oh: just white or a light gray glass, it seems to me.

Love, love that black quartzite! Beautiful.

your choices with that color on the perimeter are wide open. It depends on the style of your home and the look you are after.

My my house is done, but what is the name of the black quartzite?

Love the black quartzite too - I would use that for both the island and the perimeter counters.

You already have too much going on. (ONE cabinet color and TWO countertops, or TWO cabinet colors and ONE countertop) But it's probably too late to change that now. Wait until everything is installed before deciding so you can pick something that brings all the elements together without overwhelming the space.

kristina, it's best to wait until after the countertops are installed. this way you can see the overall look with cabinets and the flooring. And no, you don't have to do a solid white or gray subway tile. just come back w/pictures when it's installed.

to say it's"too much going on", without even seeing the space, is ridiculous. where is that written?

Here's two-tone, and two countertops, AND a backsplash. This is overwhelming?

https://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen-remodeling-project-in-studio-city-ca-transitional-kitchen-los-angeles-phvw-vp~66999782

and another one. these are both high end where I'm sure a KD was involved. I'd take these any day over a white kitchen, white quartz, and white subway tile.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchens-contemporary-kitchen-cleveland-phvw-vp~108446914

is the black slab Negresco?

I hope you're doing a solid wood floor or a very subtle tile. nothing busy on the floor.

In both Beth's first two versions, the countertop material also became the backsplash to tie it all together so that all those disparate elements didn't fight with one another.

The third photo in Beth's post is way too much in my mind. I'm looking at the backsplash, the island, the black counter and the hood and my eye keeps jumping around and none of it feels cohesive.

yes cp,,,the last one isn't my fave. OP said she was doing a stained wood island. I hope it's not a reddish stain. I don't care for the backsplash in that photo, at all. (if they did away w/the stove accent tile, it would have calmed things down a bit, along w/a white hood). that's why I said you really can't dismiss the two and two until you see all of the other elements in play.

in the first pic, they did use a marble tile, which ties in the island. OP could do a carrara w/her splash and I think it would look great (even though it's Super White, from afar the marble will look very similar). I have SW in my bathroom, with carrara on the floor, and love it.

Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

Also, high end and KD being involved do not guarantee an amazing result. I've seen plenty of expensive high end kitchens that were poorly laid out and ugly.

Beth, in your first photo I don't think the backsplash and cabinet colors are great together. Warm white and cool white that are a bit off together.

Middle photo they avoided one more color by making the counter and cabinets on the perimeter the same color.

Last photo looks like they liked too many things and put them all in the same kitchen. It isn't awful, but it isn't memorable either.

I'm all for crazy colors and pattern and rarely suggest plain white subway, but sometimes you just can't put everything you love into the same space/room.

agree. I don't care for the tile selections or the colors in the 3rd. In the first one, (lighting in pictures can augment what it really looks like) I would have done a brighter white on the cabinets, but I still think it looks good. It's not overdone. I love the 2nd one, even if they would have used a backsplash tile.

again, that's why I said all the other elements have to be considered. What kind of wood on the island? stain color? flooring, kitchen size, layout, etc. All of these determine if the two/two combo will work. Her slabs aren't that busy. I'm redoing mine and going with two/two.

OK, here's SW on the island, and black on perimeter.

I don't think there's anything wrong w/either one of these.

this is prob one of my favorites, (minus the stove accent), and there is a lot going on in here.

Not for everyone, I get that. My point was, you can't tell someone you already have too much going on based solely on a picture of two countertops.

look, this is nice, but i'd fall asleep in my coffee every morning if I had to live with this. yawnsville.

Beth you and I definitely agree on using color and pattern. :) The thing is it takes a special eye to pull all those elements together. It absolutely can be done but it does take a keen eye to make it all work.

thank you all for your help!
the floors are Brazilian Chestnut wirebrushed (photo attached). I want to stain the island to one of the shades of brown in the floor. our carpenter is also going to add some of the same wood stained accents as upper corner shelves and a piece of wood across the hood.
I don't have a KD.
the perimeter slab is just called black quartz. it has a little leathering around the veins. it does look like pictures I've seen of negresco - I don't know if it's the same stone.

kristina, those are nice floors. he doesn't have to match the stain exactly. a little lighter or darker (but keep the same tone) would look better.

just wait for backsplash tile until it's all installed, mkay? come back w/new pics and any samples you're considering, and we can help you out.

Have you thought about using Super White as a backsplash? I think it would look great and tie the whole place together. Seems to me that the contrast between black and white quartzite will be the main focus. Bringing in more details can just be overwhelming.

here's everything installed. I still need help with the backsplash if anyone has ideas. thanks!!!

Kristina, beautiful. your hood is very similar to mine! (walnut-it's not the best picture but it is the same color as yours) (and I can't even decide on my own splash!) I also have walnut shelving over the coffee bar and on the other side of the island.

what kind of tile are you leaning towards, or what kind of look? you have a great wall to show off some great tile work. Because of your warm wood flooring, I would stay away from most the gray colors.

something w/black (or white) or this mixture of the deep bronze/alloy black metallic glaze, would look beautiful next to your countertop, and match your floor color. I can't photoshop any of these onto your photos because you posted them through the Houzz link. if you post a pic on the photo icon in comments, I can do it.

these are Encore Ceramics, metallic glaze options. (they come in all shapes)

Tilebar

or you could do a Bardiglio marble, which is a bit darker than the Carrara.

mother of pearl (also has the warmer hues to it) And they have a black MOP that is stunning.

or go w/a black/white marble

thanks Beth! I love the black tile and the and the black and white marble. I can't picture the bronze tones in the kitchen but the second one is beautiful. I (obviously) love your hood and your kitchen. thanks for your advice.