Personally, I would prefer beige. I have black granite now, and it does show water spots. Is there a beige with some dark flecks of color to choose?

When you redo the island counter, definitely take out the drop down. It will make it look sleek and save lots of money on cutting the granite. Dark granite would ground the kitchen and connect the frig, but a lighter color will make it more modern. Go with something light. You can connect the dark appliances with dark bar stool coverings. Moving the cooktop would be uber-expensive do to rewiring. If you're on a budget, keep it where it is.

I would go black ( I have black and with a quick spray of granite cleaner they shine) on the counter, but something lighter on the island. Depending how much you use the sit down portion of the island is what I would base keeping it or removing it. I also would paint the island cabinet.

If you raise the island to one level be careful of seams in the middle of a large slab, it might not be a do-able change depending on if a slab that large can be brought into the home easily. You also have to consider the cabinetry which would have to be raised as well.

I am a huge fan of Quartz products, they are a little pricier than an UbaTuba grade granite but color choices are far better and there is no maintenance!

As far as dark vs. light you could go either way with the mid tone cabinetry and neutral flooring. Ubatuba does tend to show water spots but it is not as bad as Black Galaxy. Also covers stains and seams much better than a light granite.

Good luck!

What ever granite you choose, I would go with a tumble marble backsplash that coordinates with what ever granite and accent with 1inch tiles that match a color in your granite. One idea I like, is Black Absolute. It is beautiful granite and then maybe a subway tile as a backsplash. Either granite will be fine as long as you complete the backsplash. Also, remove the greenery on the top of your cabinets. If you go modern, change your hardware. Just sayin. Have fun. Plan for future updates. Your appliances won't last forever, so think of what would go there next.

I'd go with a granite or quartz product with a lot of white in it and add a backsplash.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

Wow, thanks for the input! Lots to consider. Let's see...
Texandancer - beige is not really on our radar, we aren't real fans of "gold" and I personally would love to redo the cabinet color someday.
The center island will NOT have that drop down seating part, that's how the sellers quoted the granite for the allowance - but I totally didn't even consider having to raise up the island cabinet. Ack! And yes, seams are in my notes to ask about when the designer comes out Monday.
Margo - what color would you paint the island?
Sheniqua - they took the fridge, so we will either get another black one, or do that matte stainless look. The "cooktop" is actually the stove and oven together and I want to convert to gas. We surely are on a budget, but I really dislike electric...I'm going to see what the options are for cost, and they tell me that the difference in price between a slide in range vs a freestanding, that we'd put against the wall, would equal things out. I hope!

Curious...I don't see the stove, where is it? Also if you are keeping your microwave in the same spot, I would get a trim kit to make it look more custom.

It is very fashionable and attractive now to use different colored granite. I like the idea of the island being a different color than the other counters. Good point on the seam. We had one on our old island and it looked fine-very unnoticeable. Also, I was assuming you'd still use the island as a breakfast bar, just higher stools. Raising the paneling would appear to be a minor alteration. We had black granite in our old kitchen and I used windex all purpose cleaner (yellow) and it cleaned beautifully. Not sure if it was "safe" but it worked on the granite and also on the stainless steel frig. No streaking.

Tracycasper & Carolyn - thanks to you too! I hadn't really considered a backsplash, at least not right now. I'm hoping this will be a work in progress, but getting the oven/stove, fridge and granite selected first needs to happen before I can really unpack. (and for the record, these are the listing pics....greenery is GONE!) :)

Margo, the stove is under the "cooktop. It's actually an electric range (am I using the correct term?) - it's a stove and oven together in the island.

I think a black granite would make the kitchen feel too heavy and dark. I would choose a beige tone instead and add a beautiful glass tile to complement the granite as well.

Your cabinets look very orange in the photo. If you use black it will make your cabinets scream not just pop. It will appear a little holloweenish. I'd go with the lighter as it will go nicely with your current floors. Look into Bianco ornamental it's beautiful and light.

Cluck29- my first thought would be French Blue but I quess it all depends on your color comfort.

Hi again. Do you have a gas line to your house? The conversion can be expensive, but I agree-much prefer gas. Check out the new counter depth refrigerators. They are not as intrusive and you don't lose much interior space if you go with the side by side. I believe the lower freezer drawer will be a fad people end up not liking.

Moving the cooktop would be a positive if you can add ventilation. I don't see a vent now, which is a problem.

Now that you mentioned you might switch to stainless appliances, I would then go light.

There is gas to the house, plumber quoted just under $500 to convert for us in the island...not sure yet on if we moved it to the wall. If it went in the wall, we would be able to do a microwave hood to vent. And yes, we priced counter depth fridges! Good advice, keep it coming!!

hparks74, you're right, the cabinets do look really orange in the photo - not as much in person, but I agree with your Halloween comment. Good point. I think the Bianco ornamental you mentioned is the Blanco Leblon we are considering...it has specks of actual rubies, so it has a white/creamy background and black/grey and purplish specks.

One thing I wouldn't do with new granite is repeat the backsplash that you currently have. Granite needs to stop at the counter and if you want a backsplash use tile or another material to go on the wall.

