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Countertop suggestions needed

andrea131
11 years ago

I am finally coming to the end of a very slow motion kitchen remodel. I have ordered my cabinets (Ikea Ramsjo black/brown) and the new tile floor has been set (16x16 travertine tiles set in a brick pattern). I am going to use Ikea's farmhouse sink and modify my sink cabinet in order to do an undermount installation.

My last big decision is countertop. While I like granite (kashmir white or bianco antico) my husband really likes quartz. I'm going to the stone yard later this week and would love some ideas to take with me. Any suggestions?

Thank you!

Comments (16)

  • LizPel12
    11 years ago

    We are considering the same cabinets with white macaubus quartzite counters.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Macaubus Quartzite on Houzz

  • andrea131
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    LizPel12 - I really like that but do you think it would match my floors? I'm afraid I have knocked any cooler toned counters out of contention with my flooring choice. I plan to take a cabinet door and floor tile with me to the stone yard so I will ask about it.

  • kitchenaddict
    11 years ago

    hi andrea..

    My cabinets are also a black/brown...I went with Delicatus White granite. I think it would go well with your flooring choice. It isn't a cool tone..

    Bianco Antico would also work...it was my second choice.

  • andrea131
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    kitchenaddict - I looked up your pictures and I love your kitchen. Beautiful. I will hopefully have samples on Saturday and I will repost my color choices then.

  • localeater
    11 years ago

    I love the colors of your flooring and cabinets. I agree with you about a warm toned countertop. But with just that limitation you have a world of choices. BA would be great, I think blue louise would be awesome and dramatic. Try to think about the overall look you want because your choices are still broad. Wild countertop and sedate backsplash or the opposite. A very calm quartz counter leaves room for a lot more drama in a backsplash, caeserstone dreamy marfil would be gorgeous in your space.

  • Sms
    11 years ago

    Seems like you are going to need to stay in a warm tone that ties the flooring and the cabinets together. You'll probably want to find a intermediate tone of brown. If you go quartz perhaps Caesarstone Wild Rice...

    Here is a link that might be useful: Caesarstone

  • islanddevil
    11 years ago

    I love quartzite,but most light ones I've come across are cooler tones, except perla madre which I love, but can't find in my area. That's a warm creamy light stone. I've seen a few great kitchens on this site that used it, but can't remember the owners! Anyone remember who used perla madre?

  • annac54
    11 years ago

    We put kashmir white in our condo remodel. After it was installed, it actually looked a cool toned gray with a slight greenish cast. It may have been just those slabs, but a different grantite may be a better choice with your cabs/flooring. I would get samples if possible and take it home to see how it looks with the other materials you have.

  • dilly_ny
    11 years ago

    How about Cambria Lincolnshire or Canterbury to pull in more brown and black tones? Windsor seems like it could work too. Just some ideas, I have no design expertise.

    In my experience, stone yards do not stock much quartz. I had to order a sample directly from Cambria to see a decent size piece (even though I ultimately chose granite). My local Ikea did have some larger quartz samples than other retailers.

  • andrea131
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thank you for all of the suggestions. The Perla Madre is beautiful - I'll see if its available in my area.

    Anna - I do plan to take samples home as I am worried about exactly what you described. Now that you mention it I can see how some of the Kashmir white might have a grey color to it, and that is exactly what I am trying to avoid. Thanks for the heads up.

    dilly - I have noticed the same thing about the stoneyards not stocking quartz. I was told by the person we may be purchasing from that they have granite slabs in house but for quartz I either have to choose from a small sample or go to the manufacturer. I hadn't considered Cambria - to be honest I had never heard of it. I do like how the Lincolnshire has the black in it.

    I am definately one of those people who do better with only two choices! It sure is easy to get bogged down in this decision...

  • Gracie
    11 years ago

    I paired a busy, warm colored floor tile with a quiet quartz--Caesarstone Buttermilk. Every quartz company has a quiet, warm pattern.

    Can you show us your floor installed? Floor tile influences the countertop even more than the cabinets do.

  • andrea131
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I cannot figure out how to post multiple pictures so I had to combine everything into one. The first picture is before grout and the other is as it looks right now. We have so much stuff moved around it is hard to get a good picture.

    I'm nervous about going with a granite with a strong pattern because I think there is a lot of patten in the floor.

    I'm also trying to decide if I want to do a waterfall counter on my peninsula (I have attached a picture of our final layout).

  • steph2000
    11 years ago

    I agree there is a lot of pattern in the floor. I like the idea of a quartz countertop that is calm and consistent, but echoes the colorway of the floor.

    I'm excited to see your IKEA kitchen! I so wish we had one up here in Anchorage.

  • andrea131
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Steph! I'll be sure to post pictures. I have learned so much from this forum. The salesperson at Ikea even mentioned she was impressed with how well though out my plan was!

  • nelle49
    11 years ago

    My floor looks a lot like yours, and our new Cambria Linwood counters look great. Linwood might not be the color for you, but I mention it because it has texture but looks close to solid. You'll find others quartz choices like that--one reason I couldn't deal with granite. Cambria has some that are even more consistently solid looking than Linwood. (By the way, the Linwood color samples found online look nothing like the real thing installed in our north-facing kitchen.)

  • amandapadgett
    11 years ago

    I just want to add that i love your floor. Our backsplash is Travertine and I have fallen in love with that stone now!