Hi Tom,

I’ve just purchased my first home and am in the process of remodeling bits and pieces of it. One area that I’m looking to remodel is the kitchen with granite countertops.

I’m finding it hard to choose a color though (mostly because I don’t have that interior decorator savy), so any thoughts that you might had would be very helpful.

The kitchen is U-shaped with hardwood floors (original and 19 years old, so I think it’s oak). The walls are Spanish Sand and I’m planning to get new stainless steel appliances. The kitchen also flows openly into the family room.

Here are some shots from a virtual tour, but I also have some of my own shots which might be helpful.
http://www.obeo.com/tourimages/39/399559/breakfastnook_500.jpg
http://www.obeo.com/tourimages/39/399559/kitchen2_500.jpg

I’m also thinking about redoing the fireplace with the same granite that I choose for the kitchen (though I may just use the same tile that I’m using for the entry way). Here’s a shot of the fireplace as well: http://www.obeo.com/tourimages/39/399559/livingroom2_500.jpg

Right now I’m thinking of going with Tropical Brown as a safe bet. Tan Brown is also on my list. I’m generally thinking a brown color would go well (but I get the impression that black would be too dark). I’m also thinking a darker granite would be better overall, not to mention it would hide stains better.

What do you think? Feel free to ask me any other questions and let me know if I can send you more pictures. Thanks!

He-Joon

Hello He-Joon,

You have your basic brown pallet going on already so rather than continue with another shade of brown, introducing another color here in the décor would be best.

Currently, with the white tile in place, you have your basic semi-upgraded cookie-cutter kitchen with an upper bar and pass through opening. To get the update and upgrade that you want, choose a granite color in the range of one of the primary colors. Since the primary colors are reds, greens and blues, what does this tell you about brown… boring!

I do love Tropical Brown and Tan Brown with stainless but the room needs to be big and the décor should almost always be modern-contemporary. Again, it would not look bad, just boring and give a ‘track home’ feeling.

That all being said, most blue granites are quite expensive and will conflict with those Spanish Sand walls that you have. Dark greens like Verde Peacock or Verde Butterfly would look great and are a very inexpensive granite color.

What I really like for your kitchen is red. I don’t mean bright cherry red, but the deeper, more intelligent red like Juparana Bordeaux. This is really the best color that I would recommend, although the greens I mentioned above are fine too. Juparana Bordeaux has the perfect mix of blacks, beiges and reds that would substantial upgrade your kitchen and work perfectly with your walls, cabinets, floor and stainless appliances.

Check Juparana Bordeaux Granite at your local granite yard and write back to me if you just hate it! I think you will love it.

Best wishes and thank you for supporting the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids!

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your site. Need help with kitchen and bath counters.

House: 100 year old Colonial, complete renovation, traditional (window replacements are wood, traditional faucets). Style is unfussy, informal, lots of light, double french doors to back porch.

1. Kitchen: creamy white flat-panel cabinets to 9 ft ceilings with 18″ top row and molding, some seed-glass fronts. Neutral, medium pewter-color cabinets in island with butcher block top. Stainless appliances with chunky range. Lots of light (windows w/ cream molding), and lots of molding in house (wall tops and bottoms, windows, squared room entries). A few squared columns in kitchen entry. Hardwood floor, 3/4 medium oak. Don’t like white/plain walls – paint will probably be a neutral such as taupe or soft yellow but undecided.

Considering granite counters, but first thoughts are the shiny looks too formal for house and hate the bullnose edge. Don’t want trendy and soon-to-be-obsolete. Love look of honed dark counters but I am heeding the warnings. Also love marble but it is probably too soft for our busy family, heavy pots and love of fruit juice. Willing to do maintenance/sealing and reasonable cleaning.

Need recommendation for counter which will include near stove (hot pots) and 2-foot raised end of island where we have 2 bar seats. All will have same surface.

2. Master bath w/ white freestanding oval vintage tub, white sinks, windows w/ cream molding. Tile may be white mosaic floor and shower w/ accent design – undecided. Some beadboard. Vanity is flat-panel stained cherry, Autumn Blush. Paint color undecided but not white/plain.

Need recommendation for vanity top.

3. Kids bath – Flat-panel lighter maple cabinets w/ honey spice stain. White mosaic floor/shower. White fixtures. Paint undecided. Window w/ cream molding. Kids are messy/spill a lot.

Need recommendation for vanity top.

Any other comments welcome. Thanks for your help.

-Deb

Hello Deb,

For a kitchen that is unfussy and informal yet designed with the classic moldings and wood floors as you have described, I can only recommend two granite colors. These are Bianco Romano or White Springs. Unlike dark colored granite, white/cream granite colors like these are not as formal when polished. The shiny glare is toned down quite a bit in light colored granites.

For low maintenance in the kitchen you should definitely use polished granite. A honed Granite surface is very high maintenance but can be enjoyable if properly sealed and maintained. However, fruit juice is a menace on honed granite and will leave cloudy marks that are almost impossible to remove.

For the edge detail, consider a Dupont Edge Detail as this will go best with your decor.

For the master bathroom vanity, a white vanity top seams that only way to go hear because of the white stand alone tub scheme and the cherry cabinet. However, perhaps consider a white marble. Marble in the bathrooms is only for the avid caretakers as it will etch from many cleaners and facial products if not properly sealed. However, as long as you use a sealer like, ‘bullet proof’ or equal, then you will be ok. Stone Management Group is coming out with a miracle sealer for marble in a couple months and you will be able to find it on www.GraniteStock.com.

For the kids’ bathrooms, I suggest having more colorful fun. Consider blues, greens or reds and definitely use granite for the low maintenance. The best advice I can give you here is to see the hundreds of colors on HomeGranite.com and fill out the vanity form on www.HomeGranite.com so that granite companies in your area can contact you with the remnants they have in stock for vanity tops.

My very best wishes and thank you for supporting the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids!

Dear Tom:

Your website and all it’s information is just fantastic. I love the way you give honest answers and don’t beat around the bush about what will look good and what will look like something out of a horror flick!

I need some advice. First, let me say my kitchen is very much like the one Galley Kitchen: Avoiding Busy, Boring and Dark but smaller. It’s approximately 11′ by a little over 7 feet wide with no windows and very little natural light.

Our house has Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors throughout except for the kitchen and baths. We have a lot of wood and antiques. We’re big do it yourselfers and have put down the floors and specialty hardwood casings and baseboards throughout the home. Our style is traditional, even Victorian, possibly, with all those antiques.

Our original cabinetry was very light wood grain looking formica over pressed board. You know the yucky stuff that swells when it gets wet. About 10 years ago I took off the cabinet doors, sanded everything and painted the cabinets sea foam green and all the doors white. I tiled the stove side countertops with white 4 x 4 tiles and just bought a pre-fabricated white countertop for the sink side. My husband put up some pretty sea foam green wallpaper and we tiled the floor with white 12 x 12 ceramic tiles that had some light green marbling effects running through it. That was great for a face lift, but now its time to gut the entire kitchen.

The dilemma? I love to cook! I like to cook in a well lighted not closed-in feeling place. I was going to be happy with some lighter cabinets, in maybe a maple or something like that. My husband however is adamant about having cherry cabinets with maybe a nutmeg finish. He thinks this will tie in very nicely with the rest of the house. I’ve just about got him convinced those will be way too dark for the space and will close it in too much. I’ve also threatened to never cook in there again if he surrounded me with all that darkness! He has recently capitulated to going with cherry with no stain. This will lighten things up a bit and might even look awesome with all the natural variations in the tones of the wood. (I realize over time these will probably darken somewhat and take on their own patina).

We will be removing the soffits and the new cabinets will go just about all the way to the ceiling (about 8 ft. ceilings) for added storage space. Basically, I’m keeping the layout of the kitchen the same as it is now. It’s small but efficient and I’m not really interested in tearing out walls. But everything else goes the floor, the soffits, everything. We’ll gut it down to the drywall and in some cases like by the sink, down to the studs.

My appliances including the sink (under-mount) will be stainless steel. My dream was to have a kitchen that incorporated white, stainless steel and cobalt blue colors in it. I was hoping for a granite countertop with a lot of cobalt blue in it and as yet haven’t gone to any granite yards, but did get a quote for the sodalite blue but I’m afraid it’s going to be way too dark in there with that. Plus the vendor said that was a level 5 granite and the cost is double what I had budgeted for it. I was figuring $80/sq.ft x 32 sq. ft. (The sink side countertop is 6′ and the stove side only needs two pieces one on either side of the stove of 36″ x 26″). The sodalite blue was over $5,000 for this little bit. It’s almost as much as the cabinets! The last thing I want is more brown tones in there. I do love a lot of movement in my granite and would like to avoid something with a small, tight pattern.

The lighting will have to be considered as well. I’m sure I want some kind of under cabinet lighting. As for overhead lighting, I haven’t decided yet. Maybe canned lighting, I just don’t know what will give me the best light to work with.

After reading all the questions on your site, I’m beginning to think I really like the idea of the little glass tiles for the backsplash but I have no idea what to pick to keep it feeling light in there.

Finally, here are my questions. What do you think so far? What would you recommend for the countertop? The floor? The backsplash? I’m totally in the dark here, pun intended! Thanks so much for your help.

Warmest Regards,
Sharon
Tampa, Florida

Hello Sharon,

Starting from scratch is always the best. However, the overriding elements that you have to work with are the Brazilian Cherry floors in the nearby rooms and the tight gallery kitchen layout.

You must keep the granite countertops light, but not white. White granite in gallery kitchens, especially with stainless look very cheap. I also would not recommend under cabinets lighting in a small gallery kitchen. Under counter lighting looks great in a big kitchen with medium/dark granite colors but unless you are lacking in overhead light, it is just a waste and it is overpowering in a galley kitchen. Still, this is about a 50/50 personal choice.

All the colors and hues have to work together in a small galley kitchen. The whole room is like a piece of furniture and should feel special when you walk through it. I would be sure to concentrate on all the details. The cabinet door design and knobs and pulls are huge factors. Avoid big lumpy pulls.

The natural wood veining in Cherry is my favorite but you need to stay as natural as possible. I would even consider a heavy clear glaze to brighten the room up.

Without a doubt, blue looks fantastic with this combination. The right cobalt or true blue would be perfect. Avoid Cyan or Teal blues because these colors will not maintain a traditional and timeless décor. It is truly amazing how the wrong color blue can just blow everything. The right color is the one in Ascas Blue. Other great colors would be just right are Net Blue, Blue Baracuda and even Brass Blue if you can find it without too much black.

A blue color that would not go well, for example, is one from Brazil that has more gray although it does have nice cobalt blue inclusions. It is called Blue Guanabara. Although it compliments stainless, it is too silver/gray for cherry cabinets. Other bad blues are Azul du Mar, Blue Louise, and even Soladite Blue is too purple/blue. You need to stay close to the overall primary color of blue.

There is one other granite color that I would recommend which is not blue at all. Amber Fantasy granite would be sensational in this small galley kitchen with cherry cabinets and stainless appliances. Personally I would try to carry the Brazilian Cherry floor into the kitchen and just apply a coat of polyurethane to protect it. Otherwise, a large format single color porcelain tile in a soft tan or cream color would be a nice subtle compliment. Don’t use white tiles because it is just too cold and the grout joints will always look dirty after the first month. For blue granite countertops, I would suggest the same.

Regarding the backsplash, for blue countertops, I recommend staying with a very light tile. I love glass tile with blue granite countertops and you just don’t see it that often. A multi-shading of light blue glass tile in a 4″x4″ format would look very ‘made to order’ and unique. It would be gorgeous with stainless appliances. I have seen nice low cost glass tile at Dal Tile stores. I would run the tile square to the countertop (not on a diagonal). For the Amber Fantasy, I would run a 6″ high granite splash in the same slab and then paint about in a color that matches the floor tile.

Regarding lighting, use soft white can lights. It is amazing how a décor can be ruined with bright white or florescent light.

I hope it all goes well and please be sure to send me a photo! Thank you very much for supporting the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids!

