Wow - thank you for all those suggestions (and for taking the time to try to help me - what a great place this is)!!! I like the Sedona Trail best of those, I think. I've been staring at my sage coral and my gold flake granite all morning also. I just don't know how to know if the "black" will be too dark. The floor and cabinets will be lightish, and the wall will probably be a cream-based color as well, so maybe something dark would provide a nice contrast? Or should I keep it all on a neutral palette? We've lived in a kitchen with painted cabinets for 10 years (well, technically they've only been painted, white, for the last 5 years - they were a dark walnut before that), and only because we really couldn't afford the oak upgrade at the time we gave our kitchen a facelift. DH really loves the look of nice oak cabinets, and I really do too - though I did briefly consider a cherry-type stain rather than the natural oak color. So no, I don't think the solid color would be an option for us. I wish I had software that would allow me to put everything into a virtual room, including exact colors, and then see what it looks like! What about two different counter colors? What if the wall with the cabinets had the sage coral or sedona trail, and the island had the gold flake granite (the black-ish); or vice versa? I don't know if this matters in the decision-making, but in case it does - when entering the kitchen (essentially on line with the aisle between the wall and island) the "view" into the great room includes a 12'x12' window complex, and it's a south-facing wall, so there will be a lot of light coming through there, likely reflecting onto/off of whatever countertop I choose...especially on the island, but the wall of cabinets also, since there is no south wall to the actual kitchen at all. The west side of the kitchen (to the right, in this scenario) has no wall either - just a couple of support beams, and then the family room is beyond that, with a fireplace (and tv above) and two large windows on either side - so again, a lot of light in the evenings. Not much option for morning light - the east wall is solid (cabinets in the kitchen, and just a small window high up in the east wall of the great room). Love to hear more ideas based on this further information - and thanks again in advance!!!

Jkemner - It sounds like a lovely combination, but I have to agree with the others regarding the maintenance of a light tile floor. I just had mine installed a few months ago and thought it would be great because my room is so dark and I clean the floors so frequently anyway. I was so wrong! The above commenters are correct that it is a constant battle to keep the floors clean looking. My worst peeve is that a single drop of water on the floor will get smeared by a shoe or dirty foot and it shows. The Kitchen Designer Blog has some recent entries about light floors. She also has some very nice pictures. Here is a link that might be useful: The Kitchen Designer Blog

