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Original poster

dark vs light worktops

32 replies

stressedouttumbleweed · 14/04/2023 21:05

We're redoing our kitchen, going for a sage green shaker style.
Just can't decide on worktops-torn between a dark, speckly granite (blues in the night) vs a light granite or quartz. I worry dark is really dated, but equally-the light trend has been around for ages, so are we more likely to end up with a passé worktop if we go light? We are not planning on selling anytime soon, but I don't want to regret it!

OP posts:
MakeADecision · 14/04/2023 21:08

I have a sage green shaker kitchen and have off white quartz, it is stunning.

dudsville · 14/04/2023 21:09

Whilst i'm sure there are people who would walk into someone's kitchen and think or say "that counter top is so passe", i don't think I would value their opinion. I have made style choices my dearest friends and loved ones wouldn't like, probably, but my home styled my way makes me very happy. I'm sure you don't want this kind of comment, but really, what do you like best? Then make your kitchen around those ideas!

gogohmm · 14/04/2023 21:10

Interesting... we are going for that colour, howdens and trying to decide between oak or dark granite (both fake I should add) I have white currently and spend hours every month getting turmeric off them!

Hiddenvoice · 14/04/2023 21:11

I have dark counters and I regret it. They make the kitchen feel really dark all the time and they seem harder to keep clean compared to light counters. The dark always seems to show streaks.

Original poster
stressedouttumbleweed · 14/04/2023 21:11

MakeADecision · 14/04/2023 21:08

I have a sage green shaker kitchen and have off white quartz, it is stunning.

I bet it is! I was totally decided on off white granite/quartz, but a place I went to had blues inthe night on clearance and it's so beautiful, but I really worry it's just too dated :/

OP posts:
TenThousandSpoons · 14/04/2023 21:12

White quartz.

TenThousandSpoons · 14/04/2023 21:12

Dark granite is so hard to clean, always looks smeared.

LiquidGlee · 14/04/2023 21:12

I have a sage green shaker kitchen with black granite worktops and I think it looks awesome! It’s a very sunny kitchen though as south facing so doesn’t feel dark at all.

Original poster
stressedouttumbleweed · 14/04/2023 21:13

Hiddenvoice · 14/04/2023 21:11

I have dark counters and I regret it. They make the kitchen feel really dark all the time and they seem harder to keep clean compared to light counters. The dark always seems to show streaks.

I'm also worried about this, had dark previously and it did get streaky. But didn't stain! Room should be light enough, two large rooflights giving us a lot of light even with all the rest of the room boarded rather than doors and windows...
We have really hard water here tho...

OP posts:
CindersAgain · 14/04/2023 21:13

Dark needs drying to get rid of smears. White doesn’t (ours doesn’t anyway).

inappropriateraspberry · 14/04/2023 21:14

I'd go for the lighter option. Dark blacks and blues will show every watermark and need buffing/polishing to get rid of smears.

Original poster
stressedouttumbleweed · 14/04/2023 21:15

Great, thanks for all the input! Thoughts on quartz vs granite if in a light, off white colour? Pros and cons for both?

OP posts:
tpmumtobe · 14/04/2023 21:17

We have sage green units and black granite worktops in a north facing kitchen and have regretted both choices since the day they were installed. Far too dark and dingy, the sage green looks sludgy rather than fresh, looks awful in artificial light and the black shows all the smears. I can't wait to rip ours out one day.

Rainbowshit · 14/04/2023 21:19

I have both dark and light worktops in my kitchen. Dark are a fucking nightmare. They always look streaky.

Our lighter worktops have marbling through them which hides all manners of sins. My SIL has pure white and they are constantly getting detailed with cups of tea etc.

wonderstuff · 14/04/2023 21:23

Just had white quartz installed this morning, love it, looks great, I’ve got light grey shaker cabinets, the quartz has a spec through it, a few are sparkly and catch the light, just a tiny bit of bling.

Ricco12 · 14/04/2023 21:27

We have a green kitchen with oak worktops . Looks nice but in reality a pain in the bum as need sanding every few years.

dark vs light worktops
Chasingsquirrels · 14/04/2023 21:29

Mine is also sage with wood (laminate) worktops.

dark vs light worktops
Ricco12 · 14/04/2023 21:29

My photo was for @gogohmm

PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 14/04/2023 21:31

Quartz less prone to staining and water marks than granite. We have place quartz with subtle marbling and streaks don't show. Any marks come off easily with Bar Keepers Friend

mamaca · 14/04/2023 21:32

We have off-white quartz - absolutely love it, haven't had any issues with staining from red wine, curry etc.

Original poster
stressedouttumbleweed · 14/04/2023 21:34

Loving all these pics. I think we'll probably go for light, I'm scarred from buffing up watermarks from the old dark granite we had. Wood is def not for me, and not laminate-we've had that in this kitchen for a couple of years and I really miss an undermounted sink!!!

OP posts:
FlickyCrumble · 14/04/2023 21:35

I have dark tops and they’re beautiful but you can’t see spillages so you end up putting stuff down on spills. White or wood for me next time.

Ostryga · 14/04/2023 21:36

Dark granite is a wanker for stains. Light every time

cunningartificer · 14/04/2023 21:43

My last kitchen was beautiful dark rich walnut and black quartz with sparkles. We had tiny metallic gold and bronze and black mosaic tiles and terracotta reclaimed tiles on the floor and it was gorgeous. A really small kitchen but suited it with black fridge and cooker. Loved black worktop and would love it again if possible, but my new house has a lovely kitchen I can't justify replacing! No problems at all with streaks--it always looked smart.

bloodyfootprint · 14/04/2023 21:51

Wood, but if you have to have stone then light rather than dark. Dark looks cheap even when it's not, and dated and dreary. I cannot wait to be rid of it.