Regretting granite countertop choice...help!
elee4168
10 years ago
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Granite counter top color help
Comments (7)Hi. I'm getting a new granite countertop myself--it will be installed on Tuesday! So I have been doing lots and lots of looking at granite-- both in person (went to lots of warehouses) and in magazines. The trend is definitely toward lighter stone countertops, judging by what I see in the the magazines. (Carrera marble is also getting more popular in those designer kitchens, for some inexplicable reason. Marble is not practical in a kitchen, so many people are trying to imitate that look with certain granites, like white river. ) This trend toward lighter granite was verified by several granite sales people at the warehouses and fabricators I spoke with. Of course, this may be a regional thing. I live in Maryland, near D.C. , where everyone and his brother, it seems, is getting granite! Have you thought about checking out a lighter stone, like a cream or white? (such as Bianco romano, white shivakashi, Colonial Cream, white river, among others.)I am getting Harvest Cream, which is similiar to Colonial cream. It has a white or off-white background with lots of golden accents that pick up the color of my cabinets, and grey/black and taupe accents and a light sprinkling of garnet(burgandy) in there too. My cabinets are honey-spice maple (installed 10 years ago with a formica countertop). We did some minor remodeling that called for a new countertop--so I was so glad I didn't spend the big bucks for the corian that was so popular back then, and that I had an excuse to now get granite! I'm not sure how dark your "autumn" cabinets are, but you should try to have some contrast. If your cabinets are dark or medium dark, I think that a very light granite would provide a great contrast with your cabinets and darker floor, but that is just my personal opinion. Are you going for a traditional or contemporary look? Black tends to look "modern". If you do want a very dark countertop, I would think that a very dark brown would look better than black with your mocha floors(which I assume is a very dark brown.) You probably already have thought of this, but when you go to the granite warehouses to select your slab, bring a cabinet door and piece of your flooring to see how it all looks together. Another thing to consider is what you want on your backsplash. If you want a very "busy" stone or tile, then you should select a granite that would not look too busy, so the darker colors would work well for that, usually. I am going to go with a tumbled white travertine backsplash. If I went with anything busier, it would "fight" with my granite. Hope this helps. Hope this helps....See MoreDoes anyone regret getting granite countertops?
Comments (68)I put Blue Eyes in the kitchen and have cheap Chinese granite countertops on my bathroom vanities, so there is granite everywhere in my home now. I personally do not like Corian or its competitors either. It looks "bathroomy" to me, I don't know why, LOL. About slamming things onto the granite and breakage, I had vitreous porcelain tile on all the countertops in my house previous to all the remodeling. That stuff is so hard! None of the 30-y.o. ugly-ass tiles were cracked or chipped. But if there was no such thing as granite countertops, I would put new tile in before I would do man-made solid-surfaces. Besides, the Blue Eyes granite and many other granites are gorgeous - full of semi-precious stone inclusions. It's my kitchen bling, my mesmerizing Precioussss. I stare at it all the time. Another forum member, JessyF has the blue macaubas like bluekitchobssessed. I spent an afternoon there this week canning fig jam with her - boy is that a gorgeous stone. So why not get a utilitarian piece of art for yourself as you are remodeling? That's the way I looked at it....See MoreAnyone Have Counter Top Regrets?
Comments (83)have finished the 4th remodel (wow 2 yrs since earlier post on this thread!). Used all white (no patterns speckles or veining) in MasterBath, Butlers Pantry Wet Bar, and as BACKSPLASH in Kitchen whose counters are Stainless Steel. (the rest of kitchen is all white cabinetry with brushed metal pulls). No qu that the white is stunning, crisp, pleasant. MasterBath is fine. Butlers Pantry: the white counter is unforgiving and shows everything. So on a second bathroom we chose white with a little gray veining and that has been excellent / easier. Kitchen all white backsplash with white cabs above below has been great and VERY easy clean (we cook a lot and use spices that stain too). But the all white in kitchen would have been intolerable as a counter for us. Stainless steel is not for everyone but 3 kitchen renos later, (2 remain actively in use) we love its cleanliness and the patina and very, very low maintenance. It looks surprisingly good with Cesarstone / Quartzite type stone products...See MoreCountertop Color Choices--help, please!
Comments (23)Beautiful inspiration pictures. See, how all the floors are in that mid-range? Some are darker some are lighter, some are brown, some have just a hint of red in it..yet they all work. I think white(warm white-the bright one will be too stark I'm afraid) or nice grey or subtler marble(if you feel you're fine with its upkeep, and are not over-improving) all have a potential to look nice You can bring cool touches in your countertop, with your backsplash, with your paint..or you can skip it altogether and bring just the accessories and some plants-plants are the best, they're perfect warm when you crave warm, and perfect cool when you crave cool:) As for your furnishings..it's normal to start with either a hodge podge or nothing at all..will take some time. Yes, you'll be anxious to do a mistake. But looking back-you'll see it was a fun time..finding, looking for, putting it all together, discussing it with your husband..it's a great quality time, actually:) Working on a house.. Even if you disagree. We disagree a lot-and it's still fun! I was also terrified of making a mistake..I should be terrified of our builder's crew making mistakes though:) It's normal. As for the stain color-do you have pieces of flooring left from the previous owners? try to stain them first, see what happens. maybe take them to specialty store, the one where contractors and trades go, you know? and ask their opinion of what stains they recommend on your wood to get the effect that will be such and such? But go to the shop where people have a clue..not Home Depot. These usually have one person who knows what he sells, who is perpetually busy..:)...See Morehappy2learn
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