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gabbymommy

Granite Countertops - Napoli Photos (or Giallo Napoli)

GabbyMommy
13 years ago

POSTING PHOTOS THIS TIME AROUND! I will post more closeup pics of the granite in the next day or so. I hope someone finds this helpful! :)

This post is for ANYONE considering light colored granite countertops ~ Napoli in particular. I know there is also a Giallo Napoli but I am not sure if Napoli and Giallo Napoli are the same (although many pics on the net seem to show they may be very similar or even the same, but I am merely stating that I am not SURE if they are the same or subtlely different according to name). Let me ALSO say it took me six years to AFFORD granite countertop so I did NOT take this decision very lightly. The granite was on sale (reduced a couple or so dollars per square foot) and the cost was $1,785.00 for 42 square feet of countertop, including the sink and installation (the faucet is from Lowe's). My post is about Napoli granite though - it is absolutely beautiful and I do NOT regret it at all, BUT, let me just say, YOU SHOULD BE A FAN OF WINE/AMETHYST if you end up choosing this granite. At the warehouse where we chose our slab, the lighting was flourescent and poor (lighting was waaaaaaaaaay up in the rafters of a warehouse - and I found MOST granite shops to have very poor lighting unless outside - they do usually offer a free sample for you to view in any lighting)- the granite looked like coffee brown splashes and we saw no amethyst whatsoever in the warehouse lighting. We took a nice-sized sample with us and looked at it out in the daylight - I did notice ONE small deep, deep wine spot that literally went from a dark chocolate to a very deep wine color, but it was a tiny, tiny spot and no more showed up on the 5"x5" sample. Once the granite was cut, delivered and installed, the amethyst was PROMINENT (and mesmerizingly beautiful). I might not have chosen this particular granite if I was aware of how much wine/amethyst was in the stone and that would've been a mistake, I think. Once it was installed and down on the cabinetry I realized how much wine/amethyst was in the granite and it took me a day or two to absolutely fall in love with it. The colors in the granite absolutely changed with the time of day. The best way I can describe it is 'chocolatey spotting/markings that mysteriously turns to wine/amethyst depending on the lighting'. At night, under our flourescent kitchen lighting (mixed with 'natural' lamp lighting and a couple of pendant lights), the wine/amethyst is fairly prominent, along with many, many chocolatey, rust, steel greys and pearl markings and spots. In the natural daylight/sunlight that pours into my kitchen - the granite is absolutely amazing - wine/amethyst with very little chocolate. I am going to continue with the plan of painting with the Olympus Pony Tail color (a very warm puddn'ny taupe) in the kitchen as there are tons of rusts, browns, creams, pearls, greys, steels and blacks accented by the chocolatey/wine/amethyst markings. As soon as I figure out how to post photos, I will. I love it and think I might not have chosen it because of all the wine/amethyst if I had seen someone else's detailed photos and am glad it worked out the way that it did - I might not have chosen it and I can't imagine now being without it. I fell in love with it almost immediately once it was installed. I loved it at the warehouse and then loved it differently once it was installed. I have a white kitchen and DO NOT plan to accent with any color (and certainly not amethyst!) as the countertop has a good bit of movement and color to it even though it is not a countertop granite that usually has much movement at all. I will try to find a way to upload pictures. I have fabulous close-up pics of the granite that I am GLAD weren't available on the net for me to see prior to choosing this granite - or I might not have chosen it. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Updates (countertop/reface cabinets)

Comments (4)

  • gmp3
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have Santa Cecilia Napoli, and it looks similar to your countertop. I was told the dark red chunks are garnets.

  • GabbyMommy
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Gmp3: Thanks for the reply - great to know! I knew they HAD to be a gemstone because of the size (dime-sized to nickel-sized) and because of their striking deep tone/color.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Garnet/Amethyst chunk in granite countertop

  • mjayers_msn_com
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I was so glad to find your post -- having brought home a slab of the Giallo Napoli yesterday. Upon closer inspection, you are right about the wine color. In the store it looked chocolate. There is something about the granite that I love, and I hope I am making the right choice. I have oak cabinets, and for now, almond appliances. Hubby has agreed to replace the floor, but I am going to have to work on those stainless appliances. If you don't mind my asking -- what color of flooring were you thinking about to compliment the granite? I have a hard time choosing, I must admit. Thanks! MJ

  • GabbyMommy
    Original Author
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mary Jane - Glad you found my post about the wine/chocolate in the Napoli granite. I hope it helped. You could choose the Napoli and still go with chocolates/creams/whites/rusts/steely grays. My cabs are white, stainless appliances, napoli granite, brushed nickel hardware, latte/chocolate/beige flooring, rust/brown pendant lighting. Have you posted any pics of your remodel? I am absolutely glad I didn't see the wine in the granite at the granite shop - I might not have chosen the granite. My kitchen sort of flows into my den - we have peeled the fruit wallpaper and have painted the walls the same as the den - Olympic Pony Tail is the color. I still haven't chosen a floor yet, but am hoping to be able to afford a mid-grade vinyl sheet flooring next month. I really would like to get the chocolate/latte colored SnapStone and have a nice tile floor - it's about $5-$6 per square foot I think (maybe a fuzz more). Congoleum and Armstrong both have some really nice sheet (luxury and regular) flooring that I am looking at too. My kitchen hasn't gotten much further than the pics I have posted - we did finish painting the walls and I have found curtains (we have a harsh beating summer sun through double windows so I chose some insulated curtains). I am not totally sold on curtains and may get the fruitwood lined blinds at Lowe's for like $35 each. Lots of unfinished decisions. :)

    Once we get the cabinets painted and the flooring down, I will upload more pics. I want something medium-dark so that I am not cleaning every day and I want something that doesn't draw the eye down - the granite deserves to steal the show. What is down currently is just rental grade green marbled looking vinyl - I hate it other than it is dark and doesn't show dirt AT ALL. Our house is an old brick ranch and has oak floors throughout - I have even thought about just finishing out the kitchen in the oak flooring. It is a little darker than the honey oak color you have. Regarding the stainless appliances - I think it took about 18 months for us to finally purchase them all. I bought one every few months depending on sales and discounts ~ they are all stainless and the handles all match, but the brands are different and not from the same line. I used to care about everything being perfect years ago ~ but now I'm just glad to buy something practical and what I like since I have learned that is more important than a matching suit of brand name appliances. :) I will post more pics soon. Best of luck to you! :)

    Here is a link that might be useful: SnapStone ($5 - $6 square foot - DIY installation)

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