Gunit234. if you have a chance to post pictures with the lighting change, I would love to see them.

The counters were installed Thursday. They look amazing! Serena on the perimeter and Calacatta gold on the island. The cabinets will be done in 2 weeks. I will post some pictures once it is complete.

Nice, can't wait for the pictures

You will love the Eternal Serena. We still have to have the cabinets refinished in white (next couple weeks), and install back splash, But here are some pictures so far if it helps. Serena is a very light grey, which I love for a bright kitchen, and love the Silestone Calacatta Gold on the island. the combination looks great. Included a picture of the backsplash we plan to use. Ordered new wood stools and kitchen table chairs to replace the black. Can't wait to get them in.

Also Matty-o, Not sure if you know that Silestone Eternal line now has N-Boost...which is an even greater protection against stains and scratches. I tested it with a sample. It cleans very well...even wine, red sauce...etc...overnight. You may want to make sure your get slabs have the N-boost. I worked with Cosentino for Silestone here in Pittsburgh, and they said there are still slabs without it, so I made sure the slabs my installer received for my kitchen had the N-boost.

We are also having the cabinet guy add some panels to the seated side of the island to dress it up a bit before it is refinished in white.

Looks great! Thanks, that is the best photo I have seen so far of the Serena.

Yeah, your Serena counters look good. The color is much more solid gray and not blotchy. I have gray with pronounced light-gray blotches spread all over it. You can barely see the white veining. Pretty sure I have a defective slab. I will say how amazing the maintenance has been on this quartz. I've spilt coffee, red wine, tomato sauce, oil, you name it... on the surface and it just wipes right off and looks like it was never there. Don't think ill ever get natural stone again.

Think I might switch them out with "london gray" from caesarstone next year though. Hate to shell out another $3.3K, but the damn blotches are driving me freaking nuts.

I am having a hard time picking out backsplash to go with the eternal Serena. I have it on the perimeter and Calacata gold on the island. I would love some suggestions.

I had the same issue. I originally wanted white bue we thought it was too much white in the kitchen. I am going with Bliss Element ...color is Shadow. it is a grey with a very slight bluish greenish hue to it. Here are a few pictures. I wanted a solid color, as I have a large kitchen, and wanted the backsplash to be simple and something somewhat soft. This is glass, and the one I chose is the mosaic with 2X6 subway tiles. I am hoping to have it installed sometime early November. Please let me know what you decide. I am curious, as it was difficult finding something that works.

Lourdes Horn: my last post with the Bliss backspash was for you, as I have the same combination of Eternal Serena on the counters, and Calacatta gold on the island.

@Lisa, you could also do a pretty white backsplash. My only worry about glass is the fingerprint smudges and grease splatters, esp behind the cooktop. Although that is beautiful....

Be sure to peek here at Tilebar for ideas as well:

https://tilebar.com/browse-by-project/backsplash-tiles.html

What about a beautiful marble stone herringbone that pulls whites and grays?

https://tilebar.com/collection/stone-mosaics.html

Or anything cararra like a herringbone or 3x6 beveled:

https://tilebar.com/collection/marble/white-carrera.html

You can view all their collections here:

https://tilebar.com/all-collections

agree on a white, but my husband was against more white in the kitchen. I labored over choosing something. I hope this turns out well. the sample is really pretty though. I will be using white grout.

Glad to hear! I changed my mind about the Bliss glass shadow backsplash. didn't work with the gray in the Eternal Serena. May go with a simple white subway with grey grout or a white glass subway with white grout. Any thoughts?

I am doing a calacatta marble backsplash with a light gray grout. I'll post once completed, hopefully in a few weeks.

or carrara marble, 3" x 12" most likely

Matty-o. would love to see. I just looked at a Marble, but the only reason I am not going with it is maintenance. I cook a lot, and I do not want to worry about splashing, sealing and any staining. I think I may go with a simple white subway tile with light grey grout. Would love the marble thought. that will be beautiful. Cannot wait to see it.

