Go to a hardware store and get a piece of plywood or MDF cut to fit on top of the vanity. Paint it some color that you like & maybe put some polyurethane on it. Easy solution.

Or have a piece of glass cut to size and paint the backside for an inexpensive back painted glass counter

I agree with JamieO2, this is the easiest solution. I would go a step further and choose a piece of wood that is closer to 1 inch thick so you can cut it to size, then sand and stain it so it can have a more professional look. Just don't glue or adhere it to the counter in any way. You don't want to damage it.

Cut a piece of fabric that you like & set it on top. Make sure you hem the edges- you can use that iron on hem tape if you don't sew.

Anchor it with a nice plant so it doesn't slide around (you can also use double sided tape if you need to). That is really easy, very cheap & removable. And takes very little time.

If you are going to use it as a vanity, add a mirror on a stand & it will look just fine. If you just want something nice to look at, create a table scape with a plant, candles, photo, books, etc that is pleasing & you won't notice the black.

I wouldn't worry about it too much... once you fill the room with your stuff, it'll be ok.
The least expensive and easiest solution is a tablecloth/runner/piece of fabric.

If this were in my bedroom, it would be so full of my stuff that I wouldn't even know what was under there, much less care. At the window like that, it's a perfect vanity space. Or plant space. Both are high clutter applications. the thing that bothers you most in an empty room tends to be the least visible once your stuff is moved in, in my experience.
If it reeally is bothering you though, you could always washi-tape some chevrons on that bad boy.
Then put a fox on it.

i agree with JamieO2

you could also put some really pretty glass tile on that mdf.

you could also get a mirror cut & framed to that size & just sit it in there.

you could go to ikea & get a nice piece of butcher block & just set it on top.

to fix the new piece in place, household silicone (you can get it at lowes or anything liek that) works great. dries clear & peels off later.

I don't think it looks that bad but I understand your frustration! Depending on the dimensions of the surface, you could buy a large tray (I know West Elm has some large nice ones in great colors) and place it over the tile so that the tray becomes the focal on the vanity. Then when you move, you can always use the tray in another room like the dining room.

Put your laptop on it and it's half covered. This is a short term situation -- just ignore it. At least it's a neutral, not some loud color that you hate!

You could have a piece of plexiglass cut to size and then put pictures or fabric or wrapping paper underneath it.

That looks like granite tile, not "fake, black granite".

Since it is a short term rental I myself would not want to do anything major. The tray idea is a good one or Jamie O2's idea is pretty sweet as well.

A ridiculously cheap solution to this would be contact paper. You'll have to cut it really well to make it not look like contact paper, but you could get something like a white marble print and cut it to size. It'll be $10-15 max, and waaaay lighter than carrying home a slab of plywood!

I once fooled many people into thinking that I had a beautiful old marble-topped table this way. Then I got sick of the marble and peeled it off :)

Bleh, I really don't think it looks right when people use 12x12 floor tile on countertops, why don't they just hang a sign over it that says "I wanted granite counters but I'm too cheap/broke, so I did this jacked up tile job instead." A tablecloth and a tray for the easiest solve. You can make a wood counter that fits over the existing tile, but you would need to put an edge piece on it as well as a top, otherwise it's going to look weird.

I would suggest you get a piece of glass cut to size and place bits and pieces under it. Photos, clippings, post cards, paper doilies, drawings, art, fabric, wallpaper etc. This display can change with your moods, decor and things going on - great place to pop important memos or study notes too as you are getting ready each day. Aside from not liking the look of the tiles, it will also stop makeup and such getting stuck amongst the grout or any chips from dropping things on it. With a smooth glass top you can also use it as a desk as well.

Looks like real granite tile to me, not fake black granite. If that's so, your landlord probably thought he was adding something nice, so be careful not to wreck it.

Lots of good suggestions above. I wouldn't do contact paper unless you were very very sure you could get it off without damaging the granite.

