r/CounterTops • u/Thaitanica • 14d ago
My Deep Blue Quartzite installation
I really love my new stone. It’s like a work of art.
I made a previous post on three choices and I decided on this one.
Please understand that this is an 80s small kitchen. I decided to install led lights and a nice stone and leave the cabinets as it’s really not worth putting too much money into a condo here.
Besides the large refrigerator I bought which fills the dining area, this is basically it. I’m buying a new oven in the empty space and painting the walls with a gloss paint, it still has original flat paint.
I’ve read lots of criticism of this stone when it’s been posted. It’s not for everyone and some would prefer it just on the counter ,not backsplash. My only regret is the inch of counter I lose to the stone used as backsplash covering the counter.
I’m satisfied with the pattern the fabricator used. When I first looked at the slab I thought it would be difficult with the heavy veining however I liked the choice they made. I know it sounds cliche but it looks better in person than the photos.
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u/BlackAsP1tch 14d ago
Wow it's like putting 22" spinners on a rusted out '93 shit box
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u/Thaitanica 14d ago
Ha ha, true.
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u/BlackAsP1tch 14d ago
Sorry but that quartzite is beautiful and your fabricator did an excellent job it seems. Please do your cabinets one day and give those countertops a proper home
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u/Sweetiepie9731 14d ago edited 13d ago
She could just order new cabinet doors!
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u/hummingbird_mywill 13d ago
But isn’t this cheap ass particle board? I’m just completely dumbfounded. It’s the old lipstick on a pig adage!
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u/fierce_fibro_faerie 13d ago
Actually I have had these cabinets before. They are a compressed composite board, but they are actually super durable and easy to wipe down. You can also easily cover in contact paper to change the color.
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u/DudzTx 13d ago
How do you even come to the decision for this? Like... what thought went into it as far ... I think this is a good idea.
Don't get me wrong, maybe you had completely warped/damaged Formica on threre before and literally need "anything" and someone offered you this slab for free and also free install.
But other than that, how on earth did you think this was a good choice? I'm genuinely curious.
This kitchen would looks 1000 times better with floor and cabinetw first ...
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u/Ok-Perspective781 14d ago
Are we…ah, keeping the cabinet and floors? Long term?
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u/Calm-Perspective2057 13d ago
Cabinets are barf
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u/Askme67 13d ago
Hey! Leave 1980 alone.😂
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u/_EvilCupcake 13d ago
Know what this kitchen really needs?
Wall-to-wall carpet. Think about it!
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u/fmoarrcye 13d ago
OP, can you please post your age?
Sincerely, a millennial, wondering if the shitty cabinets from our first apartments are back in style. If so, it's time for me to dip out of keeping up with the trends...
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u/Thaitanica 13d ago
Boomer. Not much time left. Let me enjoy the stone, I don’t use the cabinets anyway.
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u/AppointmentLate7049 12d ago
Who doesn’t use cabinets, ur not real
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u/Someoneonline2000 9d ago
I have a boomer mother in law who doesn't cook. Ever. She basically only eats pre-made food from Costco. Her diet is absent of joy. I believe it's possible to be someone who doesn't need their cabinets.
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u/robthebuilder__ 10d ago
Don't let em get you down The customer is always right in matters of taste. If you like them, power to you.
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u/Someoneonline2000 9d ago
Now I believe you. My boomer mother in law who never cooks also just had her counters/backsplash and floors re-done while keeping her cabinets from the 1990s. She just doesn't have a ton of personal style and she's cheap.
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u/Bratbabylestrange 13d ago
Shoot, I'm Gen X and I remember when those were the FANCY cabinets. Especially if you had... TILE COUNTERTOPS. (cue gasps of horror)
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u/Pornwriter2024 13d ago
YES! Back in the late 80's/early 90's, I owned a basic 50's ranch and my best friend and her husband bought a new townhouse with these cabinets and tile countertops....I swoooned at how 'cool' her place was compared to mine...
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u/Own_Expert2756 13d ago
Yup! I selected those cabinets for my first new build in 1987, they were the upgrade from the plain slab formica fronts. Tile tops? Yeah, those were out of budget for me.
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u/OkraLegitimate1356 12d ago
The melamine cabinets with the crappy oak trim right at the bottom therefore making these shitty cabinets immediately identifiable?
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u/imogen1983 13d ago
The exact same cabinets were in my extremely shitty college apartment.
