Can you post a picture of the full kitchen as it currently is?

I'm not sure cararra marble is a good choice for those cabinets if you don't want to paint them. The bright white and gray veining of the stone will make the cabinets look even more yellow, IMO. I might go for a dark soapstone instead which will provide contrast. It will not, however, brighten the space.

If you must have the marble, I'd wait to replace the counters until you are also willing to have the cabinets re-painted in a color that complements the preferred stone.

Most Houzzers will agree that you should live in a new house for 3-6 or 12 months before you do anything to it except repairs that keep it functioning (HVAC, foundations, roof, and such.) The color is lovely and even the counter material may look like less of a problem when your stuff is all in. Live there and see what you think in a few months. I agree that the marble will not help the cabinet color at all. Meanwhile, you can plan, resource and price out the changes you decide to make.

If you want lighter cabinets, that requires a full blown, weeks long, prep and paint. There are zero shortcuts that won’t ruin them and leave you spending a lot of money to fix them professionally, or replace them. Start here, with the How To do it right. https://www.facebook.com/groups/PaintingKitchenCabinetsforProfit/

The sunk costs of that albatross of a marble purchase are messing with your mind. Leave that out of the equation of what is best for the actual house that you bought. Because it isn't the best choice by a long shot. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/economics/sunk-cost/

I do not think that Carrara marble goes with those cream cabinets as they are now, they are too warm. They are going to look warmer next to the marble. I would have them painted a cool color or cool white if you don't want to replace them.

The cabinets and current counters seem to coordinate nicely based on the small pic you provided. Agree with others that the marble won't. Can you use the marble elsewhere -- bathrooms, basement, laundry room, outdoor kitchen? Or have it sliced into pieces and used as cutting boards or candy-making slab?

Just a thought: if you want to keep the marble slab you already purchased, would it work in the bathrooms?

I agree with the previous posters that Carrera is not going to look good with those cabinets. The marble slab is a sunk cost. I don't know if there is a resale market in marble, but you could see if you can find a buyer on Facebook or Craigslist if you can't use it.

Boy, I think Carrara would look good with plywood cabinets! Without seeing the entire kitchen, my general and non-specific thoughts re: "lightening" are : removing upper cabinets, replacing wood with glass in some cabinets or, if suitable, painting a block of cabinets white.

Here are two links to a kitchen reveal of one of my favorite kitchens - the yellow/cream kitchen of poster 2LittleFishies:

Her perimeter counters were Danby marble.

I think your second photo looks great.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2459739/2littlefishies-yellow-kitchen-reveal-long#n=157

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2496394/2littlefishies-yellow-kitchen-reveal-part-deux#n=155

Probably haven’t had enough coffee, but I am having trouble understanding the pics. In one of them, the cabinets look gray. I would like to see several pics of the kitchen, but I see no way that the Carrera marble is going to look good. There is nothing you can apply to the cabinets to alter the color, but you might play around with cooler lighting. While I am not a granite fan, the stone you have appears to be a stunning match. If you dislike it, wait until you can gut the kitchen and sell those gorgeous cabinets. Personally, I would either eat the cost of the marble, try to sell it back to the yard at a discount, or put it on Craig’s List.

I agree that in the last photo, the cabinets appear to be a dirty dull gray.

What’s the lighting like? Maybe you need more (and improved) lighting.

Your cabinets almost border on yellow in the first two photos. I agree with one of the other posters - white marble might make the cabinets look even more yellow. If you install the marble I would suggest having the cabinets painted. Are you a d.i.y. person? If so, you could paint them yourself. Good luck!

Buy a $30-$50 marble pastry board or cheese board that looks like your slab. Put it next to the cabinets. Do you like the way it looks? Take some photos that include the marble, the cabinets, and a piece of white paper for camera color balance.

@apple_pie_order That's a great idea! Thank you!

I would never choose carrarra with cream cabinets but before doing anything else make sure all the lighting is LED 4000K so that at least all the colors are true all the time.Please do not do a DIY paint job unless you have aton of experience painting cabinets and also a space that is dust proof for spraying.

@Qiara Norwood - Thanks, I think I may have to explore painting them myself.

@littlebug zone 5 Missouri - Yes! I definitely want to replace the lighting. Right now there is a large flourescent light, which is probably why the close-up looks so different from the wider shot of the kitchen. It's going and new lighting will go up almost as soon as we move in.

barncatz - I'm with you! Carrarra is so pretty on its own :) That kitchen remodel is stunning!

Thanks for all the help. I have had the exact same granite in a previous house and never learned to like it, and I ADORE the carrarra, so I think painting the cabinets is going to be the best solution.