If you’re thinking of redoing the floors, then that’s the first decision. Your kitchen cabinets look great with the updates you’ve already done, but if you don’t like your floors, that’s a major change. The cabinets will look completely different with darker floors that aren’t so close in color. I see what bothers you about that. Have you started getting samples of flooring? Showing photos of those near your kitchen will help everyone help you make a decision. And your cabinets look like they’re in excellent condition from your photos.

I like to read old posts when they are about 1910 Craftsman, as I have a 1915. I am ALWAYS curious about what other people have to say about them. We had a 1200 sf ft Craftsman and added an addition to make it 3600. Our original foundation was, what is called around here, 'rock face block' so we looked to see if we could find some. We found a guy that had some stored out back behind his barn, and used them in the foundation of the new addition (at least where it showed.) We used a couple when we put a railroad rail through our 2 basement windows, of the old part, to hold the house up and needed to 'fill' the holes. Heavy things, but they seem to be block that will last forever. If no comment was wanted on an old post, why do they show up at the side of newer posts? Sometimes the original poster is not the only person interested in the topic, or what others have to add.

I harries22 I too have used galvanized sheet metal on a counter top for my much loved guesthouse in the country. You are correct granite seems off in some surroundings. A bit dressy unless honed and even then finding one with out being busy presents a problem when you are looking for a light color. I love the galvanized metal as it ages...the wear and dulling down reminds me of lead countertops....at a fraction of the cost. The only drawback as I see it, is because you are using a sheet of something...you a need a straight run. In other words if you come to a corner you can't attractively turn the corner because there would be seam at the corner. But for...simple...straight forward...cost effective....great look as it ages I think it is overlooked.

I've looked at the IKEA wood counters (they look and feel nice)....we'd have to do the Karlby (1/8" laminated to particle board) due to the peninsula. The sink cuts into the peninsula so we'd have open seams butting around the sink. A tad worrisome. I wish there was a solid wood option offered for islands. I'll have to have my husband look at the darker quartz options though it's hard to see movement in most of them. I'm starting to wonder maybe I should (here comes the run away train) reconfigure the base cabinets and push the peninsula out a bit so we don't have the weird sink on an angle in with a deep window box behind. Then I could use the Karlby walnut wood counters from IKEA without putting a cut seam through the sink. There would still be a seam next to the sink but if we abut two pieces together so it's factory sealed, it should hold up better, right? Doing this would require having the floors patched and trying to find base fronts that would tie into the uppers. Not sure we would want to remove the perfectly good solid wood upper cabinets. Thanks for giving me more to consider in solving our dilemma. :)