If you are going to replace the counters in five years, a fabricated concrete counter might be the way to go, for you could finish the concrete in any color that suits you.

If you are thinking of something more permanent, consider zinc. Although a metal, it has a very soft look, one that will pick up on the blue tones in the accent tile.

Another option is a soft grey which is available in Silestone and which would, if the right grey, compliment both the SS and the accent tiles.

My choice for you, however, would be soapstone without any green tones. You say you can't visualize a dark granite. Do a search on both soapstone and honed black granite, and you will find postings with photos. The mix of white cabinets and a dark stone (be it granite or soapstone) is a classic look.

I am not sure what a "fortune" is but for the kitchen that I specified quartz countertops (Dupont Zodiaq), which had about this much counter top area, the cost was almost $5000. Soapstone for my kitchen which is smaller was almost $5000.

I would look at another laminate counter top to tide you over, if you can't live with that one for another five years. I think anything more expensive would be a waste of money and natural resources.

Wood would look nice with the white/blue cottage theme (if that is what you are going for), can be economical, and can be removed and reinstalled or modified and then reinstalled, when you replace the cabinets.

But . . .

What is wrong with the cabinets? If the layout is okay and the boxes are sound, you can replace the doors, fit rollout shelves, even fit full overlay drawers.

Have you looked at the Wilson Art blue designs?

I would order some samples to look at in your kitchen next to your tiles.

A dark or medium blue with white specks would look nice. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Wilson Art designs

I kind of agree with John... I don't see anything wrong with the cabinets. I would replace the backsplash and add new counters. It would totally update the kitchen.

I have cabinets very similar to yours by Yorktowne.
I changed the hardware and replaced my counteres. If you
like your cabs why not keep them and just spend money
on the counter and backsplash.

And since you have white you could go with almost any
color for your space. What do you like? Blues, greens,
grays, beiges, browns.... YOu mentioned Kashmir white.
Go for it, it would be pretty.

~boxerpups

I think wood coutertops would be perfect.

another vote for wood countertops

If all this is going to change in 5 years I say get laminate and enjoy picking out from all the options there are. I have seen some very nice laminate colors.

I think Cambria Charston would be pretty. It's black with blue flecks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cambria Charston

Thank you for all the great advice. The cabinets may look good on the picture but are not in particularly good structural condition. Think particle board with Thermafoil, some corners are chipped and even swelled up where the particle board got wet. With respect to the backsplash, while putting up new tile, the thought of taking down the old tile, probably drywall and all, just scares me.

With thermafoil covering, i think laminate counters would look great. We had navy legacy wilsonart in our old house and it looked great.

I know it's dated, but I kinda like the current countertop. A family I babysit for (who happen to be excellent cooks with an overall stylish home) has white laminate, and it always cleans up easily (Clorox Clean Up with Bleach gets the Kool aid spills). It's also super easy to see the messes so I know when I'm done, very crisp & clean looking. So, if you're replacing the cabinets that soon, I'd consider painting the walls first and seeing if that helps you live with the countertops a while longer to minimize the expense & waste. I like the dated wood edge, too, but I'm sure it could be painted white to blend in if you want. If you can't live with the current counters a moment longer, I like the thought of wood or gray laminate. Wilsonart Pearl Soapstone is my favorite but other patterns you might want to consider are Pewter Brush, Windswept Pewter, Mercury Glass and Smoky Topaz. You can order large samples from Wilsonart and Formica for free.

Also, a while back chocolatebunny posted pics of her kitchen with 4x4 white tiles and she had randomly attached adhesive stainless steel tiles to add interest, rather like your current blue tiles. With that in mind, I found a site selling adhesive tile, so you might have an option for sprucing up the backsplash without damaging the drywall.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stick and Go Tiles

I haven't had a chance to see this one in person, but Formica Soapstone Sequoia looks really pretty on the website.

Here is a link that might be useful: Formica Soapstone Sequoia

If you are going to replace the cabinets in 5 years, I personally would wait until then to replace the counters...you might even want to go with something entirely different in your cabinet colors by then.

There is a laminate paint (but I don't know the exact name) that you could paint them a blue to match your tile...put in some bright colored accents, (yellor or lime green etc.) and I think your kitchen would be bright and cheery...something that you can enjoy for those years while you are planning your next one.

I would change the hardware to either crome, stainless steel or ORB and I think that would really update the kitchen. You can replace the counters with granite for unless $2,000 if you choose one from the less expensive slabs.

Phoggie reminded me of someone on Home Decorating (or maybe bathroom?)who did a faux granite look for her bathroom vanity. It looked spectacular. Even if you paid to have it done it would be way cheaper than a new counter.
I agree to not invest in this kitchen. To us it looks good in the pictures, but if it is as you say it is, by putting a new counter, I think it will make the rest look even shabbier. At this point everything has the same wear level.

with your mindset of a bigger redo I'd leave as is-it looks fine. Maybe push that 5 yr window to 3 yr-there is nothing in your space that can't wait a bit....then you can bite into your bigger dreams.

If you are planning to replace the cabinets, just live with the existing kitchen, save your money and do it all at once.

