What color is the white for your cabinets? I have Verona in my bathroom and it's very creamy white. It's sitting atop a walnut vanity.

Change the white of your upper cabs. If you can not? Change the top selection, which is too warm for your white.

You see color by comparison, and the very stark white of the cabinet, will "dirty" the look of the perimeter counter tops.

I understand water damage, but don't rush a kitchen reno. Go shopping at a stone shop. There are a lot of options beyond quartz . If you love either /both of those? Consider a wood stain on the perimeter cabinetry? The point is do not rush.

I am sorry but why are you doing a cookie cutter kitchen that is like every other kitchen counter it seems . Go loook at real stone with a bit of the colors you have chosen not fake plastic stone when you are spending all this money. Check out white granites

The problem with white granites, Patricia, is that they are very rarely white. They have lots of black and sometimes burgundy, speckles, which many homeowners don't care for. They want sometime a bit quieter.

And why is "plastic" a no-no for kitchen counters? In addition to engineered quartz which contains both stone and resins, laminate and solid surfacing are both plastic and they are very practical for kitchen counters. They clean up easily and are more forgiving than stone if you drop something on them.

You've said yourself that you like LVP, or plastic floors. Why are plastic floors ok but plastic counter tops not ok?

And anyway, that wasn't her question.

The other way to really tell? Rather than sample at home? Find a supplier, take the cabinet door to a full slab - if you can locate a local with a slab in stock. Get it out in daylight if possible.

If your layout has a perimeter turn? Be careful seams and veining, and location of seam. Strong veining is likely to lead to UN matched veining. The more subtle, the better.......when there are turns.

While there? Take a look at Taj Mahal quartzite: )

Thank you for your time and comments! To answer your questions- the cabinets are a prefab cabinet (Gila) and the color is unable to be changed- we are unable to go to custom paint due to cost. I personally love the white kitchen with marble counter top look so I’m not going to change that, cookie cutter or not, although I do appreciate that there are other opinions! My question is more about finding a counter that works with my cabinets. I have gone to MSI directly many times to see the slabs in person- it's overwhelming and the lighting there is terrible. That's why I'm asking for help. These are just the samples I brought home. 😊 if these don't work- do you have any suggestions of quartz coloring that might?

The only way to tell is to get more samples and bring them home, if you think neither of the ones shown above work. As I said previously, I don't think they are a problem, but I'm not seeing them in person. It's difficult to discern the nuances of a color when viewing them on a screen.

Go to the stone supplier with one of your drawers/doors and see what samples they have that could work. Then bring them home to see what they look like in your room with your lighting.

I wouldn't select anything that has heavy veining--not only is it difficult to match up but it looks very fake.

Boxing yourself into a corner is a choice.: )

You can't change the white of the cabinet, We don't know your kitchen layout.

You COULD look into Taj Mahal quartzite.

We can't go with you, all we can say is take your door to MSI, and yes the lighting is not good in any stone shop. That is why we often take slabs outside and into natural light.

Have you looked @ MSI FAIRY WHITE?

I doubt you'll get a cleaner brighter background

I’ve done a bit more thinking and am considering a new option now for the kitchen- white cabniets (love those), grey counter and blue backsplash tile- which i was thinking of doing in a herringbone pattern. what do you think of this?

I love your new selections, especially with the oak floor.

Personally I don't care for herringbone, but that's your choice. Also keep in mind that the tile looks quite varied, with some tile more or less blue/gray.

Thanks! yes, the tile does have some variation of color in it. I think I’m OK with that, although I am going to look at a few more blues with less variation too to be sure.

also- totally understand that people just have different tastes sometimes regarding layout of tile… i like herringbone but was curious- do you think the heringbone pattern is too busy / too much with that counter? or is it more that that pattern isn’t your favorite?

This was my inspiration pic

I don't think it's any busier than a running bond or stacked layout. It's just my preference, and I stated it because you asked if anyone liked it. I give the same advice as if you were a client--I don't have to personally like every choice my clients make, as long as it's good design.

The photos you posted are very nice!

I appreciate the clarification. Learning a lot in this process!

I would say DON'T look for a tile with less variation!! The shading, ( and there is a lot of this in the marketplace in every color you can think of) picks up the gray of the lower counters. Grout in a very PALE warm gray- don't use white.

Do a test board with the herring bone, and a one third offset: )