I loved Misty Carrera untill I saw it installed. The samples are ÃÂ very pretty soft gray, but the whole slabs look a bit blotchy, with darker spots. I think I have pictures from a showroom installation somewhere on my computer (that was in 2009!), I will try to get my hands on them if you want.

This post was edited by barthelemy on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 16:04

I agree with Barthelemy. I thought I was going to go with Misty Carrera until I saw it used in a huge display in a local appliance store where it did look awfully blotchy as Barthelemy says. I am now deciding between Frosty Carrina and London Grey but I hear you on not really wanting the marble lookalike with the veining and all. I have a large sample of London Grey sitting on an actual marble counter in our bathroom and it really looks an awful lot like the marble--I'm pretty impressed. Personally I keep gravitating towards the lighter Frosty Carrina, though.

Thanks for the feedback! I was afraid that on a bigger surface it would look dotted and splotchy. Does it look bad because it does NOT look like marble? Or does it look bad because it looks like polka dots?

Yes, @barthelemy if you have pictures I would love to see them. Wow, 2009!

I love London Grey but because I have little natural light (wooded lot), it is reading a bit too dingy in my space. If I had more windows it would be my choice I think. My lack of light is also why I am thinking the Raven will be too dark. I like the Frosty Carrina but it also ready maybe a bit too creamy for my taste. It is still a contender though. Again, hard to tell in here with such small samples.

It's difficult to get the feel of marble without looking like you are trying to copy it so I was hoping to find a soft warm light gray with a bit of color variation but little movement. As said, I am fine with no veining too. Considering getting samples of Silestone Yukon blanco or white north⦠but then I worry about looking too contemporary.

How does anyone ever decide?

Turns out I have only one photo, I now remember that my battery died while I was visiting this showroom !

The counters look better and whiter on photo than in real life. In real life the pattern really looked like gray ink drips (ÃÂ la Jackson Pollock).

In 2009 we picked Silestone Bianco Rivers (Yukon was another contender) which looked way better but now I'ld pick Silestone Lagoon (well, this was for my parents' kitchen; I picked marble for mine ...)

This post was edited by barthelemy on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 17:17

A closer view of the same photo as Gardenweb won't allow a high resolution image

This post was edited by barthelemy on Tue, Nov 12, 13 at 17:13

It does look very polkadotish with big splotches in your picture. Back to the drawing board!

lesmobo for what it's worth I have Raven in now but it will be coming out when I replace the cabinets so I have been debating on whether to replace it with the same, or go with one of the new colors - LG, PG or FC. I also have a sample of MC from when I was first looking.

After much thought and debate, I decided that both LG and MC looked a little dingy to me - at least in my kitchen. The PG, I decided, had too much veining (which I initially thought I would like), and FC was too much "white" with my white cabs. Sooooo ... I am sticking with the Raven. There is enough pattern in it to add interest but not make it too busy. I don't find it to be too dark, in fact the color and pattern seem to "soften" it a bit.

Have you looked at Pebble? It has the same soft patterning as Raven, Buttermilk and Organic White ... it's ligther than Raven and Concrete, but would provide more contrast than MC or even LG.

Keep in mind that if you are doing white cabinets, that will do a lot to brighten the space. Maybe Raven wouldn't be too dark afterall?

Thanks @BlackChamois. Have looked at Pebble and it oddly looks a little brown in here. May look at Organic White. I really like Raven. I think I might prime all my walls and see if that helps me visually lighten my space - then I can make a better countertop decision. Right now, the low light and my current wall/ceiling color are driving me insane. Am happy to get over my Misty Carrera though. I think I knew it was not right - but could not stop looking at it.
Happy you have your decision (again!). It will be lovely!

FWIW we just used Cambria Waverton in our master bath--I really like it in person--rather than the small sample. Here is a Houzz pic:

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Decatur Kitchen & Bath Designers CR Home Design K&B (Construction Resources)

Very pretty @christine40. I'll add to my list-- which is ever expanding and not narrowing. But it's good to explore all the options. Had not even heard of Cambria Waverton!

I was the opposite I didn't like it when I saw the same bit fell in love with the slab! Mine is not as pronounced as the ones above. Lg and fc read too cream whereas misty has true gray detail. And yes I like it because it wasn't pretending to be something it's not. Here are some pics from my iPhone will try and post some from my proper camera tomorrow!

Misty

Misty

Oh your kitchen is gorgeous! And your counters look more like my sample - such a nice subtle look. I have determined that I definitely have to find these slabs in person, some way some how, before I buy. I may have to travel a few hours but I can't buy from a random sample. Thanks so much for posting!

Thank you!!
I have a theory that it used to be darker and now they are making it lighter. I had some older samples of misty from the cabinet store and it was a shade darker with more pronounced grey detail. Then I went into the marble and granite place and got 2 more samples and they were lighter. It was there that I chose the slab, it was gorgeous!