Light or Dark Counters in Kitchen

8 years ago

We are trying to decide what color (light or dark) counters for in our kitchen. Leaning towards granite due to cost. Currently laminate with that lovely 80's wood edge....yuck. Posted pics from different angles

Have already replaced appliances, hardware on cabinets, under cabinet lighting added, still waiting on cabinet over fridge had to replace due to new fridge.

Just really have a hard time with counters as I feel light is better and my hubby likes dark-- black. What do you think? Thank you and Happy Easter.

Featured Answer

jhmarie

8 years ago

Happy Easter:)

I have wood cabinets too and ordered a lighter quartz which should be installed in about a month, so I only have before pics in my idea book, but hopefully I will remember to update them. Black and oak go well together too, but I like a bright, light kitchen. I think granite is lovely too.

My quartz - there are several similar:

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Comments (19)

Dawn Y
Original Author
8 years ago
Forgot to put cabinets are maple with warm stain and cherry trim.
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Dawn Y
Original Author
8 years ago
Jhmarie I like your quartz but wi dear if your cabinets are lighter than mine?
Dawn Y
Original Author
8 years ago
Oh geez spell check. That was wonder
Dawn Y
Original Author
8 years ago
Here is a close up of cabinet.
Bev
8 years ago
Beautiful cabinets! This is a hard one because I do love the look of black counters with those cabinets. However, if you want to create more light in the kitchen, I would go with lighter counters than my cabinets.
PRO
High Touch Remodeling
8 years ago
I would recommend you to install a light quartz counter top and a darker counter top for the island as an accent. You have beautiful cabinetry and I think a light countertop would really go well with it.
Bruce Crawford
8 years ago
Our cabs are maple stained cordovan & our coutertops are light, upon which my wife insisted. Even if we had light cabs, she would've had light countertops as dark show everything. Ours are Cambria's Newhaven quartz, which she absolutely loves.
Rachel S
8 years ago
A lot of people do Costa Esmeralda green, or sea pearl Quartz with that color cabinet. Then you can have a lighter backsplash.
Dawn Y
Original Author
8 years ago
High Touch I was wondering if I could do that. Lighter around the perimeter and then dark island. But it should be all quartz then or all granite?
jhmarie
8 years ago
I meant to say wood cabinets, not oak. That is what happens when I cook a large dinner and try to answer questions at the same time:)

I like the idea of light around the sides and a dark island, but someone above (Bruce) mentioned the dark showed everything and I had heard that before but have no personal experience. I have butcher block on my island and that will stay. In your pictures I feel like our cabinets are similar in color, but computer monitors are not good for getting color true - and mine are oak and yours are pretty maple. I think yours may be lighter. Maple also has less grain which I think gives you more options. The grain in oak has movement, so I wanted to be cautious about over doing the movement in my countertop and backsplash.
Bruce Crawford
8 years ago
I L-O-V-E oak. Years ago I replaced all baseboard & door moulding w/ oak stained in Gunstock to go w/ oak floors in LR, DR & hall. Just before we started our K reno I rebuilt fireplace mantel in oak. B/c my wife & CKD chose the darker cordovan stain for K cabs, we went w/ maple over oak b/c oak more expensive & wouldn't be able to appreciate the grain w/ stain.
jhmarie
8 years ago
Bruce you are going to get teased - some of the ladies on the forum believe it is in a man's DNA to love oak or any wood, while they prefer painted woodwork:) I actually prefer my oak cabinets too and spent the summer refinishing them. My trim is painted because it was dark stain pine and in poor shape.

Perhaps it is related to living in the Midwest where there runs a strong streak of practicality (wood is strong) and a bit of a leaning towards rustic.
Bruce Crawford
8 years ago
Jhmarie, I just love the grain in oak. To me, it gives wood character. Our old K cabs were ash veneer stained walnut. No character. And I'm used to be teased about my penchant for wood. Those who wish to tease me need to bring their best game to out-do my wife! :-)
Ann
8 years ago
Hi Dawn. I have natural cherry cabinets and they aren't too far from the color of yours. I chose light beige Corian counters when we bought our home. Over time, I just felt it was blah and boring. So, a few years ago, I chose a dark charcoal quartzite and had just the island counter replaced. I had planned to see how it looked with my light beige perimeter and replace the perimeter with something else, if need be. Well, I love the dark island with kind of interesting dark quartzite and the simple, plain, light Corian perimeter. I liked it right away and have not been tempted in the least to change it. So, I think it would look great to get a kind of special dark granite or quartz for your island and a plain light colored granite or quartz for your perimeter. That's the choice I'd make in your kitchen. It's quite common for the perimeter counter to differ from the island. It's also common for the perimeter cabinets to be a different color from the island cabinets. I'm not as fond of kitchens where both are different but I really like kitchens where all the cabinets are the same and the island and perimeter counters differ or kitchens where all the counters are the same and the island and perimeter cabinets are different colors.

One nice, dark and affordable granite variety is Virginia Mist. I wouldn't worry about mixing materials if you go with different counters. For example, if you chose something like Virginia Mist granite for your island, you could use a calm quartz for your perimeter. I prefer the more interesting material to be on the island and the more simple and boring material to be on the perimeter.

Your house and kitchen are very pretty!
Dawn Y
Original Author
8 years ago
Ann if you get a chance I'd love to see what you ended up with. Sounds pretty. I've been searching for mixed surfaces in kitchens and can't find a lot of pics. I'd love to see some examples. Thank you!
Ann
8 years ago
Here are some examples of kitchens with all the same cabinets but different counters.

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Dawn Y
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks Ann!
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Crespo Design Group
8 years ago
Here are a few kitchen designs of ours that might help you in your design process.
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