Budget Kitchen Facelift w/ Formica Butterum Granite

12 years ago

Hi, Have been visiting here about a year gathering info for updating my kitchen and thought I would post the results. We did not have a big budget and since my husband is quite handy decided to do the job ourselves. My cabinets were (and remain) the dreaded whitewashed or pickled oak, old countertop was butcherblock laminate and pulls were oak and brass. Appliances were white and faucet was chrome. Walls were off white, then later tan. Here is what we changed:

new Frigidaire Gallery Series stove on sale at Lowe's $550

black range hood gift from friend during her remodel $0

same year old KitchenAid dishwasher (got us started changing over to black) $0

same refridgerator but spray painted black with appliance enamel specialty paint from Lowe's $21 (cost of paint)

black oil rubbed bronze pulls ebay $1.49 ea

oil rubbed bronze high arch faucet ebay $79.00

reused same stainless steel sink $0

oil rubbed bronze ceiling fan Walmart $50

curtain "Tuscan Retreat" by Better Homes & Gardens $10

paint on hand "Macadamia" by SW $0

accent walls Walmart Better Homes & Gardens paint color matched to "Praline" by SW $40

Formica laminate "Butterum Granite" with Etchings finish and beveled edge $875 bought at fabricator, but all cutouts done and installed by husband

It's not a grand kitchen like some, and would have loved an unlimited budget, but I am pretty happy with the results!

finished kitchen

half wall shared with breakfast room to the left is SW "Macadamia" to the right is SW "Praline"

before the backsplash was installed I think this shows the paint color best

close-up of Formica "Butterum Granite". Mine has "etchings" finish and a beveled edge. This made my L shaped corner seamless.

a peek at the breakfast room side of my kitchen. It got a fresh paint job with "Praline" under the border, an Oil Rubbed Bronze metalic finish spray paint job on the old light fixture, and new oil rubbed bronze curtain pole. Don't look to close though as it is filled with all of the stuff we moved to work on the other side of the kitchen.

Comments (27)

rjr220
12 years ago
I love the creativity. Butternut was a great choice!
Fori
12 years ago
This is really nice! Goes to show you there's nothing wrong with pickled oak (unless it's paired with PINK!).

I think it turned out gorgeous. Great choices, great budget!
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Hello I’m back with some revised pictures and new questions. We removed the island and bar granite and replaced with a white quartz that has a design with a bit of black and dove to compliment the perimeter black counters and dove cabinets. We also replaced the bulbs in the island lights with daylight bulbs. Problem now is with those lights that shine predominately on the lower cabinets they look very white and the uppers look cream. its not a good look. Also looks like an operating room. very cool and not warm at all. We do not have it in the budget to replace either of the backsplashes. We are thinking of painting the kitchen backsplash the same color as the cabinets Using a higher gloss paint. I’d like to find three new counter stools with backs and two new pendant lights for over the island. I’d also like to change the hardware on the cabinets to black. Lastly we plan to repaint the walls BM Pale Oak. If you look to either side of the sink you can see the current darker color. My questions are Does the bar backsplash look okay witg the new counters and is the seaglass look dated. If so what suggestions do you have? I can’t have just painted drywall because it gets too messy at the bar with splashes. Thoughts on painting the kitchen backsplash same colir as cabinets but in a gloss. Can’t keep the current color it is way too beige and dark. Ideas on a style of pendant lights (black to match hardware and counters or white which could be too many whites in the kitchen) Lightbulb problem with the upper and lower cabinets reading two different colors.
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stacieann63
12 years ago
The counters are really pretty. I wouldn't have the guts to paint the refrigerator, but you did a great job.
Congratulations and enjoy.
formerlyflorantha
12 years ago
There's a lot to study here--enough to keep a motivated observer busy for quite a while. Good choices!
never_ending
12 years ago
I love how it turned out! So fresh and crisp, AND the cabinets look great with all of your design choices!!!

Creativity always inspires me. There used to be a design show where they would show a "designer" room and then re-invent it using a smaller budget. Sometimes a few small changes make a huge impact! I'm sure it is a pleasure to walk in and see the changes...thanks for sharing. =)
remodelfla
12 years ago
I love what you did and appreciate you posting pics of such a smart remodel! Congrats to both you and your hubby for a job well done.
TxMarti
12 years ago
Can you describe how you painted the fridge? It looks great, as does the whole kitchen. Was your microwave shelf already there or did you add that too?
mirz2000
12 years ago
Great job! The colors all came together nicely. The faucet and the counters look great together. I recently did a budget facelift with Formica too (link below).

