We haven’t done anything to our kitchen since adding the under cabinet lighting, replacing all of the outdated almond-colored outlets and switches, and having the cabinets refaced last fall. But we’ve finally saved up enough to get new kitchen countertops. (We don’t believe in spending money we don’t have.)
Another reason why we want to knock the countertops out before the nugget arrives is so we can install a new, single basin sink which will be a lot easier for bathing him. Plus, we need a new sink because our current one is stained and gross looking.
So today I’m sharing 3 countertop options with you guys to get your opinions.
We’re doing laminate countertops. I’ve said this a billion times– we don’t live in a granite countertop house. It would be financially stupid for us to spend money on granite or another stone for this house. Unless you guys want to start a GoFundMe account to pay for granite countertops for us, but I’m sure your money could be used for much better causes.
Since we decided on laminate, the three options you’ll see below are all laminate. But laminate has come a long way, people.
Here’s how the kitchen looks right now with our plain Jane laminate countertops.
My awesome friend, Erin, did the kitchen mock-ups for me. I’m handy with Photoshop, but not a pro like her.
I had Erin add the white subway tile backsplash and change the sink to stainless steel because that’s our ultimate plan. We also intend to remove the world’s ugliest florescent light and add recessed lighting and pendant lights, but I didn’t have her work the lighting into the mockups because I haven’t decided on the light fixtures yet. Baby steps.
FYI, we aren’t changing the appliances.
Option #1
Wilsonart Italian White Di Pesco
Option #2
Wilsonart Calcutta Marble
Option #3
Wilsonart Typhoon Ice
We’ll most likely do a full bullnose or flat polish edge on the countertops, which makes them easier to clean and makes the laminate appear more stone-like.
Cast your vote below!
Oh, and you can’t select “other” and not leave a recommendation– that’s just mean.
[polldaddy poll=”8160423″]
UPDATE: Want to know what countertop we went with? Hint: it wasn’t any of these options. Find out HERE!
ange says
July 2, 2014 at 7:42 AMWe are also doing laminate, mostly because I don’t like granite and I choose the Calcutta marble and it will be thinner than our current laminate counter top to make it look even less laminate like.
Jane Ann says
February 1, 2016 at 10:19 AM@Ange, I am on a quest to do the same thing you mentioned– have our new laminate made to be thinner (3 cm) than the standard laminate. However, the people I’ve talked to so far (at the laminate district office!) don’t know anything about this procedure. Can you give me any pointers on how to have this done correctly? Did you go through with it for your kitchen?
Angela says
July 2, 2014 at 7:49 AMI like the first option! It seems so airy and light!
We went with granite only because we got it on sale, plus managers special, plus free upgrades and discounts install so it evened out price wise. So, I understand where you are coming from!
Kelly @ Corner or Main says
July 2, 2014 at 7:56 AMThey are all beautiful options! We are going to do the same thing in our kitchen, and I am so excited!! The Wilson products look amazing, and they sound so durable. I can’t wait to see which one you install. We might be installing the calcutta marble ones!
Karen at Little Red House Designs says
July 2, 2014 at 8:18 AMGreat post – and yes we have laminate too as we live in a ‘laminate house’ 😉 I worry so much about expectations of young couples when I watch shows like House Hunters. The two things that send me over the edge: “We really wanted granite and stainless” and the other “there’s only one sink in the master bath”.
I live without both and I am well adjusted.
Liz says
April 6, 2015 at 8:15 AMYes!!!! I’m so glad you said this! It drives me crazy when young couples behave this way on house hunters. My mother was wonderful about teaching us to live and be happy with what we had! Including one bathroom and six kids, laminate counters and vinyl floors! As a result my husband and I have been able to “flip” some homes and make bad/gross house into a wonderful home!
Kelsey Barstad says
July 2, 2014 at 8:33 AMI looooooovvvvvveeeeee the Calcutta Marble, however I’d go with Ogee edge 🙂
Kelli H says
July 2, 2014 at 8:54 AMI’m loving the kitchen options, while I do like them all very much #2 is my favorite. Where did you find these? We have laminate and I’m wanting to change them up but didn’t know they came so far. If I didn’t know better I would of thought there were marble or granite.
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
July 2, 2014 at 9:06 AMI’ve been researching different laminate finishes for a while, but these are some options offered by the company that we’ve hired to do the countertops. You can go to Wilsonart’s and Formica’s websites to see all that’s offered in laminate. The selection is crazy.
Annemarie says
February 9, 2015 at 10:00 PMQuestion-how did you photoshop all those countertops in? Do you have special software?
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
February 9, 2015 at 11:02 PMYep! Photoshop.
P.Mary says
July 2, 2014 at 9:09 AMMuy bonita y amplia, ahora te queda a ti decidirte cual te gusta más. bsos
Elizabeth F. says
July 2, 2014 at 9:32 AMWe also live in a house with laminate counters, and I really don’t mind them. With so many other projects up higher on the to-do list, it’s just not in the budget to get stone. I love the choices you’ve narrowed down to (#2 is my fave!). I wanted to agree that having a curved edge without “corners” where two pieces of laminate meet on the edge of the counter makes it much easier to clean, and I worry less about spills leaking in between, etc. Lots of people would prefer not to have it, but we also have a small lip up toward the backsplash on the back of the counters, which again, makes me feel better when water from the sink splashes, we spill, etc.,since it stays contained on the counter instead of dripping into a crack or behind. Just a thought!