We are building a new home, laundry room and half bath counter tops will be verde butterfly granite. Cabinets are cherry wood, walls will be a neutral tone. One 24″ x 36″ window in each room. Lighting-average. I am contemplating using bianco catalina or green tea 12″ granite floor tiles. Please send your opinion and/or other options in a 12″ granite floor tile.

Thanks, Kathy

Hello Kathy,

I see what you are trying to do with color but Bianco Catalina is too porous for floors. You could put a heavy sealer on it but I still would not use it because floors need heavy duty cleaning from time to time, especially in a laundry room.

If your cabinets were lighter, I would say use the same Verde Butterfly granite, on the floor. This would still be the best choice but the room would shrink up a bit.

One plan that would look beautiful would be to run tile a diagonal pattern with Verde Butterfly as one color along with another lighter color like Green Tea. This would be like a checkerboard pattern but set on a diagonal to the entry door.

This will make the room a little more upscale and less casual, but if you use a color like Green Tea with the Verde Butterfly, or similar, it would be very classy, warm and still homey. The other good feature is that grout joints disappear when you put dark color tiles next to light colored tiles. Using grout that matches the lighter tile is the secret! There is nothing better for overall appeal and maintenance than toning down grout joints in tile floors.

Otherwise, I like the Green Tea (as long as it is the one from Saudi Arabia). This is very durable granite and looks great on floors with Cherry Cabinets. If it is the one from China, it is too soft.

Let me know how it goes and thank you for support the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids!

This is a great site. I have a downtown contemporary condo with all glass walls. My floors will be hickory, cabinets medium cherry, and I have a U-shaped small kitchen with hickory floors. For contrast, I am thinking of going with dark granite (some variation of black-perhaps dark uba tuba). I have stainless steel appliances. My question is this: would a black granite countertop give me the most options in terms of creating a backsplash and paint patterns? I do not think a light counter would fair well as I am looking for a very contemporary design. Any suggestions for the backsplash or wall color schemes? Other good granite choices? I was told by the granite warehouse that Uba Tuba is quite “common”. Thanks!

David

Hello David,

I am going to tell you the choice that would look incredible but first of all get Black out of your mind. Black and Ubatuba are overdone in the pseudo contemporary minimalist design arena. It not only doesn’t present a true contemporary feel, it portrays lack of imagination and fear for the bold and breaking architecture that contemporary lovers truly embrace. Now that is just my colorfully technical way of saying, ‘I’ve see this Oreo cookie kitchen before.”

That being said, I recommend that you select dark Blue Pearl Granite for your countertops and install it with a flat edge detail. It would be best to find solid 3cm thick granite to avoid the front laminate seam.

For the splash, you have options. Personally, I would run the slab granite up the wall but you could also go with a stainless backsplash or large format glass tile. I have done this design in a contemporary condo with glass walls and a stunning city view. This was one of my favorites.

My very best wishes and thank you for support the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids.

Hi Tom,

I don’t know the exact dimensions–my hubby is out of town, and interior designer away. I want to say that it is about 18 by 13 across, not including the depth of the cabinets to the wall. The house is 20 years old, and we are remodeling the whole house. We tried various floor plans, and nothing worked to change the kitchen because of supporting walls. Therefore, kitchen will stay long and narrow. One (I think to southwest or west) end has large bay windows, the other end will have cabinets and sink, next to fridge. That is the long part. Across the kitchen, on one side is the bank of cabinets with double ovens, cooktop (6 burners), and more cabinets. The wall opposite that there will essentially be nothing but the door which goes to the covered deck. Designer wants to leave that wall with nothing on it because of seating at the island, and needing room for traffic. There will be some chair railing and some wainscoting. (although she would prefer not to do that because she says it will make kitchen appear smaller. I want it there to balance out that bare wall.

Because I don’t have exact dimensions, I will put in a couple pictures of the kitchen now, minus everything. Only the floor.

Island will be 10ft. long by 3 1/2 ft. wide, with possible seating for 5-on the bay window side. Also, sm. prep sink.

Not the handiest kitchen by any means, just working with what we have. Also, they DID elevate the ceiling a lot. Highest point is 11 ft. Yes, can lights, 6, and a light over island-like a 3 in one light.