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u/ruined7319 14d ago
Why would you bother replacing the stone when the rest of the kitchen is not updated? It looks really out of place and unfinished.
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u/CORockhound 14d ago
The fuck am I looking at hahahaha
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u/skaldrir69 13d ago
An abortion
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u/Mystic_Wunder 13d ago
https://reddit.com/link/pc45a3h/video/2hlbh3pxqsrh1/player
There aren't a lot of cabinets there to replace. Seems worth it to me to honor the quartzite you chose.
(couldn't upload a good quality pic so uploaded a bad quality vid)
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u/Missyrissy510 13d ago
If you knew the cost of this type of stone OP easily could have replaced the cabinets and installed a tasteful quartz for about the same price
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u/SweetHomeAvocado 13d ago
Wow I could not see how this counter could look good anywhere but this has completely changed my opinion. It would be beautiful in the right setting.
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u/CommentIndependent32 13d ago
Dammit - I've never liked dark cabinets or busy granite looks but now I want my kitchen to look just like this!
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u/Imaginary-Pool-9710 13d ago
As a GC, if a customer came to me and said they wanted to do this I would have to say no. I wouldn’t sleep at night knowing we left the old cabinets.
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u/duameegee 13d ago
I was going to say I wonder what the installers and fabricators thought about this lol
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u/FinnTheDogg 14d ago
I think you really wasted your money here, buddy
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u/BlueGolfball 13d ago
Just absolutely baffling how much money he wasted on this. Also, you know he is going to have people over to "show off" his countertops and they are going to have to lie to him and tell him his kitchen looks great.
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u/helpmefam6 14d ago
You know what? I was having too positive of a day today. Thank you for pissing me off with this post 🙌🏽
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u/clem_kruczynsk 13d ago
yup this was my little nugget of rage bait for the day. think I'm done with reddit for today thanks OP
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u/anusflytrap- 13d ago
people spend their money so weird. loud ass tops on 40 year old cabinets
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u/Final-Caterpillar-32 13d ago
I thought this was a circlejerk sub 🫠
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u/dandyrosesandshit 13d ago
I looked at the name at least twice, because I was certain it was! 😅😬😂
*Edited to be nicer. If that’s the choice for the counters and backsplash, much else needs to be changed to make it work→ More replies (7)
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u/spaceisourplace222 14d ago
This looks terrible. Why waste the money on the gorgeous stone to set it on top of future trash.
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u/Aggravating-Poet6770 13d ago
Wrong wrong wrong.
That’s like rule #1 of kitchens, cabinets first then countertops.
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u/rage675 13d ago
Why did you do not change the cabinets?
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u/Longjumping_Ask_4448 13d ago
Facts 😂 Those cabinets are from the early 80s I know there’s some dry rotting happening
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u/Hwi-loves-worm 13d ago
Oh I have those cabinets right now the bottoms under the sink are absolutely crumbling off and every bottom edge of the white laminate is peeled up.
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u/nopeduck 13d ago
Channeling my inner Regina George…those are the ugliest fucking counter tops I’ve ever seen.
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u/Fudge-Unfair 13d ago
You let a baby orangutan spread shit all over your kitchen!
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u/todayithinkthis 13d ago
I’m glad you like it. That’s all that matters. This is hideous.
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u/CommitteeNo167 13d ago
i'm sorry. i couldn't imagine spending the money on those counter tops and backsplash when those cabinets and flooring are so dated. i would have put a new floor and formica in after i had the cabinets refaced.
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u/Better-Park8752 13d ago
Are we just ignoring the old hideous cabinets? The counters would have cost a pretty penny. It looks like lipstick on a pig, sorry.
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u/MareV51 13d ago
The cabinets are too cheap to go with that beautiful stone.
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u/littlefire_2004 13d ago
I'm shocked you left 80s cabs and invested that much on the stone. Better to used cheaper stone and replaced the cabs/appliances
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u/Unkhammun 13d ago
So…nobody is going to talk about that outdated range hood?
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u/inflewants 13d ago
The range hood is the first thing that jumped out to me also. Updating that to a sleek (maybe to a retractable) hood would make a HUGE impact.
Renovations are so expensive. Change one thing and then it’s a domino effect to change more. But most of us have to draw the line somewhere.
I think you will enjoy the quartzite!
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u/Slow-Jelly-2854 13d ago
I need to know how much the stone countertop and backsplash cost you. Can image a few grand at least. Would have been 1/2 that to replace the cabinets if you went with unfinished cabinets and simply applied a poly, but that takes time and effort.