Go for light granite.

It's not a good idea to place your stove next to the refrigerator or to crowd it in next to the dishwasher. Leave the island but make it all counter height. Leave the stove in the island. You'll loose lots of cabinet space if you get rid of the island and you'll have a floor dilemma. Plus, you'll lose even more cabinet space if you take out cabinets to squeeze in stove in between DW & frige.

Remove the fake plants from the tops of your cabinets.

LOL, nobody likes fake plants above counters! Those are not mine, the sellers took them so we're all good.
LeeLee - I am concerned about the points you made relative to losing cabinet space. I definitely do not want the stove right next to the fridge, but I love the idea of freeing up that island counter space, and moving cabinets down there where the stove is now. Is that a new thing, having granite stop at the counter and not do that couple inch piece up the wall? Or maybe I'm just such a novice at kitchen design?!? :)

Check height before you purchase a counter depth refrigerator, they are typically 2"-3" taller than standard so it might not fit under that cabinet! They are very nice and open up a space drastically.

It's difficult to select a granite when you may be painting the cabinets in the future, and you're considering painting the island now. However, tho it's difficult, it's not impossible. Do you like white cabinets? You can certainly have light countertops now that will go with white cabinets later. And if you paint the island a color you don't want later, it's no big deal to have to repaint the island later.

I do like white cabinets, and that is a beautiful kitchen Carolyn! I think we are leaning toward the light granite because it does seem to open up more future possibilities if we are going to do anything with the cabinets down the line. And stainless would match ok - but I had no idea the counter depth fridge was possibly taller, so thank you for that tip!

Counter depth frig comes n two heights. Just make sure you measure and get the height you need!

Bonjour, The black suggestion his good, did you think of black slate?

I would use a cream colored granite with a veining in it the color of your cabinets. I have some in a bath that would be perfect but do not know the name.I cant take my eyes off of it. Take a drawer with you to the store to select. Granite is so expensive you want something that will be spectacular. I go mine from a granite specialty store. Be sure take a sample to your homeland look at it in light at your house.

Hi cluck, well, I don't know if it's new but it's ugly to run the counter granite up the wall and then do a backsplash on top of that. We had our granite installed without any backsplash and it's never been a problem. I much prefer the cleaner look with no granite ledge (way more important to not do the granite ledge if you're doing a tile backsplash) What would be the purpose? It would only distract from the nice tile.

The reason I'd opt for the stove in the island (besides losing cabinets) is so when you're cooking you face the room. Plus people tend to gather round while you're cooking and the island lends to that. What is the purpose of "freeing up" the island? I think it will crowd your counters to have all the action--dishwasher, stove, sink all on the same wall.

light, light, light, kitchen is so dark already & needs light.

Duh, I read the remark about the stuff not being yours but got freaked when I saw the plastic plants. Sorry.

LOL, that's ok...those plastic plants are nobody's friend! Leelee, I guess I was thinking that having the island totally open would allow for more prep space and presentation space and stuff like that. I do think you make valid points about not only crowding the side wall, but also wanting to face the kitchen while I cook. Hmm, more to think about I guess. Maybe I should leave the stove as a slide in...but then I don't have any venting....

I saw where you were getting your Granite from Lowe's. They have a 25 sq ft minimum on each color. If you want to have two different colors of Granite, you will have to pay for 25 sq ft. Moving your stove to the wall will be a large expense. I would leave it there, but would definitely make it one level. The crown molding will add a lot to the look of the kitchen. Change your knobs and pulls. This will help with a different look. I like to take into consideration the colors in the sitting area directly next to the kitchen. The whole room should be looked at.

As much as I like the look of two separate colors on an island/counter, I honestly don't think I can even make a decision on one - let alone two! LOL.
Can someone link a pic of what kind of crown molding you're suggesting we add to the tops of the cabinets?

Look at the crown moulding on the cabinets in the photo I posted above, and another one below. BTW, you could have butcher block on your island, if you paint the island. You can see what it looks like in the photo below. It's less expensive than granite but looks fabulous!

Also, (and you've gotten a lot of fantastic suggestion!), if it's in the budget I'd put pot lights (cans) in the ceiling. Too dark in there. And if you are going to do a backsplash, white subway tile is a classic you can never go wrong with!

I have just remodeled my kitchen here in Brazil and I was between choosing the really dark green Ubatuba and the Siena (very similar to Leblon) with off-white customed cabinets. Those Granites you are considering are Brazilian, so I know them very well. I ended up choosing the Siena. It is beautiful but you have to be extra careful because coffee and wine might stain it. I was able to remove a coffee stain using an italian product but I had to apply it thrice. So, I can tell you both are absolutely beautiful - but you know now how light colored granite works.

People are using engineered stone in CA for a more updated....different from Granite look. It is a cleaner look....less busy. Agree with not putting same material on backsplash.

We're doing a lot of Silestone and Caesarstone products here too, giving a nice clean look to the kitchens, and by clean, I don't mean sanitary, but instead I mean free of pattern.