Faux marble countertops
I know there have been lots of talk on this subject, but I just ordered the Formica Calcatta sample. There's an earlier thread about this...
http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2674735/thinking-of-using-formica-180fx-calcatta?n=15
But I wondered if anyone has any newer info? I also included a few of the pictures of the kitchen from the link :)
Comments (37)
Lavender Lass
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
Lily Spider
9 years agoRelated Discussions
Newbie lost on how to improve bathroom
Comments (1)I would suggest going with neutrals with beige/taupe/white with anything that is hard to change. Maybe switch the a A new counter top with neutral Formica and a white sink. You would be surprised as to how inexpensive Formica is. But of course then there is a new sink, faucet and a bit of plumbing work.Go to a home improvement store and ask them lots of questions A friend put in bead boards and painted a soft white in bathroom, I think it looks nice. But they are usually glued and nailed so if you ever get tired of it it would mess up the drywall underneath. I've seen wallpaper that looks like beadboard. But I hate wallpaper myself. You could just do a chair rail and paint the above and below in different colors. As for you light, you probably have one of those that is kind of built into the medicine cabinet and have the round bulbs, I am not sure what to suggest, but they are usually separate from the cabinet. Maybe the home improvement stores have a suggestion. I wanted more storage in my bathroom but didn't want to install medicine cabinet, I have a large plain mirror over sink. Plus wanted deeper storage. I found a white stained kitchen cabinet and installed over toilet. It was a discontinued item so got it cheap. It took some getting used to, afraid it would be too big and bulky, but being whiteish made it not seem so. I had been watching for something for at least a year....See MoreNewbie needs decorating help
Comments (8)When you say low budget are you talking $100 or $500 or more? The reason I ask is that you can replace the vanity and medicine cabinet and light for under $500. I lucked out and did a rental property I have with things I found at Home Depot in their clearance section. $200 for vanity, light and medicine cabinet. The only thing I had to do to them was change the hardware on the vanity to brushed stainless to match the room. As for the counter top, find a granite fabricator and ask about leftover granite or solid surface material. They will often cut it for you at very inexpensive rates as they have no use for these smaller pieces. From personal experience, I've used Valspar paint in 3 rooms recently and the paint after being applied matched the chips exactly. So if you like what you see on the chips, you should be OK with the paint choices. I love beadboard in bathrooms and think the white beadboard really brightens up the room. Don't worry too much about lighting until after you've picked out a new light. The type of lighting you've had in there really doesn't give off enough light and it's something you can keep in mind when selecting the new lighting. There are some great deals online for lighting, I just did 3 bathrooms for under $160, all were on sale and found an online coupon for an additional 30% off on LampsPlus. The same lights, 2 of them were almost twice as much as big box stores locally. It's easy to save money if you take your time and look around. Check Ebay and CL, too. I've had friends who found great deals on CL due to the unfortunate situations people find themselves in due to our economy. Have fun and good luck with the remodeling!...See MoreLayout advice requested!
Comments (10)Hvhay, I'm definitely inclined to the laundry setup in #3. I like the nice cross hall and think it would be a more than acceptable substitute for that extra, dark laundry space that's only good for standing. Is that really a place you'd care to hang out in? If you do definitely see yourself standing in there folding clothes, then it would likely be very worth the investment. If not, though, maybe grab your clothes from the dryer in what's going to be a pleasant, open cross hall? You can always go stand in that nice pantry when you need a moment to yourself. Also, I'd recommend you hold off on building in a banquette until you've lived with your new kitchen for a while. This is The Day of the Banquette. They have some real virtues, and I've liked them longer than most people here have been alive, but I promise that in future they will never look as glossy and desirable as they do now, not for the next 60 years or so, and their negatives will become newly obvious. Especially to adults who've done the sliding in and over thing more than enough. In future, once the in-style dazzle has dimmed, to still look as good banquettes will need to either create a truly special space for sitting or be an obvious answer to an obvious need. Those that don't will look like what they were, something that was "in" when the kitchen was remodeled. Conversely, a nice table and chairs will never look so...boring and unspecial as it does now. So, just be sure a fixed, inflexible banquette is the best option for you. OR, don't bolt it down. Just set it there. If you do one, though, then the back wall of #1 would be great. This would create the rationale for its being that would make it always look right, and it looks like it would also create a particularly special, inviting space to enjoy. A mini sunroom looking out over the garden. In the other plans it lacks that compelling reason for being and is also off balance, a problem that can be fixed with decorative sleight of hand, but still......See MoreShort Term Inexpensive Countertop Solutions?