Looking into kitchen from living room side. Now, a stairway has to divide kitchen from living room, so there will be a wall on one side of the stairs–the counter will be up 5 ft. with an open area at the top so from living room you can see into kitchen towards ceiling. (illusion of height) This is the end where the sink and fridge will be. Cooktop and ovens will be on right side, looking into kitchen:

Looking up at ceiling from cook top side. There will also be indirect lighting in the alcoves, and under cabinet lighting.

Another view of kitchen (wall paper was not down yet)

Kitchen, top left, under garage in this picture, and between stairs and bay windows:

Thank you so much for bearing with me as I attempt to explain this mess.

I also wanted to tell you that the designer and I have spent 3 full days in St. Louis looking at tile and possible backsplash options for Volga Blue. Honestly, if I had it to do over I would have picked a different granite. I had no idea it would be so hard to find a backsplash that didn’t look like white stairsteps. We even thought of extending the backsplash of VB up the walls, since there is only about 6 ft. of it across the cooking side, and not much in front of sink. But we are afraid that will be too dark and unfriendly looking. You might say I am totally discouraged at this point.

So anything you say will be of value.

Thank you again.

Lisa

Hello Lisa,First all, I love the tree view outside the window. Thank you for sending the photos as that helps a lot. Volga Blue is a beautiful choice with the dark cabinets and floors when the wood has a little mahogany or cherry tone. It also is gorgeous with stainless appliances. I would never recommend it without these complimentary elements.

You have the opportunity to do something truly fantastic with your kitchen design that will be very unique, classy and customized, while at the same time brightening the overall ambiance. To do this, you want to use glass or opaque ceramic tile for the splash is a mix of light blue tones. As you know, when looking at Volga Blue from any angle you eyes pickup the opalescent blue inclusions in the granite. These are what make Volga Blue so special. Look closely and you will see that the accents are actually quite light sky blue. Using these accents to compliment the full height tile splash is what you want to do. I can not reinforce enough how important the other elements are so don’t change the cabinets or the floor color intention.

Now, I know a picture really helps so I spent a while on the internet and finally found a couple photos to discuss.

In the first photo, you will see a dark granite with full height granite splashes. I wanted to show you this because you could go this route and it would look very nice. It will make the kitchen look darker but more formal. Your ceiling height allows you to get a way with this but I just do see that natural tree view fitting in to this decor. Still, it is a consideration.

The second photo shows the blue tile splash with Volga Blue granite countertops. I love this except for the color and style of the cabinets. The cabinets look cheap and the color is all wrong. It’s a mess. See if you can notice the color accents in the countertop and how they compliment the tile splash!.

You do not have to go with tiny mosaics or even glass tile as shown in the second photo. I do think glass would be best because of its iridescent qualities, but you could use 4”x4” size which is less expensive and looks great. I’ve seen nice products at Dal Tile stores and you can see options on their website.

Usually, I propose different options but you have you have created the perfect setting for a blue tile splash. Even the high ceiling is critical. The room will brighter, friendly, and totally gorgeous. I hope you consider this advice.

Thank you for supporting the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids. We just added another one today!

Hi Tom -

I’ve just discovered your blog and want to thank you immediately for sharing your knowledge and experience. I am also happy to make the requested donation and have done so!

My husband and I are renovating our kitchen and would appreciate your help on a granite color selection. The kitchen is 20′x12′. We’ve decided to go with a traditional L shaped layout with a center island measuring 94″ x 38″. The top of the island will be flat, withoput a cooktop or sink. It will be used for eating, food prep, homework(!), etc. We have stainless appliances, including a stainless chimney hood, and a stainless sink. Our cabinets are maple wth a coffee glaze, making them a bit darker than natural, but no where near a medium brown. Our floor is an 18×18 tile called Ceramica Magica Red. The color in the tiles is varied, from a sand to a brick/terra cotta red with some very minimal sreaks of slate gray. It’s a tuscan feel and they go well with the cabinets. The 18″ backsplash will be the same, varied tiles, set on the diagonal, with a greater concentration of the Ceramica Magica Sand tiles in a “frame” over the range.