Brianna says
July 2, 2014 at 10:09 AMI believe the first is best if you want your accents in the kitchen to stand out. It will complement the stainless steel while making items such as your flower vase pop more. The second is best if you want the granite itself to be the focus. It is more dramatic and stands out. Depends on what you want (of course).
Kylie Rose says
July 2, 2014 at 10:50 AMSWOONING for the Calcutta Marble. It’s gorgeous.
xoxo
Kylie
Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says
July 2, 2014 at 11:17 AMI love the new counter tops, but what I’m really loving is the subway tile backsplash! Maybe I’m just on a subway tile kick (with our bathroom reno and all) but It looks so good (or will when it’s real and not photoshopped)!
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
July 2, 2014 at 4:36 PMBut which countertop is your favorite? 🙂
Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says
July 2, 2014 at 4:55 PMI’d have to say the Calcutta (unless it has too much yellow/gold veining which Calcutta sometimes has). If it’s as grey and white as it looks, that would be my choice (we’re doing really similar on our bath floor). 🙂
[email protected] says
July 2, 2014 at 1:10 PM#3 is my favorite, but I kind of love them all!
Abbie says
July 2, 2014 at 3:33 PMAwesome selections! We’re actually looking at doing laminate or solid surface initially. (mainly for budget but also because granite is a dust/dirt magnet & it’s very cold – I know a lot of people that hate their granite!) But seriously, I work with Wilsonart laminates on a daily basis and they’re good, but I’ve seen some really awesome Formica 180fx laminate’s recently that I LOVE and look really realistic in person and am considering using in our new home. (My reps love to come tempt me with their new colors- LOL!) We may upgrade later down the road with a stone, but for now I’m thinking practical and cost effective. Laminates have come a VERY long way! 🙂
Abbie says
July 2, 2014 at 3:35 PMOh, also forgot to mention that Formica has a new edge called “Ideal edge” that gets rid of the brown/black line from where two pieces of laminate are glued up and filed. Looks super sharp. Check it out on their website! (No, I do not work for them — I work for library furniture company so I see it all!)
Chris says
July 2, 2014 at 4:15 PMI love your kitchen already and the marble countertop will look beautiful. You are amazing for being so young.
I admire your common sense approach to things and love getting your blogs. Good luck with the nugget and I hope you have a speedy delivery and above all I want God to have His hand on you, the nugget, the hubster and the doctor. Best of luck and happy parenting.
Leslie says
July 2, 2014 at 7:47 PMI love the first one. How pretty. The other 3 are great too. Which will you choose? Haha. Happy Wednesday!
JenW says
July 6, 2014 at 9:48 PMHave you looked at solid surface counters or even a man made stone? We went with solid surface when we redid our kitchen (with a flat polish edge) and really like them. I like that they don’t try to mimic stone and thus look fakey. I’m not a fan of the laminates that have a stone type finish to them…I think it just ends up looking cheap and as if you wanted real stone but it wasn’t in the budget.
Roni says
July 9, 2014 at 7:43 AMI think your kitchen looks great with the white bench tops.
Leigh says
February 11, 2015 at 4:00 PMOur tastes seem very similar. I found your blog by searching for Italian White di Pesco by Wilsonart. We are redoing our kitchen by adding white, shaker style cabinets and changing the laminate countertops. I like the Italian White di Pesco best out of your options. Have you looked at Carrara Bianco by Formica or White Carrara by Wilsonart? Those are the other two I would recommend checking out!
Jenn Stubblefield says
April 30, 2016 at 5:02 PMI stumbled across the blog the same way; by Googling “Wilsonart Italian white di pesco”! We trimmed out our old poplar wood cabinet doors to give them a Shaker look, and painted them a pale gray. I am doing a white glass subway tile backsplash (eventually), and I am torn between the Italian wdp, and Typhoon Ice. I wish I knew how to photoshop so I could try the same trick! It looks great.
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
May 5, 2016 at 4:17 PMThanks so much, Jenn! We ended up going with a countertop design I didn’t even include. You can see the photos here: https://twotwentyone.net/new-kitchen-countertops/
Kavita says
September 23, 2016 at 12:15 PMThis is very strange coincidence. I am in the same boat for last month, trying to decide my laminate design. The 3 you have here were my choices I was struggling to decide and then I ended up with wanting to go with Argento Romano. However, Not sure if the guy doing my counter tops will do Formica. He only gave me WilsonArt to choose from.
I love the Calcutta Marble and I was going to try base cabinets Gauntlet Grey and Wall cabinets While. Now I am not sure..Might just go with All white cabinets. Any Suggestions???
Kavita says
September 23, 2016 at 12:16 PMWall Cabinets White!! ** typo
Chelsea @ two twenty one says
September 23, 2016 at 1:36 PMHave you asked him if he’ll do Formica? The guy who did mine works with WilsonArt and Formica.
Kavita says
September 23, 2016 at 1:41 PMI think he will but it will cost more. Depends on how much more and I think I would prefer to go with Formica too.
Also, do you have any suggestions for cabinet colors? Should I go with two tone (Bottom Grey – Top White ) or All white?