Hi friends!! I shared on my Instagram a while back I was working on DIY countertops in my kitchen and y’all said you were interested in seeing some home decor and DIY posts on the blog, so here it is!
The condo I purchased two years ago was a flip (not by me, that would be a dream!) and unfortunately, the flipper really cut some corners and the finishings he chose were definitely not what I would have picked.
When I first moved in my Dad helped me paint the cabinets- NEVER again! They were a darker wood, and we painted them grey. I really didn’t like the way the grey cabinets looked with the black granite but I also didn’t have the money to replace the countertops so I sucked it up and dealt with it!
I was reading a book last month and the main character talked about using contact paper over her countertops. I wasn’t sure if this was a thing, or something made up in the book so I got to googling. I found SO much on marble contact paper! After a couple of days of watching youtube videos, I figured I would give it a shot myself. I ordered this marble contact paper off of Amazon and away I went! They have two sizes, which I didn’t realize when I bought mine. If I had seen the bigger rolls I probably would have only needed two rolls instead of 3. Lowes also sells the paper for under $7 a roll but I liked the look of the marble pattern on Amazon better.
I did the whole project myself and was really pleased with the results! For under $75 I have a completely new look that makes a HUGE difference in my kitchen
ITEMS NEEDED FOR DIY COUNTERTOPS
Really thick credit card – I saw some people using squeegees but I think the rubber on the bottom would make it hard
Exacto Knife
Patience
Glass(es?) of wine
TIPS (AKA: DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES I DID!)
Cut the paper bigger than you think you need- use your exacto knife to cut the excess
Don’t remove the backing of the entire strip at once, pull back a couple of inches at a time
Use your thick card or squeegee to push out bubbles as you’re SLOWLY applying the paper to the countertops
You will get bubbles- it’s inevitable. I was able to smooth out most as I was going along, the ones I couldn’t get rid of I used a pin to prick a tiny hole and then I ran the card along the top. The pin prick is so small you can’t see it.
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
*Update* I sold this condo in March 2020 and the contact paper held up pretty well over the 3 years!
