Good thought. Another thing that can happen is when they do chip off a sample for you. I was given a chip knocked off a corner of my slab. I used this to go around with for my backsplash. I had to keep saying, "But at home, my counter is more brown rather than taupe." Lighting makes all the difference too. Ouside, I thought I saw more cream colors, not so when it was installed in my kitchen. But, this could also be because when I looked at it over all I was concentrating on the cream. When we templated, I was concentrating on how I wanted the pattern and the cream was probably on in the diameter of the template.

Check out mdmcs kitchen - she did exactly what your are planning, although her cabinets may have a glaze. She used Sherwin Williams Grassland, which is a nice sage green. http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/2006/01/mdmcs-kitchen.html My colors are similar to yours too, except cabinets are glazed, not white and granite is New Venetian Gold (usually very similar in colors to SC). I have an open floor plan and wanted to go more neutral - went to the paint store with a sample of my cabinets, came up with a few colors that were close and looked a shade or two down on the same strip. In my case, I ended up with Sherwin Williams Whole Wheat, and am very happy with it - it was not too yellow or too taupe for my space and it goes very well with the New Venetian, so It may work well with your SC, too. Since your cabinets are lighter, you could check out the other colors on that strip if you didn't want to go that dark. Some people keep the wall and cabintet colors quite close and don't do much of a contrast and that is a very pretty look, too. If you do beige, taupe or yellows I would just make sure that if there are any undertones in the cabinet color (gray, pink etc) that it doesn't compete with the one you pick for the walls. It's a tough decision, I know! Good luck.

Boxer, that really is the perfect pic! You must not have been going very fast because I don't see any slobber! ;>D Kevin, I like Ubatuba. In fact, I love almost any green granite (especially Tropical Green), but it wouldn't go with the rest of the colors. Colorfast, haven't chosen yet, but I am planning to head to the granite yard this coming week. School started last week and I wanted to get the kids settled first. The kids are really pushing for a new island countertop because they don't think a different color on the side will look good. I think I can make it work though.

Do you plan to sell again within the next 5 years or so? If not, then I wouldn't worry about resale. You don't know what will be "in" or "out" then, so why try to predict it? Go with what you and your family like so you can enjoy it! Trying to please some unknown future buyer is an exercise in futility and why live with something you don't like just b/c some future buyer might? It makes no sense (at least not to me)! Concerning your proposed changes...if you plan to replace the counters with stone, be sure: (1) the cabinets are in good shape...not only strong enough to support the stone but also good enough so they'll last at least another 8 to 10 years (2) you have a good layout (functionally speaking) (3) you have no plans for a total remodel within the next 7 or 8 years or so Most stone countertops (granite, soapstone, marble, quartz, etc.) are on the expensive side, so you don't want to put one in now and then have to rip it out a few years later. Here is a link that might be useful: