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Help with counter top for island

12 years ago

We are fast approaching critical decision-making time for our remodel. We have decided to go with natural cherry Shaker-style cabinets (lowers only) and a soapstone counter. Our plans also call for an island, which we will either do in natural cherry as well, or in a rose stain.

Originally we were assuming that the island would have a Douglas fir butcher-block top, but our designer thinks that may not go with the cherry.

She thinks we may want to consider a darker wood for the top. Does anyone out there have any other ideas for an alternate countertop for that island? I'm not wedded to wood -- I'd consider marble, quartz, etc., as well. Just want it to look nice and be functional!

Thanks!

p.s. If it matters, we will have a tile backsplash along the soapstone (chartreuse tiles - "Bright Yellow" from Heath Ceramics).

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Comments (3)

a2gemini
12 years ago
Heath tiles look awesome on the website. I have a few samples and they just feel good! I just love to feel the tiles.
Can't wait to see pictures and maybe it will work for us.
We have Autumn Cherry with a black stain. Countertop is Cambria Buckingham.
Here is a version of it

It is hard to tell colors on the Heath website.
HOurs was supposed to be installed last week but a countertop avalanche complicated things, so will be installed this Thursday.

Here is a preliminary picture of our cabinets
rhome410
12 years ago
I think the fir would look great with natural cherry. A lighter version of some of the same colors. We have Douglas fir trim throughout our house, and decided on fir cabinets, too, but strongly considered cherry. I don't know what a 'rose' stain will do to the combo. You could also consider Brazilian cherry for the island top, which would also be the same sort of colors, but darker....A tone on tone look if you like that.

Marble is commonly used as a contrast and companion to soapstone, so it seems you couldn't go wrong there. But now I see about the yellow tiles, and I prefer the wood.
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ugh.... we are just at this point now and realized that our new counter/breakfast bar is 12' with the sink cutout dead center. My wife is stuck on an undermount and we really wanted granite... we will, of course, be getting a few fabricators to bid it. But is it feasible to do the seam with a cutout at the seam? The front edge of the sink seems a bit vulnerable to me. Also the current layout has the dishwasher adjacent to the sink and I guess we'd need to get the cabinet built with a support at the seam. If we can seam at the sink it would be small, just the length of the front setback (breakfast bar transitions to countertop there)... how well does the bullnose normally line up on a seam? Do they polish it on-site? Are we better off getting used to NOT granite? The 12' counter is not negotiable in our design.
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Hi Daisychain01! First, let me compliment you on your beautiful island! You have inspired me! I'm building my own island and now, having seen yours, I think I may go with maple for the top! And how very clever of you to think of looking in antique stores to figure out a way to get your drop leaf! I may do that too, although I'll have to hire an expert for that; my DIY skills aren't up to that. I applaud your decision to leave it natural. Gorgeous and functional!
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tadhg555
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you both!

gemini - it is IMPOSSIBLE to tell colors on the Heath website. We are lucky to live fairly close to the factory and went out there to check out their overstock inventory. Found some colors that spoke to us, but they were nothing like the colors on the web. That's the nature of these things. But like you, I can't keep my hands off them. They are going to be a royal pain to install, though (seconds are cheap since they aren't exactly uniform in size).

rhome - Thank you for that perspective. We're at the stage now where we have to make 25 decisions a day and it seems at every step we get a new opinion. Ah, well. In the final analysis it all comes down to what we like best...

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