Hi, We suggest that you g⁠⁠⁠⁠o for grey (safer) or black (more "loud" and daring) laminate colours as it matches really well with the granite you have. These colours will definitely give a touch of elegance and express a modern look theme! You may also do polishing for your Granite to give it back its shine thus you will look like you have a new kitchen! Please do contact us in jojo@stoneamperor.com.sg and we may provide you more information and feedbacks about countertops! Cheers, Stone Amperor team

I would seriously consider replacing the cabinets before putting a new granite countertop on them. The problem is that no one will remove the countertop at a later date if you want to change the cabinets, due to the possibility of breakage. The only choice you will have then is a reface. Adding new doors, drawer fronts, and veneered sides is just a facelift. You could also add new hardwood drawers with undermount cushion close slides, but by the time you do this if will be the same cost as new cabinets now. The cabinets you have now, frameless, particle board sides are notorious for having the hinge screws strip out the particle board they are attached to. Since you can't put a longer screw in them, because the material is only 3/4" of an inch thick you have a problem. You also can't put a wider screw in them because it won't fit through the pre-drilled holes in the hinges.

Don't know about ABET laminates, but grew up with laminate countertop from a different mfg. No problems. We never placed anything hot directly on them, always used hot plates. But then again, i would never place anything hot directly on a granite counter. To nice looking...why take the chance ?

if you lighten the cabinets etc, then the stone will appear more prominent. if that is what you want, that is fine. I sensed that you did not like the current counter. I would contact a marble/granite installer to see if they think that the cracks can be filled and polished out. it is pretty common to do this on new installations if it is feasible. they may try to charge you as as much as you would spend on a fabricating a counter out of a new slab if they did not do the original installation.