AW PIP: B/A Kitchen Reno on a Budget!

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

Okay, so this was our weekend DIY project!  We used a faux granite kit to transform our newer (but ugly) blue laminate countertops to a lighter granite look!  

We plan on adding aged-bronze hardware for the cabinets/drawers... and maybe painting/glazing the cabinets a couple shades darker (more brown)- but for now, we're really pleased with the outcome!

He Calls Me Cupcake

WOW! great job! you got really good coverage over the dark blue! I am planning to do this in my kitchen...going from a white laminate to a greyish faux marble look.....any tips? did you run in to any issues while you were doing this? which brand did you use? 

brianabrad

Nice job. I can't wait to see the cabinets with some hardware and maybe a little darker, if you get to it.

LaurenSweat

I like that they are lighter--- but is there any way to soften the contrast a little bit?  I think that they are looking a little too sponge painted to me.  Maybe alternate sponge size?

I do think that they are an improvement! 

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

He Calls Me Cupcake:

WOW! great job! you got really good coverage over the dark blue! I am planning to do this in my kitchen...going from a white laminate to a greyish faux marble look.....any tips? did you run in to any issues while you were doing this? which brand did you use? 

I used Giani.  We originally went with the Chocolate Brown kit- but it turned out far too dark with our light cabinets (even if we painted them darker)... so I re-did it with lighter minerals.

Here's the darker shade:

TheWop

LaurenSweat:

but is there any way to soften the contrast a little bit?  I think that they are looking a little too sponge painted to me.  Maybe alternate sponge size?

I agree with this.  It's a little too uniform.  Like the colors need to be blended a bit more.  You can totally tell they were painted. 

I kind of liked the dark counters a little better too

cZa

TheWop:

LaurenSweat:

but is there any way to soften the contrast a little bit?  I think that they are looking a little too sponge painted to me.  Maybe alternate sponge size?

I agree with this.  It's a little too uniform.  Like the colors need to be blended a bit more.  You can totally tell they were painted. 

I kind of liked the dark counters a little better too

Agree

emoflamingo

cZa:

TheWop:

LaurenSweat:

but is there any way to soften the contrast a little bit?  I think that they are looking a little too sponge painted to me.  Maybe alternate sponge size?

I agree with this.  It's a little too uniform.  Like the colors need to be blended a bit more.  You can totally tell they were painted. 

I kind of liked the dark counters a little better too

Agree

I agree too. It looks like they need blended more.

Bluesmoothy

What was wrong with your counters before?

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

Wow- I'm surprised at the response- I did the SAME redo of my bathroom and got rave reviews from this board!  

I just didn't like the dark blue counters.  NMS.... 

TheWop

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful:

Wow- I'm surprised at the response- I did the SAME redo of my bathroom and got rave reviews from this board!  

I just didn't like the dark blue counters.  NMS.... 

I never saw the bathroom redo.  *shrug*.  All that matters is that you like it. 

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

Bathroom:

 

LaurenSweat

I think it looks way different on your bathroom counter.  I can't see the individual sponge marks.  It may be since the bathroom counter was a lot less square footage that the pattern seems to blend more. Maybe just the sponge size?

TheWop

See, those do look good, they're blended a LOT more than the ones in your kitchen.  You see obvious sponge marks in the kitchen, it seems in the bathroom it would only be obvious if you were really looking for it.  There's no mistaking how the counters were done in the kitchen. 

emoflamingo

LaurenSweat:

I think it looks way different on your bathroom counter.  I can't see the individual sponge marks.  It may be since the bathroom counter was a lot less square footage that the pattern seems to blend more. Maybe just the sponge size?

I agree. I like it on the sink. The kitchen counter just looks like it needed a little more blending.

ETA: I think it's most noticable on the edges and the corners. I think that's where it needs more blending. It draws my eyes there.

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

Hmmm... not sure why.  I did both the bathroom and the kitchen the same exact way.  Not sure why they would look different from one another.  It's A LOT less "sponge" looking than when it was the darker minerals (I ETA that above).  

