Hello KathiMark, You might check into a material that is relatively new to the market of countertops, Quartz. You may know of it by some of the brand names that manufacture Quartz; Silestone, Cambria. Quartz is a very hard, non porous stone. It is actually harder than granite and marble, and is not a composite of various stones and minerals, like granite and marble. As a result it is extremely durable, heat resistant and stain resistant. However, on the scale of countertops it can be expensive. You might try obtaining quotes from different manufacturer's and in differing colors to obtain a reasonable estimate. It is available in a few dozen colors. Take a look at a few Houzz examples of Quartz countertops: https://www.houzz.com/photos/1960s-lake-oswego-home-traditional-kitchen-portland-phvw-vp~344737 Best of luck with your kitchen and please let us know if we can be of any assistance, Elizabeth

Our black granite has subtle color variation which includes an amber gold vein. We too have cream cabinets & wood floors. Out kitchen island is black. We used Honey Onyx for the backsplash. Our stone is a diamond shape but you can get it in a subway tile. Based on installer comments, I think it may be a bit trickier to work with than standard tile. We've been very happy with the decision.

I would go to a granite fabricator and look at their remnants ... they could give you a great price on the granite and installation. We have granite in all of our bathrooms for years without any problems.

Swanstone is very durable and nicer than a plastic marbleized type top and usually less then acrylics like Corian. I like the acrylics a little better. Cost wise there are so many alternatives in this price range that often you can get Granite, Marble, Acrylic, or Swanstone tops all for similar amounts. Typically premade tops will be much less than custom tops, so if you can create a vanity area that conforms to standard top sizes the cost of any of these surfaces will be less than half of what it would be custom.