Cameron has been busy installing our new kitchen cabinets this week. He’s a newbie. This is his first time installing kitchen cabinets so it’s taking him a little longer than it normally would. But that’s okay, we’ve all got to learn. I have no problem with being Chino the Handyman’s guinea pig as long as it’s going to save me a little bit of money in the end. 😉
Last night, after Cameron was all done installing the white cabinets and had gone home, the HH and I figured out that the cabinet guy ordered the wrong sized cabinets for above the refrigerator. They’re about 3 inches too long. Oops! Oh well, what’s another week or two… right? It’s an easy fix and it won’t interfere with the floors, counter tops or backslash tile being installed so I am not freaking out.
The view out the kitchen window is going to be AWESOME, don’t you think?
Javier the counter top guy also stopped by to take measurements. Chino warned me ahead of time the original counter top I had picked out was out of stock and I needed to pick a new one. Which actually was a blessing in disguise because I played it safe the first time {like I always do} and chose something very neutral that I was not 10 million times in love with {My white kitchen cabinets are an exception though}.
To quote Dorkis Lane from Larkrise to Candlford “it’s my one weakness.” And I do it every time when it comes to choosing paint, counter tops or cabinet colors. In the back of my mind I’m always thinking… what will the people who buy this house from us like? What can I put in here that won’t turn someone off when it comes time to sell the house? I hate that I won’t just GO FOR IT and pick something I am truly in love with.
I am truly in love with one of the counter top samples above though. Like, as in, I knew the second I saw it that’s what I wanted to install in the new kitchen but was too afraid to take the plunge.
To get a general consensus though, I called up my friend {and new neighbor} The Church Lady and asked her to pop over for a second and give her opinion. I asked Javier which counter top he would choose to go with the white cabinets and the HH as well. And to my surprise, each of them picked the same thing {without me telling them which counter top sample I liked best first}.
Which one would YOU choose? Which one do you think would go best with white cabinets and a dark hardwood floor?
~Mavis
Lori says
I’d go with the Santa Cecilia granite – it’s a gorgeous color! Plus, it will add some warmth back into the room.
Ashley says
I like number 2!
Alys says
Another vote for #2!
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
I agree- number two!
Also- not sure if you noticed but I tagged you or left a comment with your IG name or whatever you call it on IG in a photo yesterday. I noticed that someone posted a photo of you working in your yard but didn’t credit you back for it. They were complimenting your pallet garden but I tagged you (or whatver its called…I’m still new to IG so I clearly don’t know the lingo) so you could at least be aware that your photo was posted without any credit. I’d want to know and figured you would too.
KK
Mavis Butterfield says
Thanks KK!
Suzanne says
I like 2!
Madam Chow says
I like #1, which looks a lot like what you had at the old house.
Mavis Butterfield says
It is the exact same thing actually. 😉
Frank says
Quartz, simply because it requires no seal (yearly for granite), is more heat-resistant than granite, and is non-porous. That being said, the Santa Cecilia granite looks better than the others, if you take the white cabinets into consideration. I just redid my kitchen with white cabinets & installed granite (Kilauea, from Home Depot).
Tina Sawyer says
I think #1 would tie the dark floor in nicely with the white cabinets
Sherri says
Although I like #2 I think it will look very cold with the white cabinets. I would go with #1 for the reason Tina Sawyer gave. It will tie the floor and cabinets together. It also goes very well with your paint color.
Tracey says
2
Laura says
Definitely the Santa Cecilia. And, I have had granite in my kitchen for 7 years, no sealing, looks fab. I baby it with heat just because I am used to doing that. White needs the contrast and the warmth IMHO, especially in our cold and wet fall/winter/spring weather. I could see a wonderful brown mixture of glass and iridescent tiles for a backsplash. Would be awesome.
Kari says
#1 of sho. It would add warmth and tie all the colors together. Plus, if you liked them before, you would know they are livable colors for you.
Linda says
#2
Liz says
#1 for sure, maybe #4 as a runner up. I think anything too light runs the risk of making the room look washed out
Heidi says
#3
Chyrl says
I like #2.
Tamara says
#2 gets my vote!
#3 would be my second choice. I feel like granite is on it’s way out.
Jenny says
I would definitely choose #1. Ties the floors and the cabinets together, and gives a wide range of colors for walls and other things to blend with.