Comments (20)Yes we only want a cheap option for a year or so before we upgrade the kitchen. The upgrade will be new countertops and possibly new cabinets. We don't know if we will sell within 5 years. We like this house, the neighborhood and the schools but I've learned to never say never. And to never count on a house being a forever house. As our children get older we might find that our needs change. With that in mind, I don't want to make any changes that will make it harder to sell. Most of the houses that go on the market in this neighborhood have painted or stained builder grade oak cabinets topped with new granite. It's not that I don't want to paint the countertops but that I'd rather not mess with it. Based on what I've read online many people paint/stain their cabinets and have good results. However, it seems that fewer people paint their countertops and that the outcomes are mixed. Painting the cabinets seems much more of a sure thing. Especially given that it's so common in this neighborhood and all of the homes have the same cabinets....See More
Nothing Left to Say
9 years ago
eam44
9 years ago
romy718
9 years agoMags438
9 years ago
bpath
9 years ago
Gemcap
9 years ago
diymom79
9 years ago
alley2007
9 years ago
PROProSource Memphis
9 years agoI regularly have people stopped in their tracks when I mention that this is laminate and not marble. Sure, it's not going to have the depth that the crystalline structure gives marble, but neither will any other material on the market, quartz fauxs included.
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9 years ago
Fori
9 years ago
oldbat2be
9 years agoLavender Lass
9 years agoThat's why I'm getting the sample! Have to see if it's too busy for the bunnies :) I could use butcher block with the bunnies and marble around the sink!
Lavender Lass
9 years agoThe sample arrived yesterday! And, my husband really likes it!!!
Here's a quick photo...it looks very nice with the jadeite :)
sherri1058
9 years agochrisinsd
9 years ago
denizenx
9 years agonosoccermom
9 years agoLavender Lass
9 years ago
My3dogs ME zone 5A
9 years agoLavender, I also thought that the Formica was simply gorgeous, and ordered a sample like yours. I was doing just a little facelift in my kitchen, and went to the nearest Lowes just to get pricing on what my counters would cost.
Long story short, my kitchen is not big, and I wasn't using this on the island, but I did want the ogee edge applied. The KD there, who was very nice and informative, did the calculations and and asked if I knew that I could get some stones for the same price as that laminate?! I was shocked, but he showed me the pricing, which may not work out that way for you.
I ended up going to a local stone center, and choosing a leathered Fantasy Brown Quartzite. It probably turned out to be a bit higher than some other stones, but I'm really enjoying it. I LOVE that laminate and to me, this stone has a 'marble look' to it, which may be due to the leathered finish.
This is an in-progress pic, so not the best.
Lavender Lass
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agotuesday_2008
9 years agoMy3dogs ME zone 5A
9 years agoThanks, both of you! I hesitate to post any old house 'just a facelift' reno here as so many of them are so gorgeous and pricey! I just had my natural maple cabinets that were in great shape painted, did new counter tops, replaced the island top with an old butcher block table top from Craigslist (refinished it first) and made legs for the overhang from an old bed from CL. I took the foot board, removed the legs and used them upside down. Wood from the footboard was used to make the arch between the legs.
A change I really like is having the painter's son add to the top of the cabinets and bring them to the ceiling with new crown. I hated that dust catcher up there before. I even kept my Swanstone sink from the original kitchen re-do, as I love it and it looks like the day I bought it.
Before -
I also added a new light fixture over the island, and two sconces on the cabs on either side of the sink. I kept the solid brass knobs, which I am 'aging'. Notice how we made the top of the island as close to the color of antique secretary that you see in the LR of my old house. I made faux Roman shades in Waverly 'Olana' fabric in the bayleaf colorway that I got on eBay.
Lily Spider
9 years ago
jlc712
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoMy3dogs ME zone 5A
9 years agohomechef59
9 years agojlc712
9 years agohappyallison
9 years agoMy3dogs ME zone 5A
9 years agohappyallison, I had written a reply but went to get some pics and it disappeared. Bottom line is that I love it. The leathered finish was strongly recommended as it makes the surafce more resistant to staining and etching. I did all the tests and nothing etched or stained it. I don't know if you've read the threads started by 'Karin' (I think) who is a geologist about various stones for counters, but she suggested seeing if the stone would scratch glass. Here is what I did with the sample I had.
Here is a not-so-great shot I took for someone when I just had the sample, so she could see the leathered finish, which is not perfectly smooth.This very close shot makes it looks much 'bumpier' than it is in real life.
It has many soft colors in it, and in some places, almost a translucent quality. It has white, cream, taupe, tan, green and some darker brown areas. I love it with the green cabinets. In this shot, from the left edge to about the middle, you see some green. I live in Maine and it makes me think of the ocean water swirling on a beach.
happyallison
9 years agoLavender Lass
9 years ago
Bunny
9 years agoLavender Lass
9 years ago
romy718