grlwprls, unfortunately today I got a sample of bianco antico granite today, which is taupe and white. same flooring dilemma as the antique pearl..trying to find a floor "cool" enough for the taupe. And of course brass doesn't look good with it and of course it isn't a calm countertop and of course you need a relatively dark floor to counterbalance all that white which I want to avoid. I am just drawn to taupe. I have some flooring samples and I don't know if they are cool enough to look good with the countertop. I don't really want to deal with sealing or stone cleaners or problems like chipping or staining, so I will probably go with quartz. I think I want the brass to stay polished and bright. I considered a brass hood but eliminated that due to too much polishing. The mission statement would be: the kitchen will have classic elements including classic colors that are calm which I won't become tired of looking at and the surfaces will be hardworking and as low maintenance as possible. I think low maintenance surfaces means light floors and light countertops. But I am concerned that the room will look washed out if I put a light floor and counter. And I don't want to go dark with the floor because they are higher maintenance. Tonight I am thinking that a blackish countertop and neutral brown floor are very classic and will balance all the white everywhere else. But for black, I am unsure that a blackish counter will look good with a light floor. And I am concerned that a blackish counter will make the room look smaller and darker.

Jane, thank you for the input. I should have posed my question a bit clearer. I need help with metal for lighting, faucets, etc. I'm looking for suggestions for the entire (overall) look of the bathroom. At first I was going with polished nickel, but the faucet I want to use (Delta/trinsic) does not come in polished nickel. The light fixtures I Iike only come in polished nickel and not chrome. It's just so frustrating. I thought I could do mixed metals, but unsure of that too. I read a number of folks say don't mix polished nickel and chrome. I was thinking matte black, but nervous. My husband won't go for brass (after posing my above question), though I agree, it would be interesting. Thank you again, and if you have any other thoughts, I'd greatly appreciate them. The double vanity is 80" (white), there will be a free standing tub (white), with separate shower in white subway tiles, the quartz counter tops are a medium gray, dark slate floors, and lastly white walls. It's so hard for me to use my imagination and picture different metals in the space.

I suggest looking into getting something that ionizes the water like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/SCALESWEEPER-0-25-GPG-Electronic-Anti-Scale-Water-Conditioner-SW-17/304780106?MERCH=REC--PIPHorizontal2_rr--204186467--304780106--N It helps eliminate the scale buildup and it's very easy to install. That way you can get the products you want.

I installed a Delta widespread lav faucet in the 1980s. With a few repairs, it still works fine. However, I think all the single-handle Deltas I've worked with since have been lemons. One started leaking from the spout within a year after installation. Rebuilds last less than a year, too. Maybe it's the hard water around here. I'd switch to Moen, but their single-handle faucets don't open and close smoothly for me. That lever-lifting-a-cylinder design sticks every time. It runs against my grain and my better judgment, but I'm starting to think that the easiest answer is to buy the cheap and cheerful Chinese house-brand faucets in the big box stores, and not bother to fix them when they start leaking -- just junk them and replace with new cheapies.