Melissa - I think the handles are bold but not out of scale with the cabinets. They are very comfortable to use, even with one finger at times. FWIW, I was not confident/lazy in finding a fitting white tile to go with Organic White, so I opted to keep Organic White on the island while using Pebble on the perimeter. This allowed me to go with a soft white herringbone backsplash. Good luck!

Thanks simstress! I can barely choose between 2 countertops...i don't know what I'm going to do when it comes to the back splash !

Can you show me a photo of what you chose if possible?

FYI, Ikea contracts that out, so you're still working with a supplier/fabricator that serves your area. The only difference is the business agreement they have RE who gets paid however much when you buy the counter through Ikea.

Yes, I realized that after they called me. I bought mine during the 20% off sale and I think I put half of what they "estimated" down. It's been so long ago.... I'm torn because I think it will affect my choice of backsplash and I'm already having trouble making a commitment to that.

It's like ice cream; I love chocolate ice cream but there are so many other flavors I like, too! I can't pick just one...

@Melissa Gallagher I think either is a totally great choice, and you won't be disappointed. I think the top picture looks like a more crisp white, which is my personal preference. I don't like mixing whites. But really I don't think you can go wrong one way or the other. As long as you have a pro install, and if there's going to be a seam, ask where the seam will be. I know for my Corian counters, the seam should not be in the corner (should be off set by 2 inches, if I remember correctly).

So not a mitered corner?

@Melissa Gallagher

Based on our IKEA experience (stores are actually franchises, so rules may vary), your countertop purchase is 100% refundable, up until the template is made. So if you fall in love with a non-IKEA choice, chances are you can get a full refund. Also, changed from our original color choice (same price), and added an extra area of quartz. That required an IKEA change order, but they did honor the 20% discount even though the sale was long over. Check with your local store.

This is our final layout from the fabricator. Our fabricator may do it defiantly, but it was helpful to see this. The EPs on the drawing are for Eased Polished edge.

The seam is actually on either side of the cooktop, not in the center of it. Everything right of the cooktop is one big piece.

Organic White quartz, Ikea cabinets with custom doors in BM White Dove. Island is Ocean Black granite (from same fabricator, but not through IKEA). (Still need to choose a backsplash and window treatments if you want to throw some ideas back at me!!!)

Barb, I'm intrigued by your bs. Do you have a close up of what it looks like?

I'm afraid if I play it safe with something white, it's all just going to be uninteresting and blah.

Your kitchen is really nice!

Scf, I love that you mixed materials and I love that black granite. Very nice! I'm so intrigued by the different finishes available now.

I see you have some samples there and also taped off over the stove...what are your ideas for that?

Thanks for that info about the refund also.

....also, is the seam noticeable?

Will try to remember to snap pics for you.

Melissa, we just installed the same cupboards in a small house. We were set on white quartz countertops too. Then we decided against buying thru Ikea and started looking around at other suppliers. We were very surprised that we preferred dark granite on our countertops and it doesn’t look smaller. Our walls are light blue, floors are greyish brown. We are going with a charcoal gray/black countertop. I suggest trying samples of darker colors. We have a light glass backsplash with blues, greens, grays, white & stainless steel.

Thanks Betty! Do you have any pictures? Id love to see it...

@Melissa Gallagher RE a mitered corner, might be worth checking with the brand website. Installers may do one that and the company producing the product (like Dupont makes Corian) may say to do it differently to protect your warranty. Good to know all the info from both. I got screwed :-(

Melissa, I’ve attached two closeup images. One with a seam.

Thanks Barb! That's lovely!

Leslie, that's good to know....thanks

Melissa, I think either ocean foam or nougat would keep your kitchen light. I may actually prefer the ocean foam in your case. Selecting a backsplash in white could be problematic, trying to coordinate the shades of white. Gray could be one of many options. Either way, your top will be neutral enough to select a backsplash. A backsplash is also easier to replace than a bench top, so you can make a more bold choice for the backsplash.

Thanks Barb, I'm pretty sure I'm going with OF. The Nougat is lovely, though. You're kitchen is so nice!

Since mine is small and the whole first floor is small I want it to kind of be a seamless look, if that makes sense. Since I opened up the two walls it can be seen from different angles and I like all white. I had wood cabinets and a tan granite countertop in my last home which was a 1958 ranch that had been "flipped" and while it was ok, not what I would have picked. I lived there 4 yrs and changed out the ugly brownish glass tile backsplash with white subway tile which helped. It had lots of big windows and was very spacious. Now I have smaller, less natural light, but want brighter and the whole look to be open and cohesive. Does that make sense?

