My goodness! ... To me your cabinets are quality looking and in good shape, very nice, I do not understand the snarky remarks. I understand you being happy with them, they are traditional, which a lot of people like. I agree an updating of your floor would help with the overall appearance. I have quartz in my kitchen and love it, wishing you lots of fun with your changes.

Agreed. The cabinets look like they are solidly built and they're only 10 years old--I can't imagine why you'd replace them except to change style or layout. Ditto for the floor tile--maybe it's not in good condition, but nothing in the photo leads me to think that. It's just not the current style (but come back in 10 years and see how all the gray and washed oak LVP floors are faring...)

I did flip flop to go with Wilsonart HD Spring Carnival instead. However, I really like the quartz. As far as the Spring Green paint. I have considered painting it. I am replacing the countertop not just because of adding the island, it is because what you can’t see is that there is water damage to the current HD laminate due to the single bowl being left on, and left and water overflowing and bloating the countertop, and my sink rusting and chipping after the fact. I am also changing out to a double bowl sink. So accidents have a lessor chance of occurring with two drains. I know opposite of what other people are doing, but I am old enough to see trends change over and over. Such as in the 80’s people painted over stained trim to white, and then back to stained woodwork. Carpet in the 90’s to wood floors. In the future I plan on changing the floors, after this it will be appliances and it doesn’t make sense to put in a new floor if my current fridge feet rip into the current floor underneath. My flooring often gets mistaken for real tile. It is actually Congoleum. We put it in 10 years ago after redoing the kitchen. I am not sure what else to replace it with, as it currently lines up with a fruitwood laminate floor in the next room, which I would never put laminate in my kitchen, and I prefer soft floors in the kitchen since I have plantar fasciatus. Another vinyl that would look like tile would need to go in.

No one said anything about the style of your cabinets. It has to do with items complementing each other.

You don't take a very modestly outfitted kitchen and install quartz countertops just like you don't take a cotton sundress and pair it with a diamond necklace. These objects don't complement one another and the outcome will look strange.

Carry two of the current leftover tiles with you all the time. Stop anywhere tiles are sold. Ask on FB Marketplace if anyone has a box of your tiles in their attic or basement. Call the company and ask if they have ideas.

As homeowners, sometimes the best mantra is “Close enough is good enough” and this is one of those times. I’m sure no one will notice the slight change in your last row of tiles, but you need something the same size and thickness (which is hard enough to find) and hopefully a “close enough” white. Brighter white will be a more obvious mismatch than off white.

And your countertop appliances will cover a lot of the “new” ones anyway!

I went to four places before deciding to purchase the quartz. I took the sample they gave me and compared it to my cupboards, my backsplash, the current wallcolor, and my flooring: None of these places wanted me to buy Laminate. No one in sales is going to suggest the lessor item. It was pulling teeth to get Laminate quotes, and in

the end, I chose the quartz because I wanted stone. If it gets wet it isn’t going to bloat like the Laminate. I chose quartz because it is what I wanted. Not because of the market of my neighborhood, because I have no plans in selling my house. I am paying closer to your estimate for the Laminate, for Quartz. So you are way off. The value in

the product is what the homeowner makes of it. I am sure that if I sold my house today with the Quartz (based on the other houses with 60’s/90’s Golden oak kitchens) I am in a good place. Plus if a buyer (not selling) dislikes wood they can just paint these cabinets if they so choose. Or rip them out by the time we decide to move. I am not

planning on moving in a year (unless I win the lotto, and then I still won’t care that I put Quartz in my kitchen)

You understand that the product you are using is not stone, correct? It is polyester (plastic) man made material.

" I am not into the current white/gray..." but you are putting in a white/gray counter? I'm confused.

Yes I did research quartz I know

it is not quartzite. The Viatera has 93 % quartz. There is gray in my floor, and flecks of beige in the larger slabs not showimg in the sample. Along with flecks of a navy blue which ties into my fabric in my dining room chairs. Along with a navy couch in an adjacent living room. Currently on the island we have a temporary laminate top with flecks of gray and blue. I even tested coffee and two types of wine on samples I took home. I know I have to be careful with heat. I also looked at Granite and could not find one I liked. One thing the quartz won’t donis if it gets wet it won’t warp and bloat like the current Wilsonart HD laminate.

You are going to love having a new sink! little improvements mean everything! your cabinets are beautiful. I echo RedRyder who reminded us, the last line of tile is often covered up by toasters, dish drainers and everyday life.

Bring your sample tiles to a big tile store and see what they have. another idea is to design a line of ”accent tiles. A line of smaller tiles along the bottom row.

