Kitchen ideas that can incorporate existing granite worktops

[Lavendersquare]

We have a good sized kitchen that was fitted approximately 12 years ago, it's a shaker solid oak kitchen expensive at the time and still ok but I'm really keen to replace it with something more modern, high gloss and handle less. The problem is that DH whilst happy to change the cupboards is insistent that the expensive granite worktops have to stay, I can see his point they are gorgeous and cost many thousands when we installed them the problem is that they are black and my preferred cupboard colour would be anthracite grey so a really gloomy combination. I'm really not keen on white cupboards with black worktops so does anyone have any ideas for something that could work and look stylish?

All dark grey and black worktops could be gloomy, but what about having base units one colour and wall units another?
Dark grey base and pale grey on wall?

If your are keeping the worktops you are bound to a very similar layout so what about getting the existing kitchen professionally spray painted and new doors?

All I am going to say about handless kitchens is that they can be a ball ache. My FIL has one and I hate it

@WhereDoesThisToiletGo yes we would have to keep the same layout which is fine as it's actually a lovely layout that was professionally designed. Saying that I'm sure it could be improved a bit so we would be stuck with it as it is I suppose . There is a lot of worktop so replacing the granite would add at least £7k to the total cost which would mean we would have to delay and save up a bit more.

Can they get them off without smashing them? They usually fix them. They did ours.

Our kitchen is handless and it's brilliant, so easy to clean.

@YorkshireIndie tell me about the problems with handle less kitchens. I've already thought about fingerprints on shiny cupboards which I have to say I don't want to be wiping all the time.

Can you post a picture?

The chap who designed my kitchen called handleless doors "pea catchers"

Haha pea catchers !

@Lavendersquare when ever I open a cupboard it feels like there is not enough space between the door and the door handle. I would suggest spending a weekend in the kitchen with handleless cabinets to find out if it is something you want

True handleless are good but avoid the J recess handleless style doors

I'm shelving this idea, it's a bit crazy to buy cabinets in a colour I don't want just to match worktops that were what I wanted 12 years ago. There are a few changes to the kitchen I would ideally like to make pan like a eye level oven and I wouldn't be able to do that with the same worktops. I'm going to give it a few years then redo the whole lot.