see the flecks of blue in this picture. I wouldn't have chosen the charcoal gray backsplash, but at $4.54 each for a 6x6 inch tile, I will live with it a long time. The saving grace is a sliding glass door (not visible and it's raining at the moment) that lets in a ton of light and the kitchen is open to the den. Otherwise, it would be a cave!

Search kitchens on the Houzz site and look at granite samples at home improvement stores for ideas.

I love granite because each piece is unique unto itself! I've had mine down in the kitchen and bathroom ten years and still am very happy with my decisions! There are builder grades, meaning they are commonly sought after and easily obtainable, and then there are exotic grades, which often contain lots of movement and are fewer in number, depending on the country from which they're extracted. These are your expensive high end slabs. Any fabricator could lead you to a wholesale distributor to view your options. You may enjoy walking the warehouse to hand select your slab(s). I would take a piece of flooring and board with cabinet color in making my selection. Then, the wholesaler will sell to your fabricator...and then come the plumbing hardware decisions, and the lighting...and,...!!

I deliberated for several months on granite to go with new light cherry cabinets. I don't have a large space but this is a small cape with open plan. The backsplash choice took over a year, so I would choose them at the same time if I ever do it again. I liked the drama of black and cherry so chose Volga Blue. I didn't want a plain counter that would show crumbs and dust. However, I'm not sure if I would choose black again as its impossible to find things such as black framed sunglasses, dark cell phone etc. The big positive about granite is that you can use it as a very effective and quick defrosting platform. It works very similar to the quick defrosting plates that you can buy. Another idea if you find a granite slab that has a sort of border, you can have the fabricator cut it so that the border part is your backsplash and the more solid portion the counter. I also added a couple of inches to the depth of the counter I work on, which is a help in food prep. Good luck

Cream color cabinets on the sink, dish washer, stove side, and expresso coffee bean color on the island and pantry, refrigiator side.
I want to say the counter top will be a lighter brownish gray. I've used granites in my old house loved it.
Now, I go to the supplier, everyone is pushing the quarts product to me.
I'm confused!

You are right to start with your countertop choice first; it's the most expensive and permanent. Plus, you'll have many more choices in backsplash materials and needless to say, endless choices in paint to coordinate with all the rest. *I would go with whatever color and pattern you like best, regardless of material.* While some granites are harder than others, I've not found the wear issues to come into play that much. Perhaps the only exception would be some really light materials, if they are susceptible to red wine/coffee stains. I'm guessing though that this only tends to happen when the stain is left to dry in place? Also, think about the longevity of the colors you are choosing. While materials like Rainforest are gorgeous, they are limiting in terms of color palette if you decide to change out accessory colors in the future.

You can always mix and match. Island could be an interesting granite or quartzite and perimeter could be a rather simple engineered quartz.

I really dislike the idea of two tones of cabinets AND two tones of countertops. I really think it will be the next design item that is "what were we thinking" in hindsight. If you have already decided on several elements of your design, get yourself as many samples of those items as possible, like a cabinet door of each color, a tile, a sample of backsplash.....whatever and then go walk the granite yards and then decide. I had existing brick floors and wanted to keep them, so I toted a few of them that I found in a shed with me and finally decided to go with Red Dragon. I love, love, love it; when I walk in my kitchen and flip on the lights, it makes me smile. Quarts is being pushed right now, but if you've had granite and like it, then hold your ground.

Although my kitchen was done when I bought my house, and there were a few other details that contributed to my decision, the granite is what sealed the deal!! Like ciaonellie, I sometimes "lose" my rimless black framed glasses on the counter lol!! I couldn't have picked a nicer granite! The previous owner was a doctor and had only lived here a year and a half before she moved to the West Coast. She had done a really nice job of upgrading the kitchen. She built it brand new and it sat on the market a year before I bought it. As I mentioned in my previous post, I wouldn't have chosen the dark back splash, but it is of excellent quality! I practically got a brand new kitchen!! Go with granite! You will NOT regret your decision!!

I agree with Cindy about two tones - I wouldn't use two different tones on both cabinets and countertops, but it is nice to use two tones on one or the other.

If you can, coordinate your countertop, backsplash, cabinets and flooring. Choose what makes you happy. We are going with an "exotic" granite which costs a little more, but is more interesting looking. That will go on my very large island as an accent piece and "art work" for the kitchen. The other countertops will be a solid surface material that looks like soapstone, with a mosaic stick backsplash with copper accents (Jeffrey Court). That works for us, anyway. Good luck

You can also research some exotic granites with these suppliers who list their inventory online. My granite supplier said he can order whatever I might find online, however, examine the pros and cons of this approach. Getting them from the country of origin takes some lead time to arrive in US. I just wanted to understand what kinds of granites are out there, the colors and patterns, and this showed me what I liked and colors I prefer. http://www.stone-tec.net/slab-selection/ or http://www.alliedstoneinc.com/MaterialList.aspx?type=Exotic_Granite or http://stone-network.com/slab_images/displayimage.php?album=17&pos=552

I agree with Granite Grannies, there is a wide range of colors to choose from with granite. Granite, compared to sopstone and quartz is much more durable and just as affordable. People are probably pushing quartz on your because it's the new trend. Formica was a trend years ago and look how that turned out for people.

