I like the creamy white cabinets better than the ebony. I love your granite and think it would stand out more with the white cabinets. Then you can have black accents like the anthracite sink (love mine!) Good luck!

I'll be honest, I'm prejudiced in favor of white cabs and against black, because I like light bright & airy instead of dark. You could also do uppers in white and lowers in black, or black wood trim (look at the HD Thomasville catalog for ideas) or glaze on the white cabs (my cab co calls it "charcoal" glaze). And if you have a light floor, I would reconsider my vote. However, the important thing is your vote!

Good luck, and the granite is very sharp looking (it was my first Not-Blue choice)!

Thanks for responding! I also was going to glaze the creamy white, but the cab guy said since I wanted shaker style it wasn't going to really show up.

Floors, I'm planning on med. brown wood, provincial or just a little darker.

great granite...what color is it? I'm doing creamy cabs and that would go great with them!

thanks positano. the granite is called brazilian diamond, but someone else on the forums told me it's also referred to as bianco antico. when i shopped around i found it referred to as bianco antico, arian white, & ecuador white. it's also similar to delicatus light if you can't find those colors.

I love the drama of the ebony cabs with that granite (which is absolutely gorgeous). If you're concerned about too much dark I'd go with white cabs on top and the ebony cabs on bottom.

I was forced by Hubby to go with a lighter cab b/c he was concerned about things being too dark. I hate the look as it washes out my gorgeous granite. I've tried really, really hard to get used to it but it's not working.

My granite also has lots of that white in it. Be aware that yellow tones in surrounding finishes (as there appears to be in your white cab choice) will make the granite look dingy and blah (almost dirty).

I still have cultured marble in my baths and one is painted white and the other is stained in walnut and I can tell you that the dark cabinets look great with the white countertops and the white one just looks ok.
I had the same idea as the above poster. Do the bottom dark and the top cabs in white since you originally wanted a two tone kitchen to begin with. Then you can do white subways. I think it would all look great with your granite.

Good suggestions. Has anyone done it so I can see photos? When I search the FK blog for mixed cabinets I only see where the island is a different color.
Any photos of upper & lower cabinets being different colors?

I tend to like things that are light and airy, but I think that the dark cabinets would be gorgeous with that gorgeous granite. The suggestion to do lower dark and upper white, sounds like a great plan. I dont recall if you mentioned the flooring as that might impact the choice.Really beautiful granite.

Gosh, I think different uppers looks odd. I guess my eye hasn't adjusted yet to that trend.

In my experience, a white kitchen looks and FEELS clean while ebony cabs are dramatic and a little mysterious.

It all hinges on the mood you want in your kitchen...clean and open, or clean and mysterious. Your granite can go both ways...

I first saw the dark lower/light upper combo in one of the HD catalogs early this year. The pic had a blue painted wall (why do you think I noticed it?), a dark island, and some glass fronted cabs. I'm afraid I don't have it any more but you could browse at HD. It was definitely not Thomasville -- so either American Woodmark or Kraftmaid.

It's also a different enough idea that you probably want to browse thru the FKB, if you haven't already.

Must be American Woodmark. I have the Thomasville & Kraftmaid catalogs from HD & don't see anything like that. I'll keep looking. I have to decide this weekend.

My vote is for the creamy white cabinets. That is going to be one beautiful kitchen! Love your granite.

I don't think the creamy white cabs do your granite any justice. To my eye, the creamy white doesn't blend with the granite. I like the ebony with the granite.

Another idea is to go with a shade between the creamy white and the ebony.

My vote is most definitely the ebony. When I saw the granite w/the creamy sample, the granite looked nice enough, but not really special (sorry about that)...but....when I saw it against the ebony my reaction was WOW! That granite is gorgeous w/that sample! The ebony makes the granite "pop!"

To be honest, I'm afraid creamy white uppers would still "wash out" the granite. The current pics have the granite below the samples...and the creamy white above washes out the granite.

Is it possible to take a pic with the granite on top of the ebony and creamy white several inches above the granite? I.e., a pic showing how they would look the way they would be installed....

I have always been a fan of dark stains too. I'm just afraid of it making the kitchen too dark. There's no denying the dark stain really makes the granite pop though. Here's the only other pic I have.

The creamy sample with the heavier glaze in the pic above blends better to me--at least on my monitor. If you like the creamy better as it is lighter, consider the heavier glaze to bridge the gap.

It's interesting so many posters feel that the granite will looked washed out with the creamy white cabs. One of the most popular combos I have seen on GW is white cabs with carrera marble. I think the creamy white with your granite will be gorgeous. Add to that the ORB hardware and anthracite sink and it will be stunning! The dark cabs will make your small kitchen even smaller. If you don't have much light in the room it will be really dark with the dark cabs. IMHO. Vote--creamy white!

