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Kitchen countertop help

Lucy May
2 months ago

Can anyone recommend some countertop options to consider as a starting point for my kitchen remodel? I’m aiming for a cozy white cottage/coastal kitchen (dream photo shown here!), and I’d like light quartz from a reputable brand. My cabinet color is similar to BM Simply White, and and floors are wood.


I’m a little overwhelmed by all the options out there, so your suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you!




Comments (19)

  • Julie PH
    2 months ago

    These cabinets are actually very off white/cream. Look at the sink, which is more of a true white, and note the difference. Simply white is a warm white but it’s closer to white than cream. Your best bet is to take off a cabinet door off and go to countertop places and learn about whites (they can have blue, yellow, pink, or orange undertones and they can be clear or muted). They are really hard to get right. My white cabinets are a funky color (closest to SW white flour) and I looked at 30+ slabs before finding the right one. It’s bright but creamy with flecks of grey and beige.

    Lucy May thanked Julie PH
  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    2 months ago

    Your kitchen remodel begins with YOUR layout.

    Then you consider the "white" OF THE CABINETRY. "Similar to" is not a color, and especially not in whites. You need the actual sample in hand, and then you go to the quartz and stone shops near your locale, with the the cabinet sample in hand, ( or a drawer face if you already have cabinets ) and the kitchen layout as well. That is the two dimensional layout with the appliance, the feet and the inches of everything.

    Nobody here can advise the best, and there is no better way to select than what I just described.


    Lucy May thanked JAN MOYER
  • chicagoans
    2 months ago

    Your inspiration picture is lovely, but I'll admit that I look at professional kitchen photos very skeptically. See how blurred / over-exposed the window area and plants are? I'm guessing that kitchen doesn't quite look like the photo if you saw it in real life, and that the cabinets in foreground (lower right of photo) are closer to the true color than the ones shown along the back wall.

    Whites are hard to get right IMO, and I relied on my designer, who is much better at color than me. I agree with @Julie PH to bring a sample door to the stone yard, then get counters samples to view in your space and light.

    Lucy May thanked chicagoans
  • deegw
    2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    I always like to suggest honed jet mist/ Virginia mist counters with wood floors and white cabinets. It's a soft charcoal color with subtle movement and the color works well with both finishes. It eliminates the worry of the white undertones possibly clashing.



    Lucy May thanked deegw
  • Lucy May
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    Deegw, thank you. That is a lovely combination.

  • Lucy May
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    I do understand that conditions in my own kitchen will be different from my dream photo, and just wondered if anyone might have suggestions as a starting point.

    Thanks, all.

  • RedRyder
    2 months ago

    Soapstone is a gorgeous countertop worth looking at.

    I second (or third) the suggestion to take a door and go to every countertop place in your area. Be open minded to other options besides quartz.

    Lucy May thanked RedRyder
  • Jenny
    2 months ago

    For something similar to your inspo picture, consider marble (yes, a budget buster), white Corian and a white granite such as White River granite.

    Lucy May thanked Jenny
  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    2 months ago

    The "Starting point" is what I said up above. Why ? There is no way to judge online , no way to judge except in person, with your " similar to " white.: )

    Failure to do it can lead to some of the white clash, trail of tears dilemmas we see here, all the time.

  • deegw
    2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    Let it go ...



    Lucy May thanked deegw
  • PRO
    Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    2 months ago

    Your dream kitchen is very lovely, and has been very popular for quite some time now. There are SO many quartz manufacturers and they all have many, many white/gray/marble look products. All those options are indeed overwhelming.

    Have you chosen a contractor or designer yet? Usually they will rep specific companies so the field is narrowed quite a bit. Lots of design/build firms have both designers and tradespeople on staff and they can help with layout, materials and appliance selections, and also provide a lot of suggestions due to their vast experience.

    But as Jan has mentioned, the first step is the layout, which drives all your other choices.

    Lucy May thanked Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
  • Shazia
    2 months ago

    I thought we would do quartz but I quickly realized I didn’t like it. Definitely take a stroll at your local stone slab yard. If you want to start seeing how whites are different, take a door like everyone said. You’ll see what looks good with your cabinet. If you’re only changing the counters, then this exercise may be enough…but if you’re doing a whole remodel…then definitely follow the advice in here to get thoughtful about the overall plan.

    I can’t emphasize how much it helped me take my kitchen from homeowner remodel to designer. Best of luck to you!!

    Lucy May thanked Shazia
  • Tara
    2 months ago

    Have you considered butcher block? It gives off country cozy big time.

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    Lucy May thanked Tara
  • Kendrah
    2 months ago

    My taste is quite simialr to your inspiration pic. The more I looked for quartz counters to go with my creamy white cabinets, the most I came to hate quartz. I'd had marble in the past and found it too hard to maintain for my particular lifestyle. Much to my surpise, I selected Corian instead of quartz for the sink side counters and walnut butcher block for the other.

    Lucy May thanked Kendrah
  • Kate
    2 months ago

    I would suggest looking at marble or white quartzite if you are after natural stone. Once you start looking, you will see , that the actual choice is not that overwhelming.
    If it’s some artificial surface then maybe quartz ? It was my original choice but when I looked closer at it I must admit, it looked very different from when I looked at it on internet.
    Best of luck with your project. It might seem intimidating at the beginning, but after the first personal visit to a stoneyard or store you’ll figure out :)

    Lucy May thanked Kate
  • Kate
    2 months ago

    Sorry, I just re read your post and saw you were asking about quartz only. So, please, ignore my message - I don’t seem to be able to delete it from the phone.

  • PRO
    Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    2 months ago

    I love butcher block with white cabinets for a country casual vibe too. I had it in my beach house for quite a few years. The problem is the wearing around the sink/faucet--it doesn't like water. We renovated the kitchen and kept it on the island, but replaced the perimeter tops with quartz.

    Lucy May thanked Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    I have nothing against quartz, but it never suggests the country cozy to me.

    Marble does that, soapstone does.








    Lucy May thanked JAN MOYER
  • Lucy May
    Original Author
    2 months ago

    Thank you all for the suggestions & photos. I really appreciate your thoughts & I will look into soapstone & butcher block. Thanks!