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen before and after
desertsteph
12 years ago
I'm REALLY glad you posted your updated kitchen! I'm planning to use butterum in my 'new' kitchen - if I ever get around to it. I'm not even moved yet...(been working on that for over 1.5 yrs). the move itself might kill me...

anyway, I saved your pics to my photo folder so I can pull sections of the kitchen up close to really look at it all. (my eyes aren't so good these days).

and seeing the butterum - yes! I want to put in a cooktop - but then worry about the dreaded seam... maybe just a new stove would be better and no worries about the seam.

AND your kitchen is set up just like mine! maybe a bit to the left of the stove is different - that very last full floor/ceiling cab I don't have and I have a full upper cab where your mw is and an 'open' area lower. otherwise, your sink position, cab, refridge on the right with dw, cab on the left, corner, a cab, stove, a cab - it's the same! It's really neat to see what mine might look like when cleaned/fixed up!

my cabs are pickled something. they look a bit greyish/blue but photograph pinkish. they're ugly I think. the PO mutilated alot of the doors/drawer fronts anyway.
But the upper boxes are really nice...but the lower ones aren't. drawer boxes are good tho. So I'm gonna think about what I could do to keep the upper boxes, replace the lowers maybe next yr. I wanted a medium brown oak (love oak). Then someone posted a turquoise cabinet on here and I really liked that ... So, it'll depend on what I can do to save some boxes, replace doors etc.

I still want my butterum tho (wouldn't look good with turquoise cabs tho).

what is your flooring?

post again in a few wks and let me know how you like that butterum! I worry that 'spots' will bother me!

Not all of us out here will be doing a many thousand $ redo. While it's great to see those for ideas and drooling, reality is very good also!
ahs23440
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you all for your kind comments. I am hoping that I was able to give it a bit more up-to-date look on our tight budget. To me the countertop and the change to darker/deeper tan paint shades has really changed the look of the cabinets. I am really liking the butterum granite so far. I was really worried I would not like it as much on a big slab as I did on the sample I got, but it's good. I had a hard time choosing between this and three other samples. I also really liked Wilsonart HD Sedona Trail and Canyon Passage. Milano Baltic was nice too, it was more black with brown accents instead of the reverse. I am glad I went with the beveled edge and got the seamless corner. I really wanted one of the decorative ogee edges at first with a larger overhang but they would have had a seam. I found even doing a small remodel was filled with agonizing choices. LOL. I am a terrible "second guesser" who worries about choosing the right thing after I make a decision, so that didn't help matters.

To marti8a - My husband painted the fridge. I had read about it on the internet. I got the paint at Lowes. I think it is by Rust-oleum. It came in spray paint or brush on. We chose to spray paint. We have a "textured" bumpy finish on our refrigerator and that is why we had good results I think. I am not sure how good a slick finish refrigerator would paint up. We took off the handles and taped up the chrome trim and painted them. Next we took off the doors and painted them. Lastly we covered the opening of the fridge with taped on plastic trash bags and painted the box. ***Important step - you must let the fridge be unplugged for several hours at least and "warm up" or it will "sweat" and ruin the paint. My microwave shelf was already there, it is part of the upper cabinet. My cabinets are American Woodmark. Thanks for the questions!

To desertsteph Thanks for your comments. The countertop is sort of "busy" but ties in really well with my floor and wall paint colors so is not bothering me too much. If you have too much color or pattern in a backsplash or on the wall it could be a bit much. I will take some more close up pics if you are interested. I searched the internet many times hoping to see other people's butterum before I ordered. I really like the "etchings" finish. It has a texture with little bumps and nicks that make it, to me, look more realistic. It also has a slight reflective quality. Our floor is "Eurostone" 18x18 vinyl tiles. You can get them at Lowes. Would have loved real tiles but again time/budget issues took charge.

To mirz2000 I looked at your pics. I love your redo and your countertop looks great! Love your oil rubbed bronze accessories. Did you know they make a spray paint that has a finish that looks very much like that? We used it to fix up our old light fixture and to paint the light switch and outlet covers. I like it!
Pevo
12 years ago
Great job, I like how the new counters balance with the floor and window frame. Then the paint colors tie it all together!
kitchenaddict
12 years ago
hi ahs...

I'm sooooo impressed with how updated your kitchen looks...

The colors you chose compliment the cabinets so well!

Fantastic Job!

KA:)
pammycat
12 years ago
It looks fantastic! Warm and inviting, love the curtains.
dianalo
12 years ago
This came out so charming. You proved again that one can change the look without breaking the bank. This looks like a new kitchen because you chose key elements to update.
I think you should post the "before" pix so that we can appreciate how far it came. ;)
desertsteph
12 years ago
"I will take some more close up pics if you are interested."