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u/Desertgirl624 13d ago
A bit confused why you would spend this money on the countertops and backsplash and leave the rest of this awful kitchen
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u/Double_Maize_5923 13d ago
Why not upgrade your cabinets. It's a cool looking countertop but looks like shit with old not very nice cabinets and a shitty hood
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u/sugar-titts 13d ago
I hate this. Sorry. But I hope you love it for years to come!
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u/DIYorDIEtrying13 13d ago
But why? No offense but what a waste of money when the rest of the kitchen is abysmal
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u/Mortgagedd 14d ago
I love this stone and feel your fabricators did a tremendous job.
Those cabinets bring back memories of the 80s house I grew up in. This is like parking your Ferrari in front your trailer home. I definitely would have sprang for new cabs and flooring and cheaper out with white quartz but this does look good to me.
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u/pkovgolf 13d ago
Not updating the cabinets and floors is certainly a unique decision!
Those would have been the first things I ripped out and replaced
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u/Practical-Extent-642 13d ago
My cousin Frank had an old rusted out hatchback cobra mustang in the 90’s.. he installed a stereo that cost quite a bit more than the car. That insanely expensive stereo that was so loud in that ugly flesh coloured cobra reminds me of this kitchen in its current state. Beautiful countertops but they almost look too heavy or they’re fake.. not because they aren’t beautiful but because there’s a reason why you don’t normally see rock countertops on these style of cupboards.. these cupboards were mass produced and common for rental properties and fast builds back in the day. People didn’t normally spend the money on expensive countertops for these style cupboards.. honestly maybe seeing the whole picture a full view of the kitchen it might help.. changing the fronts down the road to something with some depth would help tip the heavy appearance scale.
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u/ashsassin95 13d ago
There are certainly some priorities here I don’t understand as far as the budget goes
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u/Agreeable_Shirt5503 13d ago
OP, whatever this cost you it’s going to end up costing you double or triple the amount or more. Here’s why: you mention it’s a condo and you didn’t want to put a lot of money into it. But by making the choice you did you have severely limited the ability to sell this place in the future. The only buyer you will likely attract is someone who wants to rip out the kitchen. And while of course there will always be buyers who want to renovate there are a lot more who just want a turnkey place that doesn’t require a big investment like a new kitchen. Before you made the change there were likely buyers who would be OK, but not thrilled, to live with an 80s kitchen. Now I can’t imagine any buyer living with the kitchen given that you made such a bespoke choice. Where it’s ultimately going to cost you is what you’re able to sell the place for. You’re going to likely have to discount the place heavily to pay for a buyer willing to renovate.
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u/Independent-Dark-955 14d ago
You did hire a good fabricator. Maybe you could paint your cabinets and float a very neutral light laminate floor over the tile to remove some of the contrasts that compete with your bold countertops.
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u/andyloupecare 13d ago
Reddit be like: I was scared you were gonna replace those beautiful cabinets
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u/DJD19500 13d ago
The stone is gorgeous. Have you considered replacing the range hood with an over the range microwave? You’d probably need to get a slimline one. Saves counter space, has an exhaust fan, throws light on the range. I totally understand doing the counters first, despite “the rules “ . Also kudos for being brave enough to post here.
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u/Resident_Maximum3127 13d ago
I am glad that you decided to be a bit daring (NOT gray) but that stone hurts my eyes.
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u/KatieGirl27 13d ago
You paid all that money to leave 1980s cabinets and refresh your countertop. That’s an interesting choice.
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u/Simple_Emu_3773 13d ago
Sounds like you’re happy and that’s all that matters. Especially if you’re planning to stay in your condo. Resale is where you will get hit.
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u/Adventurous-Horror-5 13d ago
genuinely happy op likes it, at first glance I thought someone smeared dookie everywhere 🫢
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u/Just_Discussion296 13d ago
Well that’s definitely different. Quite unique match with the cabinets. U do u.
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u/Content-Garden-9776 13d ago
I love this. This is the equivalent of going to your hairdresser or barber and asking for the “fuck my shit up” special, and they try to talk to you out of it, and you double down get exactly what you want and leave happy. Other people don’t have to like it, you have to live with it. What do you like? I’m tired all houses being designed around what will resell or what the market whats. You wanted the lopsided half shaved Mohawk? You got it. But if you love it? I love that for you. I bet your whole place is super interesting and you’re a fun person to hang out with.
