Granite Kitchen Countertops 1+1 = ?
Here's an interesting question about a countertop from Meg...
"I have a dark green granite table that I am moving into a new house. It matches my current kitchen counter. The kitchen counter in the new house, although not yet chosen, will NOT match the uba tuba granite of the table. Should I sell this table? How can I incorporate a table with a different granite from my counter into my new decor?
My first reaction is that it appears to be assumed that you will be selecting another GRANITE countertop. It also assumes that you can't have enough granite, that you really love it. If that is the case, you are entering an advanced countertop selection process zone! Blending two granites is possible, but must be done with great care.
The easy way, of course, is to pair Uba Tuba with a Black Impala, a solid black granite. Easy, done, perfect. But, what if you don't like black?
Then, you must begin to be aware of two things: color and grain pattern.
Color, that's easy. I'd recommend looking for a granite with a very different color. Too close to what you have, and the grain patterns can get confusing. At least the color is a start at differentiating your countertops...successfully.
Pattern is a different issue. Granites have such a variety of patterns. Some granites have movement, some have large chips of pattern, some have tight grain. A very tightly grained granite can have a more contemporary look in many cases. That said, how far apart your granites are will also be a factor in what goes with what and why. In general, be aware that the overall effect will be more busy, than more calm and simple,due to the expanses of grain.
In the upper most image, the raised, light, countertop, has a more distinct grain pattern. The lower, darker, surface, has a somewhat tighter grain pattern, but not super tight. Beyond this image, across from the island the countertop is dark, surrounding the cooktop and it is light surrounding the main sink area.
That all said, above, forget everything I said. Sometimes, in a rare occasion, you can find two granites in a similar color which simply work together. I wish I had better images, but this project is a great example. Although the island looks busy too, in real life, the island looks quite consistent and the perimeter granite looks substantially more strongly patterned, and they work well together. It was important to my client to have an interesting granite pattern on the island, not just something with very tight grain, and with lots of time spent looking, we found the right combination.
Of course, Meg, you may want to consider an alternative, more quiet, surface, other than granite, to "feature" your granite table in a more focused way, especially if you love your table. But, if it's granite you love, and want for your coutnertop, here's how to do it.
Friday, February 15, 2008 at 07:35AM