In a kind of similar place, I once used a vintage mirror that was intended to be placed on the wall, on its back. I first removed the wall hangers (which might have scratched). It didn't cover the whole surface but it looked quite nice there - like a mirrored tray. If you brought in a little black in drawer handles or picture frames, it might tie in nicely, too.

why not price a countertop from Ikea or someplace similarly inexpensive? If the price is OK for you, then ask the landlord if you can make the switch--even if the change is permanent, the landlord might be OK with it if it makes the place look better.

Wrap it with wrapping paper. It is very inexpensive, you can "wrap" all the black and it would be happy to look at. Plus you could have a piece of glass cut just for the top to keep it from tearing.

If you haven't moved in yet, try living with it for a month or so. Once you have your things on that table, you might not even notice it. I have lived with much worse in rentals, believe me. If it really drives you crazy, fabric or wallpaper under a thin piece of plexiglass. But frankly, if you are only planning to stay a year or two, I wouldn't bother. It looks like the floor and other features are great so in the scheme of things, this little flaw is not so important.

Weird putting tile in a bedroom. I kind of like the paper idea with a piece of glass over it. Even if you didn't go all the way up. The black back and surround would be like a frame.

Here is some really pretty (thick) Italian paper that comes in large sheets.

http://www.eyeitalia.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4_32&zenid=5haluumafas1ad5qvckjfq5vo3

Try to get the thickest glass you can afford.

Anything you do, like the wood suggestions, make sure to protect the surface with felt or something so your cover doesn't come back to bite you. Have fun in your new place!! :)

Decoupage something over it with Elmer's School Glue. It won't be very durable, but it will wash off with soap and water when the time comes. Art stores have all kinds of fancy paper for not very much.

sharinly has the right idea - I did the same thing in my dorm and one of my first apartments - contact paper is sooo easy to use and cheap and doesn't damage stuff like this and bonus is that it is sort of waterproof (as the top surface is usually a plastic, so you can wipe it down with a damp rag and clean up spills easily.

There are lots of different styles out there and if you get bored with it, just peel it right off!

I'm with the posters that doesn't think it's that bad. If you really hate it, I'd cover it with contact paper...super easy and cheap and will come off easily when you move.

A piece of mirror or mirror perfume tray and there you have it. Easy and you take it with you when you leave. I do agree with another post who said that once you filled the vanity with your personal stuff, the black will disappear.

Cheap solution - nothing, since it's a short term lease and it's relatively minor, and as others have mentioned, it'll be covered in your stuff.

Low-cost solution - plywood cut to size and painted. Just make sure you don't get super cheap plywood because you'll want it to be smoothish. If you decide to do this, I would put a lip on the front of it to cover the front of the tile.

Medium-expensive - get some nice barn-board from a salvage shop if available and get glass cut to size to go over it. I think that would look kinda nice.

I wouldn't recommend MDF unless you want to invest some time in painting it properly. You'll have to prime it at least once with an alkyd or oil based primer which takes some time to dry, then paint it with a few coats. If you don't prime it properly it'll absorb the paint (or inappropriate primer) and puff up and look nasty. You don't want bare MDF hanging around your bedroom because it off-gasses nasty chemicals.

I don't think it's bad at all (you should see some of the "charming" features of my apartment. haha) I'd just get a few nice plants in brightly colored mismatched pots lined up across the back, and... Done!

wtf? It's not ugly.

Get a large desk pad at staples, put up a row of books along the back, add a small plant, and then you will barely see the tile at all.

It actually looked kind of cute until I saw the top of it... is that floor tile? What a bizarre thing to do to a vanity.

Anyway, I'd recommend waiting on changing it until you get your stuff in. If you accessorize that space with colorful art with black accents, that black might start to work for you. And if it still doesn't, the painted or papered wooden top is a great, temporary fix.

With its current surface it would be a great place to grow a few plants. You wouldn't have to worry so much about spills.
I agree with those who say once your furniture is in and you have a few things on the counter you won't notice it. I was going to suggest a cork covering but pictures under glass would look nice as the black would set them off.
If it is to be used as a desk you soon won't see the black. If it is to be a vanity put out a nice tray and be thankful you won't have to worry about spilling cosmetics.

