Dark Vs. Light Granite Counters

Coordinating Colors

• Choosing a light or dark granite counter has plenty to do with what's already in your kitchen. Unless you're starting from scratch or doing a complete overhaul, let your current color scheme help you decide. For example, a tiny kitchen with teal cabinets may do well with a white granite countertop, especially if there's plenty of counter space that would cause a darker color to weigh down the room visually.

Warm and Cozy or Bright and Fresh

• Cooler colors like blue, green and white tend to open up a room and energize it, while warm oranges and deep reds create an enveloping and cozy feeling. Choose which effect you want, then coordinate your counter top, cabinet and wall colors accordingly. For instance, if you have black cabinets, but want to make the room feel energized, a light granite counter may be best.

Room Size

• Rooms with large windows, plenty of light or expansive qualities like high ceilings and neutral colors do well with dark-colored counters. If you let dark-colored granite take center stage in these rooms, the room can look elegant and quite dramatic, depending on accent pieces and cabinet styles. Smaller rooms, such as bathrooms and tiny kitchens, may look cramped with dark counter tops, especially since the dark hue won't reflect light well and brighten the room. Cabinets, accent wall and ceiling coloring can make exceptions for this rule, however.

Practicality

• Take into consideration which counter colors or patterns are simpler to clean and maintain. Most granite counter tops come in a base color with multi-colored specks and striations of varying patterns and intensity. Patterns hide stains and dirt well, though due to sanitation and safety, you may want your kitchen dirt to be as visible as possible. However, a solid black counter shows even tiny dust specks, and you'll have to stay on top of keeping it looking clean and shiny. If you're single or seldom use your kitchen, or the counter is for a guest bathroom, pure colors like white or black may work well.