If you cannot find a tile to work with your existing backsplash, there's nothing wrong with replacing the low piece with a piece of quartz. Some of the most beautiful and high end kitchens have a low backsplash. Don't fall for the "no one is doing it anymore," or "it's not the trend."

Here's a link to the kitchens done by one of my favorite architects, Gil Schafer, where he's done many of them with low backsplashes:

https://gpschafer.com/portfolio/rooms-and-details/kitchens-pantries

Auntthelma thank you looking forwad to going back to a double bowl. The only problem I have with the smaller tiles is what would go on the ends? I only have 2 side tiles from my original project. I have a feeling I will have to replacenthe whole backsplash, but may still want to add an accent tile in.

I have a 4 inch granite backsplash that matches my granite counters. Above it, I had mosaic glass tiles installed. Glad to hear that this is an acceptable look, Diana, as I was told by a handyman that it was all wrong.

I see that this was done here:

I think the new countertops will look very nice with the cabs. I am wondering if you are planning to paint the walls a different color?

Shawna Rushford I am doing things in stages I am considering having the kitchen painted. Although, not sure what color to choose. I have one window. So a bright color on the walls. I have an off white color in my adjacent dining and living areas., with one wall that is a chocolate milk/gray color. Too dismal for my kitchen, which has very little natural light. At one point I had turqoise on the walls it was awful!

White or off white would probably work best for wall color.

The only concern I have with painting the kitchen off white is how it may look right up against the white subway tile. I was thinking a pale blue.

Since the kitchen doesn’t get much light, white might be the best option to reflect light.

Perhaps the most cohesive thing to do if you want to keep the white tile backsplash is to do a quartz 4 inch backsplash at the bottom so that you would only 2 finishes not 3 of which the tile sections would be a different white. It's not usually done that way but...

Pale Blue or a pale green blue paired with brown, the cabinets, is a combination used often and very pretty. Will also complement the navy in adjacent dining room. I know the plan is to do in stages with next up appliances and eventually the floor. There is no reason to wait to paint. The painting is the easiest, cheapest, and biggest bang to make over the kitchen. Wait till counters, which have some blue in them, are installed and then try large sample colors on the wall with different lighting. A day may be all it takes to do those walls. Add a rug in front of the sink to distract from floors, no curtains needed, accessories for added color. Beautiful start. The magnets and papers on the fridge are distracting. I also know people love their magnets and want easy spot to put papers up. They need a new home. May I suggest creating or buying a properly pretty framed magnetic board. Arrange the magnets and papers as wanted and hang on the wall. It now becomes purposeful “art” and “message central” not stuff on the fridge that falls off. Your “new” kitchen will make the wait for the new appliances more tolerable.

@Amanda Smith haha, the HANDYMAN said it was all wrong!!!??? I guess that's why he's a handyman instead of a professional architect!!

Yes, the handyman who was installing the tile backsplash said the 4 inch granite should really be removed. I didn’t listen….

This shows how a warm white can make the wood of your cabinets stand out with your new quartz countertop. Of course you'll need to paint 2 coats on a large sample board (available in dollar stores) to see how the colour looks in the room and to make sure it coordinates with your tile & new countertop.

I'm sure the handyman has heard that from others having him tear out the short backsplash.

Love the mockup, Lisedv.

White Dove looks great as the wall color. I would also paint the window frame white to make it ”disappear”.

Invest in lighting big time. You can do all kinds of attractive things, and it will look bad in the evening because the lighting is poor. Especially with the dark woods, and I like dark wood. You just need a lot more lighting.

I think others have some good suggestions regarding the color selection. However, I understand that the tile is sentimental to you. What I would suggest is that you very carefully remove the tiles that are to the right of the sink on the side wall. So that the existing back splash is only on the back wall- it would no longer turn the corner. You will need to repair the drywall there and then repaint that section of wall. Now you can use these matching tiles to put in the missing area when you replace the counters. I think that you may have enough to do sink run and possibly cobble together the second run across from the sink.

I have done something similar and I was able to make the main visible run perfect and there was a smaller section that I needed to use some of the previously cut tiles to make it work, I planned it so that those tiles were behind the utensil crock and it is only noticeable to me. Good Luck!

Kinigirl. we counted how many we would need more tile than the small wall to the side provides.

At this point I have accepted they will need to be replaced, and I still have photographs and memories of when my Dad and I installed them.

Painting is something to look at once the backsplash, island, and countertops are installed.

So far I have been looking at tile, and am thinking of doing subway with the below tile inserted the third row down to avoid outlets. Don’t mind the mismatched subway tile. some of these are remaining tile from when I did the tile two years ago.

We are having the countertop measured as well, and going to get a quote to add the quartz as a backsplash as well.

Then going to make a decision to fully replace or add the quartz backsplash.

