Have had Corian and granite. Would not do Corian again due to scratching. We are currently building again and have chosen quartz for maintenance ease, durability and the color selections.

I will suggest granite but it might slash off your budget. Granite is really great at counter-tops.

Thanks for your comment re: corian. I didn't know it was so scratch prone. I'll be giving granit a closer look.

In the meantime, what colors / styles would you recommend ? I would like something modern (black or dark grey), but I feel like the cabinets and floor tiles are constraining me to brown-ish tints. I'm worried an "all brown" look would be again too uniform and bland. What are my alternatives here ? Your thoughts are appreciated.

We used quartz countertop in our new kitchen. We love it! It does not scratch or burn. You do not have to do anything to it to keep it looking nice. Just enjoy it!
http://www.silestoneusa.com/colors/latest-colors/

I fabricate all the above discussed countertops. Solid surface (aka) Corian and quartz are trendy products in my opinion. Granite is made be mother nature so you can not go wrong. Some consumers are sold on quartz over granite only because they believe the marketing fluff. The benefit of quartz is it's freestanding ability, up to a 20 inch overhang without support and predictability in color. Quartz is not UV stable whereas granite is. Granite and quartz are frankly the same in performance under normal residential use. Whatever stains granite will stain quartz. Read the fine print of the warranty. You can not seal quartz but you should seal granite when you choose light colors.
There's no such thing as a maintenance proof surface. Cleaning is always necessary. Quartz does not have the same shine as granite. Quartz products are manufactured overseas and are constructed of dyes, raw crushed quartz, resins and other proprietary substances. Granite is all natural. Solid surface is all man made products and is the least scratch resistant of all the surfaces available. All surfaces have their place but, consumers typically follow trend. How many people do you hear of bragging about their plastic laminate, quartz or solid surfacing? Granite almost always will be the preferred surface.

Good Evening, I fabricate all natural stone counter tops and quartz tops. I recommend, if you are going contemporary, using a quartz top. I personally love working with Caesarstone ( http://www.caesarstoneus.com ) and would def. check them out. They are not necessarily cheaper than a marble/granite but are more durable in the long run and require less maintenance. If you wanted to go with a granite there are plenty of options and I would recommend you visit a local fabricator and then possibly a local slab vendor. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

I would go for the black like you mentioned either quartz or absolute black granite. Light backsplash.
http://houzz.com/photos/57645

Precision SM&G most fabricators love recommending quartz only because it removes the skill level required to process granite. Any fabricator can cut and polish quartz with minimal experience. Granite requires much more time to get it right but, with the right knowledge and years in the trade, it's easy. I agree if a customer wants white and simple then quartz may be the best choice. Most fabricators rely to heavily on automated machines. These machines can not detect natures natural flaws. In these cases quartz works best for those commercial type of fabricators.

White Kitchens are usually the most appealing to a wide range of buyers. However, since you don't want to have all the cabinets airbrushed white, I would go with a gray counter. Maybe concrete or Silestone or Caesarstone like this kind of look but with a gray glass tile backsplash:

and this back splash: http://www.lowes.com/pd_485396-87458-GLSMANPLA28G_0__?productId=4761371&Ntt=backsplash+tile
(I grabbed an example from Lowe's, but something like would be Ann Sacks Lake Garda would be better quality)

@Rich - I do not use any machines other than a Park Yukon II Bridge Saw. We use all hand tools to fabricate our work and 80% of my work is using Marble and Granite(mostly marble now-a-days). I am recommending a quartz surface as she had mentioned she was looking at corian. In my opinion, Corain is inferior to a quartz. Maybe where you fabricate they are using Quartz for commercial applications but I am seeing it a lot more from Designers / Architects for home use. Its a growing trend here in the New York Metro area.

@Sam - I would recommend a Black Absolute Granite over the Black Quartz Surfaces. The black quartz tend to have more finishing issues with the face of the material and if it does scratch its nearly impossible to fix.

There is no such thing as mass appeal. Just look right here at the different answers. Just fix it up cheaply to look good and let the next owners decide what they want.

Precision - good to know. I just figured quartz will give you a solid color. Is that a concern with grey also? I have white - I have noticed some scuffing where large pots have hit the side of the sink.

Quartz is a great choice for your countertop. Its maintenance free and comes in a variety of colors. I especially like Cambria ( http://cambriausa.com/en/designs/design-palette/?utm_source=adCenter&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Quartz%2B-%2BDesktop) who's quartz looks as good as granite. Granite is good but needs to be sealed every couple of years.
As for color choice I would use a dark counter with a tan or beige tile backsplash with accents using glass tiles. Good luck.

@Sam - The concrete colors have had some slight discoloration issues from what I have worked with. Have been doing a lot of concrete caesarstone recently and am not super happy with it. If you are using the whites, its mostly likely a metal marking from the pots/pans/keys/etc... I recommend cleaning it with a product called Bar keepers friend. Give that a shot, its basically powdered bleach.

Thank you for the tip - I will check that out. Mine is silestone and it does say no bleach? Sorry to hijack this thread...

@sam0705, sorry but you are totally wrong on the quartz. I am not a fabricator but a consumer who did a lot of research before committing to quartz. Now, by quartz I am referring to products like Caesar Stone, Sile Stone & Cambria, not quartzite which is a natural product much like granite. Quartz it totally stain proof,, that includes red wine, lemon juice, vinegar, etc., unlike granite, and it has a fabulous shine. It also does not require sealing. I have it and love it! If you do not like lots of movement in your countertop quartz is the way to go. Yes, you are right, one does need to wipe down the counters to keep them clean but isn't that innate to any kitchen?