We have 48″ pass trough over the sink, into the family room. We are planning a granite slab there, as well, 48″ wide and curving to 12″ at its maximum depth.
We have added 8 recessed lights and a light over the sink. There will be 2 pendants over the island, so lighting is not an issue. The north wall has 2 large windows and an exterior door with no cabinetry.
This is opposite the pass through to the family room. We’ve chosen Burnished Mahogany (a deep brick color) for the walls. One final note, all of the floors in the rest of the house are hard wood and have been stained a dark brown (50/50 ebony and mahogany). The floors in the family room and dining room can be seen from the kitchen.
We took cabinet and tile samples to the granite yard and narrowed our search down to three colors: Vyara Juparana, Juparana Sand and Yellow River. We like the long “streaks” of the Juparanas and prefer a granite with that kind of movement rather than a tight pattern.

Sorry for the exhaustive detail, but we’d love your opinion on a granite color selection. We are open to anything. If you think our color palete is completely wacky please say so! We haven’t painted the walls yet but are in love with the tile and cabinets.

Finally, there is no formal eating area in the kitchen. We will be using the island for casual meals. We will have a 12″ overhang on the far end and a 12″ overhang running the the 94″ length.

We’ve consulted with several contractors and have built a knee wall backing up the cabinets making up the island. This reduced the overhang to about 8″ on the long side.

I’ve reviewed your site about overhangs but have not come across anything on kneewalls. Do you think the kneewall is adequate support for the long side of the island? I assume we will need corbels for the short side of the island and the overhang into the family room. Have you worked with granite corbels or are we limited to those fashioned from wood?

Pat

Hello Pat,Thank you for giving me a very detailed description of your kitchen and adjacent room finishes. The tricky part here is to use granite that is dark enough to compliment the stainless and has movement that will not clash with the movement in your tile. Still a very dark granite would not be very homey here with such a big island.

The big island without any penetrations is sure to be a piece of art. By the way, it is much easier to do homework on medium colors because they reflect the least amount of glare. But which one? Well, Juparana Vyara definitely matches the colors temperature of your cabinets and glaze and even has the gray streaks to go with the floor streaks. However, stepping back and looking at your kitchen without the granite, adding Vyara just doesn’t do anything more. Again, is blends well, but you need to introduce more light terracotta and less brown/tan to complete this kitchen. A couple colors that I want to suggest are Verde Fire and Sunset Delicatus. Both of these vary so you might hate or love the first slabs that you look at, but a light Verde Fire or a dark Sunset Delicatus would be perfect with the tile, cabinets, stainless and the adjacent dark wood floors..

Again, Juparana Vyara is a good blend so if you really feel strong about that, then that is a good safe choice. I don’t like the crystal structure in Yellow River and Juparana Sand is not as good of a choice as Vyara.

Regarding corbels, just put a few short small wood corbels between the knee walls to support the bending forces if someone ever sits on it. Knee walls are the great support but I would not rely on knee walls alone with over a 36″ span between them. Put corbels at 24″ apart between them.

In conclusion, I hope you evaluate adding light terracotta (avoid pink), mixed with other natural color inclusions in the granite countertops. Try to avoid washing the room out with more brown and tan shades.

I hope this helped and thank you very much for supporting the Rock Blog’s World Vision kids!

Dear Tom,

We have been in our home 16 years and have decided to redo the kitchen starting with granite countertops. Our refrigerator and stove are white and the microwave and dishwasher have black fronts. The sink will be stainless steel undermount. The fruitwood-colored cupboards have cathedral style doors. I would love to send a picture if possible. The cupboard knobs are brass and white. I lean towards earthy colors – browns, tans, etc. Even though we will be choosing flooring (hardwood would be my preference) and paint later, I am completely stymied as to what color to use. The kitchen has a cathedral ceiling (no sky lights) and a south/west corner window above the sink and french patio doors. I usually have the lights (ceiling-mounted floodlights) on while working in the kitchen. Samples we took home include – Juparana Royale, Cafe Imperial, Tropic Brown, Verde lab, Amarillo Veneciano. I’ve had the samples for a month and am no closer to making a decision. I don’t want a mundane kitchen but at the same time I don’t want a dizzying effect. Can you please help?