@ Lisa, Thanks for posting your pics. Your kitchen looks beautiful! I have a honed Danby marble for my kitchen counters and I'm considering Serena suede for an adjacent bar area and laundry room. Curious to know what you decided for your backsplash.... I had a difficult time & ended up using WZ Cafe milk 3 x 6 subway which has a handmade appearance and did a framed panel above the range of polished Calcutta in arabesque pattern. I also cook a lot & thankfully haven't had any problem at all with staining on any of the marble. Etching is a whole different story but I knew what I signed up for.

Atheisen,

I happen to be getting the backsplash finished today. I ended up with a classic white subway using a light grey grout. It looks great so far. I will try to post some pictures tonight. By the way, I do absolutely love the Serena in Suede...almost wish I had gone with that....but the polished is still very nice.

Atheisen,

back is Done. Here are some pictures.

Matty-o

yiur kitchen looks great. Love the backsplash.

RedRyder,

Thank you! I do. It’s been a long road getting here.

Here’s one of the other side of the kitchen. Thought I included it in my last post.

Lisa, your kitchen is stunning! I love your backsplash with the counters. Hope you enjoy it for a long time. I know how it is to agonize with the decisions & it has taken me a couple years to get to the end of my own project.

Michelle - Thanks to your pictures, I have picked the Serena. Please tell me your backsplash pick, it is stunning! I love all your details as well including fixtures and "murial" above seat!

Bonnie, the backsplash is Elida White Marble Arabesque Mosaic from Lowes! There was a sale and we got it for about $13 sq. ft. It was the only pattern I wanted for the kitchen. We get a lot of compliments on it and it definitely gives the kitchen some flair that it needed since everything else is neutral.

LisaPichi,,,it's been a little while, how is the Eternal holding up w/grease or water spots? confirm you have the matte or suede finish? any issues?

I'm doing the same combo in my kitchen (except doing real Calacatta on my island). I love the Eternal Serena w/your cabinets. looks great. (I'm also asking about getting that N-boost to the slab, as mentioned above)

Very much appreciate the pix, as there Serena images are scarce. Your Kitchen turned out really lovely. I am planning on Polished Serena-or Desert Silver- as Backsplash, and polished Et Statuario on counters,. Any thoughts on this combo? Our kitchen is open to the small dining & living rm. , and the 6 ft dining able is white marble(Calacatta Gold, with infinitesimal veining).

It's been a few years since this post...does anyone have experience with SileStone matte/suede finish NBOOST? Does it hold up as they show in the videos?

I was wondering the same! I'm getting ready to do my kitchen in the Serena suede finish with charcoal cabinets and white brick backsplash. I'd love to know how the suede holds up.

snappydoc and Michlle, yes, I have the Eternal Serena in the suede finish. the Nuboost is great

How long have you had it for? Any etching or water stains?

coming up on 4 years.

no issues. sometimes I may get a stubborn stain, but w/some soft scrub it comes right up.

I have chipped it a few times. (my fault w/a heavy iron skillet) but the good news is it can be repaired seamlessly if you save the chip!

I do all of my prep here in the corner by the stove.

I always use a cutting board, obviously. water spots are easily wiped up w/cleaning.

here's the seam they did in that corner shot in the pic above.

Here's the charcoal color. this was my first choice, but w/all of the black in the accents, I went w/the gray

If you're doing all white, this would be a nice option

Their Calcatta is really pretty too. this one is polished.

We're actually planning to do the white countertops. We've just been concerned about staining, but there doesn't really appear to be any options that don't really stain.

I've had every stain you can think of and it's all washed up.

just use a cutting board to prepare, and wipe up your spills before going to bed. it's really not a big deal. The quartz isn't going to stain in 5 mins like marble does. (my marble island? factory sealer on that one. doesn't stain, but it still etches)

Dark charcoal cabinets, white brick backsplash, and eternal serena suede. Posting pictures in about 5 days!! So excited!!

Hi Beth, your kitchen is amazing! I came across this thread as I am researching on Et Serena countertop for my new kitchen. May I know how thick is your Et Serena countertop? It looks like 3cm on the edge but seems a bit thinner around the undermount sink. Or is it 2cm thick with a laminated edge of 4cm? I also like your range hood design. It seems to work for my kitchen with 8 ft ceiling minus the drop for vent duct and pot light. May I ask what brand and model is that range hood? Any advice you could share would be much appreciated.