If you want to put a hot pot directly on your countertops, then quartz is a no-go for you. You run the risk of warping and burning it.

I think granite is probably your best bet, but those choices are looking a little skewed since they are right next to your tile counter top. Could you move them on the floor? I don’t think I like the middle one. But I don’t like either the top or bottom with blue. Both of those granites are warm with brown and gold tones.

I would suggest going back to the stone yard and looking again.

Hey Emily!

Can you please tell us the names of the stone samples in your pictures?

Thanks, megs1030 --- I suppose I am pretty set on blue, as I love blue and thus the idea of blue cabinets. I'm not set on any of the quartz/stone samples.

I've had a couple of people who are "in the business" in one way or another say that it is OK to put hot pans directly on quartz... and they were swearing by this... which left me very confused!

Sammy-- thanks, I'll go back and edit the post with the names of the samples!

“I've had a couple of people who are "in the business" in one way or another say that it is OK to put hot pans directly on quartz... and they were swearing by this...”

I am going to sound harsh, but I’d rather you know the facts since a kitchen reno is costly. Those “people who are “in the business” in one way or another” are either so ignorant about these very popular counters, or, they are lying to you. Quartz is made from resin. Resin melts and scorches when in contact with heat.

The Quartz manufacturers carve out from their warranties any damage from heat. Your “in the business” people should know this, but since they are “swearing” otherwise, they evidently don’t. I’d steer clear of any other advice from them.

Screenshots directly from the Cambria website, directly and plainly said, not in the fine print at all, and all the Quartz brands are the same in this regard:

Shannon_in_WI -- thanks for backing me up!! I have a distinct feeling that in at least one case, it was definitely the "older gent"-type of guy (who works at a big-box store) talking to a woman younger than him, etc... and in the other case, a handyman who has quartz in his kitchen and said this about it. But, that's not a topic I want to get into here, and I don't think you sound harsh at all, just honest. Thanks!

Sammy and megs1030, I have substituted in a picture of the samples up on the counter, with a white tablecloth behind instead of the original tile.

I really actually like the look of the Viatera and Cambria Hawkridge quartzes, but I think DH wants granite because of heat resistance.

Again, I still like granite #1 and #4 with your floor. But I don't like any of them with the blues you've chosen. Your floor has so much brown and gold, along with those two granites that I think the cool blues you've chosen are wrong.

Have you looked at soapstone? I ask because your floors are quite busy and mixing a busy granite will be tricky. Soapstone can have mild or a lot of veining, you can put hot pots on it, requires little maintenance, and I think would complement blue cabinets nicely.

Have you seen blue eye granite?

@Shannon_WI is correct when it comes to quartz. The material is marketed in such a way as to make consumers feel it is indestructible, yet it is not. That said it is hard, holds up well to etching and staining when compared to marbles and dolomites. But heat? You will void the warranty and have no recourse. We sell and install a ton of quartz and it's an absolutely fine material and offers consistency in color and pattern that many homeowners desire. And while you certainly may be inclined to place a hot pot on granite, we recommend you never do it and use a trivet.

As for granites with blue tones, check out Bross Blue. An absolutely beautiful granite. Best of luck

Please just put the paints aside for the time being as well as any backsplash and focus on the counters. Start with really digging deep into creating an ideabook that represents kitchens like yours with slate floors and painted cabinets. You started but I'd say none of them really represent your floor which is THE dominant bossy element to work with. Then, you will start to see what direction to take.

For instance, this has similar floors and bluish cabinets (these are stained but for now will work to illustrate my point) - this look is successful because they did a solid light quartz/corian product for the counters. An active granite would have diminished this look. A dark counter would have made it extremely drab and depressing. It needed the solid cream/white of the counter to make the other busy dark elements work.

Chesapeake Bay waterfront Log Home · More Info

Here this floor is less like yours but is close enough. The success of this look would be diminished/drab dreary if all of the cabinets had been left dark. The dark counter needs the lighter cabinets. The island was the perfect 'just enough' dark to make the overall whole work.

Traditional Kitchen · More Info

So I would ask you - what appeals to you more between these two images? The first is a solid man made surface and could be found in quartz/corian/laminate - non are friendly for hot pots. The last is a stone and could translate to soapstone (more pricey but the best IMO), leathered or honed black granites, jet mist, pearl grey....lots to choose from - all are more friendly to hot pots but I still use a trivet with my dark granite. The exception - soapstone. Great for hot pots directly on it.

I think you are on the wrong track by looking at busy granites and should focus on either of the 2 directions illustrated here. Then and only then could you start to pull the whole look together by looking at paints for cabinets and walls. The blues you are showing are way too baby blue/the wrong direction. Hope this helps to reign you in. Good luck.

