Suzienj, since I'm a fan of an unfitted kitchen look, I choose a variety of textures, colors, styles. Therefore, I vote for the warmth of the color and feel of the ceasarstone.

Your pictures depict a fabulous kitchen in the making no matter which you choose!!

My cabinets are a true white with marble and my island cherry with black granite. I really like that contrast and the way it looks more like a piece of older furniture than just more cabinets. I think that black/brown works well with your cherry. I'd pick that one.

I would definitely have a contrasting countertop on the island. If you have a different wood, then I think you should have a different countertop. The idea of having a different wood for the island, to me, is for it to look like a piece of furniture, separate from the other cabinets, so it makes sense to have a different top, and different hardware, also.

Thanks girls you are the best!

I like the brown on the island as well. Have you looked at Mahogany granite? You might like that as well, especially if you like the Expresso.

Forgot in my last post to vote-

I say the caesarstone will be perfect- it will make a furniture-like focal point.

The chandilier looks beautiful too!

I agree with the above posters. I'd go with the dark brown ceasarstone (or some other dark color). I think going with the same granite as the perimeter is a safe and fine choice, but think putting in a different color will look great. I went with the same GO in all of my kitchen and do wish that I had gone with a different stone or color for my island. We had a terrible time selecting all the stones in the house and I frankly just ran out of steam and time. Your kitchen plan looks very well thought out. I love the chandi and am looking forward to seeing it all together!

I love your choices. I vote for the caesarstone. Your inspiration photos are very similiar to my kitchen. I believe I have your inspiration chandelier in my dining room. It looks like they added some crystals to it. It's from Elk Lighting. The link is below. Here's some photos of my kitchen showing the backsplash behind the range and the chandelier.

Here is a link that might be useful: Elk Chandelier

Monkey-- wow that is the closest chandleer yet.... but the one you list on the website doesnt have the covers for the candle lighting? Did yours come with that? Also i wonder b/c hers has the crystals..

Your kitchen is beautiful!!!

I purchased the lamp shades separately. Not sure about the crystals. A closer look at your photo compared to the website does reveal some slight differences. You could always go with the Elk chandy and buy some crystals to dress it up.

where did you get your shades in case i go with yours! Do you know if you "can" order crystals separate? thanks!!

I got mine online from Lamps Plus.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lamps Plus

I haven't purchased from them, but this website sells crystals for chandeliers.

Here is a link that might be useful: crystals

Voting with everyone else that if you want to the island to look like a separate and rich piece of furniture, go for the Caesarstone. If, however, you want all light surfaces, the granite would be lovely on the island, too...Just a different overall look for the room. Try to imagine walking into the room in the morning...What vision do you have? What do you want to see? The dark island that 'stands out from the crowd', or the overall kitchen and expanse of light counter? Neither is wrong or bad, but one should be closer to what your particular dream is.

I'd mix the colors of the tops rather than match them. However, I'd choose the darker top to go with th light cabinets and the light granite to go with the darker island. The contrast just works better.

Monkey- thank you soooo much- great web sites..

Rhome- i always love your insight-- so here's my problem- Hubby loves the chocolate island- i think it will be rich and beautiful, but i also like the "airyness" and light feel the light granite brings.

Live wire- thanks- i thought about switching but i like the light on light-- something about that makes me "happy" lol

I also like the idea of a different top,
but will suggest a dark brown granite that looks like the Espresso rather than the Caesarstone.
Or switching to a light Caesarstone from granite for your perimeter cabinets.

I'm not loving the natural/man-made contrast and would select either natural/natural or man-made/man-made.

So then I guess, can you love it because your hubby loves it? There are things in our new house I love because someone else chose them, even if they wouldn't have been my top choice. But then, too, how really important is this particular choice for your husband? If it's an 'since you ask me this is what I'll say, but I would have really never thought of it, or cared, if you hadn't asked', then go with what you want, because you will care about how your kitchen looks every day. If he will also care every day, then that's when to give his opinion comparable weight.

I completely understand how the light on light cabs 'makes you happy.' Lots of contrast isn't for everyone, or at least not in every situation.

I like the idea of a dark granite for an "all natural" look.
I wonder if an expresso granite would be easier to keep clean than caesarstone?

I'm good with either the espresso caesarstone or the GO granite-- not looking to find a similiar granite color- (dont want to confuse myself further)... and KD and DH would kill me if i bring in another color/style lol.

Rhome- hubby has great taste so for "final" decisions I usually turn to him. My instinct says GO on the island (i'm afraid of making a mistake and GO is an easy choice b/x i know i can't go wrong with that). but hubby and KD think the caesarstone will look great with the furniture bottom we put on the island. So my gut thinks maybe they are right and i can't envision it??

uy!

I put little value in the KD's opinion on something like this, since s/he won't be the one in that room every day, and neither choice will be a bad one. But I'm hearing that you're not really sure, and DH is certain. If you trust hubby as much as it sounds you do, and can feel at ease with trusting his vision, let have the say on this issue and since you have trouble envisioning it, let it be like a surprise gift from him. Make something fun out of it, and have a way to appreciate it whenever you look at it...and really make a decision to look at it in that positive light. There are a lot of things I start to 2nd guess, then just dismiss the thoughts and focus instead on the reasons I did choose it. Just a suggestion of an approach to take. Sometimes we get to worrying these things like they're life and death, and we should just enjoy it and make a little fun out of it. :-)

I agree with the majority of others who think the Ceasarstone on the island will look great, but you can't really mess it up because either choice will look great.