I'd looove to see some close ups! and of the edging. how thick is it? I was wondering how much it'll add to the height of the cabs.

I'm thinking of dropping the counter on the stove side down an inch or 2. that'll keep from needing a seam and being so short having a lower counter top will make cooking easier for me. I'd like to have all of the counter top lower but the dw needs the height.

mirz - on your thread I was meaning the seam in my question on your counter top. the part where your counter comes around the wall I think looks just fine.
gsciencechick
12 years ago
Looks fantastic! Your fridge paint job is incredible. It looks factory finished.

I agree, more pics, please!
elba1
12 years ago
Enjoy!
ahs23440
Original Author
12 years ago
A few more pics as things get finalized...

The countertop arrives!

My husband Russell cutting the sink opening. Notice how he has the blood pressure, heartburn, and arthritis medicine handy. LOL

Here is a shot of the seamless corner and beveled edge.

Close-up of Butterum Granite (Formica)

Another one

The breakfast room side of the kitchen getting into shape. It is separated by a half wall on the left where the refrigerator is in the kitchen. It also shares one long common wall (with arch openings) with the kitchen and our den which I am also painting in "Praline". Here I got a new curtain with button accents $24 on clearance at JC Penney, oil rubbed bronze curtain pole $18, and Russell spray painted our old light fixture to match.

Another shot

Thanks everybody for your comments!
singingmicki
12 years ago
I think you'll be happy with your countertops for a long time! My aunt did the same beveled edge with her formica years ago, just when they were coming out with nicer finishes, and it still looks great. I love how you made a big impact with a smart budget!
ahs23440
Original Author
12 years ago
Last Pictures I think I am done .... would love to go to hardwood or laminate floors though .... better wait a while before I spring that on my husband.
desertsteph
12 years ago
thx so much for more pics. looking at the cabs closer up w/counter top in these new pics I think the cabs look like they were meant to be like that - goes w/ the counter top!

It's really neat to see a kitchen laid out like mine - I can see what it'll look like and how much counter space I'll have by looking at yours. Can't wait to have my sister look at your pics and see what my butterum will look like.

On the flooring... maybe waiting until next spring to bring up new floors will be a good thing. give him some time to recoop!
westsider40
12 years ago
You did a really great job. Both rooms have great space, very functional, pretty, tailored and happy. Could you please show me a close up of that border? It ties all the elements, color, scale, and adds a good dose of pop! I like your granite very much. I adore laminates, whether for esthetic or budget reasons, I think they are a terrific product giving the owner a huge range of options. I loved the durability of our 1987 white laminate which was demolished in 2-2011. Still in great shape.

Enjoy your new digs, have parties, and dance like crazy! even when you're alone!
ahs23440
Original Author
12 years ago
Hi, Thanks for your questions. The appliance paint is by Rustoleum. Here is a pic of it and the oil rubbed bronze metallic spray paint I used on the outlets, light switch, and lighting fictures.

for Westsider40, here is a close up of the border print. This is the red background however, and I have the black. It is White Agate Kitchen Shelf by York in the Folk Heart book. I think it is discontinued. I got mine off ebay (love ebay). You might still find the black if you search, I found the red and green versions still on sale at a couple of discount wallpaper sites on line.
rosie
12 years ago
What a great husband! Thanks for sharing him. He's going to be a great inspiration for many, I'm sure. :)

You guys really did something great there, and I imagine a lot of people are going to be taking notes. I like your choice o colors very much, and the way the cabinets look so right with them, the same old inish but not at all the same old look--that's pretty hard to pull off! Congrats.
flwrs_n_co
12 years ago
Wonderful redo! I love the macadamia paint and butterum countertops with your cabs! They look so fresh together! Great DIY job--give yourselves a big pat on the back and a big glass of wine--and celebrate!! Thanks for sharing. :)
ahs23440
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks everybody I have enjoyed reading your thoughts and comments.

Rosie, He is a great husband! He does grumble and complain A LOT when I get these fix up ideas (lest you think he is perfect LOL) but he usually does it in the end, and does a great job. Two years ago I got wood flooring in my living and dining rooms for Christmas, which he installed for me. Being handy at DIY has saved us a lot of money over the years. The biggest savings was our house, which he and his brother (who does construction) built.
beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
12 years ago
Very warm and welcoming, and wonderfully handy husband! Enjoy your "new" kitchen!

Becky