Here's a picture of the Granola Corian. I can't figure out how to get more than one picture into the post from my iPhone.

If you like the movement of rain loud but want something warmer look at witch hazel and sandalwood. They both have the same flowy type movement as the rain cloud but in warmer creams and tans. I'm not a big fan of the granola, I think all the small specks over a large area look too much like a public restroom counter.

Have you considered something in the darker range? Maybe a darker color would look great with the cabs and floor?

Chrissyb - I agree with you about the granola. I was very disappointed when I got the sample. I really like the witch hazel. To be honest, the reason I was looking at the Rain Cloud was that I have a chance to get it at a very good price. I really like it in pictures I've seen, but I don't think it's right for my kitchen. I think I will order samples of both the witch hazel and sandalwood.

Deedles - I have considered something darker and got some samples, but I really like the lighter colors better.

Thanks for your input. I live in a rural area, and there are not any convenient showrooms to see things in person.

Mystera has some SS colors that have movement, so I may look at those, too. I think I'll do a separate post to see if anyone has used Mystera SS in their kitchen.

I went to look at my rain cloud sample but I think that I gave it away. Do you have one? Is it just shades of gray and white, or is there some tan in it? pictures of it online are hard to see detail. If there is some tan or beige then I think it will work, unless you just don't like the dominant cooler grey tone. I also like a whitish counter with most all types of wood stain cabinets

I agree that I love the movement in Rain Cloud, Witch Hazel, Burled Beach and the Martha Stewart branded Sea Salt; and I don't like the speckled colors like Granola.

What about something in a grey to provide some contrast with your cabinets & floors and to complement your stainless. These cabinets & floor are lighter than yours.
I like your cabinets, beautiful wood, especially your hood.

Another grey. You might like something lighter than this one, plus the backsplash makes the countertop appear green.

Here's rain cloud in a kitchen that looks similar color wise to yours. I think it looks washed out.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/dupont-corian-rain-cloud-traditional-kitchen-new-york-phvw-vp~995553-Corian---Rain-Cloud-traditional-kitchen-new-york

As to price I hear you. Solid surfacing was my first choice. I loved the colors with flowy, movement but they were out of our price range. We picked a more speckled color, then when templeting happened there were so many undisclosed costs the price almost doubled. We ended going with lg quartz. In hind site I'm glad it didn't work out. Now I am noticing public restrooms all have speckled solid surfacing in shades of beige and white, and I can no longer imagine that in my kitchen! For what it's worth my cabinets are a similar color maple, here's my counter with the quartz, it's a light color with gray undertones and I think the color works great.

How far would you have to drive to see larger samples? I would hate to make such a big decision seeing such a small sample. Has the fabricator/installer done work in your area that you could look at? Even if the color was not the same you would get an idea of what it looks like in a larger area. Maybe there is a road trip in your future! Good luck with your choice. I know how it feels to agonize over each decision. BTW your kitchen is beautiful so far!

Chrissyb, I agree that in the houzz example the walls need to be a color to look right (in fact, I really like your wall color, what is it?) Otherwise, though, the counter looks fine with the cabinets I think. Witchhazel would definitely be a warmer choice and pretty.

For a while there, I was in love with Burled Beach based on the little sample. I saw a large display of it in a big box store, and still liked it, but it was much greener there than the sample conveyed. So it is good to see at least pictures of a full counter if you can't get a large sample piece.

Totally different color cabinets, but 1929Spanish used Rain Cloud in her kitchen in case you needed to see it on a larger scale.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rain Cloud

Chrissyb, as you can see from this additional photo I have attached, your cabinet color, floors, and black appliances are almost just like mine. And I do like your countertop.

Romy, I really like the grey in the first picture that you posted. I had never even considered grey for my kitchen. I'll have to think about it.

As for our budget, we are remodeling on a shoestring. We hadn't planned on remodeling until next year, but then I saw the cabinets on eBay and we really liked them. I spent weeks planning a design to be able to use the cabinets in our space. Now we have spent more $$'s than planned because of the time needed to make changes to the cabinets (such as changing finished ends, making a wine cabinet into open shelving, making a plate rack I wanted, etc.). I was really nervous about how the cabinet design would look without the assistance of a KD and CAD drawings, but we are really happy with how it's turned out!