Donna

Hello Donna,

Your photos really helped as well as your comments about the color samples you have selected to date. I usually don’t recommend the color such as New Venetian Gold but your kitchen is closed in by three walls and needs to stay as light as possible. In addition, the color and veining in your cabinets also demand a more subtle, traditional granite color that is more set off by its shine and accents than it wildness. I think you pick this up by the range of choices you mentioned.

New Venetian Gold in its best quality selection, which is a warm brown color with deep garnet inclusions, would look beautiful and it compliments white fixtures very well. There is also a granite color called Giallo Ornamental that I want you to examine which is the only light granite that I recommend with stainless. Since you have the white appliances and stainless combination, these two granite are each great choices. The best complimentary aspect of these stones is the natural garnet inclusions that will bring color into your room.

I strongly recommend considering a darker reddish or brown/burgundy floor tile to compliment the granite. The darker color on the floor will bring lightness to the cabinets and the granite and the walls will lift the room is bright way. That would bring it all together. Keep your walls as light or white as you feel right about.

Just to cover the other colors you mentioned, let me go through them now. Juperana Royal Granite is one of my favorite colors and extremely striking with stainless. It looks like a modern million bucks when there is not speck of white in the room and dark cabinets. So! That does not work here given the color pallet.

Café Imperial, I hate it unless used as the perimeter granite in a large kitchen with another granite color as the island. This granite will bore you to death in your décor.

Tropical Brown, when selected in its deep brown color, is gorgeous with stainless. However, it needs natural light to be beautiful and not the best choice with white appliances.

Verde Labrador is always my #1 choice with stainless even though it is so very common. That doesn’t mean that it is the only choice for stainless, but I definitely hate Verde Labrador with white because it just kills its brilliance.

I hope that I helped you, Donna. Thank you for supporting the Rock Blog’s World Visions Kids.

I just wanted to say WOW!!!! I’m in the beginning stages of a kitchen remodel for a New York City Galley style kitchen. I’m keeping the ceramic tile floors (light tannish/brown-like sand color, very neutral) and the bisque appliances (don’t like stainless appliances). I love monochromatic, tone on tone color schemes so I will probably get Maple cabinets with a Bisque glaze. A few cabinets will have that frosted glass front. My question is probably obvious: How do I add some color without being locked into any one color in my granite countertop? I don’t want my entire kitchen to be beige and tan! Colors I love are golds, yellows, reds or greens. Not blue. My living area is eclectic with a black and white formica table and ivory “pleather” chairs, red sofa, black entertainment unit. Thank you in advance. You’re answers are always wonderful. – Rose

Hello Rose,

The answer is red. With maple and bisque, the only color that you can add without getting ‘locked in’ is red or rust. Gold is basic and bland without highlights, yellow is too fruity and Green is just bad with maple – too Crayola unless it is really dark.

With maple, introduce a brown/gold with soft accents of rust/red (not cherry red). Penta Gold Granite is a great choice. Amazon Gold is another with less red tones but great with bisque. These are both in the exotic variety but what I call ‘tone on tone with flavor’.
If you really like the rust/red after seeing some slabs, take a look at Typhoon Gold Granite. It will be on the edge of versatility but looks awesome with maple cabinets and bisque appliances.

Best wishes and thank you for support the Rock Blog’s kids!

Dear Tom:

I have been gathering info on kitchen counter choices for over 2 months. There are so many options and then so many conflicting opinions that I’m worried I’ll never figure this out. Am doing a new kitchen with white (I call them white white meaning not off white) cabinets and 2 islands one matching the white cabinets and one black. It is a simple design somewhat farm or country style. We are doing medium to dark random plank floors. I want to do a large custom copper sink but am flexible if it wouldn’t work with the counters.

