How to Choose Cabinetry that Compliments Your Countertops

The questions of how to choose cabinetry and countertops that compliment one another is one we encounter often here at Granite & Marble Specialties. With so many options for both styles, it can be a daunting task, especially when these are two of the most expensive items in a kitchen! Many homeowners are afraid that they’ll select a combination that looks bad—either the colors or textures are too similar, too different, or simply don’t work together. Because you want to choose cabinetry and countertops that you’ll be happy with for many years to come, picking ones that work well together is of paramount importance!

Here are a few tips for how you can make a great choice that will bring you lasting enjoyment.

Starting from Scratch?

• If you’re doing a complete kitchen remodel, or perhaps building your own home, you’re in a great position to create the perfect kitchen design! When there are no preexisting colors or materials to work around, the only constraint on the possibilities is your imagination. If you can choose your cabinetry and countertops at the same time, and ideally from the same showroom, you’ll be able to compare the wood to your slab in real life before buying. If you come into the Granite & Marble Specialties showroom in either Kent or Seattle, we’ll not only be able to walk you through our collection of stone, but also show you any of our cabinetry options simultaneously! Working with one fabricator for both not only helps you make a better informed decision, but you can also rest easy knowing that we are very familiar with all the designs and materials we suggest, and will be able to streamline and coordinate a beautiful installation of both.

Not Starting from Scratch?

• Bring in a cabinet door! If you already have cabinetry you’re very happy with and you’re simply remodeling your countertops, unscrew and bring in one of your cabinet doors when you visit our showroom. Taking a picture is not a reliable way of judging the colors together because, depending on the type or quality of light, or even the settings of your camera, you can never ensure that your photo is a true match for the real shade of the wood.

Balance the Light and Dark

• When it comes to design, one rule of thumb is to balance dark cabinets (like cherry or mahogany) with a light granite, or dark granites with lighter cabinetry. If your granite has flecks or veins of an accent color, you can match your cabinets to that accent to achieve a contrasting yet complimentary shade. For example, if you have a light granite in mind for your countertops, choose cabinetry that matches or closely evokes the dark flecks or streaks. If you’re working with a dark granite that has white flecks, perhaps you should choose white cabinetry.

Trying to Match?

• This isn’t a hard and fast rule, of course—it can make a kitchen look stunning and full of light to choose white-on-white for both, or austere and impressive to choose two dark colors. If you want your cabinetry and countertops to match, however, there are two important things to remember. Firstly, consider the color of your walls and floor—don’t let the room overpower itself. But remember, repainting is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to change the tone of a room! Secondly, if you want your countertops and cabinetry to match, let an expert help you pick out the slab or cabinet colors! A near-match that’s just a little off might wind up driving you crazy.

Getting Colorful

• If you want to experiment with colors, be very careful when selecting your slab or cabinetry. There are many nuanced hues within granite, and you’ll often be drawn to a slab that has greens, reds, burnt oranges, blues, or yellows. The right cabinetry choice can make the color in your granite pop, but it varies from slab to slab, and though there are guidelines there are no rules. For example, green granites go very well with dark brown cabinetry, but our Mombasa, which has creamy yellow undertones, looks even better with pale cabinets. Blue granites are classically paired with white cabinets, although our Blue Louisa, with streaks of yellow, compliments a light beige countertop even better. You have to just play around and—most importantly—get some good advice!

If you have more questions, or perhaps you’d like to see some examples, we encourage you to come by our showroom in either Kent or Seattle to look around and discuss your ideas! Or use our contact form to get a competitive quote and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours!