Granite for Taupe Cabinetry
Hi Tom,
You should be seeing my question soon. Choosing the granite is proving to be more difficult than I thought! I am so glad to have found you!
If I might add one more thing – my son is telling me that I should go with engineered stone such as Silestone. He had that in his first home and now has granite. He is very strong on the engineered stone. He is very often correct about things, and given that he has experience with each and I don’t, I am a bit puzzled about what to do. Any thoughts? – Peggy
Hello Peggy,
Thank you for your patience. I never received the original posting so if I miss some elements of your question, please let me know.
First let me give you some comments about engineered stone versus natural granite. Specifically, you mentioned Silestone which is a trade name for an engineered stone made by Cosentino in Spain. It is widely marketed though Home Depot. Silestone is man-made and created by combining quartz with colored polyester epoxy resin. It is extremely stain resistant and scratch resistant as well. Since these are two very desirable aspects in a kitchen, engineered stone boast these benefits and claims that it is superior to natural granite.
On the other hand, granite is truly natural and created when the Earth was formed. It is sort of like comparing apples and oranges. Since sellers of both products know that the other is like a shark in their swimming pool, marketing and technical advances are being created to close the gap. Suppliers of engineered stone continue to develop more ‘natural-like’ colors but they don’t seem to be able to measure up to mother nature. Likewise on the granite promotions side, some new development of sealers are truly at a promising level now and provide an almost maintenance free surface. The bottom line is that you should take a look at Silestone and see if you like it. In my opinion, it only belongs in an ultra urban or contemporary decor.
Back to granite now and the color pallet you mentioned. By far my favorite with taupe cabinetry is Mascarello. If you have enough light in the kitchen, I would also recommend a dark tumbled travertine full height back splash in a tiny module, maybe even mosaic. If your light is limited, then you need to at least run slab splash 4” up with the same granite, above that you can paint or go with a lighter tile color in a big module.
The Colonial Dream is another great choice and the long thick veining movement is excellent in a galley kitchen. However, this is a little too light for your cabinetry and the selection of slabs would have to be perfect. There are just so many shades in this granite and a peachy tone would be horrible. By the way, there is no way you will like Silestone if these two granite colors appeal to you.
A stainless or bronze sink with matching fixtures is the right move. Try to match the knobs and pulls in the same finish. This is not always the requirement but Mascarello is so bold that you need to tie in everything around it so it doesn’t get messy.
My best wishes to you, Peggy! Thank you for supporting the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids!
Tom
May 4th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I just had granite installed in my kitchen and I am unhappy because the beveled edge of my golden oak is a different shade from the top. It look like the edge is faded and it is driving me crazy. The edgehas tans tones like sand and the top is shiny and golden. I have never seen this before and want to know if anyone has a suggestion as to what I can do. They tried darkening (ageing) the edges but that did not help as it is a different tone. Did this happen because they put resin on slap before they shipped it and it didn’t penetrate the edges?
Any suggestions or help would really be appreciated. The granite people say tough luch!
Joan
June 15th, 2008 at 9:47 am
this is a test
June 27th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Hi Tom,
We are remodeling our kitchen and are going with Cherry cabinets in nutmeg which is on the darker side with Wilson Art Hurley Elm laminate wood flooring. We also have all black appliances. We were thiking of either going with Santa Cecilia Light, Giallo Vicenza Royal or Cafe Amazonia. Our kitchen is a descent size with plenty of light. I would appreciate whatever advice you can give. Thnk You, Mary Ann
August 10th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Hi there. I have a woodstove surround made out of stone, mostly sandstone from the property, and set in cement. There is A LOT of cement around the stones, mostly 3 inches or so separating each stone. I really don’t like the look of all that cement but I don’t want to paint over the stones for sure. I was wondering what I could do to improve the appearance of it all.
I live up in Canada and we have a Home Depot close by so I have looked at products there but am a bit lost. I really don’t want to use something really toxic as I have young kids.
Thanks,
Danica
December 29th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Hi Tom,
I was happy to donate, and will greatly appreciate your advice.
I’m in the process of a small kitchen update.
I’ll be updating the countertops with granite. Redoing the backsplash, and also the floors. I’d like to go with porcelain on the floors.
I’m going to visit the fabricator tomorrow to look at granite slabs.
I do like the darker granites, but i’m not sure that would go well with my kitchen. I also like the gold colors. I like warmth, but i like contrast also. I’d say my style would be traditional/transitional.
I’m sending you a link to some pictures of my kitchen. These are old pics, but for the most part eveything is the same with the exception of paint, and decor.
I’ll also be doing other little updates such as lighting, cabinet hardware, molding, paint.
Could you please give me some ideas on granite color, backsplash, and floor color. I’m having trouble incorporating everything.
Thanks so much!
http://s483.photobucket.com/albums/rr191/karenlynn_2008/Kitchen/
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Hi Tom. I am so glad to have found this site and I hope you can help me with my kitchen. Glad to contribute to the World Vision efforts.
