How Do I Select the Right Granite Color For My Countertops?

Selecting just the right granite for your kitchen is abut because they spent a lot of money on the
personal choice, however if you break it down logicallycabinetry they seem to want to match it. When you
the choice becomes less over whelming and a bitask them what color the floor, backsplash or walls
easier. I must admit that they are all so beautiful thatmight be it becomes obvious they are selecting one
sometimes it is just hard to decide.item at a time as opposed to seeing or envisioning a
1) What are the pros and cons of light vs.: dark colorfinished kitchen and working toward that vision.
granites?I recommend that you look at photos of finished
2) Should I go with tight grained or large formatkitchens that appeal to you and get ideas about the
patterns?look you want to create and start with a vision based
3) Should I match or contrast the cabinets, or theupon the size shape and amount of light you have in
backsplash, or the floor or the paint color.your kitchen and work with what you have to make
4) What material is the best choice?the most of the overall design. Start with a vision and
Granite, Marble, Quartz or Soapstonethen select the materials, textures and finishes to
Light vs. Dark color granitemake that be the end product. Remember that you
If your kitchen receives a lot of natural light, has bigare not selecting an x-mass tree for the next few
windows and the home is receiving direct southernweeks you are going to live with these choices of
exposure light into the kitchen you can get away withflooring, cabinetry, counters backsplash etc for
dark color stones more easily. If you lighting in limiteddecades to come.
and the kitchen is small a dark colored stone will makeTo make a kitchen pop, do not try to blend, try to
the kitchen feel smaller and darker.contrast and highlight the item that you want to be the
The choice is yours. There is no right and wrong butvisual centerpiece of your overall design. If all the items
consider the amount of light, the size of the kitchenare eye-popping they may fight for center stage. It is
and the existing or selected choice of cabinetry andalright to have the cabinets or backsplash be more
what you plan to do with your backsplash beforebackground and have the counter be the focal point or
falling in love with a countertop stone choice.visa versa. I wouldn't try to make every item
Tight grain vs. large format granite choicescommand attention.
The tight grained stone are typically inexpensive andTwo Tone counters and two different color cabinetry.
uniform. Large format patterns have veins and colorMy advice is, one or the other, but not both. I see
variation and are typically more expensive stonespectacular kitchens which have two different stone
choices. The size of your kitchen can make or breakcounter choices, one for the island and another color
the overall look.on the counters. I also see two different cabinet colors
A large format slab can be breathtaking but when cutand it is beautiful if done in moderation. Do not try to
into smaller pieces then installed in a smaller kitchen ithave too much going on it becomes visually
tends to loose some of the expansive beauty of theoverwhelming.
stone that is best shown off on large islands and visa-Material Choice, and the recommended usage
versa.-Granite Kitchen, bath, bar, laundry, inside or outside.
Match or contrast the Cabinetry-Marble Bath, Fireplace surround, furniture topper inside
I see many men come in to select granite and theyonly.
are fixated on matching the cabinetry as if they were-Quartz Kitchen, Bathroom, Bar, Inside only.
getting dressed for work in the morning and needed to-Soapstone Kitchen, Bath, Fireplace, Bar, Laundry, inside
match. They seem oblivious to the fact that theor outside.
cabinetry is not the only item with color in the kitchen