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So Many Decisions - Countertop colors and cabinet colors

13 years ago

I'm new to this forum and a newbie in renovation. I finally have the chance to remodel my kitchen, only cabs and countertops and don't know where to start. I always wanted granite and was thinking about black granite with small specks in it until I went to a granite yard and saw all the multiple colors and patterns, etc of the granite. I really like typhoon bordeaux, which is the total opposite of black. Now, I'm having trouble deciding on color and movement of granite and color of cabinet. Not to mention what company should I choose for cabinets, etc. I'm trying to post pictures of my current kitchen, which is connected to my living room, so that I can get some help but I don't know how to do that. I need suggestions. I don't want the kitchen to clash with my livingroom. If I go with black granite, what shade of cabinets should it be? or if I go with typoon bordeaux, what shade of cabinets? Or should I even consider typhoon bordeaux considering the colors in my living room, size of kitchen etc. Will movement in a countertop make the kitchen look weird? By the way, my DH wants black granite with dark cabs. I came across some pictures with typhoon granite, but the pictures usually have SS appliances and light cabinets. I have black appl and the size of the kitchens seem alot larger than mine. How do you post pictures?

Featured Answer

cpartist

13 years ago

I chose the typhoon bordeaux for my kitchen and I love it. The counters get installed on Monday but I got to see the cut pieces last week. In the kitchen at the place we're renting we have black granite. To me it always looks dirty because it is always getting water spots, etc on it and every speck shows. Drives me nuts.

I have cherry cabinets with a cinnamon finish on them. My backsplash is jeffrey court crackle subway tile which is almost the color of BM wilmington tan and I have a feature wall behind the cooktop which is glass tile in golds/creme/white/amber/light brown with dark brown pieces in small spots. My floors are ipe. My appliances are ss and the oven is ss/black and the cooktop is all black. I don't see a problem with your black appliances.

With the typhoon bordeaux your choice of color is limitless since there are so many colors in it. At least in mine. What are the colors in the rest of your house? How about a dark walnut cabinet?

{{!gwi}}

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Comments (11)

limom_2bts
13 years ago
islandgirl: see the thread below...has instructions for posting pictures and links

Here is a link that might be useful: for newcomers
ideagirl2
13 years ago
Black counters and dark cabs? It can work, but there has to be some contrast to avoid looking monolithic, and it obviously is going to prevent your kitchen from having anything like a light and airy look. So it depends what kind of look/feel you want your kitchen to have.
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kharamarie - Your kitchen choices so far sound beautiful. I have been quite enamored with gray these days. I am curious, do you like more of a single tone from counter to cabinet (say white cabinet and danby marble counter) or a little contrast (say gray cabinet with the danby marble counter?) But don't think I am lobbying for marble, you can get the same looks with the quartzite and swapping the counters. Personally, I appreciate both but lean toward contrast - where are you? Full disclosure, I have a white quartzite island but LOVE marble (didn't think it was a good fit for our family) so I guess I am not really biased. You are choosing between two lovely stones. The surprising part of the quartzite is it isn't as 'loud' once on your counter horizontal and it looks amazing with soft white cabinets (my island is BM Dove Wing which is white with a slight gray/almost green to it.) It provides a some contrast to the white without being as dark as a soapstone (which I also love with white.) I did hone mine, which was a fantastic surprise (soft with small areas of quartz that shine slightly in certain angles.) Here are a couple of photos to get the big picture and see if it is the look you are going for (we have gray pietra del cardosa counters in the perimeter.) One of the first things that everyone comments on about the kitchen is the island - everyone (non-GW :) thinks it is marble. Shot of kitchen with super white quartzite A higher angle, just of the counter Another thing to consider for counters are your "views." My perimeter counters are viewed from a distance, it is a more softer subtle look - like a gray soapstone - with tone on tone lines, some white and black veining - I call it calm and relaxing. It is a great 'backdrop' for the kitchen but when you are working on it or looking up close (which most people don't) is has a lot of interesting detail. I view my super white at both a distance and up close when you are sitting at it. You see the 'whole enchilada' were the perimeter is more bits and pieces and on an angle because you never sit at it. If you were to use superwhite on a perimeter you would even soften it more because it was viewed at a distance and in bits and pieces. So the three questions I see are: (1) Do you prefer more single tone to contrast(this hinges on your cabinet color) (2) do you prefer white with gray (marble) or gray with white (SW) and (2) do you prefer the clunking of SW (my husband said it reminded him seeing glaciers from an airplane) or the linear look of the marble. Last question - is there an island in the kitchen? Would you consider quartzite on the island and the marble on the perimeter (or vice versa?) Not sure if that would be too busy for you. It is another play on the traditional soapstone/marble kitchen. I love soapstone and understand there are different varities that have different colors (gray, black, greenish) as well as durability (my friend has soapstone and I love it but there tons of chips in the sink which would bother me, must have been a softer one.) I think you can't loose here - just what speaks to you. I have included a link to my nearly finished kitchen album. I could not get enough of photos of counter and cabinet combos when I was in the process. I would also recommend searching google images for "marble island" "gray cabinets." You may find some real inspiration. Good luck. Here is a link that might be useful: My kitchen with Superwhite island
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jterrilynn
13 years ago
So many of us gone through exacty what you are going through now so I can only say that things do fall into place after looking around a bit and doing the process of elimination. I changed my mind many times on woods and paint colors for cabineits. When it came right down to the final decision a little light finally went off in my head. I said to myself, Terri do you want to re-decorate your entire house around your new kitchen or do you want your new kitchen to play well and get along with what you have.
islandgirl45
Original Author
13 years ago
Here are the pictures. I hope this is right. :)
riverspots
13 years ago
It is confusing to set up a new kitchen because of all the choices and all the different but equally beautiful outcomes. Take the time-it may be many months-to get a vision that feels right.

Start by looking at lots of pictures of different kitchen-there's a bunch at houzz.com and http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/. Save the ones you both like and would coordinate with the rest of your house's style (modern, traditional, etc.) I wouldn't worry about coordinating with colors in the living room-at least not yet. Set those saved kitchen pics aside for a couple of weeks and look at them again. Don't be surprised if some of the pics no longer thrill you. Take a better look at the kitchens that made the cut. What do they have in common? Are they all bright and cheery? Or maybe dark and rich in deep tones? Do you find yourself drawn to the graining of wood or to the uniform surface of paint? Uniform counter surface or lots of movement? At this point, you'll probably have narrowed it to a handful of choices. Not too bad.

So, layout is next. The room will dictate most of that. Your budget will also influence the layout-changing plumbing and electric locations cost more money. The folks here are very good at pinpointing pitfalls of designs and reworking them into something more functional.

With layout completed, time to pick the cabinets and granite. I think most folks pick out the cabinet color first since it occupies the vertical surfaces and dominates the room. Then take a sample of the cabinet color with you to select the granite. Note: there will be stunning graintes that you just love but won't look great with your cabinet. Keep looking-you'll know it when you find "the stone". Do keep an open mind-don't shop with a list of names since they vary from yard to yard. Take pictures to help remember, but realize that colors may not photograph "true."

A few caveats. Do determine a budget ahead of time and try to stick to it. It's real easy for a more modest remodel to snowball into a total gut job. Don't be persuaded into buying gadgets/appliances you don't need. Do consider the impact of your choices on resale value. Are you willing to decrease resale potential to go with unpopular choices (like black counters with black cabinets)? Even if you have no plans to sell, life throws curveballs. There have been many posts here of "forever" homes being sold within 5 yrs of remodeling. However, it is your kitchen; in the end, it's your preferences that count.
beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
13 years ago
limom posted the great link for newcomers here. At that link, you'll also find a link to the "Sweeby test", which is a test to take to find out what you want your new kitchen to look like.

You can also take a look through the Finished Kitchen Blog (FKB), where there are oodles of new kitchens, to get an idea of what styles and colors you like,
http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com

The FKB is also searchable ("FKB Category"), so you can search by color, style, etc.,
http://starpoohonline.com/FKB_categories_list.html

Good luck and have fun!

Becky

Here is a link that might be useful: Sweeby test
gneebee
13 years ago
Hey cpartist. I'm looking at TB for my granite, too. Also looking at a blck/white granite or Yellow Bamboo. I, too, have cherry cabinets with a medium cinnamon finish with a coffee glaze. I love the colors in your piece. It's difficult finding a slab with the red in it. I hope you'll post photos of your kitchen when your cabs and counters are installed. My kitchen is being gutted next week!
Jeanie
cpartist
13 years ago
I'm doing a whole house redo an d it will be a while before it is all done. I will definitely post when I'm done. However we're having an issue right now with how the granite was cut.
Linda Gomez
13 years ago
Typhoon bordeaux: I love this granite (the sample that was posted, anyway)! I don't see any of it in the FKB. Is it known by a different color? Does anyone else have pics of tb?
boxerpups
13 years ago
Islandgirl,

Welcome. And DEEP breaths. You are going to have a blast
with this. Enjoy the ride and know that there are many
on GW who will be here to hold your hand, hear you cry,
or cheer or decide on which way to go, what to do....

Yes, there are 100s of choices. Do the Sweeby test as
Beckysharp recommended, and check out FKB (finished kitchen
blog), make a folder on your pc of your favorite kitchens.
What do you like? What is your favorite color?...
And little by little you will narrow down to your dream.

Since you plan to keep your appliances... Lets check out
these images. You can see with dark counters and dark
cabs they look lovely.

~boxerpups

TB

Cherry Custom Stained glass

Granite Island different from Precision Granite co.

Utah Kitchens

From the IKEA fans site

Reece kitchen

Okay lighter cabs but dark appliances and counter

Kitchen Design Ideas with Curved Counter
Notice the granite with movement. GORGEOUS

Not TB but wouldn't TB look even better?

Black and Stainless appliances

Here is a link that might be useful: TB

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