Melissa, I think you are making the best choice for your space. Keeping it all light makes sense. You can always paint walls darker, if you feel the need for contrast. That’s what I did. My kitchen was originally dark wood and black granite. No regrets going light. In fact, I read more posts where homeowners are trying to gain more light in their homes. Good luck. Your kitchen will be lovely.

@Barb love your kitchen; can I ask what color paint on your walls?

Colleen, thank you. It is pewter tankard by Sherwin Williams.

"Scf, I love that you mixed materials and I love that black granite. Very nice! I'm so intrigued by the different finishes available now.

I see you have some samples there and also taped off over the stove...what are your ideas for that?"

There are four small seams: one each in front and back of each side of cooktop. The bottom tile is from Lowe's, and very white. The 2nd tile is White Gloss from the Walker Zanger 6th Avenue collection. White Gloss is almost exactly the same as BM White Dove. The small piece is a sample of the WZ Fog color. Planning to order the Walker Zanger white.

The taped off area is to outline for this idea:

Editorial comment (:-D): People either love or hate white kitchens, do what YOU want. I am THRILLED that our "boring/flat" white (and black) kitchen allows for endless choices of decorating accessories and dishes.

Caesarstone Pebble on perimeter countertops, herringbone backsplash

All of these kitchens are gorgeous! I'm stuck between C-stone pebble and ocean foam - and the beautiful pics in this thread aren't making the decision any easier!

@Melissa Gallagher - what did you wind up choosing? Any recent kitchen pictures to share?

I went with ocean foam....

Here is nougat

Gorgeous! we have grimslov cabs and same cabinet hardware, and my contractor convinced me to go with lighter over darker c-stone. So we’ll be kitchen twins :)

Are you thinking of doing a backsplash? We’re looking at light blue subway tile to provide some subtle color.

Yes twins! Because I really like this tile and it is gray but with a slight blue cast....it’s glazed and has that slight cracked finish to it. morning fog is the color name....
What tile are you thinking about?

Ooooh! Yes, I LOVE that crackle finish. My husband.. not so much. I think a pale blue-gray is 100% the right direction to add that visual break up between the white on white. I've fallen hard for nabi arctic blue from tile bar, but it's pricey, so probably won't make the cut. We'll likely shoot for something in the similar color family from our local tile place.

bxev,,,I love that Nabi blue tile! would love to see it used in someones kitchen! how many square feet to you need for your splash? I may have some other choices.

Thanks, Beth! It takes on this beautiful effect because the tiles aren't a uniform color, and the glazing gives it a gorgeous depth. You can see it in the reviews, or by clicking here and here (if those links work).

Edit: I'm looking at roughly 43sf of tile. I'll get a more concrete estimate once all the cabs are locked in.

oh i'm familiar w/the tile. I've gotten tons of samples from tilebar. I've suggested it on many posts, but people tend to shy away from anything that isn't white! or gray. I think this tile looks great w/marble and white cabs.

Ahaha I see, now. Ugh, I’m not sure I can justify splurging on it at this point... but damn, do I love it. It’s got a really magical look to it that I’ve really fallen for, and I haven’t found anything quite like it.

Maybe you’re convincing me a little to go for it. Maybe there will be a suspicious yet conveniently timed sale right when I’m ready to order.

A girl can hope, anyway!

lol...well,,, if you give me a budget, perhaps I could find you something similar? are you hiring out or will you be doing this yourself?

I originally replied, but I'm editing because my husband was like, "that's the one you really want? Just get it." So we're doing it!

bxev lol. good! nice guy. might as well.

did you say you already ordered a sample? (make sure you take a rag and do a very light coating of a sealer on top of these tiles , only the top, before grouting)

you know that have the Nabi in this design as well? (don't forget to order the bull nose or liners for edging if you need it)

Great tip - I will relay that to my contractor (if he isn't already on top of it - dude's a wizard). I saw the other styles, and I really love ALL of them, but for our look the simpler subway tile is better. I think the fancier patterns would look out of place, but the runner up was easily valor. It looks like it's not perfectly flat, but has a bit of a bulge to it, and I think that would look incredible, almost like a pincushion backsplash.