Lastly, you said initially backsplash was 'likely to be replaced'. I'd argue that it is a must. It will be technically very hard for any countertop fabricator to get it installed correctly with the BS in place. The BS goes in after counters. Also, the hood is going to be replaced - yes? That is a must as well. The existing BS and hood will tragically fight with blue cabinets. So again, counter first, then BS and hood, then paints.

I found one image that might also illustrate my point. This floor is a more even slate and not quite yours but hopefully shows how blue cabinets could work well with a slate. The success of this kitchen 100% works because of the massive amount of windows and white/clean upper areas. This is a honed quartzite counter. A solid choice for you as well (as pricey as the soapstone) - but I'd argue that you would need to do the (right for you so not this exact) blue on the LOWERS ONLY and do a white BS and uppers in order to balance the look for your space. Finding a 'from the earth' quartzite that works for your floors would be key - you'd need the right shade of blueish background with not a lot of veining. Again, create a very specific, idea book here or Pinterest page that focuses on kitchens with your very specific floor. Then dissect WHY they work in order to see how to apply that to your kitchen.

Lowland Farm Kitchen · More Info

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/houzz-quizz-what-kitchen-countertop-is-right-for-you-stsetivw-vs~43799138

thinkdesignlive-- Thanks very much for your probing questions!

Working backwards through your comments:

Backsplash: my initial thought was to paint a color that would go with whatever we end up for countertop/cabinets, but that's mostly from a cost perspective (and I haven't researched how much a new tile backsplash would cost) but I am open to replacing.

Hood: yes, that's going to be replaced, including taking off the faux-chimney exterior and putting in an under-cabinet-style stainless hood (the vent is directly behind the hood at the under-cabinet height. I'd love to put in some wood open shelving above the new range (?) that would coordinate with some other wood elements in the home.

Finally, your question about the two photos: the first photo all the way! I haven't been looking at soapstone because I really feel that I don't want such a dark countertop (answering megs1030's question!), and the darker hues are what I've mostly been seeing.

I also should add that I want to paint the wall a color other than the red, but my family likes the red...

Thank you!

Ok that’s good that you know you like a light counter. That’s going to eliminate granite (if you agree that a solid looks so good with that inspiration photo). There may be a quartzite like a honed Taj Mahal that could work - definitely a lot of quartz out there. And when you start to narrow down blues you will want to avoid any leaning red blue like most of the ones you had laid out. You want a blue with a lot of green in it like that inspiration photo. Then if you add any open shelves they would look great in a honey oak tone to pick up the warm tones in your floor.

“it was definitely the "older gent"-type of guy (who works at a big-box store) talking to a woman younger than him, etc... “

Oh yeah, I’ve been “mansplained” to plenty of times re home renovations. And I am older than you (from what you said), and I think the mansplaining is worse toward older women! So you have that to look forward to haha. You are doing it right - doing your own research and education. Many people aren’t as savvy as you about that, and then have renovations problems as a result.

@thinkdesignlive I had no idea that the blues I'd picked out had red in them. I have been in touch with a Sherwin Williams color consultant, and will probably buy paints from her/ get her advice about actual paint colors when it comes to that. She'd also suggested figuring out the countertop first, in order to get it to work with the floor, before thinking about paint colors -- and she was the one who actually mentioned (an unspecified shade of) blue to go with the floor. The other half of my kitchen has a lot of bright colors, so that's another thing to keep in mind.

I'd prefer not to have a totally solid color -- after all, butcher block would look nice (right?) and isn't solid. In terms of less busy stone, what about a Aspen White granite or a quartz with a more subtle veining pattern? We've seen Taj Mahal in both quartz and quartzite and though it would probably work very well, hadn't felt drawn to it.

I also am liking some of the quartzes with subtle veining (see the top left four little squares in the first picture in the original post) -- would something like that be too busy, and/or are there granite or other natural stone options that are similar (if we decide to go the natural stone route)?

I also found this suggestion on Houzz of a less-busy granite that might work with a slate floor - thoughts? --

Log Cabin with Leathered Kashmir Gold Granite · More Info

I do have the beginnings of an idea book, here and on Pinterest -- here are a couple of links to ones I particularly like:

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/307863324533778336/

I love the blue cabinets with the slate floor! Although we are probably going with a stainless farmhouse sink. Notice the white-is countertop: wonder what material that is?

http://pinterest.com/pin/15621929927201978/

Interesting how they offset the look with a blue/butcher block island and white cabinets. We don't have the option of an island as contrast, so I wonder how this could be incorporated.

Thanks, @thinkdesignlive and everyone else!