Marla says
I have had granite and quartz. I like 2. I loved my quartz!
Jodi Vallaster says
#1. You got to have some visual movement with those basic white cabinets.
Sue says
#2
Laurie says
I vote for #3
Rosaleen says
My screen is too small to judge. Could you get a sample of the flooring to put near or with the white cabinets and counter top samples? That would help me, if I were deciding this.
Tina P says
3 or 4 would work. These two incorporate both the cabinet, wall and floor colors but without over powering one or the other. #2 may be to light and #1 just looks a bit busy.
PattyB says
#1
Sara says
#4 Giallo Ornamental Granite
Jen says
I really hope it is #2 so I can live vicariously through you.
Donna says
Hi Mavis,
I think #1 is good. This is the kitchen of the house we own ( for 2 years) that we have yet to move into. I know this sounds strange but it is true. I have a lot I could say about the home, but it is a very long story. I noticed the link I put doesn’t take you to the picture of the kitchen. The kitchen has white cabinets, walnut countertops, whitewashed pine floors, and stainless steel appliances.
http://www.carusokitchens.com/custom-kitchen-design
Anna says
I have toasted almond (off-white) cabinets and a dark wood island with granite counters similar to #1, which marries all the warm tones nicely. I’d pass on #1 with your white cabinets though IMHO. I like the cleaner look of #2 and makes for a great transition with a dark floor. #3 and #4 being my runners up. My 2 cents! Ooooh, the pressure of choices! 🙂
kcb says
In this order, 2, 4, 3, 1.
Are you doing a blacksplash?
Jenn says
#1 or #4 would be my pick. #1 is similar to my quartz counter tops that I have that goes along with my white cabinets. We have lighter floors though. : )
Betty D says
Im picking #2 Serra Pental Quartz from your choices….but I would want a slight hint of green
to blend in all the other colors…appliance/floors/walls/etc. Make sure you have room to spare on
the frig area….opening the door to the right……hitting the wall. leave enough room top /sides
should you need to replace it. (we have a drop in range and not popular size now …so it will need
to be ordered). Also make make sure plenty of outlets along the wall
…..as there never seems to be enough. ……Thanks for sharing the make over….love it. A few more
yrs and I’ll be considering my choices.
Janet Newhall says
I immediately though, “Oh, please let her choose #2, it’s gorgeous!” So, yeah, that’s what I’d pick 🙂
Emilyplays in WA says
Number 2 without a doubt!
judy says
I’ve done two kitchens in the last Two years.. Yes I have two houses also 🙂 One has light pine cabinets with darker granite and the other has dark cherry cabinets with very light granite that happened to have dark cherry flecks in it.
I think #1 is the best choice! It will make your cabinets pop. Anything light will make them just wash out into one sterile looking kitchen. I feel the kitchen is the heart of the home and should be warm looking and feeling.
Oh and nowadays a good company only sells pre sealed and warranteed granite tops. It is not necessary to reseal them every year or at all. Mine have a 20 year warranty. Every couple if months I spray a little denatured alcohol on them and buff it off to shine them up a bit and clean them. Mine stay beautiful.
Have fun in your new kitchen.
vicky says
#2 is beautifully unique!
Debbie says
I like #4 it has a little to go with cabinets and a little dark to go with the floors.
Claudette says
I have no idea what’s practical, but #2 is GORGEOUS!
Nina says
I’d go with 1 or 2, but not 4. Giallo means yellow in Italian, and unless you want yellow in your kitchen, it might be too much when all the counters are in. I’ve had my granite for 10 years and it’s in great shape even though I hardly remember to seal it. Good luck with your remodel; I’m enjoying seeing the posts. I’m going to save the pic of 2 for my bathroom counters–lovely!
Sharon says
#2… Then #3
Pam says
Something about #4 keeps pulling my eye. My counters in the new kitchen will be a combo of Corian, concrete and butcher block. Have only had granite once and I found out quickly I don’t have the time or the inclination to treat it the way it has to be treated……lol. Have never tried quartz but I’ve heard good things about it.
Pam says
Should’ve specified….MY new kitchen….not yours…..:)
Holly says
#4 – I think it would go best with white cabinets and dark floors. Good luck!
Ellen in Clackamas says
I like #1 or #4. I like the darker flecks in them that will help tie in with the floor
JD says
Definitely #1
Marcia says
Hard to tell in a picture, but I think the darkness in #1 would go best with white cabinets,a nd show off the dark floor.
