Costa Esmeralda is a beautiful granite. Yes, it is green. IMHO I don't think that this choice would be a deal breaker when selling your home.
And, not everyone likes soapstone!
Any design feature is a matter of personal taste.

I saw some really green granite paired with white cabinets at a house a contractor friend was working on and as soon as I laid eyes on it I said, "Whenever I redo my kitchen I am getting that green granite!" It was stunning and looked fantastic paired with those white cabinets!

Fast forward a couple of years when I did actually redo my kitchen and I still hadn't forgotten that green granite. I'm not sure exactly what it was, but it may have been Costa Esmeralda. It had gorgeous veining and it was very, very green. While we didn't go with that stone (I didn't see any like it at the slab yards), we did fall in love with another, very different green (seafoam) that looks lovely with our natural cherry cabinets. I LOVE it and never get tired of it. Even my anti-granite sister is a fan. I don't think of it as a "color" really ... it reminds me of being out in nature. After all, green is the color of grass and trees, so I see it as "natural neutral."

Had we gone with white cabinets, I might have kept on searching for that other elusive green. If the Costa Esmeralda is what you love, go for it ... at least you'll enjoy the heck out of it for the next three years. Regarding resale, I can't even imagine a buyer being "turned off" by it!

Like jellytoast, we went with seafoam green. Costa Esmerelda was our 2nd choice if we couldn't find slabs we liked. It should look lovely with white cabinets. There are plenty of examples if you look for them. That color looks so fresh and natural. If you like it, go for it.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Hold out for what you love. And yes, green granite would be a tear out for me. I'd make you pay for it, and it's replacement in my offer.

I think people who love/appreciate granite will see something like a beautiful CE it will be a selling feature! The other people who don't really have any clue will just be the typical HGTV 'oh, it's granite!' people and likely not care.

And any realtor worth their salt will be able to say to buyers, "Granite has really come down in cost. If you don't like the color it's easy to replace."

If would be a turnoff for me if I was considering purchasing the house. But soapstone may be a turnoff for another person. Nothing will please every potential purchaser. So, get what YOU like, within reason.

Thanks, interesting comments. I guess soapstone would be a turnoff for some also. I would love to know what those of you who do not like green would (or have) put in your own kitchens. Just curious what the prevailing preferences are these days.

The natural neutral comment was appreciated because the kitchen is U shaped with the fourth wall being all windows overlooking a jungle like, palm trees, etc. back yard; the colors are indeed similar.

" ... The natural neutral comment was appreciated because the kitchen is U shaped with the fourth wall being all windows overlooking a jungle like, palm trees, etc. back yard; the colors are indeed similar."

Okay, now you almost HAVE to get it!!!!

:-)

Cindy 103d makes a good point ... you can't please every potential buyer so you may as well make yourself happy.

If you are only going to be there for 3 years I would go with something that appeals to more people. I personally wouldn't buy a house if I didn't like the granite, unless I was buying the house as a "fixer". If you were selling in 10+ years I would say go with whatever, but 3 years is not that long.

Anna, I just clicked on your link. That looks absolutely gorgeous. Now I am once again pining for that "other" kitchen. Maybe in my next house! You're so right ... it looks fresh and natural!

Here are a few pics of the green granite that we picked out. I like it. But everyone has their own taste. . .

But that's exactly, the point - not everyone wants their kitchen to look like a jungle. I would choose a neutral color for anything permanent and paint the walls any color green you like. If re-sale is a consideration, choose marble or quartzite with whites and greys.

And I would hate a kitchen with marble. And I'm a stone lover/appreciator and it's beautiful, but I know I couldn't handle the etching/staining. I also don't favor the 'neutral' granites like black galaxy, giallo anything, etc. I also dislike quartz.

I would never not put an offer on a perfect house b/c of marble or a boring granite or quartz, though. It's just too easy to change. That just seems silly to me - turn key or not, generally someone isn't going to love every.single.thing about your home.

The layout and the cabinets are the most expensive part to correct/replace. Get what you love in the granite and don't worry about it! :)

Green is my favorite color and the CE is very lovely indeed. That being said, I would not choose it for a counter. At one point I would have, but for me, I now realize how much influence a counter has on the overall kitchen experience.