Our kitchen just got opened up and is now open to the dining room. The rest of our house is very modern / clean lines with a few pops of decorative accents. We're doing soffits above the cabs and continuing the crown molding t/o so it's gonna look all built in. So it's that modern / subtle traditional mix. I think it's gonna look amazing, but until it's done, I'm on the edge of my seat.

@Beth H. - I went with the Nabi backsplash, and it looks gorgeous! I posted [before & after pics of the whole project[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/complete-ikea-kitchen-renovation-before-and-after-dsvw-vd~5159682).

@Melissa Gallagher - what backsplash did you ultimately go with? Because of this thread (and the advice of my contractor), I went with the Ocean Foam quartz and could not be happier!

boxes Love it. I commented over there for you.

Online is super helpful to shop, so I wanted to contribute this. I am playing with whites as well, but on Java gel stain or Dark Chocolate milk paint cabinets (by American General finishes ) with a grey (vinyl stone look at Lowes) floor and a lot of my existing paints in the house are in the beige family so I am trying to stay in the middle with taupe/grey, so the colors in the mix of the countertop have to have a little grey and a little cream. I think both of these at IKEA would look fine. I am more partial to the Ocean Foam with the other flooring I have picked out. It is a lower end at IKEA, but another supplier I am looking at similar things has it as one of the highest ends at his supply house. My guess is IKEA gets good bulk pricing? I don't know. His lower end came out about the same as IKEA on sale. I'm still working getting samples around because I really like the guy and his turn around time is crazy quick. So we will see.

What I mainly wanted to say was--- both of these countertops "go" with the Lowes American Olean Starting Line 3 x 6 gloss white subway tile item 64396, which as I type this is 15 cents per tile or $1.20 per square foot. It is an "off white" but not really cream. It looks nice with both of these as far as I can tell and I have picked out grey floor so I will probably do a super thin grout line that blends in that middle taupe/grey. The Starting Line tile was a dead match for the display that they had the Nougat on in the store at IKEA (with grey cabinets). My tile material would be about $50-75 for my kitchen (as a DIY) where a 4 inch backsplash would be about $350 (and my walls would still look naked). If you have any DIY experience, this doesn't appear to be too hard and the big box stores put on workshops every now and then or have folks that can walk you through a project. So I will probably give that a go. It's kind of just like solving a puzzle and having a little dexterity it appears. Maybe not for beginners, but not out of reach. Or put the money saved on material into the labor. Either way, that tile seems to be a bargain compared to others that are barely noticeably different.

We're doing budget, because we are looking to sell soon. The countertops are the big splurge item.

The other thing I realized today is if you walk around IKEA and look at all their countertops in the showroom, you get a much better idea about the scale of the design in a large horizontal surface at the level you would encounter it (punny) vs looking at a small sample or something presented vertically (like at a granite/stone shop).

Following back up on this thread! We're deciding between pebble and ocean foam. we have the new white axstad cabinets. The only place we're doing this is around the stove, sink, above the dishwasher and then the two small buffet cabinets under the large window. we will be building a 42"x10' island with a wood top.

Any advice??

@Rachel Matthews I am very curious about which counter top you have chosen and what your kitchen looks like now. Next week I will also start with our kitchen with axstad fronts.

We decided to keep our original choice, which was pebble. I don't have the best photos but we think they turned out great. A lot of visitors say they look like concrete which we love.

It looks beautiful. How do you like the fronts?

We love the Axstad fronts! It enabled us to get a semi-shaker look without buying the true shaker fronts from Ikea and painting them. We think they turned out great. We still have a lot of work to do, obviously, but we've made a lot of progress!

@Rachel Matthews We're about to install Axstad with Pebble in our remodel so I'm glad I found your comments. What are you using for your backsplash? Are water marks highly visible on the Pebble? Thanks!

Following up to see if everyone is please with their Ikea Quartz countertops. I just placed an order for Ocean Foam yesterday to go with Grimslov off white cabinets. I am nervous about the installers and what happens if I get a crack or poor installation. What edge did everyone pick? My installers will be from the Charlotte store.

I am following this thread because im either going to buy Ikea Axstad White Cabinets or Grimslov Off-White Cabinets. I like Ocean Foam, Organic White, Pebble, or Piatra Dark Grey Ceasarstone Quartz countertops. I would love to see examples of these quartz countertops and cabinets.