I’m doing a total kitchen renovation…here’s the specifics…
Large kitchen with fireplace. Will refinish the wood floors a dark (but not too dark) brown. Keeping (but refreshing) the wood (oak) wainscot paneling – also used above the fireplace, stained medium or so (pecan color?). Trim/molding in kitchen (and rest of house – semi-open floor plan) is cream color. Adjacent rooms are painted a color called pony tail – sort of a gold/tan color and most of the furniture is a dark brown finish.
The kitchen layout is a u shape – with a center island. The kitchen has 9 ft ceilings with the portion of the kitchen in the center of the “u” vaulted with a skylight. There will be a mantle hood over the new stove. The island will have maple espresso cabinets (dark brown), the mantle , a couple of wall glass door cabinets, and the butler’s pantry (open to kitchen) will have cherry sable cabinets to highlight them, and the rest of the cabinets are maple – with a caramel java finish. The cabinets doors are full overlay, raised panel, square design (not too fancy). So there are lots of shades of brown and lots of wood in the kitchen (which we love). We will be installing lots of lighting – canned lights, as well as under and over cabinets lights, pendant lights and a chandelier. Finish for the hardware will either be kind of antique brown shade or wrought iron. The appliances are integrated, so they are the same as the cabinets for the most part.
Been looking and looking for granite – a couple that I have found that seem to pull everything together are – Golden Geriba, Geriba Beach, Tuscany, Golden Crystal and Topaz. I’ve seen a couple of these with an antiqued finish – that I liked. What seems to look good is cream, browns, rust – need to stay away from the yellows (doesn’t work with the caramel java cabinets). I am tempted to do all the counters in Antiqued Geriba Beach or Golden Geriba, but that might get too expensive. To get the cost down, I have looked at Santa Cecilia Classic that has a more brown tone, and Gallo Napole, but I’m not too excited about them. I have also thought about doing just the island and butler’s pantry with the geriba (or something like it) and the perimeters in a dark brown or black – some I have seen that might work are Suede Brown or Cambrian Black (honed?). I’m a bit worried it make the kitchen too dark? There may be other options with lighter perimeter? I’d like a fairly simple stone backsplash with some nice design over the stove/under the mantle hood. Overall I’d like a warm, old world feel.
Please help! Your suggestions are most appreciated!!
-Christine Parsons
May 19th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Hi Tom,
I’m really struggling with the various granite choices. I haven’t seen granite in anyone’s kitchen except for black galaxy, and I’m having a hard time visualizing the slabs as kitchen counters. My kitchen cabinets are cherry stained maple with a black glaze and rope trim, the floor is a beige tile with a gold cast in some tiles and shading into gray in others, with a dark brown slightly wavy line on some of them as well. It’s not quite as busy as it sounds but it’s not as quiet as a solid colored tile either. My kitchen is divided into a work area and an eating area with a kitchen table, with a peninsula in between that will have an overhang and chairs for sitting at. There will be a stainless steel sink in the peninsula and all stainless steel appliances and faucet in the kitchen. The kitchen has two small walls on each side of the double door entrance painted a linen white (could change) and the walls in the eating area are a strong orangey red called Terra Cotta Tile by Benjamin Moore. The red walls continue into the dining room which is completely open to the kitchen. It isn’t so overwhelming as it sound because there is a sliding glass door in the kitchen and a bank of windows in the dining room. The kitchen faces north and doesn’t get direct sunlight but we have installed alot of lights. I don’t know if it’s important but a large to the ceiling brick fireplace is visible through the doorway right off the kitchen to the den, and the bricks are dark brown with with a few creamy/mocha type bricks mixed in. I’m sorry this is so long and I haven’t even gotten to the granite yet! My husband likes Uba Tuba but I think a lighter color might be better so I am thinking of Harvest Cream. I am also deciding about Rosewood, Thyphoon Bordeaux, Mascarello and Juparana Persa. I am very thankful for your advice!
Frederica
June 5th, 2009 at 5:13 am
Hi Tom,
I made a donation to world vision kids. What a great charity. I have a house at the beach with natural maple cabinets and a creamy tan tile floor. I prefer lighter color granites . My husband likes colonial gold and milllenium cream. I am not so sure those work. Any advice you can give would be great.
Thanks in advance for your time.
Sue
November 2nd, 2009 at 11:05 am
Same question as Joan’s below (dated May 4th, 2008). We are having granite installed and the edge is a sand color while the granite top is dark gold and black. Why is the edge different?
November 24th, 2009 at 9:34 am
I have pickeled colored Kitchen Cabinets more in the peach family and I have a marbled look porcelain tiled floor with black inserts laid in a diamond pattern they look pinish/reddish with white lines . I would likeo to know if the Millenium cream granite would go good with the cabinets and floor?
July 25th, 2010 at 10:36 am
I have ivory cabinets with a coffee glaze my island is brown -cherry
whar color granite would you suggest?
Also do you like harvest creme and do you know where i can get it near lakewood nj
March 26th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
This is for my bathroom I have sandstone tile in the shower and floor and around the tub. I also have toffee color cabinets. I would like to put granite counters in by I am having trouble with picking a color that would look good, could you help me with that