Hi Tom, We plan to begin our kitchen remodeling within the next week. I will give you some specifics to help you visualize what I plan to do. The size of main cooking area is appx. 13×15 with a 9×9 eating area attached.

For cabinets, I have selected clear alder stained med/dk cherry with a traditional type front. Hardware – rubbed bronze Appliances – sink is SS as well as the ovens, dishwasher will have a matching wood panel and my electric cook top is a sleek black with knobs and burners all contained in one thin piece. My floor plan is a “U” shape with a raised bar over one side of the “U”, sink in the middle, and cooktop on the opposite side on the “U”. Refrigerator and ovens will be housed in cabinets against the wall on the opposite wall from the sink.

I need your advice on selecting a shade of granite and backsplash to complement my cabinets and floor. I will have appx. 69 sq ft of granite.

I am currently considering Giallo Ornamental, New Veneian Gold, Santa Cecilia, Smokey Topaz or Santa Fe Brown. As you can see from my color selections, I do not know whether to go with lighter shades or a darker shades. In considering the lighter shade of granite I am looking at tumbled Torreon for the backsplash.

Will you please let me know if I am on the right track and if not what should I be looking for.

Thank you for your suggestions and truly valuable guidance in kitchen remodeling.

PS – what type of finish for a faucet with SS sink and rubbed bronze hardware?

Diana

Hello Diana,

Completing the décor and working backwards with your comments, I want to suggest going with a rubbed bronze faucet to coordinate with the cabinet hardware. The stainless sink will still be right as long as stainless is reasonably visible on the oven and dishwasher. You did not mention the refrigerator, but I assume it will be stainless or black. A black refrigerator would work since your cook top is black, however, stainless would be much better.

Your cook top sounds a little non-traditional in style, so I don’t know what that will do to the overall ‘traditional’ décor, but just take another look at it.

Keep with the theme of a tumbled splash since you like that look. It works very well with brown or gold granite countertops but you should not go darker with the tile than the lightest minerals in the granite. Sometimes in the gold granite, that mineral shade is actually very light cream or even ivory. This is the color compliment to keep in mind.

The Torreon tumbled travertine that I am familiar with is a brand name from Dal Tile Company. It is medium to light. Because names can be switched and incorrectly identified, let’s just talk about shading as in dark, medium and light.

As I mentioned above, select the granite that you like the best and then choose a tumbled travertine tile in a shade that closely matches one of the lighter mineral colors in the granite. There are some great photos in the online Kitchen Gallery of www.HomeGranite.com that will give you some ideas for tile layout and design.

Given your rubbed bronze fixtures, stainless sink and appliances, black cook top and your dark cabinet color, I want to suggest that the best color you mentioned is Santa Fe Brown. This granite is perfect to pull it all together. It would mean that you would go with a more walnut colored travertine backsplash color. You should use a light cream tile on the floor. Consider 18×18 tile on floor and 4×4″ on the backsplash.

The other granite colors you mentioned are ok with the cabinet color, but not great with bronze fixtures and a black cook top. Actually the other one that really goes with stainless well is Giallo Ornamental because it subtly shimmers in the natural light. If Santa Fe Brown is too dark for you, then consider Giallo Ornamental.

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

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!