Don't touch those tops UNTIL the "eventually" floor can happen at the same time. Do you love these ??

My favourite is number 3

Provincial Stain on white oak

Lovely floor

Jan, I have had the plain almond Formica since 1993, choosing it thinking it was a "safe" and "timeless" choice. You can understand why I'm looking for something with a little more flair!

Wow! That is a pretty great laminate counter. I would leave it and paint the walls, while waiting for a new floor. Leave the ceiling as is.

B.M. Stratton Blue. You will not believe how different your kitchen will look.

My favorite is also #3 - Viatera quartz

Judy, I won't be painting the walls. I am in the process of removing the faux tile wallpaper below the cabinets and i'll be adding a backsplash to coordinate with my new counters!

The kitchen walls are currently BM Manchester Tan.

A quick and relatively easy update would be to remove the wood cabinet valance over the window.

Valance is concealing soffit with recessed light

Go to a slab yard and see the counter material in a large size. Choose the actual slab to be used, not just a color code. The little samples are very misleading. Giallo-anything is a dated choice. Good luck!

Oh, please don't get any of those! The laminate is far preferable to that speckly granite. But if you want a new counter top, get something less busy. There are lots of quartz options with minimal movement that would look great with your dark wood cabinets.

I like 3 the best. I would love to see a slab of it. . My preference is a little less busy. I like your solid best and it seems easier to work with in future decorating. More timeless - if that is a thing. : )

i'd get one of the lighter corian selections for the perimeter . You have a nice situation at the window with the two wide double hungs/the cabinet detail above looks quite nice and you have light streaming in. I'd spend on a great new single bowl sink and fabulous looking faucet/ pick a somewhat statement backsplash..w simplified counter look...... and something contrasting for the small work island top, maybe. You dont have to do much to make this improved . But must agree the speckled look w all the grays and dark running through...not as nice as a cleaner look would be..but the work island could take a second material. .

Did you notice those that made a choice selected the less busy quartz? That would be my choice also.

I know it's tough to go places right now, but I'd look for a real countertop or stone yard in your area instead of Home Depot or Lowes. A couple of years ago we replaced our countertops. I stopped in at Lowes to compare prices. The material cost might have been slightly lower, not much, the overall cost was more than our nearest countertop place. You'll also have a greater selection and small businesses can use our business right now.

I've had those brown caramel speckle granites before. They can be pretty but it will darken your kitchen. More than that, we found that crumbs stayed on the counter. We had to wipe constantly because you can't see that you dropped any. Nothing like putting down your phone or anything and hearing a crunch. Very aggravating. If you want movement there are a few granites out there with more white in them. Swirls or veins are easier to clean than speckles. Your kitchen looks nice and bright 🌞

Wait until floors are in. I like what you have better than those choices. They all seem too busy. Solid color Corian or a creamy background marble-like quartz or Taj Mahal would look nice. You could add interesting shaped backsplash tiles or bring in some muted blue/green tiles there. Or even the white/cream Cloe-style tiles.

I like what you have better than any of the samples you posted, although agree with the others that #3 is the best. Your kitchen has stood the test of time from 1993, great choices!

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC Thank you for your reply and suggestions. I have waited many years (kids grown and self-supporting now!) to finally upgrade my kitchen with quality materials. I have admired homes with granite, but it appears from the feedback I have received that "busy" patterns on countertops are now considered dated. I will check-out your suggestions! I also appreciate your affirmation of the valance over the sink ;)

Here is a sample of Taj Royale against my current counter:

Lovely--the Taj Royale is a great choice! Before you order it, make sure you see a full slab, since sometimes the overall pattern is not apparent from a small sample.

Just a comment on the speckly granite being "dated." I really don't care for that term, especially as regards that type of granite. I just think it's very unattractive, even when everyone was using it back in the day. I think it was unattractive then and remains so now! Aren't you glad you never got on that bandwagon!

I’ve seen Some of the fine speckles in the gray white and black format work (solid surface / Formica) w light maple in particular. For whatever reasons the adaptation to simplified patterns: w maybe black hardware / a basic white subway tile can give a kind of industrial/ or commercial look to a kitchen . Using chrome here and there w small shelving units / hardware/ schoolhouse lights./ etc. This can be pleasantly acceptable / not a wow kitchen but an interesting utilitarian look when one may be limited by budget/ time / uncertainty w plans / etc. Not all the speckle stuff is the same ...basic is the key.

Add me to the chorus of people who prefer what you currently have. The speckled granite is what people would have used when your kitchen was first built. Clean solid colors is what people are using now.

I really really love that Taj Royale @mtashillco. I think it will go lovely with your cabinets and I like the valance. I am not sure I would take that down.

@Diana Bier Interiors, LLC I know you were suggesting that Taj Royale for the dark cabinets but is that a stone that would work with Benjamin Moore White Dove Cabinets. I will also have a dark stained island in front of the white cabinets and just wonder if this Taj Royale comes off creamy. I don't have a place I can go see it right now and I am arm chair renovating my kitchen and perhaps I can take a trip to Savannah or Jacksonville where they have stone yards soon. I really love it because it is not a busy pattern.

Can someone please explain to me about a slab. I thought Quartz was man made and that you just picked out a small sample at a store and they make it with the same pattern all over. Are there really actually slabs of Quartz you can go look at. I understand that for Quartzite you visit a stone yard but I did not know that for Quartz. I am interested in both and trying to find samples of both and which would be the best product.

I have had the plain almond Formica since 1993, choosing it thinking it was a "safe" and "timeless" choice.

I don't think the "quotes" are needed--that's as close to timeless as anyone is likely to get. They've lasted 27 years and still look good, and if you'd told me they were 2 years old, or 5 or 10 years old, I would have believed you. I'm with the camp that thinks they look better than any of the replacements you've chosen.

Of course, after 27 years, you are totally justified in being bored with them and ready to move on.

Love your flooring choice!

Yes any good shop will show you slabs of granite, marble, quartzite, quartz. All of your choice you picked out are very dated. That’s why there in the D tier at Home Depot. How can anyone question your wanting to get rid of a laminate?? So find a good stone yard with lots of choices and narrow it down. What is your contractor saying. Taj Mahal would look gorgeous in there too.

@2Cats AndTheirMom, I couldn't tell you if the Taj Royale would work with White Dove cabinets from looking at them on a computer monitor. Colors are notoriously tricky to determine on a computer, and especially when comparing colors very close in appearance (whites to whites/beiges to beiges/grays to grays, etc) it's not something that's easily done. It's much easier with contrasting colors, like the dark cabinets and light counter tops because they don't compete with each other as much. But even with contrasting colors, you need to see the actual materials in the actual space with your actual lighting to make sure you like the combination.

As far as seeing slabs with man-made quartz materials, there are still variations possible between samples and slabs, and between slabs of different production runs. Think of the manufacturing process as though you were making a marble cake. You place the main batter in the pan, then swirl in the chocolate. No two cakes will come out with the same exact pattern, even though you, not nature, are making it. Same situation with the e-stones.

And when you see a 3x3 inch sample you aren't seeing the entire pattern. Some of the websites will show you a full slab, but then again, you're just looking at a computer image. I've gone to stone yards where they have stock in certain patterns, and I could select the one I liked best. If you can't do that, then you might ask them for a photo before they begin cutting. If that's not possible, you just need to take that leap of faith and be prepared for a variation.

Your kitchen cabinets are similar in color to mine. I replaced my laminate countertops with LG Aria quartz from Home Depot and was very happy with the results.

Check out this discussion on Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6011052/replaced-countertops

Actually the snowfall one is really pretty and would go with your cabinets. Lots of beautiful tile backsplashes would go with that!

Thanks @Diana Bier Interiors, LLC - you explained it perfectly - good analogy. I understand now why it is important now. I just never knew this. : ) I guess I will be making some out of town trips.

"Busy" granite countertops are not necessarily dated -- some, like giallo ornamental (in my personal opinion), were so popular so long ago that they are now among the lower tiers offered, but -- there are many of us who prefer granite BECAUSE of its natural characteristics. Busy to some is character to others, and I can absolutely see why, after years of white formica, you would gravitate to something with a bit more flair. Do it. Don't let folks here who you've never even met talk you out of it. I just installed Lennon granite in my new build and LOVE it! I love that every time I look at it, I see something new, I love that it's inconsistent and a little wild. It is definitely the star of my kitchen.

Get what you love. Who cares what other people think is dated - they're not living in your house. I realize that plain white quartz, or quartz with very little movement and subtle veining is all the rage right now, but it's not my taste at all, as I prefer a natural product and movement and honestly.....it's so trendy right now that I would fear that IT will become dated before long, if you're concerned about that kind of thing.

Good luck with your decision. To answer your question, I like the first one. I think it would go great with your cabinets, but, I would also consider, as others suggested, putting your flooring in first, and THEN bring home samples to see what will work with both.

Of course the OP should get what she likes best. The reason others are expressing their opinions is because SHE ASKED for them! If you don't care what others think, then you don't ask opinions in a public forum.

@lettersatoz Thank you for your thoughtful reply. If I spend several thousand $, I want it to look different! I'm going to look around for granite with a slightly warm color base and a pleasing pattern. We plan to stay in this house for awhile longer. I do enjoy these forums and love seeing different viewpoints.

Yes, Diana, of course there is room for everyone's opinions, and tastes are subjective, but OP came here telling us what has caught HER eye, what she has now and why SHE wants to move to something with a bit more flair, and many people jumped on that as an opportunity to - in my opinion - criticize her tastes and tell her that she's too late to the party. When everyone says don't get any of those, and uses terms such as speckly and dated and unattractive and lets her know that people are choosing plain white now, you may as well all have said, ewwww. Since you didn't leave room for her tastes to be valid, I thought I would chime in as a reminder that yes, there are still many of us who prefer, and continue to choose, countertops with color, with variation, and with depth. While specific stones have come and gone in and out of favor and trends, granite and other natural stones are not going anywhere. They are here to stay. I couldn't care less if OP or anyone else for that matter gets the latest trend, and I admire kitchens of all types, even those who use white quartz - I have nothing against them - but I do object to the underlying message this thread has taken on that there is only one style.

@Kim S I’ve had my eye on your lovely kitchen. I also have a sample of Aria!

@mtashillco I like your kitchen....

I love looking at kitchens, Thought I would post some images of stone counters with cabinets similar to yours. It can't hurt to see some photos to give you some ideas on your soon to be updated space. I can't wait to see what you chose and love.

Kempsville Cabinets- Cherry Custom Kitchen · More Info

Beach Park Home · More Info

Lakeville, IN. Haas Signature Collection. Dark Cherry Kitchen · More Info

Kitchen - Cherry Hill, NJ · More Info

Viscont White granite countertops with Cherry cabinets · More Info

Montvale 2 · More Info

Hidden Bridge · More Info

Carpet & Flooring · More Info

Custom Kitchen · More Info

Harbor Beach Mediterranean Transitional · More Info

Onur Marble Projects · More Info

High Gloss Applewood with Wenge · More Info

64th Street Reconstruction and Addition · More Info

Viscont White granite countertops with Cherry cabinets · More Info

Divine Kitchens LLC · More Info

Kitchen (34), Harleysville, PA · More Info

Prairie Hills Brighton Hazelnut · More Info

O'Neill · More Info

@Boxerpal Thank you for all those fabulous images. I even see a few wood valances over kitchen windows! I will post photos when the job is complete!

Keep the valance. The kitchen will look very weird without it, because the shape of the valance echoes the design of the cabinets. It also "pull" the whole look together.

The granites/quartzes are way too busy for my taste. I have formica that looks like slate. It looks great. So, have you checked out current formicas? I can see being super sick of the almond, but there's a whole new formica-planet out there.

Kind of late to the party, but I like #2. Unusual, and would play well with your cabinets and wood flooring.

I'll be the voice of dissent here and say I think the White Springs granite could work very well with your kitchen. It looks very similar to the granite I put in my previous kitchen, and though you'd have to see the specific slab, it looks like it has less of the speckles that most people object to in granite and a less busy look overall (mine did). The slight burgundy undertone of some of the speckles will complement the color of your cabinets. The Alba quartz is nice too, although it would be distant second choice for me because I prefer natural stone.

I love Lennon too. Of this batch my favorite is #2

they've renamed these old standby's.

White Springs looks like River White. (which leans a little cooler on the red side. it would work w/your cab color, but your floors would need to lean 'cool', not yellow)

The first one is Alaska White or Dallas white.

TajRoyale is nice, but it's not very diff from what you already have

Are you able to go see the slabs in person? you really should. these vary quite a bit. showing you a tiny sample doesn't prepare you for the whole thing.

Forget the last two. too yellow for your cab colors. (I had one similar to the Giallo one. Which is a builder basic, entry level granite. )

these are pics of the last two granites:

trust me, you don't want these

I don't know what they're charging you for these slabs, but have you gone to stone yard to look around at slabs? You get a much better selection.

and what exactly is 'light to medium' hardwood? is it red tone, yellow, neutral, gray, ???? that is going to play a big role in the countertop selection.

If you haven't picked the flooring, you need to pick that first. Or, you'll need to match it to the countertop you choose first (which could limit your selection)

@Beth H. :I am getting white oak hardwoods in the kitchen and staining them Provincial. Due to inclement weather, I have only done a couple of drive-bys at slab lots. Last week, I visited a slab lot and was shown around by a consultant but wasn't sure of what I was looking for! I received a ballpark estimate of $3500 for granite and $4500 for quartz. I'm definitely not looking to darken my kitchen. When I replace the white sheet vinyl with wood, I will automatically lose some brightness in the kitchen.

well, I can tell you that a slab of the Giallo costs about $900 bucks at my stone place, and that's retail. the big stores prob get it for half that. Your kitchen fabrication is very simple. it shouldn't cost 3K to fabricate a slab for your spot! So if you're going to be paying that price, then get a granite or quartz upgrade that you really like. there are so many out there to choose from.

places usually have the slabs laid out by make. marble in one row, granite in another, and quartz in another or in cut samples in the office.

You should be able to walk around and look. find something that you like for you kitchen.

this is a smaller yard. in the foreground are pre-fabs. (for you size kitchen, you could do a prefab. they run about 500 for 9' countertop. a fabricator cuts the sink/stove for your spot on site.

the larger slabs in the background are granite/marble and quartzite. (quartzite and granite are similar. marble is soft)

Here's a slab of Silestone Eternal in the charcoal (comes in grays and whites ) the price is 2200. figure another 2-2.5 for fabrication. But this Silestone is one of the better quality quartz option.

this is a slab of your first pic choice. (Alask White is the common name. stores rename these granite slabs whatever)

what exactly do you want to see for your kitchen?

are you going to do a tile splash? (if so, do NOT get the 4" backsplash piece. they will charge you more for it. )

@Beth H. : Here is a kitchen I like. I believe the counter is Kashmir White. I plan on a non-shiny backsplash to coordinate!

I will have a 12' island - will there be a seam or is it possible to hide it with Quartz or Quartzite. I hope I don't have to look at a seam after looking at all these beautiful countertops shown here.

@Beth H. :: Here is a pretty kitchen, using Fantasy Brown Quartzite

yes, I've seen that one. I posted it on someone else's post.

fantasy is a marble, not a granite or quartzite, so you will have to baby it a little bit more than the others.

Kashmir White is the same as River White ( I told you, they have diff names for the same granites)

these are all River White (Kashmir, White Springs, etc)

You want to see the slab before they cut it. trust me on this. lower quality slabs will be off-colors. river white should be white, not yellow cream tones. big box stores don't deal in quality, they deal in quantity. So they might get the lesser quality slabs. You NEED to see the slab you are purchasing.

Go to a stone yard and ask for River white. see the slabs they have there. get a price. Offer to pay in cash for a better deal.

I agree go see the slab in person and make sure you can be there when they template or a part of the seam placement.