Sounds gorgeous to me. Your island will just be an individual, but coordinating, show-stopping piece. Of course, I LOVE gray, so your color scheme particularly appeals to me.

Rhome, thanks for the encouragement. I always appreciate your input. I am really hoping that someone will have pictures where this has been done or a KD or Decorator will chime in and tell me this is acceptable. We have a contractor for our kitchen remodel, but we are making all the design decisions ourselves and I am not always confident in our decisions. I am hoping the GW experts will help us out!

As long as you don't have two different busy patterns, you can mix granites and it will look wonderful. Any solid black granite will look nice with Black Mosaic. I am pretty sure that's the stuff Igloochic has in her children's bathroom. Cool stuff!

I'm certainly no expert, but we did it. We have cherry cabinets with a light stain and uba tuba granite on our sink wall, with espresso stained cherry and brushed santa cecilia on our island. Just had the granite installed last week and I love it.

I think it will look beautiful. I love the idea of two different greys. And AB is neutral in my mind. Here's ours, AB combined with Colonial Gold:

Margie, thanks for the pictures, that does help me visualize and your kitchen is beautiful!

Dazey, do you have pics to share?

Ccoombs, thanks so much for telling me about igloochic's bathroom. I have not see the Black Mosaic anywhere, so seeing it on a counter really helps. I'm going to see if she can share some more pictures. Thank you all so much.

Please keep your opinions, ideas AND PICTURES coming.

Some of us have done things certain KDs or decorators wouldn't support. They have their personal opinions, biases, and preferences, too. Doesn't mean it won't look wonderful or you won't love it. Your scheme of light gray, dark gray, plain black, and patterned black is pretty tame (in numbers of materials and colors used) compared to many of the things people here have tried and pulled off quite well. Trust yourself. It sounds like you and your husband are using some good instincts and ideas.

We're still in the midst of our project, but here's a shot that gives you an idea.

I think it is very common now to use two different countertops and cabinet colors. Good luck!

Looking at those two pictures (which look great), it looks like the key is tying it together. In both cases the perimeter counters are similar in color to the cabs on the island. Maybe that's something to shoot for? Otherwise in might not be cohesive enough.

Dazey, Thank you! Your kitchen is and will be gorgeous when finished.

Thanks everyone, you have made my DH so happy knowing that his idea will work. Anyone have another suggestion besides AB? That's the one that comes to mind that we have seen many people use here but if there is another neutral black that people like, we are open to suggestions.

Again, than you so much.

My son's bathroom is Black Marinache (I think that's the spelling) aka Aquarella. I'll post a few pics following this to give you an idea what it looks like installed (and dusty LOL)

It's silly expensive, and in a kitchen, it would be really expensive, but more importantly, I think it would be really really busy!!! if you had it on all counters. But, it's gorgeous, really wonderful stuff. Everyone drools over it when we go on the house tour LOL. In my little hopeful mind I think the stones look like dinasaur eggs and it will enspire his mind to science :oP (On the other hand, the side wall is done in antique golf posters, which may inspire his mind to golf instead of go to school...oh well) :oP

I also included a picture of the shower for you. I did so because I didn't want the room to be crazy busy, (It is) so instead of using this granite as the accent tile in the shower, I chose instead to use Nordic Black in an antique finish. Nordic Black is basically black, with an occasional (one tile out of 60 18x18's) white vein. Very simple, and you could easily template around any veins. I think it's a lovely compliment to the wild granite. If I'd have used the granite (which does come in tiles) we have on the counter...you can see things would have been a bit overwhelming.

One thing I will do is to have the switch plates made out of the sink scrap. It's a nice way to tie it all together.

I'm not sure that this is what your DH has fallen for, but hopefully even if not, it will help you visualize two blacks together, one crazy busy and one basic :)

Finished wall color (faucet was removed to reposition)

In my kitchen I have a pretty wild granite called Thunder wave. I offset that with stainless counters on the other side of the kitchen, but once again, used the nordic black antique on the hood and to surround the backsplash behind the hood because it's a nice compliment to a busy black patterned granite.