@potatomasher, I am not so sure I would go with gray as you have browns in your tile. Go look at the quartz samples from the various manufacturers, they have an amazing array of colors, bring them home and see what would work best. It is hard to tell from a photo on a monitor. However, remember that black, or very dark colors, will show every crumb.

Ruthmand - not sure if you meant to direct your comment to me? I recommended quartz and have it myself. I was asking a question about it scuffing because mine has that precision was answering.

Yes, Caesarstone was my choice. As a designer of 25 years with an architect hubby we have seen it all. I chose Caesarstone because, true, it is not less $ than granite but more, easy on the eyes. It is new, different, easy to keep, even though I got a dark grey, I forget, lava looking finish in matt finish. (Of course grey is great) I have grey stone flooring and some lovely grey paint from BM...Classic Grey maybe? My house is a blend of lucite and 18th century furniture, fine art and fun! I like CS because it lets my design shine. Granite is so over, well unless you do absolute black and hone it, I guess. I have wrangled with concrete for years, "hated it". I wish you your best!

Precisian SM&G, Architects and designers are paid to follow trend and most do not do the homework on TVOC emissions of the products before referring them to their clients. It's all about color. Each have their own flavor in design as some of the comments illustrate.
On the east side of the state quartz (Ceasarstone, Cambria, etc.) is popular in McDonalds, Five Guys, Dunkin Donuts, Stop & Shop, Casino's, etc. Once these businesses saturate the man made quartz trend consumers will move back to granite in their everyday design. The casino's have already started to replace all their quartz surfaces with granite again. No one wants their besty to walk into their kitchen and label it as it came from a grocery store. Most of these places use Cambria (TM) and Ceasarstone (TM). I'm betting in time some chemical will be found in the food processed on these surfaces as the product ages. Just my opinion.

You have been given a lot of good information above here are some granite and quartz colors that I would recommend. I will attach a backsplash idea as well.

Fabio
http://www.lapietramarble.com

Gee, I am sorry to have offended rich :( I have granite and quatrz in some of my bathrooms, just sayin' chose Caesarstone for kitchen, loving it! No one here gets out alive, hit by bus, cook on Caesarstone. I wish you your best!

I'd choose granite or quartz. I don't think Corian would be as good for resale. Some frequently used granites are quite reasonably priced.

What about an Arctic Cream granite with a white subway tile backsplash?
That will give you the grays with some cream to tie the cabinets in.

@sam0705 - so sorry! My comment was directed @rich678 who thinks that quartz counter tops are going to kill us some day, Corian is trendy (hasn't that been around forever?) and quartz belongs in McDonalds & Dunkin Donuts.

We fabricate all stone-based materials as well i.e. natural and engineered stone, and I find that for most customers the kind of material depends on their goals and personal preferences. I would not get so caught up in the trends but think about what you need your countertop to be for you.

Each quartz line is a little different, and you need to do your research and read the fine print. Most say they are heat resistant (but a lot of them mean only up to a certain temp. like 250 degrees). I have heard people complain that their quartz has stained, and unfortunately, as a fabricator there's not much we can do for that. I agree that Cambria and Caesarstone are some of the better lines. Make sure you find a fabricator that has experience with these. Caesartsone has certain colors that require special care when fabricating.

I like the choices that La Pietra suggested for you. Honed Absolute Black is always a classic look as well, and doesn't show as much as the polished.

Best of luck!

It seems that everyone is talking about the countertop. I'd suggest you change the pulls on the cabinets for a modern look. Those long stainless steel straight pulls should look great on this type of flat cabinet door.

Your kitchen is rustic. There's no escaping that. Going modern with a countertop and backsplash will only make things tacky and confusing. IIt will not entice a buyer. Co

nsider a faux butcherblock laminate counter and faux peel and stick stone backsplash. They will not only coordinate but they are also easy on the budget.

Hi potatomasher. Wow, you're getting a lot of varying input. As a former kitchen designer and realtor, I'd want to know what buyers expect in a house like yours based on location, price range, etc. Personally, I'd have three experienced, successful realtors come in to do a comparable market analysis. Look at the kitchens - and baths - of the homes that have sold. My hunch is that you'll find little or no solid surface (Corian) because it scratches and can even melt. It's not what most buyers are looking for anymore. In my experience selling lots of countertops (!) quartz is preferred followed by granite.
My advice would be to do the backsplash, countertops - and the floors - or nothing at all. Doing any one but not all will just make the "old" pop against the new. You could even offer an "allowance" to the buyer to make their own changes after settlement.
If you do make changes, avoid patterns like the plague and keep it simple! Keep it light. You can never go wrong with a white or off white subway tile and they're cheap! Best of luck!

BTW, do the tile floors run through another room(s)?

I sure hope it has not taken 4 years to sell. At least, read the entire post before commenting. (It includes a date)

Fred, it was in the current feed so I had a reasonable expectation of it being current. BTW, what do u care?!

it's in the current feed because Mint Design didn't bother to look at the date before commenting. these old post show up along in the margins and people don't bother to look at the date. so these old posts get resurrected, everyone who has commented gets a notification, and then other people don't bother w/the date (like yourself) and offer tons of advice. then someone else starts, and basically it's just a waste of time. just like this comment.

I've had corian countertops with the integrated sink for 14 years now and it still looks great! No scratching whatsoever. Also, heat/hot pots can be set on top of the counter and sink without problem.
Since your selling soon, just do a very neutral color.

THIS FEED IS FROM 2013! Don't comment. Thanks, Beth. LOL