I have used the wood grain contact paper on multiple ugly surfaces in rentals, once you put things on top of it you would never know the difference!

placemats

You could cover it in wood grain contact paper, giving it the effect of butcherblock.

Contact paper is uh-may-zing. Easy to apply, easy to clean, easy to remove. And you can completely change your cheer-less window nook in like 15 minutes.

I think it really depends on what you want to use the space for in a particular room - as suggested, could be a desk, a vanity, or for plants or other display. For a vanity, I'd use nice trays on it - maybe those colorful lacquer ones you can buy - fit a few in, and you have natural organizers for your stuff. For a desk, I wouldn't want the feel of contact paper - I'd go with a stiffer material - like some sort of woven placemat/runner material of vinyl or a stiff fabric. Or the painted glass if you like that idea. I'd skip plywood - to thick, too scratchy, too much sanding and fussing with it to get it usable. For plants, I'd use large pot saucers under them, and leave them covering most of the granite, sitting right on the granite - good for water spills. I wouldn't use contact paper for any pupose. If you want a colorful, all-over cover that is attached, look into that decoupage idea mentioned above.

While I don't have a problem with granite tiles in general, I agree with you that they look kinda cold and ugly as a desktop in this bedroom space. I'm sure you will find something nice to cover them with.

I could also see cork working - either in thicker sheets, or in the rolled up thin kind with an adhesive backing. I've used that to line my wood silverware holder, and love it. You just have to figure out if the adhesive comes off easily and completely when you leave, or if it more permanent and hard to remove.

Or, for anything hard to remove from granite, a cheap and easy way to adhere it would be to stick it to a piece of form posterboard, and then lay the posterboard over the top. You could also cut posterboard to stand in back to cover the little backsplash part. If it went with black, you could leave the black edge showing and you wouldn't really see it. Or, since posteboard is light, you could probably figure out a way to glue it to the edge with glue that is dissovable and removable when you leave.

Contact paper. Comes in tons of color and even metallics. It's easy to apply and easy to remove.

I actually don't think it's that bad at all. Granted, we're seeing a photo of it and sometimes things look worse in person.

But given that the rest of the space looks fine and well-kept, how about putting a large tray on that area or some kind of cork or tiled surface that you can just lift off when you leave?

Otherwise, I say live with it. It's a vanity for crying out loud. Once you get stuff on there, are you really going to be bothered by black granite?

Be careful with contact paper, the sticky back can have a type of acid in it that will dull a marble finish. If you hate it now, you don't want to be paying for damage to it when you leave in a few years. I would try something non-adhesive and that just lifts off.

I think there are lots of great suggestions here, but I would NOT use contact paper. After a while, it can become really adhered to a surface and extremely difficult to get off, leaving a horrid sticky residue behind that will be very difficult to get off of granite. Someone did that in my freshman dorm room, and while I got the contact paper itself off, I was defeated by the glue and I spent the rest of the year sticking to the furniture. It was horrible.

Love the vintage mirror idea! I do think a nice piece of mirror would be great in there,it would reflect that light beautifully.But whatever you do,be sure and pad the back before putting it on that counter,it could scratch it.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. I would get a piece of foam board or lightweight somethin-or-other, cut it to fit the surface, and then cover it in fabric or wallpaper - maybe decorative wrapping paper even, and I'd put a piece of custom-cut glass on top on that. Then I'd set out a plant, my laptop, a framed picture in a little easel, a vase - make a cute vignette. And who's going to notice the tile?

I would honestly suggest one of those contact paper solutions and if you're into vanity, put a nice standing mirror, various dishes and pots with beauty product and you won't even notice it.

On the other hand..I would so love a perfect vanity spot like that in my bedroom. It's right under the window and perfect size! Jealous..

Lots of great suggestions above! Tempaper is a temporary wallpaper solution that you could also look into. It's like contact paper but they have some very cool patterns.

The problem with contact paper is it leaves behind a sticky residue that requires a considerable about of Goo Gone to remove. