I love that 18 Karate Granite. I'd never seen that before. I looked on line at bigger pictures, and it's really striking. Beautiful cabinets!!

Curious. The picture of the floor doesn't look like QS to me. Are you referring to the color?

I'll second it with the 18 Karate. I think that would look great with my planned kitchen as well, where is your stoneyard located? Anywhere near Southern PA?

Tough call for me. I love the 18 Karate. Like joyce I've never seen it before. But I think the Solaris might pick up more tones in the white oak flooring. Re: the flooring, have you considered Rubio monocoat natural oil wood floor finish? We just used it after refinishing our 50 year old oak parquet floor. Durable, easy to redo by the homeowner, with none of the glaring shine of polyurethane. It's standard treatment in Europe but has only been in the States for the past decade or so. If you're interested, more info is here: http://www.monocoat.us/

Whichever granite you choose, it will be gorgeous.

Boy, that is tough but I don't think I could pass up on the 18 Karate. It is gorgeous and so unusual. I think I would stain the floor though. Can't wait to see what you decide.

Both are beautiful... but I think I prefer the 2nd one for your space. I think it will accentuate the creaminess of your beautiful cabinets.

They're both beautiful but I also prefer the way the Solaris looks with the creaminess of the cabinets...

Thanks for the feedback, my wife is going to very happy to hear the 18 Karat is winning so far.

MSKitchen: The stone yard in located in Long Island but they work with another large stone yard in NJ. We saw this stone at the end of the day on Friday and both slabs may have been sold. We have an appointment on Monday morning to find out what is available and the prices. If the 18 Karat is sold, we may take a ride to NJ to pick out a slab.

Joyce: The color (photo from Carlisle ) of the White Oak is very close to how the floor will look with their brand of Tung Oil only finish. We just got a delivery of 7" & 5 " country grade W/O and 4" Quartersawn W/O to use in the entire house. We are most likely using the 4" QS WO in the Kitchen and most of the downstairs of our home as well.

MCMesprit. Thanks for the oil finish information, but we have already purchased Tung Oil from Carlisle Wide Plank flooring for the same benefits of the Rubio Oil Finish. The Solaris did look great, or should I say "balanced" with the cab and the floor but the 18 Karat was unique. Tough Call, I told my wife we my be guide by price :)

18 karat--different, yet looks like it belongs with your cabs and hardware. It's so rich and beautiful!

Both are beautiful, but I'm loving the 18 Karat. Beautiful cabinets too!

18 Karat all way. (from a fellow LIer)

18 karat. No contest for me.

Hello All! This is my first post, I am Mrs. Bagpiper! Thank you for all of your input. I am THRILLED that a lot of you like the 18 Karat! I loved it the minute I saw it next to the cabinet. We'll know tomorrow what the big decision is!!

I vote 18 karat!!!

Best of luck getting the 18 karat slabs! Let us know if you are successful.

18 Karat is the winner for me!! Love your cabs!!

18 Karat is gorgeous!

The 18 Karat is awesome!

Love the 18 Karat with your cabinets .... what a GORGEOUS piece of granite ~ ENJOY :)

jody

Another Vote for 18Karat. Its beautiful!!!

Bagpipers, thanks for the update. However, a little too far for me unless the stoneyard is in south Jersey, which is still 2 1/2 hrs away. Guess I'm stuck with what they have in Maryland and PA, I'm from CT, extremely large selections of all different materials so I'm very spoiled

Don't need my vote but here it is anyway - 18 karat. The ORB always for me anyway, reads a little "old world" and the 18 karat follows that. So unusual but not out there - if you know what I mean.

The 18 Karat would be my first choice, but if that doesn't work out I think the Solaris would be gorgeous, too.

Both are nice slabs, but I vote for the 18 Karat. It's stunning with your cabinet and floor selection.

Oh my, that 18 Karat is GORGEOUS!

Another vote for 18 Karat

looks like you dont need anymore votes for the 18K but that's the one i like the best too. I love high contrast!

I say 18 karat too! I am so afraid I am going to change my mind when I hit that granite yard from my decision! LOL

For sure 18 Karat Granite!

The winner 18 Karat Gold !

Thanks to everyone that voiced an opinion that helped us make our selection. Even though the slab was at the top end of our budget, it is really nice and I haven't seen another like it online or in the dozen or so yards I have visited.

Now onto the Vanity ...

Our Vanity is painted in Farrow and Ball Teresa's Green (chameleon like color between blue and green) with polished nickel exposed hinges and Victorian knobs

We are looking at an entire slab of Labrador Papilion granite that the yard is allowing us to break up for our small vanity.

Labrador Papilion

What is your next question?

Helllo Paige, just how the Labrador granite looks with our vanity.

Thanks

One lone, useless vote for solaris next to your floors.... [sorry!; I'm sure any of them will look wonderful]

Hello Aliris,

I initially liked Solaris, I thought it went extremely well with our Cabs and our "current" Floor finish. The Stone Yard Sales who is also a certified Kitchen Designer also agreed with this initial impression. Mrs. Bagpipers was drawn immediately to 18 Karat, as was much of the GW's who voted. I like both and told my wife let's put it on GW for the final pick. Unfortunately that was an expensive move :)

Now I have to admit the 18 Karat is unique, and a really hard stone to find anywhere else. I was initially staying away from a dark stone because it is hard to keep clean. But who am I kidding, neatness has never been one of my endearing qualities :)

The Labrador's beautiful, and I think it looks great with the vanity.

Thanks, the stone is really iridescent which is not reflected in the photos.

We liked it when we originally saw it but we were too focused on the kitchen selection.

I just ordered the stone via email and many thanks to everyone on GW !

Great choices!!!

bagpipers - Another vote for 18K. What was the name of the stone yard in Long Island. Sounds like they have a wide selection that others didn't have.

Thanks.

I love both your choices. Can't wait to see it all finished.

I like it. The colors in my mind blend well together.

Thanks, the stone yard is Innovative in Hauppauge. If anyone needs any help, I took many photos of granite in several yards throughout Nassau and Suffolk this past week that I can post online. It might save someone time and a few bucks in gas.

HG in commavk has lots of photos of their inventory.

Now onto the faucets, I'm thinking about getting stainless instead of oil rubbed bronze because the counter is dark.

! Demo next week !

Here we go again, we have to start looking for a new piece of granite because Innovative Granite in Hauppauge NY lost my stone !!!

Do yourself a favor, go elsewhere for stones.

*** DO NOT USE ***

Innovative Marble & Tile Inc
150 Motor Pkwy # 210
Hauppauge New York 11788

*** DO NOT USE ***

I placed a 50% deposit on 2 pieces of granite for my kitchen and when it came time for the template they the stones were either sold or lost. I was told my original salesperson was "let go" in the company's restructuring. They have also filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

Totally unprofessional sales staff. Now they refuse to sell me my other stone I had on deposit because I politely questioned their business practices and how they are wasting precious time finding my stone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Innovative Stone Bankruptcy

Here we go again, we have to start looking for a new piece of granite because Innovative Granite in Hauppauge NY lost my stone !!!

Do yourself a favor, go elsewhere for stones.

*** DO NOT USE ***

Innovative Marble & Tile Inc
150 Motor Pkwy # 210
Hauppauge New York 11788

*** DO NOT USE ***

I placed a 50% deposit on 2 pieces of granite for my kitchen and when it came time for the template they the stones were either sold or lost. I was told my original salesperson was "let go" in the company's restructuring. They have also filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

Totally unprofessional sales staff. Now they refuse to sell me my other stone I had on deposit because I politely questioned their business practices and how they are wasting precious time finding my stone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Innovative Stone Bankruptcy

Do you still need 18 karat granite?