Sorry if this is too long - I am having a meltdown and need some sense talked into me...... I have to make my final countertop decision by tomorrow - and I still haven't a clue. As you probably saw from my numerous previous posts - I am all over the place! Background - I want a light and bright kitchen, with a modern traditional vibe. I am doing white shaker-ish cabinets to the ceiling (we have 9 foot ceilings). The kitchen is part of a combo family room/kitchen. Kitchen is basically a u-shaped (with walkway through to the garage at back of U) with an island in the center. We have existing maple floors in a medium tone.

I THOUGHT I wanted all white - white cabinets, white tile, white countertops. I eliminated all the light quartzites I saw because they either had rust undertones, too much yellow, or too much overall gray. The other quartzites were too linear (which ruled out the macuabus and luce di lunas). So I moved onto quartz. Was ready to pull trigger when my contractor told me to go back and look for a "real" stone. Went back and searched more - still same results - not thrilled with anything in a 4 hour driving range. So - am back to quartz again. Thought I would do the all white like originally planned, but decided to go by the tile shop to check out what my BS options would be and hit another major snag. I realized that although I love light and bright - most of the white counter and white tile kitchens I pinned on houzz had something else to make the space not feel so bland - amazing lights, gray or blue islands, amazing windows, etc. I am thinking if I stick with my white on white on white it will just feel too boring.

Now I am considering doing a dark grey or black perimeter (Ceasarstone Pietra Gray or a honed Jet Mist granite) on the perimeters with white quartz island (Pental Miserio). If I go with this plan - and keep the backsplash light (either plain white subway or a herringbone calcutta subway tile) will it still be light and bright? Or do I stick with all white everywhere?