I was stuck with a dated kitchen counter.
I wanted to change it but didn’t know how.
Frankly, the very thought of a makeover sent chills down my spine.
I worried about the expense and the bother.
I needn’t have.
Once I had the ideas in my mind about what I exactly wanted,
all it took was a little planning.
Plus, a little scouting around to keep costs down to the minimum.
Believe me, that helped.
I found a dozen simple and cheap options to get what I wanted.
I couldn’t keep myself from the urge to share what I discovered,
and so, here we go.
This is 12 Easy counter makeover ideas.
And as always, this list is brought to you
by Simphome.com.
12. Update your kitchen counters and get a brand-new look
Painting the kitchen counter is one way of bringing them to date.
To do this, you need a paintbrush,
gloves, a disposable bowl, some frog tape, and a reliable DIY kit.
Having obtained these, proceed to take care of the preliminaries.
It was important to size and clean the counter before starting.
To do this, first, cover the parts that you don’t need to paint.
Carry out the actual painting in stages
so that it did not disrupt your regular kitchen activities.
11. Paint laminate counters the right way
Let me share a few details on how to laminate counters.
First, you I have to select the right kit for this purpose.
My advice, choose the Giani countertop paint kit,
which serve this purpose very well.
After reading the instructions
to make sure you follow the right track,
clean your countertop thoroughly.
It is important to protect your counter from hot surfaces
during this process.
Last, continue tape the surfaces that doesn’t need to be painted.
10. Infuse a smart new look into your countertop with contact paper
I recently found that I could use contact paper
on a variety of kitchen surfaces.
The basic procedure is the same
whether I was using them on countertops,
sinks, stoves, or breakfast bars.
This is how you can do the same.
Before starting, thoroughly clean and dry the surface.
After that cut the paper to size,
leaving a little extra for final adjustments.
then place the paper carefully on the surface,
a little at a time,
pressing it with a spatula held in the other hand.
Once this process is over, trim the edges
to remove the overhanging portions.
9. Use planks to make your kitchen peninsula stand out
As part of the kitchen makeover,
you can turn your kitchen peninsula more attractive
and interesting using planks.
First, cut the planks to the required lengths
and fixed them to the cabinets.
That was quite easy.
you just have to drill some holes to fix the planks with nails.
These had to be covered up later.
Use corbels if necessary,
but before that,
first, smoothened the surface with sandpaper.
Corbels will help you cover the nails.
At the same time,
they can make you kitchen peninsula more attractive.
8. Decoupage your counter and make it look cooler
I had no complaints about my kitchen counter,
except that it could look better.
I was looking for a low-cost makeover and decided to try decoupage.
Decoupage doesn’t have to be all pictures and colors.
You can also use pages from an old recipe book
and you will find your counter cutter.
The procedure is simple.
Just apply some mod podge on the counter
and on the back of the sheets that you already pasted.
Next, put them in place and smoothened them out.
On drying, all wrinkles will disappear,
leaving your counter a smooth surface.
7. Add strength and elegance to your countertop with concrete
This is how to concrete your countertop.
First, scrape the surface with coarse sandpaper
and clean it with a damp cloth.
Next, mix the cement and water as recommended by the manufacturer.
Complete one part of the countertop at a time.
This way, you could complete that part
before the cement started drying.
Use a putty knife to apply the cement,
wiping out the excess with a dry towel.
After 24 hours,
sand the surface of your countertop with rough sandpaper.
On completing the final coat,
polish the surface with smooth sandpaper.
6. Make your kitchen counter snappy by sealing
Kitchen counters disintegrate at meeting points,
particularly with other solid surfaces.
A time comes in every kitchen when this needs to be fixed.
Here’s how you can go about it.
First, use a quick setting sealant.
Start by snipping the existing plaster.
You have to take care the process to avoid contact
with the counter or tiles.
Then, clean the surface using a brush.
Once the old plaster was off and the surface was clean,
you could apply the sealant in the gaps left by the plaster.
You can do this with your fingers,
making sure to keep wiping them on a wet cloth.
That is necessary for getting a uniform application.
5. Upgrade your cabinet ends and make them groovy
A few small changes will help you get a stunning new look in your kitchen.
The first thing you need to focus on is the kitchen cabinet.
Start by trimming the ends and balancing projections.
You will find that it is a good idea
to give your kitchen peninsula a planked look.
The board you use is not important because any board would do.
Then cover up your cabinet with paint.
You can use wallpaper as well if you want.
These small changes will make a big difference in the look
and feel of your kitchen.
The change will be subtle.
4. Clean the countertops and make them look dapper
Cleaning the counter is a chore.
However, you could make it easier with a few steps.
To start with, go into the habit of removing stains
as soon as they formed.
That way you have less cleaning to do later.
For what still remained,
first wipe off the dirt and remove the debris.
Then clean using soap and water.
Use a carefully selected commercial cleaning agent
for the tiles and use a toothbrush for areas that are not easily accessible.
For blotched and soiled surfaces,
make a paste from baking soda and water.
Use this paste to remove annoying stains.
3. Get the painting right for a stunning visage
You could have taken professional help to do your painting job.
However, if you had spent your budget for better use,
decide to do a DIY painting job by yourself.
With some care,
you could make sure that you got results matching professional work.
First and foremost,
cover the things that you don't want to be painted
and avoid electric sanders, as they throw up too much dust.
Invest time selecting the right tools for the job.
Apply three coats of paint,
following the manufacturer’s instructions.
That required patience, because the painting, sealing,
and curing took a couple of weeks in all.
Take care to caulk the edges after the painting was over.
2. Decorate your Countertop and make it more elegant
With the clutter gone, start thinking about beautifying your kitchen.
As a first step, divide your counter into distinct areas.
“A place for everything and everything in its place,”
say this to yourself.
Then, find a few attractive organizers and storage shelves
for everyday things like soaps, lotions, and hand towels.
That will make a big difference.
Last, group the things that have to be on the counter
and give each one a place of its own.
Even Alexa had her own place on the counter.
Lastly, number 1. Organize the kitchen right and make it smart
I realized right in the beginning
that if you are going to declutter your kitchen,
a makeover would be money thrown down the drain.
So, the first thing you should do to organize your kitchen
is remove all appliances and other small items
that are not immediately required from the counter.
I noticed that open outlets spoil the décor and hid them.
I had an assortment of things all mixed up on my counter.
That was neither pretty nor convenient.
Last, sort things into categories and create zones for them.
Start putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
Never mind when you get to wash them.
Conclusion:
There are many small things that you can do to spruce up your kitchen.
All of them added up to make your kitchen lovelier.
An orderly kitchen is both attractive and efficient.
So, the first thing you should do is to declutter your kitchen
and put things in their proper place.
Second, your kitchen can get a fresh look by painting it.
It is important to clean the countertop before starting to paint.
I also stressed the importance of following the right procedure
for each type of material.
Another thing that I had said and would like to repeat here
is that all the precautions should be followed as discussed.
Painting is only one aspect of the kitchen makeover.
Upgrading the ends
and caulking the gaps also can make big differences.
You can also fix a brand-new concrete counter to give it a fresh look.
And last, you could further increase the visual appeal of your kitchen
by using planks, paper countertops, and decoupaging.