ugh... help with counter choice in gray and white kitchen

8 years ago

Kitchen has both white perimeter cabinets and gray bar and island cabinets. Also, fridge is white paneled.

Was considering gray granite for perimeter and light quartzite for island/bar...

Or should I do quartzite for all three counters?

Alas, I wanted white quartz, but never fell in love with any slabs. The picture with the cabinet sample is quartz.

Thoughts?

Featured Answer

Jillius

8 years ago

It sounds as if you're in a common situation where aren't really liking what you thought you'd like. Like, you had a vision for your kitchen, but now that it's coming together in real life, it's not singing for you with these counter options.

I suspect it's hard to see other options/possibilities at the moment, so forget your current kitchen plan/vision for a moment and go do another tour of the slab showrooms. This time, instead of looking at all the quiet, pale grey and white slabs, go look at everything that isn't that. Things you weren't considering before. And while you are looking, deliberately stop thinking about the slabs in the context of the kitchen you're building or if they fit the vision or how it'll look as a counter. Just look at each slab and ask yourself, "Do I think this stone is beautiful? Right here, right now in this show room, is this slab beautiful?"

Take pictures of every slab where the answer is yes. Also note the name of the material, and then go home and search the internet for pictures of kitchens that used that material for their counters with white or light cabinets similar to the ones you have now.

Do you like any of those kitchens? If so, maybe that kitchen's counter material is what you should go with. Put those slabs on hold, and see if switching to that vision for your kitchen grows on you over a few days or a week.

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Comments (9)

DrB477
8 years ago
Conventional wisdom is keep counters the same if the cabinets are different. I'd stick with that logic. The first slab is very nice. So is the quartz. If you are buying "quartzite" you need to do your own due diligence and make sure it behaves as expected in terms of scratches, stains, and etches because a lot of "quartzite" that looks like marble is actually marble.
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ABC
Original Author
8 years ago
This is an inspiration picture with two tone cabinets and two tone counters - Yin Yang
Jennifer R
8 years ago
Have you looked into Compact Calcutta Unique (left) or Silestone Calcutta Gold (right)? We are doing a very light gray kitchen cabinet with white subway tile and a charcoal gray floor. I think we are leaning toward the Calcutta Gold quartz but both are pretty.
Jennifer R
8 years ago
Have you looked into Compact Calcutta Unique (left) or Silestone Calcutta Gold (right)? We are doing a very light gray kitchen cabinet with white subway tile and a charcoal gray floor. I think we are leaning toward the Calcutta Gold quartz but both are pretty.
chocolatebunny123
8 years ago
Do you want a countertop that mimics marble, or are you open to other suggestions?

This is the one I almost went with, called Fusion by Hanstone. My cabinets were too warm for it but I think it would look really nice if you're looking for something different.

https://www.hanstonequartz.com/products/fusion
ABC
Original Author
8 years ago
Jennifer,

I had the Compaq sample at my house for a month (before I had cabinets in) and I thought it was too “white”. Now that the dark kitchen elements left the room, it seems easier to envision. The Calacatta Gold looks very interesting to me now. I’m going to look at slabs one more time... I love the dark and light combo as long as it is the correct contrast and not just “muddy”.
Melissa Freeman
8 years ago
We chose Silestone Quartz in Snowy Ibiza to go with our greyish cabinets. Fairly white, with subtle grey veins. We have not finished the kitchen, but you can get an idea of the look from this photo. We are going to use a slightly darker, stone backsplash in earth tones.
ABC
Original Author
8 years ago
Your Ibiza looks fresh against the pretty gray cabinetry.

I ended up going with the two different counters. I went white on the backsplash to keep all simple.

Now I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that it works!