Ok now to add my disclaimer...I think the one thing that will date a kitchen to this decade more than anything else, is mixed cabinet colors in fitted kitchens. Mixed counters have been used for decades, but mixed fitted kitchens, that screams 2005+. Is it gorgeous, sure :) I think they're lovely, but personally, I wanted to stay away from it for a more long term kitchen.

That being said, I have crocodile tile in my shower and a chicken on my chandelier, so who am I to talk :oP

Igloo, you are very funny... crocodiles and chickens! Thank you so much for sharing your pictures. I did post a separate message to you yesterday, specifically asking how you would feel having this countertop in a kitchen now that you have lived with it for awhile. You have answered that if we used it in the whole kitchen. But, IF we get this, we will ONLY do it on a 4 x 7 island. Do you think it's too busy for that 1 surface?

I hope we aren't dating ourselves too much, but we are definitely getting the 2 different cab colors, they are ordered, so no turning back now.

I'll look at Nordic Black, too if we decide to go with the Black Mosaic. Really wanted to get your feeling about this granite now that you've had it awhile...are you tired of it, does it give you a headache or do you smile everytime you see it?

Thanks.

I posted these pics for "Igloo" on another message, but I wanted to show the colors of our island and cabinets to those who have been so helpful to me (& anyone else who is interested). The darker gray is for the island and the lighter one is for the rest of the kitchen cabs. So, we are getting close to deciding on using "Black Mosaic" for the island and looking for a good compliment for the rest of the kitchen countertops. Because of you all, I have the confidence now to mix different countertops, but just need to find the one for the perimeter cabs. Any help is, as always, appreciated. P.S. This is the first time I have posted pics, so I am not sure how to get them smaller, sorry.

Very gorgeous! Unique choices that will look fantastic. Can't wait to see it finished.

Your cabs are beautiful...I think your idea sounds perfect too,
can't wait to see!
vic

Have you looked through the Finished Kitchens Blog - lots of photos for you there. You can search "categories" on the right side of screen to see varying countertops/cabinets.

I have four cabinet colors, one granite and two different woods in my kitchen. It's in the FKB under my name.

Here is a link that might be useful: FKB

Another great site is Kitchens We Love. They are divided up into cabinet color categories. More photos of mine are in the Gray section - the "French Gray Island Kitchen." You can click on all photos to enlarge.

Here is a link that might be useful: KWL

Rhome and Vic, thanks for your encouraging words. I am excited to see it finished as well, whenever that day comes!

Allison, thanks for your links. I have looked at your kitchen many times and have oohed and awed myself silly. I wish I could have a kitchen like yours, but I know I will be happy with our little remodel. We are definitely inspired by your wonderful taste!

Mominthedubc, what is the name of the darker gray?

Jodi-

I think that you have a great idea to balance the island out with a calmer perimeter. I have seen that granite in two installations: My sister-in-law did her kitchen with the Black Mosaic (a.k.a. Marinace) on the island and Absolute Black honed on the perimeter and it looks fantastic! The plain black perimeter helps to balance out the busy granite on the island. Also, a friend did her bathroom with the Black Mosaic on the countertop with beige limestone in the rest of the room and that combination looks gorgeous as well. Hope this helps.

Wow, Goldie, thanks. Would you ever get a chance to take a picture of your SIL's kitchen? I would LOVE to see it. We are still debating among AB, Nordic Black and others, but considering she has the Black Mosaic, that would be awesome if I could actually see what it would look like. Igloochic has it in her bathroom and has been very helpful with suggestions but to see a picture of a larger surface would really help. Do you think that's possible to post a picture? If not, that's fine. Just good to know that it does look good.

Jodi, the darker gray is: BM Stormy Sky

Thanks!