I have been reading posts on this site for several days and blown away by the knowledge and helpfulness shared here -- you guys are great! Til now I have held off on posting because my questions were TOOOOOO many and cascade into each other so I tried to search as much as I could on my own. I have come up with lots of helpful direction but still need more so I am jumping in and posting for whoever may have time to share insight and take on these challenging questions this holiday weekend. I recognize that many of you have debated your decisions carefully for a while (our preference also) but we are coming by our remodel by accident so all our decisions need to be made very quickly. We recently bought our home knowing we were installing a brand new bathroom upstairs but thinking we were only going to replace the counter/backsplash in the kitchen before moving in (pink corian in both backsplash and counter...can't stand!). We have a 3 year old so don't want to live through kitchen remodel AFTER we move in but living outside of the house results in incurring LOTS of additional rent+mortgage so we want to limit the time before we move in. DRAMA! Have you read the children's book "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie"? Contractor (rightly, I think) suggested that if we replace the counters with a material that is going to last, it will outlast the cabinets (we think the boxes are original to the 1926 tudor) and the cabinets cannot be replaced without tearing out the countertops (and there would go the investment we are making now). So, he suggested we replace the bottom cabinets as well. That would also allow us to put some fancy cabinet insides in like the "kitchen aid shelf" I have drooled over for years. We came to terms with that idea but...here are some tricky challenges/details: -Kitchen is not large (not small by my standards but narrow...ie, no room for island). -Kitchen has offwhite (nearly white but creamy) shaker cabinets now. -Floor is greenish/black ceramic tile that has a slate like look (12x12). When we bought the house the kitchen floor was one of the things I liked most. Now looking at it more closely and recognizing it needs to be accounted for in selecting counter etc...I see it is ODD! Looks black in sunlight if I recall (it is winter in Seattle/VERY limited sun and the electricity is currently off in the kitchen due to work on the bath upstairs). Although dark, it has sections of dark greeny/brown veiny pattern going through it. -Contractor noted that our range is a 40" Kitchenaid freestanding (a 30" micro above it that is illegally/dangerously close to range top and needs to be replaced and moved up higher). Rare to find a 40" range...so when that dies...we will have very reduced options so he has suggested we decide on a new range now that we are having new cabinets built that will flank it. Range and MW discussion: All appliances are currently stainless and we had stainless before and I am done with the look--especially for white kitchen think white appliances? Though we aren't changing more than MW and range now know that frig is smallish and DW old so will be replacing at some point. I have been reading lots on this site and others that stainless is likely on the way out so think we shouldn't get a stainless range. However, as many good range options in white! Prefer 30" so that I can use a GE Advantium MW Speedoven above range instead of needing to find a separate place for MW and buy a hood...(double duty saves space...etc). Prefer to spend less than $3K on range because the GE Advantium MW is pricey and DH is being so patient on aforementioned "mouse with cookie" analogy of a kitchen that "was fine except for countertop/backsplash"...and is quickly approaching $15K+ OUCH...especially with brand new bath install, other rennos thoroughout and painting entire inside of house etc...sigh. (Note...loved the posts about Miele speed oven but too narrow to vent 30" range and can't spare cabinet space for under counter mount.) Features we think important in range: 1) controls on the front not at the back behind burners; 2) prefer gas or dual fuel but too pricey so willing to go with smoothtop electric; 3) double oven with small on top...we will probably use it 90% of the time and don't use that storage drawer at all now...never have so it is wasted space!; 4) Induction range not of interest...I have used it before...not wowed and don't want all new pots; 5) Reliability - really this is number 1 on our list! Countertop discussion: We like Cambria (like what I heard here about Soapstone too but since we are in Seattle -and soapstone is quarried back east- think it is much pricier than Cambria?). Think we'd prefer a medium or dark counter since we are sticking with white cabinets (spraying the top to match the new bottom and will pick a white that will go with white appliances IF we do continue on that path) -- backsplash not being chosen til other decisions made. None of the cabinets have glass front now and to make the old ones glass front is pricey since the insides of the cabinets are rough old wood dull (looks like ply) -- will do without glass front. Color: DH and I like green and Cambria has some pretty greens but they have some contrast and I thought we should have a quieter counter since the floor is not silent...not sure. Oxwich Green, Kensington, and Caerphilly Green are three greens that look interesting but we need to go to the showroom to see them in bigger format. Did tons of searches on HOUZZ and didn't find any kitchen with strong greens that also DIDN'T have brown to balance it. We don't really have space for brown given the grey in the floor so not sure we can go with such green options???? Would like feedback or pics on that if you think green can work with white cabinets and a strange green/brown/dk grey floor. Also thinking Cambrian black may be a simple solution (too black????). The other option would be in the grey family "Devon". I had thought I wouldn't enjoy working on a grey counter (too much like hotel or office which I spend TOOO MUCH TIME IN) but now think it is a better option than others given the oddities of the floor? Hmmmmmmmmmmm Okay...I know there are other questions but throwing these out there for now. Regards, Cheryl

I have it and love it. We did do a project with the man made and I regret it. Nothing compares to the natural stone. The super white has enough movement that you won’t even notice an etch or a stain. We’ve had ours and used them for 7 months and have had no issues SINCE we resealed them. Note we did have issues when we first got them. Had the fabricator buff them out and then resealed. And we resealed again and since then have had no issues. I had decided that we’d use the counters and if there was etching or staining we spend a couple of hundred dollars every few years to buff them out, but we haven’t had any issues! Get what you love. You’ll regret it if you don’t. Excuse mess.