Most kitchens today have plenty of light...are you planning recessed lights in the ceiling? Pendant lights over sink/island/peninsula? Undercabinet lights?

Believe me, if you are planning at least 2 of the above (or even just the recessed lights), you will have plenty of light! Yes, we have a window in our kitchen, but at night we only use about a third of the lights we have b/c it's so bright! On top of that, you will have a light granite...that will also help...reflecting so much light back into the room!

As to making a small kitchen look smaller, I disagree...I think it's more the "scale" of your cabinets, appliances, etc. to the room that determines how "small" a kitchen looks. Plus, have you seen some of the small kitchens on the FKB w/dark cabinetry...stunning! Even the ones that I suspect were a little heavy on the cabinetry for the space!

Luceestar's Finished tiny kitchen

Sher, definately do both! I have a teeny tiny kitchen too! Mine is smaller than yours. I would bump out the kitchen sink three inches--leaves more space for faucet, etc., and then do the sink cab in black. You could do the same thing with the cooktop cab as well. My kitchen is too small not to have a range instead of a cooktop, but I did this with my kitchen sink cab and I absolutely LOVE it! In fact, my contractor, KD, the cabinet installer and everyone that sees the black cab just loves it. My picture isn't the best, but it gives you an idea.

You can also do the bottom black cabs and the uppers in white. I have a picture of that too with marble counters. It was the inspiration for my kitchen. The picture is not the best quality, but I LOVED that kitchen. Your beautiful granite has the same tonal (tonel?) qualities as the marble.

You will have to let us know what you decided. Hope this gets to you before you order this weekend. I think it would be beautiful!

Here is my kitchen (still under construction). Instead of the white (wanted but couldn't afford) I did natural maple with the black espresso stained sink cab.

Here is the picture of the classy black and cream kitchen with the marble tile.

Thanks for all the help. It is interesting how some people prefer one over the other. I have always been a big fan of dark stains. (I'm actually doing the dark stain in my master bathroom).

I am planning on recessed lighting, under cab lighting & pendants.

Thanks for the photos mustbnuts. DH is leaning towards the dark stain, but I still have until Mon. to decide!

I would go with the light on top and dark on the bottom.
I have seen it in the magazines and I think it looks nice, the best of both. I too am a fan of darker woods but I have a very dark kitchen no windows DH hates white but I can't go too dark so I think that is what I will do.

I agree with buehl - I have toffee cabs and uba tuba granite and sweated over how dark it would be - I don't have a large or sunny kitchen! The electrician came Friday, added the UC lights, cans over my task areas and WOW!!! My kitchen is brighter than I could ever imagine! And the light on my cabinets makes them look beautiful!

The white or black finishes both look great, but don't be afraid of the dark side...!! Just hire a good electrician! HTH!

Sher, I haven't read all the posts (but love the pictures posted). I just wanted to say, don't be distracted by all the wonderful choices out there, and don't be buffaloed by a fake deadline. Take the time you need to percolate all the new ideas you're considering. Your cabinet guy will push you to keep his schedule moving, but he doesn't have to live for years with your decision. Apologize sweetly, but you're the client. This would be a good time to refresh with the Sweeby test.

Thanks Rosie, appreciate that!

These decisions are just so difficult. I know I agonize over each one. My DH just laughs at me. I agree with Rosie, take your time, it's a decision you have to live with a long time.Go with what you feel in your gut is right for you. Look at all the pics in the finished kitchen blog and see what your eye naturally goes to, the white/creamy cabs or the dark cabs. There are so many pics of kitchens with marble tops similar to your granite that you will be able to compare and make an easier decision. I think the creamy sample with the heavier glaze does look better than the lighter glaze. Good luck.

Thanks everyone. I decided to go with the ebony. Hopefully ordering tomorrow. I realized that when my plans changed, my vision changed too. All of my inspiration kitchens had islands, not a peninsula like I'm going to have so I just think all cabs in the same color will flow better. I thought about creamy uppers & dark stain below, w/a custom dark stained wood hood, but DH really wants a SS hood (one of the only things he's had an opinion on ;) All of my furnishings in my house are ebony stained, or have ebony accents so if I get my lighting right I'm sure I'll be happy with the outcome. I really appreciate all of your responses!
mustbnuts, I actually like your kitchen much more than your inspiration photo :)

Oh, I visited a showroom today & saw a beautiful two toned kitchen for those considering it. Check it out!
You can't really tell in the pic but the island is a black stain & the bottom cabs are ebony.

Congrats on the decision. Can't wait to see pictures.

I was rooting for the all-ebony. I don't think you'll be disappointed at all. Especially since you already have ebony elsewhere.