It's a tacky kitchen, yes, but spending a couple thousand (at a minimum) to put new counters onto shoddy cabinets is not a good use of money. If they are as bad as you say, it's possible they won't survive having the countertops removed - there is always the risk of wrecking the frames.

Thanks for all the feedback. It sounds like new paint on the wall and a redo in a few years. It's not worth my time to paint the cabinets, is it?

As someone almost done painting just my upper cabinets (lowers and laundry cabinets coming next), I'd say no. I'm sure they're better in pictures than in person, but they don't look bad at all. Removing hardware, painting both sides with multiple coats, waiting for paint to cure and rehanging doors...it's a lot of work. It takes over your life and turns your kitchen into a disaster zone. Save that for your big remodel; your sanity will thank you.

I was amazed at how much better my kitchen looked after a good cleaning (when prepping for paint). So, scrub it top to bottom and maybe buy a new valance or towels & rugs to give you a boost, and then start counting the pennies and planning for your overhaul!

I like your kitchen and would leave it 'as is' until you plan to do a major remodel. The only thing I might change, is to bring in a little more red and green (from the cherry tiles) to warm up the space. Maybe replace the dark blue and white valance...and bring it a lighter, medium blue, with the red...and maybe a few plants (but that's just me).

Have fun with the space and remember, accessories can be used in the new kitchen, too, if you really like them! :)

The cherry/fruit tiles are fake tattoo-type tiles, so I was going to remove them. Maybe just some wall paint and new accessories.

If the counter's wood edge bothers you, do consider painting the wood white to match your laminate. We have white laminate counters with a white painted wood edge. Unless you're standing right at the counter and examining the edge it gives the feel of a thick solid white counter. The paint on the edge has held up surprisingly well. To get a sharp line, carefully affix a line of blue painter's tape on the laminate abutting the wood before painting. It's an easy and inexpensive way to make a significant change in appearance.

Do less and save up for what you really want. You'll need every penny later and money spent on 5 years of a countertop would be wasted.

Going through a reno as we speak. Follow everyone's advice and hold off. Think of how those dollars can go into the new kitchen. I personally left my ugly wallpaper up and kept all that was wrong with the kitchen so that it inspired us to renovate faster. If you start making small changes you will either find that your husband (partner, etc. if you have one) will complain about why there is the need for a new kitchen if you have "fixed it up" OR you will keep making more changes and never get the kitchen you really want.

True. my husband already thinks it's fine as is.
I wouldn't really make dramatic changes in a new kitchen. I still like white/off-white frameless cabinets, wood counter tops or non-shiny stone, a simple white-tiled back splash, and keep pretty much the same layout;however, I'd like to hide the dishwasher (ideally, the fridge, too), have a kitchen range hood rather than the microwave, and ceiling-high cabinets.

I did have some of those stainless tiles that jessicaml mentioned but I took them down and returned them b/c the consensus was they didn't look good in my kitchen. Since you already have some blue tiles, what if you got the stainless stick on ones too? Take off the cherry ones and mix the stainless with the blue.

I don't think your kitchen is bad at all but I totally understand wanting to change things up. (I am in the same boat as you - DH thinks our kitchen is fine too). But don't settle...if you really are going to redoo the kitchen in a few years I would save up for what you really want.

If you want a few quick fixes, change out the knobs and possibly replace the valance with a roman shade and get a new faucet. That alone with a new coat of paint will make the space look like you spent a lot more on it.

Looking at the pix again, I think if you nixed the cherries and added something black as an accessory it would tie in the valance better (which is cute). Maybe a black and stainless canister set or utensil holder. I would save all the pennies and effort for your real reno.
Get the next few years out of this kitchen and you will be glad you have the money not spent now for later on. Treat it like using an older car and running it into the ground before replacing.

What hardware do you suggest? Black, chrome, nickel? I actually boiled (most of) my fake brass knobs, which turned nickel :) What do you think if I paint the blue tiles black?

On the wait until later train of thought: in the time between now and when you'll reno this kitchen, hang out here and find out all kinds of interesting stuff. You'll definitely not want to repeat the electrical switches and outlets which stick out like sore (& mismatched!) thumbs on the tile backsplash. You'll find alternatives here. You'll probably want your new cabinets to go all the way to the ceiling - check out others' kitchens to be sure. You can participate in agonizing over which granite, or maybe quartz, or soapstone, or laminate? Is there room for a pantry somewhere? You'll find things that others' do that you love and never would have thought of and things that you'll *know* you'd never want in your kitchen.

For your husband to answer the question about why you'd want to replace those cabinets, there was a thread recently about WHEN it was time. I've linked it in case you missed it or want him to read it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Time to replace cabinets?

how about black and white coarsely flecked laminate or a faux b&w marble?

I actually had a closer look at my cabinet boxes, and with the exception of the undersink cabinet, they are, by and large, in very good shape (still MDF, though). I was just focusing on the undersink cabinet and the chipped doors. The manufacturer still makes the kitchen, so I could just get some replacement doors/drawers, or paint the cabinets, or get replacement front. Then replace the backsplash and countertops, sink, faucet, hardware. Ideally, also move the microwave to the opposite kitchen wall where the fridge is.

Now that the outlets were pointed out, where do other people have their outlets?

I don't think the placement of your outlets is so bad, but the covers should be white....