Ikea beech 1 1/8" thick BB counter on top of our 1957 birch cabinets. I chose the thiner IKEA BB because it would be easier and cheaper for us DIY's than the heavier thicker BB. It is finished with 3 coats of gloss Waterlox. Seven months later I still love this counter top. My BH was leary of trying to butt the thin BB so I opted to layer the long ends of the 'U' over the BB on the botton of the 'U'. Unusual but it works for us. We are both tall so the extra height was ok. My only regret is chosing the IKEA sink and faucet. Sink is too thin a guage and faucet doesn't have a spray setting. Though I do like the built-in drain in the Boholmen sink.

Purplepansies Blue Louise--I love the combination of the copper brown and the blue. Florantha Starry Night--Good job finding swirly tile. I tried this exercise, but was stumped searching for swirly tile. I love the dark blue drapes. Purplepansies Approaching Thunder Storm--Oooh, I love the artwork! You did a great job of capturing the colors and the mood of the painting. I love the magma supreme granite. Honorbiltkit Vuillard--Also a beautiful painting, full of interesting details and patterns. You captured the color of the rug in the painting, and the painting you chose for your design does a great job of mimicking the painting in the painting. If that makes any sense. Palimpsest Vuillard--You also did a great job of capturing the colors of the painting, playing up the neutrals a bit compared to Honorbiltkit. The floor--is it Marmoleum?--mimics the colors of the rug. Style-wise, the table is unexpected, but I really like it in the design. Pricklypearcactus Lanadscape with Butterflies--I like the interplay of colors in your kitchen just as much as in the original painting. I just want to say how very much I've enjoyed this thread. I liked the artwork, I liked the kitchens, and I liked all the creative thinking that went into putting them together.

repaintingagain: I love your painted countertops!! I think the black looks fabulous with your cabinets, but I'm obviously partial to that look. I have to admit that I don't know much about the different finishes on the Cambrian black. Granite was the only thing that I didn't research to death. In fact, I never even went to a granite yard -- I chose the counters based on the 3 small samples of black non-glossy granite that my kitchen designer had in her showroom. One was honed Absolute Black (which didn't pass my fingerprint test); one was the antique leathered CB that I ended up getting, and one was a nordic black with a different kind of finish (I forget the name) but it didn't come in a slab big enough for my 10-foot island, so we ruled that out immediately. I will say that I had a moment of panic the night before they installed the granite because I had never actually seen my slab, but it turned out to be even prettier than the sample. It has little bits of silver and copper flecks and is really gorgeous! oh -- I just googled "cambrian black granite brushed" and found this on a granite website: "Traditionally finished in a high polish, new technology has produced a recent trend towards textured finishes such as flamed and brushed (leather) finishes." so it sounds like brushed and leather might be the same thing. If it is, I recommend it wholeheartedly! I absolutely love my counters. Good luck with the decisions.

it's the regular black walnut. There are three knots on my top actually. I wish I had thought to take a far away shot when I had Jen's camera last night! Next time I will back up and take a full top shot for you guys. I can't believe no one else is in awe though. I never Ever thought rubbing alcohol would take of permanent marker from waterloxed wood. (someone on here said "Waterloxed - new verb!" and I am totally stealing that) : )