If you're looking for a lighter stone, something in the browns, I'd recommend something like our Gardena or King Ivory which you can see here- http://www.granitetransformations.com/southjersey/products/granite-countertops/colors/.

I think since you're installing espresso and cream colored cabinetry that you could do two different stone colors. A darker with the cream cabinetry and something lighter with the espresso cabinetry.

Hope this is helpful, good luck!

Granite. Is stronger, more colors. And people want it, when buying.

I'd say go with what you find that you fall in love with. Do your research. When you see something as you're shopping around, and you start comparing everything else to it, it's probably the one. You've gotten some great advice from professionals and other homeowners alike.

I would say on the engineered quartz vs granite debate, it really depends on your priorities and the look you are trying to achieve. Nothing beats the look of a natural material. Quartz is used a lot in commercial applications as well as in modern/contemporary spaces. It's not a question of one being better than the other, it's a question of which one is right for you. While quartz manufacturers are doing a really good job of offering a variety of colors, patterns and textures, I think you'll be surprised at how far the stone industry has come in the selection of materials available right now too i.e. granites, quartzites, etc.

We are very happy we went with Granite in our kitchen remodel. We're designing sort of 'as we go', so we brought our cabinet and floor samples to a couple of fabricators and wholesalers to find something we liked, that blended with our cabinets, and was on sale. We ended up finding a unique piece of granite for $49/sq foot, so it was the most economical choice for us as it was cheaper than some of the manufactured stones, quartz, marble, etc. (and we knew we didn't want laminate).

Don't fall for the lure of quartz, unless it's a last resort or you need it for a specific reason. It is WAY more high-maintenance than your fabricator will lead you to believe and it has that weird texture...I would take the advice of other contributors and go to the "boneyards" of your local fabricator or stone vendor and stick to a natural product. If it's not financially in the cards now, put down a 5/8 deck and use butcher block until you can afford the stone.

I think the first thing you have to consider is how much natural light the space gets. Then you need to combine all of your finishes. Cab door (type of wood & final finish. the wall color and the decor that you have and feel you are going for then look at the light you are adding and if you want a busy surface with a lot of movement or something calmer. Then look at maintenance. You can't beat granite for its durability. Soapstone while pretty is HIGH MAINTENANCE as are alot of other products such as marble but if you don't mind yearly upkeep or even costly refinishing then the sky is the limit. Make room in your trunk and put a door, paint, flooring sample and keep a few pictures of rooms you like with you. You won't believe how many times you may come across inspiration even when not looking for it. Then just go for what you love and get good support from your contractor.

As with most things you get what you pay for....there are many different types of granite and quartz and the manufacture or fabricator you choose will make all the difference in the quality you receive. Granite, because it is a natural stone, can largely vary in its brittleness or tendency to chip or crack. Beyond the nature of the stone itself you also need to consider the manor in which it is cut. For example some companies cut the granite thinner, some companies add webbing to the back to the granite to reinforce it. With Quartz it is the same concept. The bonding agents used to hold the product together can be lower or higher quality. Bottom line although a product may be cheaper from one place to another you may not be comparing apples to apples which is probably why you are getting such a variance in opinion.

As far as the color of your top goes the first thing you need to consider is light, dark or in between for color. With having duo colored cabinets you may want to go with something that is middle of the road which will pick up the likeness of both the cream colored and the espresso cabinets.

A couple you may consider

Quartz- (93% quartz 7% Polymers)
LG Hausys Viatera- Pisgah
LG Hausys Viatera- Royle Teak
LG Hausys Viatera- Solar Canyon
LG Hausys Viatera- Silver Lake

Visit this site for Quartz Color Ideas

http://www.lgviaterausa.com/productOverviews/83/by-product-line

Granite
New Venetian Gold
Marron Imperial
White Spring
Crema Astoria
Golden Sand
Santa Cecila
Tropic Brown
Nara Brown

Visit this site for Granite Color Ideas

http://www.dwyermarble.com/images/products/graniteslabs.html


Information about our company

http://mkdkitchens.com/
http://www.thekitchenshops.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kitchen-Shop/141188129303840

Short video about our granite tops



Hope this helps...good luck with your kitchen renovation

I prefer very light colored granite - nano white - with dark wood cabinets in the bottom; and split bamboo for the hanging cabinets.

Granite can be dramatic and unique, as the examples show, and it can also be consequently busy, overwhelming and almost fright show to some eyes (mine). I much prefer the look of engineered stones or the quieter granites. This is clearly a matter of personal preference. Granite may all be 10 million years old or more (it is a metamorphic rock after all), but the way it is cut, finished and installed can go out of style in just a few years.

I strongly agree with Cindy about the danger of overusing the two types of cabinets and two types of countertops. It looks good in a few specific situations, generally larger kitchens with varied zones and a lot of visual separation. In other words, only use different materials when you can articulate a reason based on function as to why a different material is preferred. Nowadays we are tempted to go that route in every 12' x 18' kitchen that managed to squeeze in an island. The more going on in a kitchen, the more changes of material and color, the busier it looks and the faster it will become tiresome. I prefer a less varied, more functional look.

I'd also point out that in any room, not every feature and surface can or should be a star, drawing attention to itself. You need more supporting players than stars in every cast. A busy granite has to be the star due to its color and pattern, so other surfaces need to be quieter.

I hope it's clear that the ideas above are purely my opinion and taste, nothing more.