I suggest you watch the finished kitchens slideshow on the finished kitchens blog for a good while. I have white cabs and was trying to decide about white or dark countertop. I watched kitchens flip by and eventually noticed that (for me) when a kitchen was totally light, it looked bad to me at first blush, whereas when one element was dark, I really liked the white kitchen look. So we went with dark countertops, which had not been my first instinct. You may notice something different or something similar, but for sure as you watch that blog you will see some all white kitchens go by.

We are doing a white cabinet with white counters, but I'd never consider plain white, it would have to have some sort of pattern in order to not show every little crumb from a mile away. We are going with Rain Cloud by Corian, so there is some variation in pattern and the white is broken up by gray and some specks of black. We also considered Caesarstone in organic white. Again, it is not a solid color and had enough variation to break up the expanse of white.
I once had a solid white counter top in a bathroom and it was a disaster. Every drop of water made a mark on it and the slightest hair was annoying from even far away.
I'd also never do a plain white floor for the same reason.

I do like white for being able to see to keep things clean, like the cabs, but do not want to have to micromanage it on a horizontal surface.

Hi waterdamage, I am new here..couldn't find the slideshow you are referring to? Sounds like a good idea though!

Dianalo, I agree, I don't want a high maintenance counter either. I am open to perhaps River White or Monte Bello? I need a warm colour counter as the cabinets are more cream than white white.

I think the white on white look can be a stunner. You just need to choose your other elements carefully to pull it off, but when you do it is "wow"! It can be dramatic, breezy or both.
You can search the FKB or finished kitchens blog in the search box here, or google search "white kitchens" and see which ones hit you.

Thank you for the link. The only white cab/white countertop pics I see are always carrera marble, which I won't use. Maybe I AM crazy for wanting this look. Sigh.

You are not crazy for liking this combo. I've seen pics like that before. That combo always looks clean and mod to me. Boxerpups has, I thin, posted pics before. Have you done a google image search to find pics? Or maybe try Houzz.com.

At the Finished Kitchens Blog, the link that breezygirl posted, there is a link on the upper right for a finished kitchens slide show. (Also a link for a backsplashes slide show.) You just watch the images click through, a few seconds for each. Not all are white kitchens but plenty are. (It was quicker for me than searching the categories for white cabinets, although that was a good tool too.)

However you do it, I really recommend looking at lots of pictures with this question in mind. It really helped me notice that what I actually liked (in pictures) was not what I liked the idea of (in my mind).

Also, I am staying with my in-laws who have a new Caesarstone Organic White counter, and I totally agree with the poster who said that pure white will show too much. I would give yourself a little movement in it if you do go with white counters. Have you seen the threads about white granites that mimic marble (Moon Night, I think one is called)?

Good luck!

Moon Night does mimic marble, but the slabs I've seen IRL and in Calypsochick's kitchen are fairly dark gray. There may be lighter slabs out there. There are other granites that are fairly white/light, but I'm not sure they would be the very low contrast OP mentioned she wanted.

Wow; THANK YOU to whoever mentioned about -- and clarified how to find -- the finished kitchens *slideshow*. I have been glancing through kitchens for some while now, one at a time, and it is pretty cumbersome. I never even raised my glance to notice all those helpful features starpooh has enabled. Thank you starpooh (am I the only one a little startled by your screen name?!) for the amazing archive you have grown. It is positively invaluable, as, no doubt, has been your time spent in growing it.

Sarah Richardson (Canadian based designer) has written in one of her articles that you just buy any light color for the counter, and any light color for the cabinets , and that this makes the two tone light white look. To be precise about it, the word white should be replaced with off-white or almost white. It works well for those who are not seeking pure white. Ypu are remodeling a beach house and you "love the light, white look for a kitchen." I think this means you love the light "white" look obtained with almost white. Many people have this kind of light white kitchen.

hth

Here's a link to White kitchens. You can look at the thumbnails, and click on posts you want to read/see larger photos. Be sure to click on "Older Entries" at the bottom to see the next page(s).

Here is a link that might be useful: white kitchens

BTW - someone posted a gorgeous recently decorated beach house over in the home decorating forum. You may want to peek over there too....

We have white cabs, white countertop & backsplash (calacatta marble slab for both) and 2.5+ years later I still love it. LOVE it! We also have white wainscoting in the breakfast nook with a sheer, pale grey-blue paint -- it's a light space all-around.

So for us it works and works well. I would definitely second (third, fourth) what was already written about having some slight pattern / movement in your countertop to help hide the inevitable detritus of kitchen life. The swirls in our marble do a really terrific job hiding a multitude of our sins.

I am a sucker for a white-on-white (or to borrow from davidro, light-on-light) kitchen. Have fun!!!

Sarah Richardson has done a couple of her own kitchens in white Caesarstone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sarah Richardson article

Yay.

Sarah Richardson has been mentioned above in the same manner, but the apartment of an interior designer was featured in House Beautiful last month, and he used up to six shades of white as the "white" on his millwork and ceilings in the same room. He said it read as "white" but provided depth and interest. In the pictures it read as "white" to me without obvious delineations.

I think all white rooms can be great, particularly with different "whites" playing off each other.

Dianalo. Do you know the name of the thread in the home remodeling forum that shows the beach house that you mentioned? I'd love to be able to find it...easily. Thanks.

Hi Island - I love "white with white sauce" as my neighbor calls it! We went with white cabs and light counters
(quartzite medra perola which has loads of white but also grey and taupe, I was scared absolute white with white would fight each other). Once you know your cab color, you can start wandering around town with a sample and figure out what would work -

BTW, the thread is in the Home Decorating forum - page 1