Some of you may remember me from about a year ago when I was doing a total gut reno on my kitchen. Thanks to all of you that project is now complete and done beautifully, if I do say so myself;)

Now we are starting a mini-facelift on our poolhouse kitchen and I'm stumped on a couple of issues. To make it worse, there are very few (almost none) pictures of poolhouse kitchens for inspiration. This is a 6 month open poolhouse with only marginal heat in the winter (55 degrees) which tends to like mold sometimes.

Anyway, here are the parameters -

This is a 17 year old poolhouse that we had built. The floor is turquoise/grayish Mexican style tile with a salt glaze type finish (relatively uneven glaze so each tile is different but a solid nonetheless). I picked it because I thought that it looked like the pool water. The tile is staying (we hope) after a cleaning of the grout.

The cabinets are Amish-made ivory painted inset shaker with a bead and they are also staying. There is only one 8' wall of cabs with a sink and fridge and then an island.

The countertops are currently a smaller (4") tile which matches the floor and has wide grout which is wrecked. We want to replace it with granite or some other hard wearing surface. This poolhouse sees lots of party action as we have 5 kids in their 20's (who don't live at home but seem to like to visit with friends whenever the pool is open:) and we also throw many barbecue's and parties ourselves. Think: bunches of wet people (dripping everywhere), drinking red wine and margarita's and reaching for the dip!

The question is - what color/type of granite? We have: blue floor, ivory cabs, beadboard wainscoting on the walls about 5' high (with a small ledge on top) which runs all the way around the room and the bathroom and the storage room and is painted the same ivory as the cabs, and currently pale turquiose walls (vaulted) above the beadboard.

I think it's a lot of ivory. Especially if you take away the blue countertops. I've looked at granite and all of the blues are too cobalt and not turquoise enough. I would even be willing to do Van Gogh if I didn't think it would be too modern for my Nantucket-y beadboard. I'm willing to paint both the beadboard and the walls but what color?

One other color question for this project involves the storage room. It currently has the beadboard up to about 6 feet where there is a shelf that runs along 2 walls. The room is 5' x 7'. I want to do beadboard to the ceiling on those 2 walls and have floor to ceiling shelves built in (like a built in pantry) with a space for a microwave. I think I would like the beadboard backing and the shelves to be different (contrasting) colors.

I know this is a lot to think about. I think that most of the questions can be answered with a countertops decision. That will drive the color choices.

Anyway, please help me and thanks in advance for your consideration!