If you do end up going with the Ceasarstone, it would be greatly appreciated for you to eventually post your thoughts on how Ceasarstone holds up compared to granite for those of us still making decisions and considering both!

Rhome- i really always appreciate your input- you have a great sense of style and a great wit about you... thank you for the laugh and insight

Needsometips- i hate being the first - lol-- doesn't seem to be anyone who has dark caesarstone :( .... but right now if i had to select- it looks like we will go for it with the caesarstone- but its a long way until next monday when we have to select- i could change my mind 10 times by then - hahahaha

thanks everyone....

I too like a variety of textures. And either would be great, but if I had a choice, I'd go for a coordinating granite with a little less movement than your GO. Caesarstone is fine on it's own. But to me, it can sometimes look faux when placed near true stone. It's hard to get the depth of real stone from a manmade product. But, several people have said, either would be great. Your place is GORGEOUS!

I have GO in my bathroom. I LOVE it! It looks gorgeous on white or dark cabinets. I'd hate to have to make your decision. I think either one would be *right* :) But I think I'd be leaning towards the darker Caesarstone on the island. If you'd like to see the GO on dark cabinetry, you can see my bathroom photos at the link below.
Monica

Here is a link that might be useful: GO w/ Dark Cabs

suzienj, I haven't voted yet because this would be just as difficult a choice for me as it is for you! it might be nice to give the island as a whole even more of a contrast against those lovely porcelain tile floors by using the espresso countertops. I think it would look great. But I think the GO would look great on the island, too - your sample of GO looks like it has quite a bit of depth to it, and plenty of contrast vs. both the light and the dark cabinets.

I can also kind of understand the point that the natural stone advocates are making in terms of mixing the two. I guess I'd want to see the two together in person before committing. But since you already have and are fine with it, I say go with your instincts. Speaking as someone who has loved all your choices, I don't think you will go wrong!

Since this Q is also to do with colors and contrast, you might want to cross post on the interior design forum for some more opinions (as if you haven't gotten enough!). But really - the whole thing is shaping up to be simply gorgeous.

PS Do you trust the KD's advice? If so, I'd go with that.

I know you wanted some input from someone with Espresso Caesarstone experience. My sister just had it installed a couple of weeks ago in her kitchen redo. It is really gorgeous. I've only seen her pictures online, but I have been to see a counter with it installed in a store here in the city where I live and really loved it. I didn't expect to like it. We're not big fans of many quartz products, but Espresso looks so much deeper and richer, and doesn't have the flatness that some Caesarstone tops have. It almost seems like it's made out of something different than the others. It is as deep and rich looking as natural stone yet, oddly, seems a bit more exotic than granite to me because it so much less common. It gives a definite brown, not a black, effect. As far as cleaning, she hasn't gotten back in her kitchen yet, so doesn't really know.

A surprising caveat, though --- from reading on this blog, she decided it might be important to go look at the slabs, even though quartz products are supposed to be completely uniform. Sure enough, there are two blotches on the countertop they put in her kitchen. She is having the Ceasarstone guy come out and look at it, and hopefully they will stand behind it and replace those sections. It's disappointing, since we thought one of the reasons for getting quartz was that you don't have to worry about problem areas. The trip to see the slabs didn't help much in her case, because they were all wrapped up and in a dark spot. Hopefully, you would have better luck.

Joetex- if i give you my email address do you think you could email me the pics??? I would love to see it!

East coast- thank you-- i wish i had a clear cut decision but i call see the kitchen both ways so i might go with espresso for DH... we'll see.... i have until monday to decide....

Suz

Suz,

I am very computer incompetent and am not certain if I can forward the pictures on to you, but I will see if I can, if you want to send me your email. They're not great pictures, but they might be helpful. It's really seeing the stuff on a counter in person that seals the deal. Best of luck, Joe.

Joetex
- email patsuz@comcast.net

I cant find it locally on display.. so it would be great to see your pics...

Thanks

suzie - Have you tried a google images search? You go to google and choose "Images" then "caesarstone espresso" into the search bar. Here's one from this forum:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.caesarstoneus.com/gallery/_uploads/photos/espresso1_BASCO.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0313554817784.html&usg=__U7v9yUIXbDFSKicUSVSidH_G1vk=&h=519&w=800&sz=108&hl=en&start=14&um=1&tbnid=iSR-9EycSvrwtM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Despresso%2Bcaesarstone%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1

Here's another:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/caesarstone/3529401474/

And an old thread on the topic:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0808581526812.html

East Coast- you are the best- thank you !!! I still wouldn't mind seeing more lol-- i'm soooo gready-- thank you thank you !!

http://www.tjgranitecountertops.com/html/caesarstone.html

Not sure this is espresso, but it shows the stone on an island that is similar in color to yours.

i'm going for it-- we met with KD today - selecting the caesarstone for the island--- we are in new construction and waiting for permits-- so i will probably not be done until next Feb/March- but i will post pics when we are all done! Thank you everyone!!

Suzienj: I'm glad to see that you chose Caesarstone over the granite. We currently have granite in our flat and hate it because it needs more maintainance than we want to put into it. We just had our black Caesarstone countertops installed (no flaws or splotches) in our USA cottage and it is beautiful! They require little or no maintainance which was the big point but it has the look of the Absolute Black granite that lots of people want. We had also considered Silestone but couldn't get it shipped in time. We are very pleased indeed!