We are building on a budget as well, and my husband and I are having these same discussions. Well, GreenDesigns might be right technically. But I have always loved white kitchens... even 30 years ago when I used to go through houses with my parents. They are still my favorite today. The cabinet styles of course have changed over the years, but boy I would pick a house with dated white cabinets over oak and brass every day. So I think you are on the right track with your choices. Wood floors also great. I would go with wood/butcher block countertops over laminate though. Even the Ikea wood countertops. Some work required, but laminate is very limiting when you are cooking, even though I know the choices are far better now. I've lived with both (and marble & granite too) and prefer the butcher block. But that's just me. ;) I'm pulling for a combo of marble and butcher block on our build... the marble is my "splurge" item. Even though it's impractical. Can't wait to see what you choose.

I agree with Ranton, assuming I understand that you've already decided on the cabinet choice? If you have and you've got the style and stain/paint picked out, I'd do the counters 2nd. I'd do the floors 3rd. Flooring, unless "it's in your face" attention grabbing, tends to just be the anchor and gets relegated to almost being overlooked. If you only want the blaring floor to take center stage,(that's your main objective) then highlight that and let everything else just be a supporting role for the floor. That being said, if you have a lot of movement in the graining of the wood (cabinet), you don't want to fight "movement with movement". So let's say you have a really intense movement in the wood grain that will show through the stain, I'd quiet it down on the granite and/or pick a quartz that is quieter to the degree that the cabinets are already "speaking". ** One thing, are you looking for a certain look or style? Can you tell us that if you know? The reason I ask is that depending on what look you want to achieve be it for example, sleek/modern/minimalist, Tuscan/Mediterranean, French country, Craftsman/earthy colors etc., you get the idea. So write down some basic words that you think of when people say (your) XYZ style. From that, when you are looking at each material or pattern, what is the first word that comes to mind when you see that pattern/color/style in the granite yard or flooring? If what comes to mind belongs to another style/look, you may be about to combine things that don't belong in the same "box". Something to think about...... Oh, definitely choose the granite then choose the backsplash color/pattern/material after that. Regarding flooring, ask your DH the one thing that he wants to first be noticed in your kitchen. I.E. if someone where to come for a visit after it's completed and says they love XYZ about it. What element would be choose as the strongest thing that stands out when you walk into your kitchen? I know on some of these design shows when it comes to pattern be it fabric, upholstery, wallpaper, whatever, they suggest that the "scale" of each element not be the same. Like if you had a large print on a fabric in whatever color you'd want to choose a smaller scale on the other elements in the room so they don't compete. If you've got several large (busy) 'in your face' patterns in the room, they compete with each other. The result is that the eye bounces around constantly from large pattern (i.e. movement) to the next large/busy/heavy movement pattern. What happens is a feeling of vibration and competition between all the elements that is not restful to the eye or mind. I know I'm jumping around here. All these things are coming to mind that might help you so I'm just throwing it out there before I think of something else. Question: Are your and DH's style the same or different? If they are different, there was an HGTV show that integrated the two (sorry, can't think of it or the host's name) but there were some good points in how the host did it. Good luck and let us know how it goes. I don't know if I've helped here or not, but hopefully it will spark some thought processes that might help you.

Gwent, my GW email doesn't work....but anyway, we left that house last year and I'll have to dig up some pictures. The only ones I have handy have no backsplash--we took over a year to pick that out. We had natural stained red oak floors to match the rest of the house (pretty light) and medium cherry cabinets in a reddish tone. We only used Motawis for highlights (Ladybell I think in greens)--a 6x6 over the cooktop and 3x3s at the ends of the counter runs. I think we used 4x4s. I should remember this--we installed ourselves. But it's early here. We used a glossy white handmade subway for the field tiles and a grey grout, sort of SS color but what I was trying for was that old concrete-looking stuff you'd find in old tile jobs. Have you considered tile for a counter? If I didn't break things so often, that'd always be my first choice (except it's too hard to pick out). I would want a machine made tile for the countertop so it would be very FLAT, of course Laminate might work out very well, and even dark colors. Just use more lights! People seem to find soapstone easy to care for and it would be pretty appropriate in your part of the country (even if you did end up with something imported). Whatever you get, the tiles will pop on their own. That's how they hooked you! I wanted to use Motawi's Sweet Pea line in it entirety on my new kitchen but they discontinued it. That was my favorite border pattern...it would have looked weird in THIS house anyway, but I was willing to overlook that. Anyway, if you haven't communicated with the people at the pottery, they are very nice and may have some ideas. We drove over there many times dragging a baby while we made up our minds and the staff were helpful. Now that we've relocated, I've emailed them a few times and they really are awfully nice.

No problem. We do have quartz...not quartzite. I have not seen the marbled veining of this product and pattern on quartzite. Actually, we thought it was marble, but could not be happier with both the look plus hardness of the quartz product.