Step away from that marble or marble effect !
Like Kelly B Said, go for wooden (or wood effect) countertops. You won't regret it. Just take care that the colour of work surface is a similar tone to your floor. You can then paint whichever colour you want on the walls and it will always work.

I love the wood counter idea for the cabinets and look you're going for. If you really want some marble in there but not the high price, maybe just buy a nice big slab of real marble and put it on little rubber feet to use for rolling cookies and pastries and leave it out on one section of your counter? I have a 2x3' piece that i leave on top of mine and it gets lots of use. Just a thought.

I knew you were all going to say that, so a bit like this in the IKEA showroom...

I just don't think i like wood floor AND wood worktop, it's just a bit too much. Plus we are going for more modern sink, appliances, american fridge freezer. In these photos I much prefer the light worktops. Can you see what I was trying to do. Is there anyway to get that effect? We could have a different surface on island to lshape?

And some more..

More!

Ah, well if you like it Amanda, I'd say go for it !
If you are going to have a kitchen island you can have two different work surfaces.

Hi. I think you know the look you want, but unless I am going completely blind, all those examples are white - not cream/off white - cabinets! And only one of them has black handles....The yellow walls will work, but wait to choose the right yellow after you've got the floor, cabinets, countertop and backsplash done. The floor is beautiful, but with the items you've picked, I think you should change the cabinet colour or the countertop colour because those two don't look great together. Good luck!

Have you looked at other marble look laminates that have a more creamy background that would look better with your cabinets? I hope i copied these correctly since they're not from houzz.

Formica White Onyx.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_239112-76323-827-90-60X120-000_1z0z38g+1z10we4__?productId=3493807&Ntt=laminate+kitchen+countertops&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=laminate+kitchen+countertops&page=1&facetInfo=White

Or Formica portico marble crystal.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_239111-76323-7735-42-48X120-000_1z0z38g+1z10we4__?productId=3493735&Ntt=laminate+kitchen+countertops&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=laminate+kitchen+countertops&page=1&facetInfo=White

Or Formica Carrara Bianco.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_623551-76323-6696-46-48X96-000_1z0z38g+1z10we4__?productId=50226031&Ntt=laminate+kitchen+countertops&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=laminate+kitchen+countertops&page=1&facetInfo=White

I too agree that the marble laminate you've got there is altogether too cold for the cabinets and floor. Wood would be best but if you're not a fan of all wood/wood effect Worktops why not mix textures? Quite a number of your photos have a wooden surface as the central/focal point with the paler surfaces in the periphery. Also, it looks like most of those paler surfaces are quite calm and monotonous, texture wise- the laminate you've got has a very strong veining effect which will make a big statement and possibly dominate everything else.

OK, i'm listening to you all, I promise! I got loads more samples... The problem is it's only just an off white unit (i'm sure it looks whiter today!) so the cream marbles look wrong and we're more limited in choice here in the UK. What do you think of these? And would plainer light colours stain?

And could go dark I guess...

Here's the wood..

Can you lay your door down and put your light marble samples on top it, and take more pictures, o the lighting is uniform on all the surfaces? The doors still look cream here, but it could be the lighting.

The cabinet DOES look whiter today....well, in two of the photos it does.... Have you looked at quartz/caesarstone/silestone/whatever you want to call it? I think it might give you the look you want more than a marble effect laminate. It is really durable and easy to take care of and you won't have to worry about staining. Have a look at the caesarstone website and you can see the array of colours http://www.caesarstone.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx. And here's a site that offers loads of quartz countertops from lots of manufacturers: http://www.worktops.uk.com/browse/Worktops/Quartz_Worktops

Forget the wood laminate - mainly because you don't want it, but also because it won't look nice next to your real wood floors. Real wood on an island would be great, but decide on the main countertops first! And don't go too dark - again, because it isn't the look you want.

Anyway, sleep on it and then let us know what you think. That dream of a happy yellow kitchen can come true!

I'd have a look at the Silestone/Quartz option, there are lots of colours to choose from. Being in UK I'd go for a light colour which will maximum the amount of light you get in the room. I suggest they put a spacer between the oven and the wall, looks a bit tight to me and may prove to be bothersome (speaking from experience here). You can choose the paint when it's all in place.

I would go for the middle one on your second last image. I think that you create a nice contrast. Being high gloss, polished finish it would still reflect the light around the space. Dark doesn't necessarily mean smaller or dull. Good luck!

Thanks for all your advice. I'm going to go into the worktop shop on sat morning with my door and flooring and see what the huge slabs look like. I guess I will have to make a decision then!! Have found this photo on IKEA website and am mystified how my units look so white there. I want whatever lighting that does that ;)

I agree with comments below, I can see your dilemma, wood tops aren't exactly easy maintenance. How about more of a grey marble effect then white with grey? X x

Amanda, lots of natural sunlight does that (or equivalent with photography equipment)

Well we're having velux windows above the island so maybe I can get away with it! ;)

Velux windows above will let in loads of natural light. Taking all your samples into the worktop supplier will help you to choose something which will pull it all together. Remember this...it's your kitchen, you have to live with it so choose something that you like. Good luck!

Accessories in yellow first, then think paint. Try hand towels and oven mitts, and possibly yellow small appliances. If you are happy with that go for it. Tuscan lemon is more subtle than full on Canary

How about a darker cabinet on the lower, with white on the upper and a white/light counter top? The yellow could work too... Some examples attached. PS totally agree with steering clear of wood counter tops when you have wood floor... We went with stainless steel counters for that very reason.

Amanda, have just come across this discussion. I am after exactly the same look as you, white cabs, marble/light countertops. Have also been trying to talk myself into Prima Calacatta Marble, but not sure. Am also considering Silestone Lagoon, but know it will be pricey. What did you decide in the end?

I've just seen this thread again, my last comment was in January...but here goes although you may have finished your new kitchen by now. I'm just in the throes of doing mine. Wooden floor is a lovely choice for a cold climate but I wouldn't do wooden worktops also, too matchy matchy and think of all that work maintaining them. Here in Spain marble is definitely a thing of the past as it is not tough enough, and granite has been taken over by Silestone, although the new thing is Neolith/Dekton which is very thin but super tough (bit pricey though).

My advice is neutral, neutral, neutral for the stuff that costs the most money, adding colour with the cheap stuff, ie paint, blinds, etc.

Bottom line: it's your kitchen so don't listen to any of us, choose what YOU like. Good luck!

I'd ditch the yellow color in favor of something white or gray. In love with these gray tones from Benjamin Moore, especially for kitchen cabinets!

• Gull Wing Gray: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/gullwinggray
• Whale Gray: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/whalegray
• Stormy Sky: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/stormysky

How right you are, Snip01, about going neutral on the big ticket items. I am also doing my kitchen right now. We have our inspiration pics, but how easy it is to somehow get derailed along the way, and end up with something completely different, if we are not careful. Sometimes, it's because we have to compromise too much because of price or availability of our dream products. Any time I think this is happening, I am going to get out my inspiration pics, and refocus. I am staying away from the laminate Carrara style worktop, too busy for me. Don't want both wood worktops and wood floors, far too much wood, in my opinion. I prefer those lovely Silestones with a wood floor. But hope the poster gets back and tells us what she chose and why.

We put in a new kitchen about 8 years ago. Bottom cupboards very pale wood (laminate, as most are) with white top cupboards and light cream coloured Silestone, plus stainless steel touches from fridge, oven etc., after all this time I still love the clean fresh look of it all. Now we are moving and need to put in a new kitchen and will probably end up doing the same sort of thing...it doesn't look dated one bit.