We knew the countertop would probably be the most expensive part of the remodel. Unfortunately, we cannot afford Corian countertops from the private collection. But then I saw the Rain Cloud, as well as Burled Beach and Sonora, on solidsurface.com for about $500/slab with free shipping. I really wanted one of them to work! By the way, raee, the Rain Cloud doesn't have any tan undertones in it, and I do think it might look washed out in our kitchen.

Oh, well, back to the drawing board...you all have given me some good ideas. I love this website and Houzz.

Oh, in case you are wondering about the bottom oven in the picture, the installers dropped it, and the outside glass shattered! It's an old oven, but a really nice Thermador we bought along with the cabinets.

Raee, the wall color is actually a Martha Stewart color called garden shed, I'm really pleased with how the kitchen is coming along :)

Ckelly48, have you looked into fabrication costs for those cordial slabs? I think you might find that changes things a little bit. And I understand about remodeling in a budget. My whole kitchen budget was less than most of the appliance budgets I see here in GW. But we made it work. I would suggesting going to a local fabricator and the big box stores and see what you get. Are you set on solid surface? Both hd and lowes run specials on certain colors. There is a Formica brand solid surface color I saw at lowes that had a similar feel as rain loud but the dark parts were darker and more contrasting. If you are leaning twits solid surface soley based on its budget price I would rethink. It's not really that much cheaper than granite and some quartz products once you add up all the costs.

Also, I think if you really don't have the budget for the counters you love, I wouldn't settle. I would maybe choose a laminate you could live with a couple of years, and save your pennies for what you really want.

The problem with buying a slab from solidsurface.com is that you have to find someone to fabricate it for you. That is VERY hard to do. No one I talked to wanted to work on a slab obtained elsewhere. Unless, you have tools and skills and could do it yourself.

Lowes has dropped their prices on their solid surface brands a lot, so you might find something there. Menards has regular sales, too. Some independent fabricators sell "off-brands" that are very reasonable too (my cabinetmaker does, for example).

Around here you can get granite installed for $35-39 sq. ft.

Another option that I had recommended to me (but didn't look into) for a budget counter was Granite Transitions. I guess their product is a crushed stone/acrylic type blend. Doesn't sound like you would have a franchise nearby, though.

Thanks Chrissyb, I am going to get a sample of GardenShed. It takes me in a slightly different direction but the colors I had been looking at just aren't quite right.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I had called around to see if any local countertop fabricators would fabricate slabs purchased else where and the two I talked with both said they would, but I hadn't gotten a price yet. I was to send them a copy of my kitchen design for them to give me an estimate, but I hadn't done that yet. They may be outrageous on the fabrication costs, since I didn't buy through them.

At this point, I'm going to try to take a break - I've been obsessing over this
- and then look again at my options. I hadn't chosen SS based on cost -
because I'm pretty sure I could get granite cheaper around here - but
because I like it for other reasons.

I need to do what countryatheart suggested and just get out and see my options. Raee, you have some good suggestions. Chrissyb, we are seniors and this will probably be our last kitchen. I need to be happy with our choice now, because we won't be replacing it down the road, and we don't "plan" on ever moving! But, who knows, right?

Thanks for all your suggestions. I had called around to see if any local countertop fabricators would fabricate slabs purchased else where and the two I talked with both said they would, but I hadn't gotten a price yet. I was to send them a copy of my kitchen design for them to give me an estimate, but I hadn't done that yet. They may be outrageous on the fabrication costs, since I didn't buy through them.

At this point, I'm going to try to take a break - I've been obsessing over this
- and then look again at my options. I hadn't chosen SS based on cost -
because I'm pretty sure I could get granite cheaper around here - but
because I like it for other reasons.

I need to do what countryatheart suggested and just get out and see my options. Raee, you have some good suggestions. Chrissyb, we are seniors and this will probably be our last kitchen. I need to be happy with our choice now, because we won't be replacing it down the road, and we don't "plan" on ever moving! But, who knows, right?

Ckelly48, I really liked ss for lots of reasons too. But once the cost escalated, and I factored in wear and tear from my 2 kids I decided on Quartz. I still love ss, particularly the colors with flow, not so much the speckled colors. I would check out prices at lowes and Home Depot, they sometimes run specials on the nicer colors or throw in free sinks etc. just watch out for lowes, their sales tactic here seems to be quote you a price, then jack it up with all the "extras". Good luck!