The trending countertop of the moment is Taj Mahal quartzite. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of this popular stone and which paint colours coordinate best with it.
English Country Kitchen | Taj Mahal
Is Taj Mahal quartzite a good choice?
While it’s true that Taj Mahal quartzite in the English Country Kitchen trend will be as overused as Santa Cecilia, New Venetian Gold, Giallo Ornamental and Uba Tuba granite was in the Tuscan trend, if you’re following me and really want to install this trending countertop, lets make sure you get it right.
The pendulum between cool and warm must swing back and forth after all, so after more than 15 years of grey, black and white, we’re ready to go back to warmer, earthy looks.
What makes a timeless countertop?
Taj Mahal and Perla Venata are so similar that they often get confused for each other. However the latter is lighter and less veiny than the former which is why I often recommend it to my eDesign clients.
Because plain and simple is the essence of timeless finishes. Versatility in the long run is a the perfect goal of any build or renovation. And when you’re spending tens of thousands of dollars on a new kitchen, you want to get the most out of your investment for a loooong time.
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Is Taj Mahal timeless?
So here’s the thing. The “look at me” flashy finishes of any trend cycle are going to be the most easily associated with the look when it’s long past.
I love this quote that one of you left on a previous post: Timeless means “Never wrong, even when something else more exciting is happening.”
I’m convinced that the reason everyone wants “interesting”, flashy countertops is that they underestimate the power of colour, decorating and styling to the look and feel of any room. Especially kitchens.
Art and plants add interest in my kitchen
You can follow my ideas for styling kitchens on Pinterest for inspiration!
However, I understand the appeal of this natural quartzite. And if you’re in love with Taj Mahal (or Perla Venata), I recommend you look for the quietest possible slab and resist the temptation to choose the most exciting one. Your future self with thank you!
What cabinet colours go with Taj Mahal Quartzite?
Now on to the best colours to pair with Taj Mahal. In the world of warm neutrals, and through the lens of my Understanding Undertones® approach to choosing neutrals, you’re going to be looking at the Taupes and Pink Beiges.
The list of the best colours in each undertone category is included in my eBook: How to Choose Paint Colours: It’s all in the Undertones.
Examples of pretty Taupes: SW 9109 Natural Linen, BM HC-84 Elmira White
Pink Beiges that aren’t too pink: BM 1020 Stone House, SW 6106 Kilim Beige
You can also order samples of the best Pink Beiges and Taupes from my collections on Samplize. You’ll need to download the colour key to find the undertones you’re looking for here.
With Taj Mahal or Perla Venata quartzite, you can also consider Off White or Cream.
What’s the most common mistake with Taj Mahal countertops?
The mistake I foresee happening over and over in this warm neutral kitchen trend is exactly what went wrong in the Tuscan brown trend and the grey trend over and over. And that is lack of contrast.
Getting contrast right is a major piece of great design. The temptation is to match the cabinets, countertop, backsplash, everything. But when you have a mid toned stone like Taj Mahal, and a trend for soft warm neutral cabinets? We’re going to see a lot of bland kitchens that look like cold oatmeal 😬
You’ll need to choose a colour that is either significantly lighter or darker than your slab. And this gets trickier with a busier slab.
The argument for choosing white quartz countertops
For this reason, I would STILL choose a simple white quartz and paint the cabinets a versatile warm neutral. This way, the countertop is low maintenance and versatile and you can change the colour of your cabinets when they need a fresh coat of paint. And you can choose ANY colour you want!
I was delighted that in my new kitchen, I inherited versatile pale Green Beige cabinets. While I would have preferred white countertops on the perimeter to the violet grey that I have, it does almost match the timeless marble backsplash and I like the way it relates to my stainless appliances.
The solid white quartz on the island is perfect, although since I have a Calacatta marble subway backsplash the island could have also been a Calacatta marble.
In my case, because the previous homeowners chose an off-white quartz, it made replacing the violet grey perimeter countertops less of an emergency as they are much less visually prominent.
My Timeless Green Beige Kitchen
Can I paint my cabinets a colour with Taj Mahal Quartzite?
So technically, I could paint my cabinets any colour, blue, green or my favourite sunflower yellow. I’m not stuck with a colour that relates to the range of colours in busy, earthy stone.
But if you’re choosing Taj Mahal, you CAN paint your cabinets a pretty colour. You’ll just need to make sure that the warm neutrals in the stone are repeated in the room as well. And you’ll want a colour that isn’t too “clean” to pair with the stone.
I teach how to choose paint colours the smart and easy way, how to manage colour intensity and how to handle contrast in my two-day live (via Zoom) course for homeowners, Create Your Dream Home.
⭐️ Test drive this course at my FREE Trend Proof Your Dream Home workshop (60 minutes) on October 8 or October 9! (last two free sessions of the season!)
Understanding how to choose colour is everything, because every choice you make in your home—from paint to flooring, fabrics to finishes—is really a colour decision at its core.
When you have a simple system for identifying undertones and seeing what works together, decorating becomes so much easier and way more fun—no more second-guessing or costly mistakes. Turn your hard work and investment into a beautiful home you’ll love forever. No regrets!
You can also get my custom advice for your new kitchen and more with an eDesign consultation.
Related posts:
5 Must Know Tips for Trending Viola Marble Countertops
4 Steps to Getting Your Countertops Right
How to Work with your Dated, Granite Countertops: The Ultimate Guide
Taj Mahal is beautiful. Having said that, practically EVERY design I see presenting on social media these days uses it. Which, IMHO, makes it not timeless, but trendy. It may look better that grey-which was never my thing. But, like the Rachel haircut, do you really want the same thing that EVERYONE has?
I think Taj Mahal is beautiful, however, it’s still a warm beige. And warm beige locks you in to other warm neutrals for the rest of your kitchen’s life. I don’t like beige, and I therefore don’t want to commit to beige!
Be very careful with quartzite. It’s not maintenance free, and many people are posting pictures of areas of the quartzite that darken due to moisture. Even if it’s sealed, people have reported problems. So while it is beautiful initially, I would worry that it won’t stay beautiful. A kitchen is to be functional first, and if you can’t use it out of fear of staining, then choose something else. Like quartz.
No, true quartzite is 10000% inert. The problem is many places incorrectly label marbles as quartzite. Or a slab may be mixed. Do your research before purchasing if you want a maintenance free natural stone and don’t want to make a very expensive mistake. Karen Kirk is a super knowledgeable geologist who has done work for the countertop/stone industries. Check out her website for her articles, very easy to become an expert with her explanations.
Karin Kirk, thanks for mentioning her!
Great article Maria! I originally wanted to install Taj Mahal in my new build but I steered clear because it felt like it would become the New Venetian Golf granite of the Tuscan trend, ubiquitous, and it really didn’t look nice with Accessible Beige which I used for my kitchen cabinet color. Instead I chose an off white quartz for the perimeter counters and Patriotic Calacatta quartz for my island which has very light veining. Besides the island and stone backsplash which are obviously patterns my kitchen feels calm, collected, and perfect for the style of my home and ready for pretty styling.
Great article Maria! I originally wanted to install Taj Mahal in my new build but I steered clear because it felt like it would become the New Venetian Gold granite of the Tuscan trend, ubiquitous, and it really didn’t look nice with the paint color I chose for my kitchen cabinets, Accessible Beige. Instead I chose an off white quartz for my perimeter countertop and Patriotic Calacatta quartz for my island. My kitchen is warm, textured and perfect for the style of my home.
We used Perla Venata for our countertops and an off-white subway tile for the blacksplash, which matched the Alabaster cabinets. We also used Acessible Beige for our walls… and absolutely love it.
It’s definitely everywhere on one of the popular kitchen design forums I scroll through – feels like 50% of the new kitchens have it! I can already see the safe beige self-designed versions of the English country kitchen becoming heavy and dull like the Tuscan trend all over again 🙁
I just did a Taj M. Counter Top and used Dove Wing for the paint on the walls and a wood veneer wrap on the backside of the counter. It looks great!
I used Taj Mahal in my kitchen 3 years ago and I’m still in LOVE with it. It was the first thing I saw and looked for days to find something not as expensive and NOTHING came close to how much I love it. I knew nothing about countertops but I was smitten with TM. I shopped around for prices and the right slabs until I was satisfied. I have found it to be VERY low maintenance and would use it again in a heartbeat. We got the Leathered finish and love it. I could have cared less if it was the most popular or if no one used it. We purchased it as it was our favorite:)
I also chose TM during a remodel 4 years ago. I wanted real stone, but not high maintenance like marble, or busy like the granite I had previously.
I love it so much! I gravitate towards warmer whites which is what I used for cabinets and walls.
I even used it as the surround for our fireplace (and the wood part is the same color as our cabinets) so our living room ties into our kitchen.
I’m actually kind of sad that it’s now considered trendy. BUT, since I followed Maria’s teaching during our remodel, I’m confident that I did it well and I’ll never get tired of my kitchen.
Could it be like subway tile – suddenly it’s trendy to use, but once that fervor calms down, it’s still good to use in a well designed space?
I too am remodeling my kitchen and just purchased TM in a lighter color with a finish on it called extra honed. So you can tell it is honed but it still has a slight sheen to it, ever so subtle. In my opinion you really can’t compare a natural stone to man-made such as quartz. It is just gorgeous and the maintenance is minimal. Also it is very heat tolerant. Just wondering what color you painted your cabinets? I am looking at a light-medium taupe. Ben Moore Thunder AF-685. I think they will compliment each other well. Thanks!
I think you’ll be so happy with your countertops!
I did Ivory White cabinets on the perimeter and a chocolate Rubio stain (can’t remember the exact
color) on the island
I remember looking at Taj mahal 4 years ago when redoing my kitchen. While it was pretty on samples, it felt too overpowering in pattern and brown in my kitchen and (since the remodel was not planned due to a pipe burst) we’d repainted it house a color that wind have clashed horribly. As it’s more of a green or purple greige.
I went with a quartzite called Ijen Blue, even is much more uncommon and unlikely to trend and I love the colors and my island so much. The perimeter counters are a more basic quartz, with a warm, white, subway tile backsplash.
I still love it. My cabinets are an almost black stained white oak (looks like a lovely dark brown, but lacks the reddish tone). This was put in when white and open shelving were still trending. It feels timeless to me.
Hello Maria, I’ve been one of the original readers of your blog….I think it could be 17 years…I honestly can’t recall but I know it was called Colour Me Happy with a different banner….so long that I have seen the trends swing…but…the current case is also following the previous swing…hear me out….we went from patterns and layered looks to colour blocked or monchromatic textures to stark colours and now slowly going back to warmer tones…this all is following the psychological stressors…harmony in life/politics in the late 80’s/early 90s to discord and so much disagreement leading to senseless violence that people are craving Hyge (sp?) in essence comfort food for the soul/mind in the form of one’s abode. The early stressors were’t political but mind overload from computers so people went from patterns to simple block colours, straight lines, simplicity in all forms to rest the eyes/brain…the use of layered colours won’t come back for quite some time …. I say until AI does everything for ‘us’ and we’re bored so we can once again be creative and the abundance of colours doesn’t stress ‘us.’ IF ‘we’ study the atmosphere of culture/life, one can easily see the direction that colours, fashion, home design. Thank you so much for your blog over all the years. My kids were not even toddlers when I began to read your blog and now they are in college….and oh, how do I find your most recent posts…is ‘Current Post’ the new heading I should look for…for us old timers, it was a bit confusing BUT certainly much easier for the younger set to find topic specific advice.
Can you please share the color of your kitchen cabinets? Or a color that would be close? Thank you! Beautiful kitchen!
We completed our renovation in 2020. We used Perla Venata, Alabaster on cabinets and trim, Accessible Beige on the walls, stainless appliances, walnut wood island, and off-white crackle subway tile (very close to Alabaster). We decorated with walnut accents (cutting boards, utensils, knife block, etc), off-white, and black (sparingly). It wasn’t trendy at the time; we chose this because it was appropriate for the rest of our home. We get compliments on it all the time and of course love it ourselves. Even with heavy use, our quartzite looks new. Kind of a bummer it’s now trending.
What backsplash goes with Taj Mahal countertops?