What Is Best Color Granite to Use With Painted & Antiqued Beige Cabinets?

Rely on Organic Pairings

• Pair your beige antique cabinets with earthy brown granite countertops for an organic look. Grab samples from the granite quarry or distributor to figure out the shade of brown that's most likely to compliment your beige cabinets. Look for rich veins, patterns and high contrasts found in unique slabs of brown granite. You may find brown granite with flecks of a third color--such as mossy green--that can be picked up as an accent color when you accessorize. Minimalists love beige on beige--you find the monotone in high-end Euro rooms--so if you love a room dominated by a single color, stick with all beige.

Achieve Maximum Drama

• If you thought avoiding taupe, gray, white and silver when you shop for granite is a smart move, think again. The right shades of these cool colors can be surprisingly good fits. European kitchen designers frequently pair black, dark gray, white and deep silver with warm beige to produce a dramatic room; and if you like even more contrast, don't shy away from black. A black granite countertop makes a traffic-stopping statement. Find stone that's veined with soft beige or cream and you'll tie the granite to the beige effortlessly. By the way, white granite with beige antique cabinets is a popular mix in Scandinavian design, so if you crave an IKEA look, this should do it.

It's Easy Going Green

• Beige and green can be an outstanding match if you choose the right shade of green to create a rich-looking room around your antique beige cabinets. Shop for bold greens--from deep bottle green to emerald--but be sure you look for stone with veined patterns that compliment your cabinets. You'll spend less if you avoid solid green granite, which is hard to find and much in demand, so go with marbleized patterns and veins. Soft moss green granite won't offer you as much contrast when the room is complete, but if you prefer a softer mix, skip the dark tones.

Achieve Serenity with Blue

• Mix your beige antique cabinets with blue granite and this wonderful color pairing will inspire you to create a room that's decor-magazine worthy. Choose ice blue granite to achieve soothing harmony or opt for a dark shade--royal or sapphire--for high contrast. Like solid green, you'll pay a premium to add solid blue granite countertops to your room, so ask your granite salesman for dark, patterned blues instead. A vivid blue countertop can saturate the room with color, so all you'll need are a few blue decorating touches to tie your design scheme together perfectly.