Pictures are welcome from you. I have no idea what color ginger /tan is.

This is our current kitchen...

I would not do black counters in that kitchen with that little amount of light. Black counters will swallow the light, and you already have very little. Black counters can also be more cleaning maintenance, because they tend to highlight fingerprints, dust and crumbs. Start over with your counters, and then we can suggest a different backsplash. I'd also change out the black blind and if you have the budget, the black range for brighter things.

What countertop would you suggest?

We are going to do all stainless steel appliances.

What about the option of changing the cabinet color to white?

With a dark back splash and brown walls, I think that black counters would make your kitchen look dark. I'd encourage you to repaint the walls a much lighter color, and, that you replace the backsplash. Also, the backsplash has brown tones on my iPad so I'm not sure how black counters would work.

We are definitely going to repaint the walls (thinking lighter gray or cream). We are also having the backsplash replaced when the countertops are installed. We would like to have better lighting installed in our kitchen as well.

I'm thinking along the lines of this:

In my last home the kitchen was north facing. It had natural cherry cabinets, a darker floor, black counter tops, and a black subway tile backsplash. It wasn't dark. WIth 8 can lights the countertops and backsplash there was lots of reflected light.

The one negative thing I'll say about the dark counters is it if not perfectly clean you can see it. Even the swipe marks from wiping them down were visible.

I think your black countertop is fine, but make it a honed black granite. Virgina Mist or Jet Mist. looks like this: (a glossy black is a bit dated looking w/your cabs)

**Oh, and have them cut a piece of your countertop to use as your window sill instead of that bright white piece. either that, or a piece of wood stained to match your cabinets. no white)

or, look at Soapstone.

soapstone is beautiful w/wood cabs. then we could do a marble subway tile. (you can do it w/the honed black granite too)

if you like the linear bars, Tilebar has this marble one that looks great

4x4 tumbled carrara tiles set in an off-set pattern would look nice

If you do a plain white subway and the glossy black granite, it's going to look like this. it's a little blah and 'been there done that' type of look.

then it would be really great if you could lose those blinds and those lights over the sink and instead do this type of shade with a single pendant light

see how they cut a piece to use as the window sill? do this w/yours

you know, taking your flooring into account, you could always do a dark mushroom color quartz,,like this one, a backsplash like pictured, and bring in the soft blues in the blinds and nickel hardware

Thank you! I love these ideas. I saved some of these to share with my contractor.

Soapstone with wood cabs is gorgeous! The key is multilayered lighting, and lighter walls and backsplash. And, keep the backsplash simple.

Here‘s ours...

If you want black countertops, go for it. Decide what you want for the backsplash before making a decision on replacing the black blinds.

Your backsplash tiles need not be all one color or even mostly black.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/843369467706333603/

I have natural wood cabinets in a slightly darker honey color. Soapstone counters which I think are much richer looking than black granite. My backsplash is white, crackle, subway tile. I think it's a good combo.