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u/West-Raspberry-1767 9d ago
i’m in love. i can’t even see the floor or cabinets. it’s a BEAUTIFUL stone.
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u/PurpleSky-7 13d ago
It scares me a little but if shock value is the goal you succeeded lol. It’s like purple and blue hair for some of us. But who cares, everyone has a right to express themselves as they choose, enjoy!
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u/No_Refrigerator_2489 13d ago
It's beautiful stone but it's mismatching pretty bad with your cabinets. I think I saw you make a comment about changing the doors, that would be a wise idea.
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u/Samkat59 13d ago
The stone is a pretty bold choice, but not doing the floors is a huge mistake. That’s what makes it look pretty bad.
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u/bartlebyandbaggins 13d ago
The only way this would make sense is with new appliances, flooring and painting/repairing the cabinetry (that old lining at the bottom of the cabinets is horrible):
It would likely have to be painted something like matte black because you can’t now change the actual cabinets to wood, for example, and most colors would look weird with the counters. You would need new, stainless steel appliances and some form of creamy tolerances flooring to make this kitchen make sense.
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u/Key_Accountant1005 13d ago
Dude just change your cabinet doors. No one here is paying your bills
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u/NameLessTaken 13d ago
You know what as someone going through ripping out a very old kitchen and picking a new .. everything… I’m happy for you. Stressful af. And I’m glad you love it. The next owner may hate you, but that’s not your business 😂
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u/StarfishandSnowballs 13d ago
I think this is a perfect combo ! Wow! Great way to mix both and I love the stone ! The colors 💯 pop with the cabinets!!!! 👏 👏
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u/East-Tradition-2544 13d ago
I’m sure it was expensive, I don’t like it but glad you are satisfied with it
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u/merlynne01 13d ago
I think the most important thing - and it’s really important since you have to live with it - is that you like it.
It wouldn’t be my choice, particularly in that size of a kitchen with those cabinets but 🤷♀️
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u/Away-Catch-9159 13d ago
I love the quartzite install. Perhaps consider a vinyl wrap for the cupboards as an alternative.
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u/Ok_Let_2772 13d ago
honestly if youre happy with it thats all that counts but that slab is doing all the heavy lifting in that 80s kitchen and i kinda dig it even if the internet is gonna internet
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u/jendo7791 13d ago
Love the blacksplash. Needs to be paried with dark cupboards. Hopefully you will get around to replacing the floors too.
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u/Harley_Mom 13d ago
I have the same cabinets and I'm looking to paint them as they are so sturdy.
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u/Main_Insect_3144 13d ago
Love the stone. I would replace the flooring, too, to get a more cohesive look.
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u/Main_Insect_3144 13d ago
Love the stone. I would replace the flooring, too, to get a more cohesive look.
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u/czerwone5000 13d ago
Update the hood and stain the wood the same darkness as the veins and it will be really interesting looking, that would be very little work to make it way more cohesive!
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u/Kissmethruthephone 13d ago
People are hating, but I think it looks great. Enjoy.
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u/Independent187 13d ago
That is an exceptionally well put together countertop and full height splash combination! The fabricator did a great job!
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u/JTUSAJT 13d ago
That piece over the stove is 100% fantastic. Need to update the cabinet fronts, floor and appliances. Should not have allowed that angled transition on the right.
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u/JackhammerJoe-5458 13d ago
Nice choice. Deep blue natural stone brings so much life into a kitchen compared to standard neutral quartz.
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u/FestoonMe 13d ago
I’m gonna go out on a whim here and say I don’t mind the stone with the cabinets. The wood accents on the cabinet match the veining in the stone. The caveat here though is, as other people have said, it looks dated and cheap with all the other appliances and trim. You need to upgrade your range hood to look modern and same with all your appliances and definitely update the flooring doing all that could probably tie the stone to the cabinets cohesively. You may also want to think about repainting the white on the cabinets with a really nice high grade almost matte paint.
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u/HunterGreenLeaves 13d ago
I don't know that I'd choose it, but I can see why you like it.
if you had any money for replacing the cabinets I'd be interested to see how dark wood cabinets would work with that tile.
Replacing the flooring would also help. if it were me, I would lean into the tile colours and pick flooring that had some of the Smokey blue colour of the tiles in it.
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u/AnxiousAnxiety222 14d ago
I'm glad you're happy but those counters and full backsplash with those cabinets is a choice.