They don't clash or look overly grey on my monitor. Maybe a higher res closeup of the counter edge and the cabinet would show more. It appears to be a bridge to an added complimentary color range. That range is less relaxed, more distinct. Your cab color is soft in comparison. You can go forward with your backsplash choice(s). If you have led lighting you could try 4000K bulbs to lessen the cream in your cabs. I'm sure you'll try the backsplash options with samples in your light. You can only do so much with the cabinet and floor color in place.

I didn't think about the lighting. Thank you for the tip. Here

is a closer photo this morning. The previous ones were taken at night with just overhead light.

Capturing true colors for comparing on computer can be a bit of tuning. Your camera may have adjustable color space. Or using the flash can make a difference. I'm not seeing the white difference as a choice error on my monitor. Compare what you see on your monitor next to the real thing. . .The white I see isn't cold. It's lighter. The grey is warm.

Easy to have doubts about anything new while your eye adapts to the change, but that's very rarely a reason to make a major change!

Since you'll be adding a backsplash that will be a way to pull the colors together a little more. Also will you be painting?

I'd like to see a wider photo of the whole room with furnishings.

To my eyes, they do not look right on your counters. I was hoping they would, before I saw the pictures, but, they just do not. Your husbands choice of black, may have been a better look. I dont think the counters look cold, they are just not the right color for your more creamy cabinets. The walls and cabinets look close to the same color paint. Have you thought about an actual color on the walls?

Consider what backsplash options will best enhance the space. Without seeing the whole space my first impression is the black knobs and faucet may not be the best finish for the brown in countertop.

I will take a picture of the room. We have an open concept home and the kitchen is a main focal point. We arent planning to paint the walls as I like the color. Its a very neutral light gray that is used throughout the home. Please excuse the mess. Counters literally went in yesterday

Now that I see the wide shot I'm sure you are going to be fine. I'd go get a bunch of backsplash samples. Go a little wide on the color range, from cooler to warmer than you think so you can see the differences. But you'll likely wind up in the middle. Stay with simple larger shapes.

Oh no! I'm so sorry that happened to you. Same thing happened to me with a quartz counter, but I was lucky enough to have a darker cabinet so it wasn't as noticeable. The sample of the stone was a completely different shade to the actual counter I received. Most of the suggestions here are exactly what I did, and that was to switch up the backsplash to something that brought it together correctly. My original backsplash matched the sample better and the floors.

My advise would be either A: a backsplash that has both cool greys and warm yellows that brings both tones together. or B: a darker, more eye catching backsplash that pulls the focus away from the counter/cabinet slight color mismatch.

Grab a bunch of samples and see what works. Good luck!

P.S. See if you can get some cash back on that counter if it didn't match the sample also. I did! :)

Thank you everyone. I think its just such a shock difference from our previous counters. The fixtures, knobs and faucet are oil rubbed bronze and actually look very nice on the cabs. I thought the hint of brown in the counters would tie it together with the fixtures and floor but that didnt turn out to be the case.

They look fine. The aren't medium gray by any stretch, but they look fine.

As a whole - I think the kitchen looks nice & will look even better once you get your "stuff" in there. they're definitely not gray, IMO, but it looks good.

On my screen, they look fine as well. An "unless you have money to burn" situation. What I would try though is hardware the same colour as the counter. I think it would "blend" the two whites together more and make the choice more intentional. To be clear, the current hardware is lovely and I understand it matches throughout the house but a dark colour does catch the eye. Something more subtle might make the difference in white temperatures less noticeable. And FWIW, plenty of Pros out there mix warm and cool tones in their designs. It's a matter of being intentional about it.

25 % of the focus in your kitchen is going to be backsplash w the rise over the sink. I'd start getting inspiration pics for this element.....its just going to be a lot of light tones w cabs/counter and the floor is grounding the space and focus really at backsplash level. Nothing to worry about.....you're just not "there" yet. Floor mats/runners can marry light/cool also...but the "issue" at hand is going to become a non issue. Your space is really nice. If you have a nice crafty wicker basket.....just one piece of something place it atop the cabinet right of fridge ..with the height change that spot seems to be an invitation .

It’s the old yellow cabinets mixed with the cold grays that is clashing. They need freshening up as lot more yellow in color to work as a gray and yellow combo. Or they need freshening up as a a much brighter white, and the elimination or changing of a lot of other elements.

This is what typically happens when a home with warm tones tries to ”update” to a fad that just doesn't suit it’s bones at all. Good money gets thrown after bad, changing one thing after another, until it is neither fish nor fowl. It isn’t a comprehensive whole design. It’s a piecemeal individual collection of emergency response elements. Because people get caught up in the Sunk Cost Fallacy, and keep spending more and more, chasing those mistakes with more mistakes. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/economics/sunk-cost/

Stop. Hire a designer to develop an overall master plan for the whole house that creates a whole. That might involve some backtracking and ”wasted” expense. Or it might involve a whole lot more expensive changes. It depends on what direction truly suit’s the house. And the overall budget for changes. But it can’t stay in that half and half state of clash.

