What have I done???

 

Photo: Stone Trends, LLC

 If you’ve seen a drawing like this, then you know what’s going on at my house. After 12 years of living here with an existing laminate/Formica/whatever the heck it is countertop that, over the years, has begun to look horrible, I am getting a new one. Cambria. This is no easy task. First of all, I have an open floor plant. I love my open floor plan, but what this means is that all of the colors need to coordinate in the three rooms, otherwise it’s going to be like a dissonant chord.  Second, it’s really impossible to know, despite your research, if you’re really going to like what’s on your countertop once it’s in place, and these things aren’t cheap.

Photo: Amazon

I chose this Houzer stainless steel undermount workstation sink with dual platform kitchen accessories.

Photo: Amazon

  

I chose this Kraus stainless steel faucet because, crime show lover that I am, it reminded me of those I’ve seen in pathology labs. Heh heh.

I wanted a dark countertop. I like things that are moody, evocative, and exotic. My style in the three rooms is a sort of global bohemian in neutral shades.  You do not, by the way, have to have nothing but bold colors in order to be bohemian. That’s a misnomer. So when I went to look for countertops, I was surprised at how few of them are dark. I had only found four different patterns that were dark, however, a number of them were way too dark, one ended up looking almost solid black, the other was dark black with white feathery streaks in it, and the other was just mottled black, none of them would do. Then I happened upon this one.

Photo: Stone Trends, LLC

Now in the sample, it looks to be exactly what I wanted. It’s described as:

"Earthy hues of rich browns, warm tans, and deep blacks create a canvas of captivating contrasts. A grand statement is made complete with hints of white and a veil of gold glimmer adding to the sophisticated charm."

So, this is what I ordered. Oh, the power of words! However, in rummaging around on the Internet (like you do), I came across the Cambria website and saw this pattern on a full countertop and it definitely gave me pause.

Photo: Cambria USA

Oh, dear. This is bold, isn’t it? Welp, I’ve done it now. Money has been spent, measurements have been taken, and in eight working days, that’s going to be in my kitchen. Part of me is very excited; the other part of me is scared to death.  I have a milestone birthday coming up this year, so I decided to treat myself to this countertop in celebration. I’ll show you before and after pictures once the deed is done, and you can decide whether I made the right decision or not.

  To give you an idea as to what I’m working with here, here is a picture of my kitchen before my builder, Joe, had an opportunity to work his magic on it.

Photo Joe Rogers

Here is an updated version after Joe had made a few changes.

 

Photo Joe Rogers

What do you think? Big mistake? Perfect choice? Or, suck it up, girl, and learn to live with it?

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