However, I would not reject a house because of a green counter or a purple/orange one either if that was the only thing I didn't like about it. It's not like being on a busy street or having a poor layout or not enough natural light.

If I were selling in a couple of years (which can go by quickly), I might settle for something more neutral. Or maybe the next buyer will only consider a house that has green counters. You can't foretell the future.

It's impossible to predict what's going to have the best resale value for your house. There are many buyers that are going to just appreciate a fully updated kitchen and not be concerned with the color. There are some who hate soapstone, there are some who hate green, there are some who would never in a million years put marble on their counters. Others have never heard of Quartz and only think granite is king. You can't please everyone. It's a beautiful stone, and if it looks good in your scheme, go for it!

They don't have to like everything about the house, but many people look at changing the granite as a big expensive project. It's not like changing a light light fixture. Again I would pick something that would appeal to more potential buyers.

I agree with teachertile--people would perceive changing a granite countertop as a huge expense. I think the fabricator gave you good advice and I might even ask him to give you some popular options and choose one of them. I would not buy a house with green granite (too color specific and not a fan) or soapstone (too soft). In fact, a buyer might prefer formica. I know I could convince my DH to change our formica counters, but he would never go for changing a granite to another granite.
If I were the buyer, I would still buy the house, but factor the cost into the offer.

I have green serpentine countertops. It is a very dark green with white veining. It almost looks like soapstone (which can be very green) from a distance. I don't think a countertop would keep me from buying a house that was perfect in every other way.

Kalapointer, your kitchen is gorgeous!!! That does not read green to me, it reads rich:)
I still think if I was selling in three years, I would go neutral. I love my blue pearl granite, but I would never have chosen that if I was selling in three years. Many people (including some of my honest friends:) don't like dark countertops.

I'm curious as to what people generally consider "neutral." Many granites are a mix of colors ... browns, blacks, greys, rusts, golds, etc. ... evens spots of red and burgundy. I would think that choosing a "neutral" granite that would appeal to the masses would be a tough job. Every color in the garden looks great against a backdrop of greenery, so why wouldn't that be considered as "neutral" as beige or white? What IS considered a neutral stone?

If you surely are only going to be there 3 years, be practical, get a less expensive and standard granite.

I love the CE you showed. My granite was green-grey, which I loved (Verde Lavras) (until the fabricator put enhancing sealer on it despite my instructions not to). He told me that the green granites were very "80's" ie not popular now...but I like it, and plan to be here for a long time!

I think a "popular" stone would appeal to most people. Something like NVG or SC. Something that doesn't have a lot of movement. So if the buyers didn't love the granite it's not like it's an overpowering element of the entire kitchen picture.

I would ask the fabricator for recommendations. They see lots of customers and know what might appeal to a larger population of people. I know you can't please everyone. Most neutrals might have shades of light beige or brown and my DH dislikes both. However, I don't think he is typical:)

And then there is the love it or hate it granite known as Waterfall or Gaughin! We have a 200 year old log cabin attached to our house, so when it comes to resale, our house is not for everyone anyway.

LOL. I guess i haven't hung around here long enough to know all the granite abbreviations. What are NVG and SC?

I think that advising someone to go with the most "economical" choice is better advice than telling someone to go with the "safe" choice. Since "safe" or "neutral" can mean different things to so many different people. Whatever is in the "A" or cheapest category in your market is probably what's most popular in your area as well. Your granite yard can tell you.

That's good advice chiefy76 ... then if a buyer isn't in love with the granite, at least they won't have to feel bad about tearing out something expensive and replacing it. And a new buyer won't be tempted to tell the seller that they don't like the current expensive granite, but want it replaced with something of like quality on the sellers dime.

I;d take green granite over soapstone in a heart beat. Would also choose it over most yellowish, rusty or pinkish browns...well any brownish stone.

Another green lover here - We updated our 2001 kitchen in May 2013 - kept our custom made excellent quality maple cabinets and our Pergo floating vinyl tile floor. Got new SS appliances, sink, faucet and replaced the
crystal white laminate countertop and taupe/almond ceramic tile backsplash with desert green granite and pale green textured glass subway tiles, using an almond grout.
Everyone who comes in loves our kitchen - and we do too.
I am not planning to move for at least 5 years, but I don't think that for us, would have altered our decision about the "green".