Amanda Smith. There is a photo (posted below) of the Everest Countertops with subway tile, where the window frame around the window is painted white, that definitely looks great with a painted white, if I can convince my husband to let me paint it.

Yes, I think your kitchen will look much brighter and less ”chopped up” with the window frame painted white and also the door frame to the left of the sink. You will get a much more cohesive look.

@RNmomof2 zone 5 I didn't say I don't like gray at all as an accent. There are currently gray tones in my flooring. What I did say is that I prefer Cherry Wood cabinets to the current White/Gray Shaker Cabinet trend currently. I can admire it in someone else's kitchen, but do not desire it for mine. If I were to sell a house, and buy a different house. I would rather replace an old kitchen than buy a house with White/Gray Shaker cabinets. I guess I am stuck with tastes closer to the early 2000's. Traditional kitchens, Tuscan kitchens, Kitchen with a raised panel type of cupboard. I can admire raised panel painted a Turquoise or blue. Kitchens with a vintage rustic feel. Like an Ivory raised panel Cupboard with the brown glaze look would be a close second to the style I prefer. I am in a Kitchen group on Facebook which half of us like the vintage look, and the rest like the More modern trend of White/Gray/Color Shaker cabinet trend.

The biggest change would be changing the wall paint.

"The Viatera has 93 % quartz."

It does not; none of the engiineered stones do. They are all 66% quartz and 33% resin. The 93% is a nonrelevant measure of weight, not the relevant volume, put out by the industry.

@roarah my main concern is painting the kitchen white will wash out the subway tile. (See picture below with white grout) Originally when I put in this backsplash I used a white grout, and changed to the current color because you couldn’t see the contrast in color. Where the white wall would meet the white backsplash I think it would do the same thing.

I think the uniformity in color (nice off white as suggested) would open up the space - for me, high contrast finishes can create a choppy feeling as our eye catches on every small sliver of wall

Collingwood is actually a greige it just shows white in the app i used. I think the right off white, greige or beige would tie your floors and splash together better.

You don’t need the subway tile to be a stand-out. It will look fine blending into the wall color.

Here is a transitional kitchen that uses white for contrast against the dark cabinets.

I would not use beige or greige wall paint in this kitchen since it gets so little natural light. It may end up looking dreary.

I think painting the walls white would be a bit boring. I feel like the green is a bit strong though. Haters will say no to gray, but I feel like a light gray would give more depth than white. SW Repose Gray is a favorite of mine. Agreeable Gray would probably do it too. You could also look in the beige family given the color of the cabinets. Maybe SW Accessible Beige?

@Shawna and @Amanda Smith I agree painting the walls a white color would be boring. I also do not want the subway tile to blend in with the walls. I would like there to be a mild distinction. I wonder if it would be strange to only paint the soffits white to match the ceiling, and then the walls a different color. Maybe a light mint green, light teal, or blue. This is a bit darker and this kitchen looks like it has a skylight. I really love this color.

@roarah That does look pretty awful. What about something like this color.

Paint at Lowe’s (lowes.com) Color is called Fluffy Slippers

Fluffy slipper is pretty. i am using a BM app the closest color I found is woodlawn blue.

Personally I think the dark cabinets need a strong color. The light pastels just don't do anything for the space.

This is the effect you'd get with white walls. Your tile doesn't get lost in the white wall colour especially that your grout is grey...

Whatever color that you paint the walls you’ll need to consider the floor colors. The floor appears to be a yellow, beige, grayish green group of colors. If you like green, pull the soft green ( if that is in the floor) onto the walls. Everything needs to be cohesive, like all elements were planned to work with each other.

Just added the colour of your floor tiles taken from one of your photos...

My sympathy on the loss of your father. You are replacing laminate counter with quartz and think quartz might be lower on the wall and leave a gap between subway tile and splashback/lip? If that is the case, you can do quartz splash/lip that is custom cut higher than standard 4” so no gap, or add a pencil tile to cover the gap, or add height to the cabinet tops so the new counter and splashback/lip is same height as old counter and lip, or forego quartz splashback/lip and add a band of a patterned tile where splashback/lip would be. Your existing subway tile color is discontinued and you are 30 pieces short? You only need subway tile behind the cooktop, and above the sink so you can remove all the other subway tiles and paint the wall instead. If tiling was the only thing you and your father did together or if you have no other momentos of your father, you will at least have some of the tile as a daily reminder.

Just a few ouctures of the uodated countertops. Appliances will be next,and I am looking at painting the window frame above the sink. The new countertops brighten it uo so much. Next year may look into updating the floors after we replace the appliances.

We ended up going with alm subway tile again, sinc ethe accent tile was different sizes, and most were chipped when they came in.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions.