Reader Chris S. asked Decorating Den:

“I need to replace my kitchen faucet as it beyond repair. In my kitchen, I have black Soapstone counter tops and a stainless steel sink. I originally put in a stainless silver “satin” finish faucet, but it never really matched just right, as the sink was always a tad lighter, but a darker silver finish would have been too dark. I’m thinking of putting in an antique style, black “stain” finish faucet and soap dispenser. My floors are gray tile and my cabinets are a darker gray with a hand glazed finish in onyx (The glaze is in the ridges, etc., around the face of the cabinets). All the appliances are stainless steel. The only black in the kitchen are in the ridges of the cabinets and the black soapstone counter tops.

I’d like to know if it’s “acceptable” to put a black faucet and soap dispenser on a silver stainless sink?  I’m putting my house on the market this summer, so I don’t want to replace the entire sink, but I’d like give the kitchen a little “pop”, as my kitchen is looking a little too gray and could use a little contrast. Thank you so much for your help and I LOVE your website!

Barney Wheeler from Wheeler BCI Kitchen Remodelers had some advice for Chris:

It seems the smaller the detail, the harder it is to choose!  You’d think picking out your faucets and other accessories in a kitchen would be easy, but once you see all of the choices out there it becomes overwhelming to decide!

Because you are planning to sell soon, you want to choose something that will be easy for a buyer to fall in love with and add value, but that you’ll also be able to live with until then.  The kitchen sounds lovely and (in my opinion) not a bit too gray. A black faucet and soap dispenser will be fine on black soapstone countertop.

Good luck and we hope you enjoy the changes!