Advice needed! Big decision and no ideas

[sparklingsky]

I'm finally getting a new kitchen after waiting/saving for 12 yrs. It's south facing. Ivory shaker units with Belfast sink. I cannot decide between traditional look (black granite star galaxy) or neutral look - beige stardust (sparkly quartz). I don't want it to date too much as it'll be a v long time there. I can see black gives less decorating options but I can't imagine the beige down. In the CAD 3D the black looks much better. Will beige date/look like it needs a good scrub? Nice decision to make but I'm tying myself in knots here. (Wood is not an option). Advice please!!!

Just my opinion but I'd go beige. Much lighter, contemporary, less dated. Actually think beige shows less smears / easier to clean than black.

I'm also in the beige camp! Black looks grubby unless you are cleaning it constantly & I am certain that it will date more quickly than beige.

Every little crumb shows up on black whereas it will blend in with the beige.

Black is fine to live with in practical terms. Beige is much more contemporary, so go with that if you like it..

Can you try different tiling options on the CAD to set the beige off better?

This is my shaker kitchen. We stayed with white with the brick tiles and white paint. It's a cream shaker with oak worktops. Maybe that'll help visualise. I think you need a contrast against the cupboards for the worktop. Or it may look a bit plain?

If you don't want it to date, I'd avoid the sparkly stuff.

I agree that the sparkly stuff is more likely to date, but otherwise I'm of little help as in three out of our four most recent kitchens (including the one we're mid way with) we've had wood (teak/iroko) worktops and used granite/marble on the island

Imho you do need a contrast though - so we previously had two cream kitchens with the teak/iroko, one duck egg with brown granite and the current one will be taupe with Iroko.

As I understand it the black can be a pita to keep looking smear-free - with the Labrador antique we had on our last island I was forever wiping with method granite spray in an attempt to lose the smeariness

We just finished our kitchen and have ivory shaker units. We were going to go with a grey worktop but ended up with black. Our walls are Dulux Egyptian Cotton - I didn't want to go darker as I wanted the room to be light and airy. After the units were in we realised a lighter colour would look incredibly bland so went for black (with sparkles!). I love it but each to their own! Since you don't order the worktop until they template it I would say wait and see when your units are in - the light in the room, flooring etc makes such a difference to the finished look. Lots of people are using white and cream now so that will date too - everything does!

There are some pics of mine on this link. It needs lots of pics and stuff now - that is the very plain finished result

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2502964-My-new-kitchen-is-finally-nearly-finished

Team beige - black will be too harsh and contrast and will look dated. Look at soft greys and 'putty' colours. Well jel - this is exactly the type of worktop I would get if budget allowed but I'll be sticking with the oak worktops already in place when we do our kitchen facelift. We're going for off white matt shaker doors too.

Here's the kitchen we did 7 years ago

The worktop is ubatuba (dark greeny/black colour. No maintenance issues if you clean as you are supposed to. (Although we use the Method granite cleaner on it too).

I actually think the beige might date quicker but each to their own. Just moved house and may go for grey/white look next time but worry this might date quickly.

different view of same kitchen

Thanks for all your responses - and photos. It's about 50:50 beige to black on the old opinion poll. I've added a photo of the options. (The samples are on top of a new cabinet door). I'd appreciate any further opinion. I am ordering it tomorrow....Yikes!

Wow Titsywoo!!

I was here a couple of years ago. Try thinking Zimbabwee black (or similar) rather than star galaxy. Far less "bling". Especially if mixed with shaker. I was going to go for the bling but something kept stopping me. As soon as I looked at the plain black it just slotted into place.

If the plain back doesn't sit right then maybe the beige.

Yes it does show the odd smear but a quick wipe with an e-cloth and it is lovely. I love our end result (ivory shaker, black granite, wood floors) - tis a v similar look to Here and titsy

Thanks HelloItsMeAgain - what did you put on the walls and windows? That's what is probably my hurdle - what goes on the walls? It will run into a breakfast room but could have different walls.

I've got ivory shaker units and creamy sparkly quartz - I love it

I actually thing black granite is a bit dated already, sorry

I'm, dull alert. White walls. All over my house.