Wow, Thank you everyone for taking the time and responding. I appreciate all of the advice (even if it isn't exactly what I was hoping to hear). I'm going to try and respond to all that I read but if I miss something, I apologize now. ~The placement of the stove: I looked at slide-in stoves online last night. I do like the look of them and think its GREAT that the crumbs wont be able to fall on the side of my stove. I didn't even know they existed tbh. It would also eliminate the need to finish the inside edges of the counters (a question I had asked earlier). I think I will purchase one. Sadly, I do not think it will stretch over enough to eliminate the 2 inches of counter on either side. Those 2 inches add a lot of expense. It creates another 45* angle and that small piece to the left just seems wasteful but if I was to pull that part out it would look lopsided compared to the cabinet above it. I thought about doing a wider stove and microwave but even if they had the right size it would make that corner REALLY unsafe.The placement/safety of the stove...I wish I could move the stove now. I would like to have an island eventually with a stove and a proper vent above it. That would be my ultimate plan when we tear down the wall but for now it has to stay where it is. I didn't know it was "unsafe" but that does make sense. I am not sure what qualifies as a landing next to it but for now if I needed to use the side counter I do have space to the right of the stove. I use that area often when cooking. It's more useful than the pictures represent. Also, if there was a pan on fire that I needed to move I would probably just throw it in the sink which is so close and use the fire extinguisher that is nearby. I have 2 young kids and I am very cautious with pans. I remember commercials from my childhood that told parents to keep pan handles turned in. I usually only put long handled pans on the inside burners and they are always turned in. Thank you for informing me about the safety concerns. It is something to consider as we plan for future renovations. ~~Many of you are encouraging me to live with the counters and save the money for the bigger reno. I do understand that thought and I have tried to tolerate it. In the pictures they don't look that bad but the laminate goes up the walls and the seems are starting to look crappy. I want a backsplash (that isn't laminate) but I just cant see doing that with the current counters. The sink I hate. I want a large-1 bowl-undermount sink. My hubby never wipes the counters when the water splashes so the caulk frequently looks dirty/stained. I want the new sink so badly that I'm going to have my plumber lower my waste pipe so it can fit. I figure that the counter will be off and the cabinet can be moved so now would be the time to do it. I can't have an undermount sink with my current cabinets bc they aren't solid surface. I did decide to think about it a little more though and I am trying to vision my kitchen with the current counters and a new backsplash but (despite the money I would save) I don't think I will be able to change my own mind. ~~In the future, when we tear down that wall I would like to change my complete layout. We have a wide but narrow kitchen. I live in a typical 4 bedroom colonial with an addition off the back that is our family room. The back 2 rooms of the 4 rooms original to the 1st floor are the kitchen (with a small area for a kitchen table) and the dining room. Both room are long and narrow. The front 2 rooms are also long but wider. I want to open up the left front room to the left back room (kitchen). The stairs and front door are in the middle. BUT, even if $ doesn't allow a full remodel/layout change, I can tear down the wall, move the washer and dryer downstairs (into what will be my dream laundry room), add a few tall cabinets on the right of the fridge for my pantry and garbage/broom closet that is currently near the washer/dryer, and move the new cabinets, fridge and current cabinet that is to the left of the fridge down. The rest of the wall and the wall that is perpendicular to will be removed. Then when you walk through my front door (that is in the center of my colonial) the entire left side will be an open sitting room/kitchen. It might sound wrong but it is exactly what my next door neighbors just did. We have the same layout. Her contractor did it for a fantastic price. I could do that now but because my kids are young my husband and I want to keep a toy room on the first floor that has a door we can close. In about 5 years we will be ready. Our basement will be finished off and the kids could move down there. That was a long winded explanation but ultimately if I can afford all new cabinets when that reno happens (and I'm planning to) I like the suggestion that someone gave that I could reuse the new counters. It might work out perfect for the new laundry room with some adjustments. ~~Someone else suggested just doing a "spruce-up". That is exactly what I am doing :-) The photos show the 'before". I just replaced the fridge (the one in the photo is the new one) and you can see in the 1st photo that I started taking down the cabinet doors to touch them up and replace the hinges/pulls. The front of the peninsula area is missing the doors in the 1st photo. I finished those the other day and put them back on. They look brand new again. The hinges fit perfect and are now brushed nickel (instead of brass). The pulls looked good also but after putting them on I found pulls I like better last night and ordered all new ones. That mistake made me realize I need to plan better. As far as the rest of the "spruce up" goes...I'm doing appliances, backsplash, hardware, paint on walls and molding/trim/doors, new kitchen table/chairs, kitchen cart, light fixtures, fan, window treatments, and accessories. But in order to start picking out anything else I need to decide on a counter and backsplash. I'm thinking I will ask for help when it's time to make the other decisions because I am not ashamed to admit--I need the advice! ~~Someone asked about the brand of fridge...oh boy was what a pain in the a** that was-lol. Every fridge I wanted and that was rated good enough in Consumers Reports was also too big for that space. I wanted a bottom freezer w/french door which didn't help. My husband wanted to know that it wasn't a lemon. I also didn't want water in the door because we have Poland Spring delivery (which we LOVE). After weeks of measuring and searching we finally purchased an LG Model #LFC25765ST 33inch 24.9 cu. ft. from Home Depot for about 1800 although its on sale right now for 1596. I am very happy with it. The fridge is the biggest headache for for the future reno though bc I cant figure out a proper place to put it if I do change my layout completey (but that's a future thread though-lol) ~~Ok, Now that I've written a novel, I want to thank everyone for all the encouragement and advice. I am going to start calling places in my area to get an idea of what the process is locally. I didn't know it varies from place to place. I live in CT, in Fairfield County. I am also going to go look at different solid surface counters in person. I am not 100% sold on granite. I think I should see all of the available surfaces and then go from there. Once I make some decisions I will check back in and let anyone who is curious (Or reading this in the future) know how it turned out. I am also sure I will have a million more questions about the rest of this kitchen. Thank you gain, GHG

