First, why the hell did you not finish/paint the walls before putting in the cabinets? That makes life so much easier.
Second, I hope your plaster on the drywall seams gets wider and more feathered. More time and thin coats = success in drywall finishing.
Third, expensive cabinets with cheap looking countertops look cheap. All cabinets with great countertops look much better. Find something you like the look of, and go with it. It doesn't have to be hugely expensive, nor does it have to be stone. There are very good laminate possibilities.