I’d vote the cold grays off the island, IMHO, as that is already over, and they don’t work with the home’s warmer character. Warm colors and woods are what is back in popularity.

And because you didn’t title your post ”I hate my ivory cabinets with my new counters” Youn*specificslly* called out the cold of the counters, rather than the warm of the cabinets, as your issue. That speaks volumes. But let the designer take inventory of what exists, as a whole, and what needs to be changed to go either way. Then decide.

I think it looks fine, and part of what is going on is the change itself. It is natural to reject a sudden change. Give it time. Get a nice backsplash - definitely show your tile options on this forum before going ahead with anything. Relax, there is no reason to take out your counters and replace them.

You should SEE some of the problem combinations that people post on here- I thought we were going to get another of those posts, and was pleasantly surprised.

I am having a designer come out today hopefully she can help me marry the warm and cold together. I actually like the counters themselves/cabinets themselves but the combo appearance throws very off-putting. I appreciate the suggestions. I think possibly changing the cabinets to even a dark cool gray might make more sense now. 1st step is seeing if a backsplash can center the 2 worlds. Would darker gray be an option instead of changing to a stark white?

I agree with others who suggest using the backsplash to bring to the two shades together.

Your kitchen looks very nice to me.

Concerning your backsplash, I think it would look good if it

were mainly the same color as your floor, maybe a shade lighter.

That would break up the white and not take away from it.

Yes changing the cab color will improve things. But then your floors would be better refinished. And they're hand scraped so you'd need to pull and sell them. There are many European oak floors that fit right in. If you go new cabs frameless with all drawers is one way. This all starts to add up.

I think you should to take a step back and live with it for a minute. They were just installed and you are already panicking. If you look at each of the pictures you posted, the color of the cabinets change whether you are close up or far away. Some of the pictures even make it look like the top and bottom are 2 different colors! This is all a play on lighting.

These counters are so far from a medium gray color.. Check what rating the bulbs are in your fixtures, then find a killer backsplash ( please don't do the little 4" high backsplash piece )

In the end it will look great!

Good luck!

I’m going to say that your instinct is right. I don’t love it either and honestly the lack of contrast is a bit boring. I don’t mind an all white kitchen when thoughtfully planned but this isn’t an all white kitchen. I don’t think the floors are a problem if you want to paint the cabinets. You could do just the base cabinets as this is the part that bothers you the most! Then with a carefully planned backsplash to tie this together you might salvage the new countertop. I can see a nice green looking good with the countertop and floors.

Or you could be brave and paint them black!

I was just lurking and came upon a thread with this color combo! The uppers are cream and lowers are soft green; countertop light marble!

For me, the worst thing I see is the kitchen faucet.

I think that if you switched the oil rubbed bronze pulls for polished or brushed nickel, then the hardware might relate better to the countertops.

I think close up, staring at the cabinets and the countertop, I would agree that it's not great. However when you pulled back and showed the whole room, I think it's fine. I definitely agree with those who are suggesting to just live with it a bit because now you are super focusing on the newness. I don't find anything jarring in it. I am sure you will also have some things arranged on the counters (whether they will be decorative or functional) so it won't be as bare and glaring. I think your floors are really nice. I

I am curious what the designer will suggest. I don't think I would do anything too impulsively.

Very curious about the backsplash - I think that will really marry everything together.

Would try to find backsplash with warm and cool colors. (In retrospect, should have put soapstone instead of marble in my white kitchen.)

Learned much about whites from Maria Killam.
https://mariakillam.com/whiteandcream/

https://mariakillam.com/

Decorator made a lot of same suggestions. Changing faucet, hardware, lighting and a backsplash probably at a miminum. Our main focus/problem is the direct line of sight at the sink where the counter meets the cabinet. Doing all those changes may still not be enough. Its that transition line between the off-white cabinets and silver pearl quartz that makes it look so bad to our eyes. We knew we'd be doing a backsplash regardless but now the unexpecteds knobs, faucet, lights, and painting cabs sounds like a lot of money and more time and frustration. I dont have a paint quote but professionally done I cant imagine is cheap. Im starting to wonder if paying roughly another $4k for a better matching counter with existing fixtures makes more sense and would end adding to the same $4 with all these unexpected changes.

Would start with just trying to find the right backsplash.

Agree, painting cabinets is a big investment.