Ooooh, Caya, that looks gorgeous!

Thanks jellytoast - we are very happy with it. As an aside, I am a 7 year breast cancer survivor, my DH is an 8 year brain aneurysm survivor - after suffering those life threatening experiences within 9 months of each other, I tend to view things a bit more selfishly - as in, I want what I want, and if it is doable, DO IT and please yourself.

Here is some pics of the Costa Esmeralda from my kitchen...

Another shot close up

It is really hard to choose when you have your eye on resale. But it is your home and you will be living there for some time, so I would choose what you love and not settle for something that might appeal to more buyers down the road. You really have no idea what is going to appeal to potential buyers! As mentioned above, most buyers are not as savvy or knowledgable as the TKO posters here, it will just be on the list of "wants": granite, check! And more savvy buyers may actually prefer something other than New Venetian Gold, Santa Cecilia or other common, neutral granites, which are now considered "builder grade", especially in certain neighborhoods. On GW, one certain look is quite popular, but if I were looking to buy a home, I would be turned off by the marble/quartzite/white/gray advised upthread. The kitchens are gorgeous, but not something I could live with every day. It would not keep me from buying a house I loved, but it would be first on my list to renovate.

And I think a lot depends on your area also. A home with a beautiful, newly remodeled kitchen, natural cherry cabinets with soapstone countertops and black appliances, sold on our street last year. The new owners ripped it out and put in in maple cabinets with Giallo Ornamental granite and stainless steel appliances. They had moved down here from up north and wanted a lighter, airy feel. Everyone has their own tastes, a good real estate agent will point out how easy and inexpensive it is to change out granite these days if a potential buyer really dislikes the granite you choose. In my area, you can get common granites installed for $25 sg ft, so not a huge expense if someone loves everything else about the home.

This post was edited by fishymom on Tue, Apr 8, 14 at 6:35

That is gorgeous! I really do love the costa esmeralda, we wound up choosing the ss though. The KD and I compared samples with the white cabinets and found the ss looked better in the light here. If I had wood toned cabs there would not have been any question. I just did not want any of the brown tones, there seems to be so much of that out there. I like that nothing can stain ss and that I can sand it down if I get a scratch and, at this point, I have decided not to worry about if a buyer would like it or not. LOL

There are two things I've learned in my years of homeownership and house renovating.
#1 - You have no idea really what the future will bring. The "forever" house you buy or renovate planning to grow old in has to be sold in 5 years due to life circumstances. You find yourself 20 years later in the house you planned to be in for 5 years.

#2 - What is good for resale is never totally predictable. The orange handprinted wallpaper the realtor told you to get rid of is the item that convinced the buyers to buy. The safe Venetian Gold granite on the counters gets ripped out immediately by the new buyers.

So IMHO go with what you want. If it were me, I'd be all over that green in a heartbeat.

Hi,
Go to the post dated 4/6/14 titled "aqua grantique source?" By metrowmn. This stone is beautiful and looks like soapstone. I may have selected it had I known about in time for my granite installation.
MJ

@AnnaC54 ~the (âÂÂ¥Ansley Park) photo you linked would make me want to buy that house!!! I love how that green granite looks in their white kitchen. Yummy!

I love Costa Esmeralda and think it looks great with white cabinets.

Our first kitchen had cherry cabinets and green granite (Verde Andeer) counters that we enjoyed for 5 years. We received 2 offers the first week that house was listed for sale. (Those counters were so low maintenance -- they never looked stained or dirty.)

Green counters may turn off some buyers, but others may love it. We looked at so many houses, and I was so bored seeing kitchen after kitchen with speckled granite counters in "neutral" shades of brown and gold. Personally, I like counters with some wow factor in either color, movement or both, especially with a very neutral backdrop like white shaker cabinets.

" In my area, you can get common granites installed for $25 sg ft, so not a huge expense if someone loves everything else about the home."

This is truly frightening. A decade or so ago, I used to get $22.00 psf for templating, fabricating, and installing solid surface, no material. Back then I got $25.00 psf for templating and installing estone only, no material or fabrication.

I will work at the Wendy's drive-thru window before I'll put stone tops in a home for $25.00 psf. Ever.