Jim&Jaime

No offense intended, and I thought the bathroom turned out great, but the kitchen definately looks like it was done on a budget.

brianabrad

It might be hard to judge from the photos as well. The bathroom is a lot smaller so the pattern is less obvious. The kitchen counter is much larger so the picture shows a lot more of the pattern. Overall, I think its pretty cool that you were able to change them so much. Never knew that was even possible!

Catch23

The kitchen is NMS and I liked the before pic better, but as pp mentioned...as long as you like it then that is all that matters.

 Your bathroom, on the other hand, came out great!  Nice work! 

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

Thanks for the honest opinions, everyone!  Unfortunately, I don't think there's any way I can blend it more!!  The top coat is already on.... I thought it looked pretty darn good- but now I'm second guessing myself :-(

Maybe with darker cabinets and hardware it will make it look better?

Ugh. 

HeatherBell89

Oh. Wow....

 

The counters look like camouflage. In my opinion the solid navy blue was way better.

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

HeatherBell89:

Oh. Wow....

 

The counters look like camouflage. In my opinion the solid navy blue was way better.

Well, thanks for being so blunt.  I'd like to think maybe you didn't see my post directly above yours saying how I'm disappointed in how it turned out in comparison to the bathroom (which I did the SAME exact way).   

TheWop

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful:

HeatherBell89:

Oh. Wow....

 

The counters look like camouflage. In my opinion the solid navy blue was way better.

Well, thanks for being so blunt.  I'd like to think maybe you didn't see my post directly above yours saying how I'm disappointed in how it turned out in comparison to the bathroom (which I did the SAME exact way).   

No need to get defensive. 

Seriously, if you like it, who cares?  Most of my house isn't "nest approved", and that's ok, I like it, and I live there, so that's all that matters.  So some internet strangers don't like your countertops?  Whatevs. 

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

True.  I guess I'm just second-guessing myself because even though *I* like them... I don't want guests coming over and leaving thinking my kitchen is horrible!!

emoflamingo

TheWop:

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful:

HeatherBell89:

Oh. Wow....

 

The counters look like camouflage. In my opinion the solid navy blue was way better.

Well, thanks for being so blunt.  I'd like to think maybe you didn't see my post directly above yours saying how I'm disappointed in how it turned out in comparison to the bathroom (which I did the SAME exact way).   

No need to get defensive. 

Seriously, if you like it, who cares?  Most of my house isn't "nest approved", and that's ok, I like it, and I live there, so that's all that matters.  So some internet strangers don't like your countertops?  Whatevs. 

I agree. I don't think it looks ALL bad, my eye just gets drawn to those darker spots. I bet it looks better once the cabinets are darker and you get some hardware on the doors.

tbridetobe

You know, I'd e-mail your photos to Giani through their website and ask if they have any advice for you now that the topcoat is on.  They seem really into customer service so I would see if they could help you out.

ETA: Did you use the entire sponge?  I did Giani in my kitchen and only used about 1/5th of the sponge they sent so my sponge marks would be very tiny.  Also, it looks like you might be pressing the sponge down too hard.

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful

I cut the sponge into 5 pieces (all different sizes) and varied them with the colors.... I barely pressed down when sponging, too!

I emailed their customer service to see what they say.  

 

Sapphire70

I love the new color

What is in your top coat?  I ask because bought a kit but it is just a single color (with out the sponging technique) and doest come with the top coat/sealer so I'll need to buy it separately to make sure the counter paint is durable

 

 

tbridetobe

Baby_Bunny_Hopeful:

I cut the sponge into 5 pieces (all different sizes) and varied them with the colors.... I barely pressed down when sponging, too!

I emailed their customer service to see what they say.  

 

That's really weird.  Well, hopefully the customer service can give you some tips.  Although honestly, I think the countertop is fine.  We're all noticing it right now because it was the topic of the post, but once you have other things going on in the kitchen, put some items out on the counter, etc. then it will be a lot less of a focal point.

Mrs.G123

The kitchen and the bathroom look completely different to me. Maybe because you used the darker kit first in the bathroom?

mrsemily08

Mrs.G123:

The kitchen and the bathroom look completely different to me. Maybe because you used the darker kit first in the bathroom?

I think it was the kitchen, but this is possible I guess.

The bathroom does look great!