I love #2, but not with white cabinets.
RebekahU says
#4! I have antique white cabinets, and my countertop looks like #4 and I LOVE IT!!! I came from a dark kitchen, and wanted as little dark as possible in the new kitchen, and this countertop was PERFECT!
Janet says
#1 Santa Cecilia Granite
Katie C. says
#2 is beautiful. Some might think it’s too light, but come on! We live in the PNW. Lighter is better 99% of the time. Have fun with whatever you choose! They are all beautiful.
Alison says
#1 or #4 would be my picks.
We have moved 9 times in 31 years and have remodeled 9 kitchens.
Good Luck!
Cheryl says
First reaction was 4, second was 3. 1 and 2 are at opposite ends of the spectrum for me, 1 is too busy and 2 is just the opposite.
Janet says
Not a color suggestion.
It looks like you have a wide pass-through between your working countertop and the wall. We did that in a kitchen we redid (through a change in cabinets) and ended up wishing we had extended the countertop out for more room but still leave enough room to get anything large through. It’s not too late to add another cabinet to that end and change the measurement on your countertop. You will love the extra room to work and extra cabinet. It was something we regretted overlooking before we did our countertops.
Oregon mom says
If I got to remodel I would pick #4, Its color is fabulous.
Ln says
Ironically, we just finished renovating our kitchen. I chose white Shaker cabinets very similar to yours and Giallo ornamental granite (#4). We kept our gray ceramic tile floors and paint color (Benjamin Moore’s honey moon) because they extended throughout adjacent rooms. It looks fabulous, even if my daughter does call it “neutral smoosh”. That said I think I would prefer #1 with dark hardwood floors. Good luck! Can’t wait to see it. 🙂
Lisa says
Four
Norma says
#1 the contrast will be amazing. I did something similar in my bathrooms. White cabinets and granite with browns to match floors and tiles. I’d never go back, now I want it in my kitchen.
Debbie says
#4
Mindy says
#2!!!!!
Tracie says
I would consider country of origin and impact on environment over look every day of the week, so I would choose quartz over granite…. I like #2.
Becky says
Have you ever read mariakillam.com? She writes a lot about white kitchens and I found her site helpful during our building process. We just built a new house and went with corian (one of the newer designs that looks like marble) for the counters, dark hardwood floors, off-white cabinets. I’ve never cared for granite–too cold and hard. We did put quartz in our white bathrooms (a light quartz that looks like carrera marble).
CathyB says
I think any of them would look good, but my favorite with white cabinets and dark floors would be #2. They used to always say that you wanted contrast between cabinets and counters, but lately I have seen a lot of kitchens with light colors for both. I find myself really loving it! Of course maybe it is because my kitchen is dark and a like to think that someday I will be able to redo it and make it light and bright. Really though, I am drawn to the light with white look – you will get plenty of contrast with the dark floors and appliances.
Kate says
I recently had white cabinets with a granite bench (similar to your number three) installed, we have timber window trim and cork floors. I chose white splashback tiles and I love the cleanliness of the look, however I ended up feeling like it was a bit bland. It’s white, white, grey, black and a bit of warmth from the floor. I wish I had tried to find a splash back tile which would have given the room a bit more personality (without going crazy!) and then chosen the granite bench top.
Your new home and garden are looking beautiful and I love reading your updates.
Robin Hayes says
I like #1 or #4. I think the others would be too light with all the white.
Melissa says
#3!
Sara Cunningham says
#4!
Lynda says
I’d go with number 2. I had granite installed in my 1994 kitchen remodel…never resealed…No stains, not one problem. I have 5 kids and 14 grandkids…I cook every day and I can weekly…I love my granite! My countertops were made and installed by an area headstone maker I was one of his first kitchens…I picked out my granite slaps as they were rolled off the ship in San Francisco! My granite is muted shades of pink with black lava flow…and burgundy crystals are scattered throughout….absolutely gorgeous. I originally picked out a neutral granite…when I saw the pink and black I had to have it…I have never seen it anywhere else.
Kellianne says
I love quartz! #3 would look smashing with a dark floor and white cabinetry. That’s my pick.
Lissa says
#2. Enjoying living vicariously through you. Thanks for sharing the remodel. So fun!
