As I said, we have oak as well and we put the granite on them without really thinking it thru. They're in really good condition and good quality, the grain and coloring aren't near as strong as some of the others I've seen but in retrospect, if I had a do over, I may have waited.

You can always change the doors and/or paint them, but once you put that granite on, you're pretty much stuck with the boxes. My point is, be sure at this point that you are going to be keeping them for a very long time before you make the investment.

If you're not sure, I would go with a granite looking laminate. The costs are a lot more affordable and they have one that is almost identical to the the lighter granite you're considering.

The promotion will run from 2/3/12 � 3/30/12. The colors on promotion will be:

- Silver Lake
- Solar Canyon
- Kilauea
- Bourbon

Have you considered butcher block? It's even cheaper, and you can install it yourself if you own a saw.

Renee

Then, eventually, I've realized that they show EVERY crumb and EVERY little water spot. Drop one Cheerio and the whole kitchen looks filthy.

I know now that I'd never install them, given the choice.

The other really important issue to consider is fabricating & the install. Lowe's and HD contract with outside fabricators who have bid the lowest price for the job. On top of that, they pay Lowe's a brokering fee (of sorts) to find them what I refer to as low maintenance customers. By that I mean they don’t have to deal with you. The yards are either quite a ways away or they don’t allow customers to come to the site. You’ll essentially be waiving the opportunity to choose the slab you want or the fabricator who will do the job. I've heard that a lot of times those granite yards will either use the slabs no one else wants or a slab that has a lot of fissures or anomalies in it. Fissures or anomalies aren't necessarily bad, we had them keep the anomalies that were in our stone. One is fairly large, looks like the milky way and sits in the middle of our peninsula, we like it, but most people prefer not to have them. You also will have very little control over the measuring, cutting and installation as a whole. I'm not saying ALL Lowe's/HD installs are bad but what I am saying is you definitely run a higher risk of experiencing problems. Just Google Lowe’s and HD granite install reviews/ratings and read.

Granite isn't like laminate and it's crucial to have experienced people who know what they are doing. Good fabricators are worth their weight in gold and generally stay busy by word of mouth alone; they don't need to negotiate their prices in order to get work from Lowe's or Home Depot. You need a fabricator who is going to know the best spot to make any needed cuts and you want someone who can install it with seams that are flawless and smooth which is not easy. If you think I'm exaggerating, please go to the kitchen forum and read about the many different issues others have run into because of a bad a install or fabricating job. It’s really a bummer when it happens.

The bottom line is, you do get what you pay for and by just going with the cheapest company available you have to know they will be cutting corners anyway they can and your installation could very well suffer for it. I would also make sure that the cost psf at Lowe's includes the edges, sink and faucet holes. Usually, charges for the edges are separate and the sink & faucet cuts are free but I think the Big Box stores may charge for those as well.

I'm really not trying to rain on your parade, but reading your posts gives me the impression that you really don't understand that there are some important factors to consider, Granite is not cheap and while it's great to be sure you get the most bang for your buck, you also want to be sure you pay what's needed to get the best people for the job as well.

I have priced out granite at a local wholesaler. They sent the bid to a contractor we have used in the past. The local price was very steep. Their quartz prices started out so high that I didn't even ask for a bid.

That said, have you considered the butcher block counters like someone else suggested? Now if I had knows about them, I would have definitely considered them as an option. They are gorgeous. A year or so ago, someone did a kitchen redo using them and it turned out amazing. The butcher block at Ikea (for example) is super affordable and gorgeous. It really is an option you should consider as well. They are much easier to install, wear really well and would look good with any cabinet option you choose. I was amazed at the value when I heard how much they cost.

trielders, when you go to pick out your granite from a stone fabricator and installation facility, they have the slabs right there and you pick the one you want. There can be a lot of variation from slab to slab, even in the same "pattern" (not sure if that is the right term).

We used Alpha Granite in Austin, because we live there. I'm sure you can find some place near you.

trielders, if you do like movement, I wanted to say that when we picked out our slab it looked like the wavy part was just in one corner, so we thought we'd have that in a corner of the island, and then later when it was actually measured we were amazed to see that the waves would occur pretty much over the whole island; it was a lovely surprise. Just to say if you pick a piece you like that does have variation do give a thought to where that will occur when it's cut, and don't discount slabs that at first glance look like they don't have variation in one area. Our quieter perimeter counters and wavy island are just right for us. Good luck!

Our cabinets are just like Susanka's with less grain and a more yellow tone to them. Our granite is Verde Peacock which is almost identical to the Uba Tuba in coloring only it has larger pieces of mica in it and those tend to have a blue tone to them. Ours has a lot of caramel mixed in it too which I really like. I know that some people say the darker granite is harder to maintain. I have a lighter granite upstairs in our master bath and don't find much difference between the two. The shine in them makes it so anything is going to show up in the reflections. I think the black or darker color gives a nice pop to the room and I like how it looks, I think with granite it's really hard to go wrong though.

BTW, beautiful granite Susanka!

I am going to keep on looking to see what is out there.
lukkiirish-I don't plan to have the 4 in. backsplash. I would like to do a backsplash up to cabs.

Thanks for all the great posts. I appreciate all the advice from all so much!! Such talent on this Board!