What i want is white marble (carrera or calacatta gold) for the island counters and something dark like soapstone for the perimeter counters.. it is a large kitchen so lots of counter. My husband does not want me to do soapstone so am looking for a granite to give that soapstone look. I was told honed absolute black would work but then I read many horror stories online about it. What do you think of honed jet mist or virginia mist? are they the same granite? Also what about all these different finishes? Honed, velvet, suede, brushed? Do you think marble is ok for kitchen? The fabricator we are thinking about using says they recommend it if honed and sealed properly. My husband drinks red wine every night and one of the islands has a raised bar height end which will get heavy use when we entertain. If we could get comfortable with marble I sometimes think we should do all the counters in it.

Someone told me Donna Sandra Granite looks a lot like Carrera marble. Do you know anything about it? Could you please give me some ideas for these counters and also try and clarify for me what is positive and negative about marble and or granite. I currently have polished ubatuba and do not want the shine and sparkle look in my new kitchen. Thanks for your help you are providing a much needed resource on such a confusing topic. I think you’re great sending the money from this to such a worthy charity.

Sincerely,
Cathy

p.s. I should have told you I’m open to looking at any suggestions — color or surface. I do love copper and pewter and my kitchen needs to work with both of them.

Hello Cathy,

I will give you the facts in response to your questions and some personal comments. From that you can make decisions based on your maintenance expectations and desired color décor.

First of all, Carrara and Calacatta are both white marbles from Italy as you know. Before mining technology allowed granites to be extracted, the most popular choice for a stone kitchen countertop was white marble. Carrara Marble being the most widely available and least expensive became commonplace in Italy. Fast forward a couple hundred years and Carrara Marble on countertops still draws an old world Italian charm yet because of the lower maintenance alternative (granite) it comes with sacrifice. Unlike granite, marble is softer than steel and made of mostly porous Calcium Carbonate; therefore, it scratches and stains easily.

Unfortunately, you can not just seal marble and use cutting boards to eliminate the maintenance issues. Because Calcium Carbonate is acid-sensitive, marble will etch from acid in fruit juice and wine. Wine spilled on a professionally sealer marble countertop will still be stained overnight. The only exception to this is a when a topical sealer high in silicone is applied but this will leave your countertop looking polished, not honed.

If you do choose Carrara or Calacatta Marble, you need to be either extremely diligent to use coasters and cutting boards, or you need to have the Italian mentality and just not care about stains or scratches. It is true that the Italians really feel that the stains and scratches just show the classic antiquity of marble and the old world it renders.

Regarding Soapstone, if Martha Stuart didn’t like it, I don’t know who would. This is a very dense, non-porous stone but extremely soft. Your fingernail can scratch it. Basic Soapstone maintenance involves sanding down scratches and using mineral oil to even out the variations after sanding. If you THINK you might like Soapstone, then you don’t. If you want a divorce, then this is a good choice. I rarely find two people in the same room that like Soapstone.

Honed finished granite is problematic if not professional sealed. Granite is hard but the orthoclase minerals and the microscopic gaps between then can be somewhat porous. That issue is successfully avoided after it is professionally sealed. However, honed granites love to show smudges from wipe cleaning and thumb prints. Dark colors are worse than light ones. If you search Absolute Black Granite on my blog, you will see how much I discourage using Honed Absolute Black Granite. That being said, I do know the Virginia Black Granite very well. It is the same stone as Jet Mist. This was very popular granite for government building in the early 1900’s. I never thought of this granite for a kitchen countertop before but it might be the perfect color for those looking for a honed black that does not create the ‘flat black’ maintenance issues. If you use this granite on the perimeter and ask you husband to keep the wine off the Carrara White islands, then I really can see this combination working in an old-world euro-style décor.

Ok, but here are some other options to think about. First all, Donna Sandra Granite? In 18 years, I have never heard of it. It is probably a fictitious name. Basically, select a white granite color that you like and have it professional sealed. I suggest looking at Bianco Romano Granite or White Springs Granite. If you can find White Springs in your area, that would be the best choice. These granite colors are from Brazil and you can see swatches of them at www.GraniteStock.com.

I do like the Jet Mist honed choice. I think that is a very good choice. Bianco Romano or White Springs would compliment the Jet Mist well. With this color combination and the described décor, a flat edge detail with minimal overhang would be best. A copper sink on the white granite would look granite. On the Black surface, I’d highly recommend white porcelain as copper won’t work at all.

My best wishes!