I would go big or go home.

lol which option is "big"?

There have been posts on this forum cautioning against using quartz behind a cooktop because it can get singed / discolored from the heat (so I’d use tile instead.) You have a “Pro” designation so I’m wondering which counter YOU find most pleasing?

PS I’m also wondering if there is anything between your refrigerator and the wall on the left?

I have no idea why there is a pro badge on my profile lol I'm at the other end of the pro scale

Nothing between the fridge and wall, just a spacer so that the fridge door can be opened without contacting anything else

"cautioning against using quartz behind a cooktop"

Is that true for induction coocktops as well? I did not know that

My big was the top one. I think you might be even happier with some of the beautiful quartzite getting to be the star in your otherwise neutral kitchen. If the mockup is correct, your cool white cabinets fight with the warm white background of the both quartz samples.

I did Southport (that’s my post you linked). If you’re doing black cabinets as shown, I would go with Bentley. Southport is warmer in person than it looks online and in pics. We considered using it as a backsplash, but the cost was insane and I didn’t think it would look right in our kitchen. Looks like you have double ovens so you’ll have a cooktop? You’ll have to refer to the installation instructions of the cooktop to verify. I don’t know if induction gets so hot it would scorch the counters beside it or not? Some who have had issues have gas ranges and they were installed too low and the outside burners scorched the counters. Just make sure you see and review the templates before fabrication. Cambria offers 1cm bookmatched slabs for backsplashes. Good luck with your project. Be sure to follow up with pics!

oooh nice thanks for the post, Did not find many real photos of it installed

yes my coocktop is on the right side, hard to see in this photo. You see a black pull-out hood under one of the cabinets, coocktop is right there.

Still deciding whether to go single cabinet black vs double.

Thanks for the advice

@Aryan G I cringe whenever I read someone say they want a cabinet and counter and "a simple white tile" for a backsplash. Just read about the angst @Lynn Lou went through on her post. She ended up on her feet with a beautiful kitchen, but finding the right tile and the right grout isn't as easy as it sounds. There are tons of posts like hers, especially when people are trying to match the white in a countertop and the white in their cabinets. My actual suggestion is to find the right tile and grout before you put in the counters. Make the decision as part of the plan instead of waiting until the end and assuming it will all work out. And I also have read comments by pros stating that you can wait to the end. Well maybe they can, because they are so familiar with available options, but I don't think it's smart when you are doing the designing yourself.

@Aryan G to choose between your two bountertops, I would look to the rest of your home color scheme, especially the adjoining spaces. Think it all through. I'm going to add to your angst and suggest that your difficulty is that neither of these counters are just right. I think there must be a light cool grey that will set off the chocolate brown better. As @Lynn Lou said, the Southport has some beige in it that is not flattering to the chocolate. You need to avoid any yellowish beige with those cabinets. And the other very bold black and white also is too much contrast with the cabinets. If you love that counter, think about whether you should change your cabinets to black or a bold actual color.

I am a huge fan of chocolate and have done a lot of thinking about what looks good with chocolate, other than nuts and caramel. 🤭 Cool greys look good with chocolate. Light or dark, blue-grey or blue-green-grey are stunners. Go back and look for that please.

Your posts look like what you get from a kitchen designer, and they show blazing white walls against your chocolate counters. What colors are your actual walls? If they are blazing white then a high contrast in the counter will help and the degree of contrast in the Southport is not enough. I think you are looking for a high-contrast blue-grey as your countertop.

@Aryan G you didn't ask, but I like the look of the contrasting cabinets in your top post vs all the same. It makes the space they are in look more accommodating. They are a very bold white and intolerant of any beige.

As I said, I am a huge fan of chocolate brown. I also like the contemporary slab style cabinets. What is the brand, style, and color name of those you chose?

@Aryan G look at the blue grey in the backsplash (not the countertop) in this photo to see what I think you might like with your cabinets.

@Arayan G since you are planning an induction cooktop, might you consider a porcelain slab or Dekton slab countertop instead of quartz? https://www.amccountertops.com/why-porcelain-and-dekton-countertops-work-with-induction-cooking/#:~:text=Porcelain and Dekton countertops are,heat resistance of their material.

There are some silver greys in these collections that would be beautiful with chocolate cabinets.

Thanks for all suggestions and comments

• My cabinets are charcoal black, not chocolate brown
• I have not purchased the cabinets yet, these designs are from fiverr
• The color scheme of my house is mostly black and white

I LOOOOVE bold countertops and backsplash, but the top option (is that Bentley?) in black and white reminds me of a skunk. I don't think I'd ever get the image out of my head, either. Also, black cabinets are a bold choice on their own (I have them too and LOVE them), so I think you have to decide if you want the cabinets to be the focus or the quartz. I love the second rendering.

@Aryan G and @RedRyder OMG, I must see chocolate everywhere! I am so sorry! Given that color-correction, I vote for Bentley. However, that's if you still want quartz instead of Dekton or porcelain slabs recommend for induction cooking. I would try to get a Bently-looking Dekton or porcelain slab. Again, so sorry for thinking your cabinets were chocolate! Thanks for providing the source!

@K L - You definitely have chocolate brown on your brain these days! 😂

@Aryan G - I love a black and white kitchen. Keep us posted on your progress.

Found some inspiration photos for you. Not “all black” cabinets like yours but similar quartz.

I'm in the process of installing black cabinets and have gotten my head chewed off here because of it. So what, I'm the one living there.

That said, I'm going to have a countertop with pop, but I passed on ones like Orinoco because the veins were too pronounced. To me, that is my vote against Bentley--veins too pronounced. I like Southport because it is more gentle (less dramatic). I'm going to go with Cosmos Wave granite (different places have different names). I don't necessarily want the countertop and backsplash to grab the whole show.

@HU227013627 - Can you post the Cosmos Wave granite? Every stone yard uses different names. (It’s very annoying.)

Will your floors be what is shown in the renderings? The background of Southport is more off white/beige that the white background of Bentley. If you have mostly black and white throughout your house, you might want to switch up the kitchen. Portrush has blue veins and not quite as dramatic as Bentley.

I was looking at our counters when we got home tonight trying to envision black cabinets. I think it could work with black. I pulled out the warmth of the counters and you may be able to pull out the coolness with black cabinets?? But please consult with a professional as I have no idea what I am talking about lol. The only black items I had in the house were our North Face jackets haha! Southport does have some black dots and some black outlines. It's almost useless to post these pics because the colors appear more gray. In person they are a combo of beige/gray/taupe. I've tried several different beige, gray and taupe kitchen towels and cannot find anything that is even close to the colors in the counters. Do you have a Cambria showroom near you so that you can take your cabinet there to see how it looks?

Good luck!

Cosmos wave

Domino

Zeus leather