Mona says
I like #2. It’s beautiful and I think it would provide enough contrast to the white cabinets. Can’t wait to see what you choose. Thanks for taking us on this journey with you. So excited for you! Have fun with your new home.
Talaena says
Both those granites are way over done these days I’d go with one of the quartz options. Hard choice but based on the samples you show I’d go for Serra Pental Quartz. Have you been to or tala website? Pentalonline.com, wow they have some amazing pieces of stone!
Jamie says
I’m getting ready to finally replace my floors and countertops (my Corian is horribly cracked!) so I love all the comments and advice! Also hope Mavis is going to reveal her pick tomorrow, pretty please!
Joanna says
#1for sure!!! Ps is Cameron single and does he want to move to MI….LOL!
Mavis Butterfield says
🙂 Cameron is happily married. 🙂
Ru says
#3 has a little light and a little dark and will make a nice neutral finishing touch to the kitchen.
FYI, ALL natural stone REQUIRES regular cleaning AND sealing. It’s porous, (some less than other) but unless you want a breeding ground for nasty bacteria and something prone to staining, you must keep up with the maintenance which can be every 6 – 12 months, depending on the usage. Also, don’t ever spill anything acidic on it (like cutting citrus or using vinegar) and always use a cutting board to protect it from damage that will be caused from regular use. It’s ‘durable’, pretty, and heat resistant, but it’s not a renewable resource (once a quarry is empty, it’s gone forever) or easy to maintain properly.
susan s. says
I’m loving #2!!! So beautiful and would love to have it in my home… Ahhhhh, I dare to dream 🙂
Wendy Steele says
Number ONE, Number ONE, Number ONE!!!!!!!! Dramatic, gorgeous!! AND will tie in with the dark floors. Beauteous!!!!!!!!!!
indio says
You’ve gotten lots of repsonses about the countertops so mine is not going to pile in on it. However, wehn I looked at the photos the first photo has a large rectangle cutout and enxt to the wall is an empty space. I’m assuming you ar eputting your refrigerator in that large empty space. In the rectangle cut out next to it, are you planning a double oven? If so, it is never a good idea to put an appliance that produces heat next an appliance that is suppposed to be cold. Your refrigerator will have to work extra hard when you are cooking dinner to keep things cold. Not sure if that was what you were planning but thought I would mention it.
Terri says
The only choice is what YOU love and your husband doesn’t hate. Me? I want carrera marble. My kitchen is small enough it won’t break the bank. Thanks for sharing your remodeling experience.
Mavis Butterfield says
I’m saving that for my dream kitchen. 🙂 I love that stuff!! Lucky you.
Susan says
#4 for the win!!
Mary H says
Probably 1 if I were going with granite but if it were my kitchen, no granite-too fearful of the long term exposure to the radon in it. We went with concrete and stainless-the concrete is awesome for my bread making and the stainless for candy making and more.
Renay says
#1. Bold and beautiful and full of fun – just like you! Jeez, I should write commercials… Happy day!
mari says
I have santa cecilia in my kitchen with off white cabinets, I may be partial but I think it looks great!
Tami says
#4 was the first one that caught my attention before you mentioned doing dark floors. I still think #4 would work beautifully. #1 was too busy, #2 would make the kitchen look almost sterile, #3 I think is too light for white cabinets. Can’t wait until your kitchen is finished so we can see the completed project!
Wynne says
#2 is my first love, too, but with dark floors, I’d want to look closer at 3 or 4 before choosing.
kelliinkc says
As soon as I saw the pics my mind said, “The first one, Number 1”. Then reading through the comments I read where you said that is what you had in your former house!
J says
#3 first choice. #2 second choice. Would not go with #1 as it is not a good match for a white kitchen….if in fact the cupboards are white. In the photos they appear to be an off-white but that just may be the lighting, camera and/or resolution on my pad. #1 has to much yellow/gold and although it would look nice with the dark floors it could cast a yellow hue onto your cupboards and dull the whiteness of your nice new kitchen.
Erika says
My personal favorite is recycled glass into concrete. You can have whatever colors you want added and it offers a nice pop to the white cabinets!
Lee says
I vote for #1. I feel like with the white cabinets that #2 will be too much white. Also, #4 looks too spotty. I would look at that and too often think it was dirty.
Heather says
#3 is my favorite, followed by #2.
Amy says
#2 then #3.
Lisa L says
I like #3!