Wow. Thanks everyone! I am in a bit of trouble I think because the cabinet color is DONE - he is already spraying the White Dove - which is a warm white but that is good - there will be so much cabinet on view in my small kitchen and I don't want it to be cool - too sterile. The backsplash is ordered and paid for but I don't think it is in yet - could probably stop it. The question posed is dead on - what is my first love? I thought it was the white countertops but I am becoming obsessed with those long (2X9) Carrerra tiles. It is different and little updated from the same old thing. We live in a historic part of LA and the renovated houses in our area all pretty much have the same kitchen- very traditional - marble or granite counters with white or colored backsplash. I was jazzed to do something a bit different. My style with this house has been about using traditional materials but with an unexpected element. The tiles are perfect in that sense - and will elongate the small boxy kitchen a bit - and I have planned to do one whole wall in tile (the one with my hood). Clearly I can't have a counter that fights the wall... I chose the Carrerra for backsplash because I want the blue/grey tones so - while I love the Calcutta as a solution - I'm not sure it is the look I want. Perhaps I should go back to the tile store and look again. Oh, I really need to get back to my former life. This is such a nightmare!!! I so want the Blizzard to be OK - I went back to look at Ceasarstone samples today - it just looks too warm to me with the Carrera...my designer said it is same as mixing carrera top with white subway but I disagree because there are so many colors of subway. I could MAYBE do the concrete ceasarstone color but then am I in trouble with the cabinets? UGH!! My designer is saying let the tile come in and then we can pick the right countertop - but am I already dead in the water with warm cabinets and cool backsplash?

anap2400 - We went with a sonoma tile. I think it is stellar penthouse crackle in a 3x9. Here are the pictures. My inclination would have been more contrast with the countertop/tile, but the decorator convinced me that I wanted contrast with the upper cabinets and the tile and I think she was right. You really see the backsplash tile when looking from across the room -- you don't see it when you are looking at the countertop (like in the 2nd) picture.

I would go with #2 but I think you can look around more. I don’t understand why 5 is getting chosen as the white will class with your cabinets. i think people are reacting to the fact that it isn’t busy. do as Diana says.Bring a sample of your door plus a sample of the wood from your island if you can. Go with an open mind. Renovating as a couple is hard. Your DH does derive I put. The fact that you have two tones in your kitchen dies my mean there is a lot going on. You can handle a granite with movement. Notice I said movement. It doesn’t have to be loud and super busy. That can be a good compromise between the two of you. I think you have done very well with your choices and no need to excuse the fact that you didn’t hire a designer. Many of us here have never hired a designer to help with a kitchen renovation. When you visit the yard go with an open mind but explain that you were looking for granite in the brown and cream families. You might find something unexpected that you both love.