How to match granite countertops and cabinets?

For the sake of aesthetic continuity, matching your countertops to your cabinets is a good way to maintain a good visual flow. The eyes are drawn to certain patterns and color combinations. When those combinations don’t pair well, the brain has to rectify what the eyes see, and that can cause confusion and distraction. 

If you are putting in new granite countertops in your Chicago home and want to match them in a seamless, visually-pleasing picture, we have some suggestions:

  • For instant visualization, when at the granite showroom, have a piece of your cabinetry put side-by-side and see if it will pair, or if it clashes. 
  • Do you want a darker room? Then darker granite with cherry or mahogany cabinets will work. The same applies for lighter granite or cabinetry mixes. Or contrasting dark with light can work well, too.
  • If you can find a granite with flecks of your cabinet color already in it, the shared color will paint a picture of harmony between the items.
  • If you don’t want to lug your cabinet door to the showroom, ask for samples to bring home. Comparing the environment it will soon be installed in can help.
  • Look at the samples, and how they pair with the cabinetry at different times of day, at night, and in different interior lighting options. 

For the modern kitchen with a clean, sterile appearance, if you have white or very light-colored cabinets like maple, a medium gray granite countertop will complement it well. 

Conversely, if you have red or honey colored cabinets, like oak, cedar, walnut, or pine, a black or nearly black countertop is the way to go. It adds a dramatic effect to the room and draws more of the rich color from the cabinets. 

Ultimately it is up to you because it is going in your home, but countertops and cabinets can be around for a long time, and while something might seem perfect today, or trendy, in a week, a year, or ten years, it might just drive you crazy. Think long term.