I’d consider a solid color or at least a more uniform-looking laminate. If you broaden your search beyond the direction you’re leaning, you might be surprised and find something you both like.

I agree with Catliesl. I think you have the opportunity to do something really fun with laminate color wise :)

Good news! You’re not removing that counter without removing the backsplash too. So you aren’t imprisined to the gawdawful travertine at all.

We are aware that big stores prefer to demolish everything and start from scratch. We are not planning to hire a big store. Heat guns are regularly used to remove tile with a great deal of success.

We had the same situation, where we were keeping the backsplash but removing the matched counter tile. Our guy had a power tool, not a sawzal, that was made for cutting tile. It worked like a charm, in that we did not lose any backsplash with the counter. My reveal is titled Kitchen Reveal 1970s Update, which shows a bit of before and a few more of the after :) It should be noted our demo’d tile countertop was set in an inch of concrete (!)

Hi Zinnia. The same or a similar tool will be used to remove the grout where the backsplash meets the countertop. The tiles were glued onto the laminate countertop and wall in 1999. It's crazy to think that so much concrete was used to make countertops!

Do you like the travertine backsplash, or are you keeping it to minimize the project cost/scope?

Sounds like countertop demo might be easier (and time is $) if preserving the backsplash wasn't a concern. If so, I think the nice vintage-looking style of your cabinets could easily pull off a traditional laminate countertop with 4" splash and just drywall above. Then you really could have a free hand with the laminate color/pattern. I just love those retro boomerangs!

I would definitely go with a solid color.

Adam, it was a grout cutter!! It was pretty amazing. We thought maybe the inch of concrete was b/c the cabs weren’t tall enough! But, maybe an artifact of 1970s workmanship Lol.

First not one of those choices of yours works with your tile. Not even close. You can't put a pattern tile with a patterned countertop and you certainly can't put a white countertop with grays and blacks with that tile.

You can put a solid black countertop with that tile and it will work with it. However, formica has a lip at the back so how will you account for the preformed lip? Or are you going custom formica and if you are, you'll be paying more than you'd pay for granite.

Adam do you have a grout cutter like Zinnia is talking about because if you don't, GD is correct. It's not coming up without pulling off the wall tile.

I also agree that redoing the wall with drywall and putting in whatever laminate you like would be a better choice. And like someone suggested, I'd play up the vintage feel of your kitchen.

The drama tile will work well.

Whatever counter ends up - I'd buy what will tie it in - to me this might:

Maybe a lightened/ distressed wood stain for a key: eating table, etc... would blend well with floor [and backsplash] -- look for counter in same hue. Maybe repeat handles if a cart is bought.

Idk why so much money, but canyon called -

https://www.jcpenney.com/p/canyon-xx-counter-height-barstool/ppr5007570271?pTmplType=regular&catId=SearchResults&searchTerm=canyon%2Bkitchen&productGridView=medium

Along same line, if you will be altering floor [course you didn't mention]… but if you were to lighten it, consider counter good tie-in [and backsplash], for a whole plan. Door could make a difference also... the more elements and colors a person factors in, the harder it is = limit them when you can.

The Drama Marble is least-bad, but none of them look good. I agree with previous posters that a solid color is the way to go with that backsplash, but also that if budget is the only thing keeping you from changing the backsplash too, you probably wouldn't spend any more to do 4 inches of counter material plus drywall.

You can paint the Travertine with a mineral paint like Romabio as long as it hasn't been sealed. Call their customer service to get the details. I've never done it, I've only specified it and someone else did the work.

I'm not sure how you're going to get the counter top out with the bs in place, but if you do you can absolutely change the color with mineral paint and it doesn't look painted, it looks quite natural. And, really, anything is better than the current color.

If the bs is a plain white, it'll be much easier to choose laminate. BTW, average cost for a brand new, typical bs with basic tile is about $1200 to $1500.

I don't think this is actual Travertine, but rather ceramic tile that is made to look like Travertine. It might not accept paint as easily as the real stone. And a botched paint job would look horrible. So, investigate carefully before going down this route.

Assuming the existing counter comes off without any issues, how will you handle the gap at the counter next to the current backsplash? The tiles are sitting on the old laminate and the backsplash is on top of that. Decide if it's really worth keeping the existing backsplash because it's not as simple as just swapping out the counters.

Not a Pro.

Not sure if this can be done....if you are choosing a Formica counter top, you can get matching Formica sheets of it. I am wondering if you can use the sheets to cover the back splash and then trim it out where the wall and back splash meet.

Better yet, rip it all out and put up matching Formica counter and Back splash.

Red Glacier. So cute and fresh!

catliesl's ideas · More Info

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Skippack brings up a good point. There will be a good sized gap between the current counter and backsplash when the current counter is removed. Even if you are able to remove it without damaging the backsplash, which I wouldn't bet on, you will still not be able to install a standard laminate counter without figuring out how to fill that gap. It's far easier to just remove all of the drywall under the cabinet with the attached tile, and the counter, at the same time. Installing new drywall isn't expensive either.

I have no idea what a concrete counter top would cost but it may give you the rustic look that travertine does. The top can be stained and sealed many different colors. We did it for a bbq bar. The leather look was terrific. Simply an idea. But I agree with others, go plain, no design on whatever you select.

Agree with others that none of those countertops look good...Drama Marble is the only one that has even a chance of looking acceptable once installed.

Do it right the first time. Rip out the tile, it's floor tile for one thing, and the counter top and do what looks good rather than trying to work around something you don't like and still won't like after. Cost might be a bit more but having a custom laminate top made to fit with that tile isnt going to be cheap.

There was a lady on Houzz named Sophie Wheeler who gave several people advice about matching travertine's pink undertones. She suggested a rose and gray colored granite. There was something called American Rose Granite in the form of a laminate, but it's been discontinued. Noting that black, white and gray match pink, we have looked for a laminate with those colors. Most have some beige or gold, which clashes with the pink. It still seems like White Ice Granite is the best. I have posted another picture here. This house is in a neighborhood where people don't just rip everything out. It's in sort of an old money neighborhood. We're not looking for a designer kitchen. We just want to get rid of countertops that have grout that deteriorates. The plan is to use laminate sheets in the old school fashion to cover either the existing countertop that was built on site in the 1950s or to build a new countertop on site. PS the cabinets are light gray, which might be hard to tell.

Formica 827 White Onyx has a bit of a pink to it, if you're wanting something light.

And 6417 Elemental Oxide.

Thank you, The Cook's Kitchen, for suggesting those laminates. One concern with going very light like White Onyx is that anything whitish makes the cabinets look obviously gray instead of subtly gray. Or is that not bad? Another concern is that anything approaching monochrome seems out of balance with the busy, faux tumbled look of the tile. Or should that not be a concern? Initially, we thought that Spring Carnival (shown below) was a good choice. But, in certain light, the pink versus beige becomes glaring. Really, we're not that picky. We just wanted to get some ideas and bounce our thoughts off of people with an eye for these things. Any choice is going to give us a smooth surface, and that experience is going to outweigh any compromise in selecting a design.

We picked up samples of White Onyx today, and it looks very interesting.

I don't think any of the samples you posted come anywhere close to working well with the backsplash, although Cook's Kitchen's White Onyx is promising. I'd go with a plain white. I don't see any gray in your cabinets, but perhaps it's my monitor. Maybe you should paint the cabinets, too, because gray just doesn't go with your backsplash in any form.

So you are still living with it? This post is a year old so apparently yes. Please consider replacing backsplash, it is limiting your options. Also change wall color and look in replacing pulls.

The cabinets were painted with Olympic's Witch Hazel color. It's a subtle gray that goes with the pink and gray backsplash. The White Onyx image that The Cook's Kitchen posted is a full sheet. It has a white background. Up close, you can see a lot of pinkish gray with darker veining. It might be the best match. Again, we're not expecting designer results. Tile countertops are difficult to keep clean and difficult to prepare some foods on. Even if we were blind, we would want to get rid of them.

That looks great!

Much much better.

We read that Formica introduced White Onyx in 1969! It does look oddly familiar and more like something that belongs in a bathroom. We might be selling in five years. So, maybe installing a 50 year-old pattern isn't the best idea?

We really just don't want the mess of tearing up the wall. Right now we're trying to get roofers here. And, we're about to have water damage repaired to the ceiling and walls in two rooms. And, with August approaching, people are thinking about vacations and school starting.

Since last posting, we got a new roof and a new driveway. Regarding the selection of laminate, White Onyx was way too pink, fresh and synthetic-looking. The winner is Hebron White by Wilsonart. It's a faux limestone with pink undertones, and it looks good with the faux travertine backsplash that also has pink undertones.Hebron White by Wilsonart

Adam, why not photos? really wanted to see.

I meant to write Formica "Sea Salt" previously. The top cabinets remain Olympic Witch Hazel D10-2. The bottom are now Sherwin Williams Quietude. And, the backsplash remains. The tiles were removed from the countertops; they were adhered to laminate with mastic about twenty years ago. If you choose to comment, keep in mind that the goal was to keep the backsplash and to minimize demolition.

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