Sounds like the decorator wanted to change everything.☹

Please read this blog, it may help you.
https://mariakillam.com/whiteandcream/

Kayla sorry for your frustrations with this. I think you really like the knobs, faucet, lights and if so then keep them. Your happiness is what matters. You can always come here for scrutiny of choices, lol. The common denominator that started this dilemma is the countertop. Some would be happy to live with it and make it work. It's still a lovely space. If you have the means to change the countertop and doing so will make you happ(iest), then do it.

I think the photo that mdln shared above looks great and I think that speaks to your choices. Notice how the blended backsplash as well as a soft color rug, a few bright accessories ( functional and decorative) sprinkled around- it looks great.

oops- editing to add that I don't think you need to invest megabucks to get the kitchen you will love.

Awe Kayla! Now you are making changes and choices ; spending $ to salvage a countertop you don’t love! If you like everything But the countertop then bite the bullet and change that. If your unsure of your design choices hire the designer for the new countertop and backsplash.

It’s not one hundred percent perfect but it’s not as bad as you think. Agree with all that a backsplash and stuff on the counters will help to tie it all together, and i will probably end up fine. Reality is that you’re just making updates to an okder kitchen, so it will never look like a perfect, out of a magazine 2021 designer kitchen. This is just one small piece and I wouldnt sweat it.

And i dont like that your designer basically told you to change everything. Thats not helpful, and not really problem solving. Just promise us that whatever you do, don't “fix” things by chasing the grey dead trend. You should be aiming for warms colors here, both because grey is past its prime and because your house is otherwise all warm colors.

But i think this will be fine with some small tweaks.

Don't put up a backsplash yet. Live with it for a month and if you still hate it....change the counter top. Don't live with a new kitchen you hate. In 10 years you wont have missed the money but will have 10 years of hating your kitchen.

Our kitchen is only 3 years old. We bought our house new build 😭 it was devastating having to replace brand new granite but we did it bc it was damaged and the installer didnt seal it. We didnt know until it was too late. So please dont misunderstand. This isnt an old home im renovating or trying to make new. It is new lol. Idk if that makes a difference with opinions on how to proceed. Thats why every additional decision is key.

"it was damaged and the installer didnt seal it."

I don't know what kind of damage you mean, but for your future information, many granites do not need to be sealed at all because they are not porous. Some granites are porous and do need to be sealed. So there is variation on whether a granite needs to be sealed or not. If the "damage" you mentioned was etching or staining, the stone can be refinished, and would not have to be changed out.

Regarding your designer's advice, it sounds like she wanted to enlarge the job for more commission, I am sorry, but it sounds that way. I don't think you need all the changes she said, and I think a lot of it was to make you feel your kitchen is inadequate and needs many dollars of improvements. You've had a lot of good suggestions on this thread, and I don't think you should chase some dream that a designer's advice will give you a magazine-like kitchen. As I said earlier, your kitchen looks quite nice, and the issue you are having will be helped with backsplash and lighting.

Your cabinets are too nice and pretty to paint and it would cost more to do properly than new counters. You could try to marry the two with an interesting backsplash, maybe a calacatta gold? But I ultimately think you would be happier with natural stone counters that have warmer white in them or a soapstone of leathered black granite

M Miller, I didnt intend for it to read that way. I think the decorator witnessed what my husband and I had to say and thus helped us realize (what we probably already knew) we will either end up painting the cabs or replace the counters to make it right (in our eyes). My husband and I agree that first step is the backsplash, we already anticipated having to do one, thats not unexpected. The major unexpecteds are similar suggestions at least one person has said on here. Change lightning, knobs, faucet, backsplash. The only additional is paint cabs. That might not have been mentioned by anyone. Maybe by us doing this in stages and saving cabs for last we will be pleasantly suprised and get to avoid that expense.

Dont get me wrong. I am grateful for my quartz. We are already much happier with the use of it. Our granite had stains from cooking use - thats what we were told at least - and also that essentially it may or may not come out. We tried to get it out ourselves, the original installers did not want to help. It was something we had money saved for to do and the investment overall will probably be worth it.

I by no means am a decorator though so its my own fault not thinking into the future that I may have to make additional changes and that everything we had before may not work going forward.

Again, I think your kitchen looks beautiful as is.

The black/bronze faucet and hardware look good, and if you

start changing out stuff like that, where do you stop?

I'm guessing all the hardware in your house is that same color?

Painting cabinets is no small thing, and I wouldn't recommend that.

I'd recommend doing a darker splash that matches your floor

and hardware, and see how you like that for a couple of months.

Live with it for a month to see how you feel then. You could also buy some paint sample cards in different tones to temporarily put in the backsplash area. It might help you to find a color theme that will work for you. I think if you can find the right backsplash all will work out without having to spend a lot doing things like replacing cabinet hardware. To me it would be a waste of money to repaint nearly new cabinets. JMHO

You need to live with the countertops, before you put up a backsplash, just in case you decide to change them out. You are very likely to have damage to the backsplash, when countertops are changed.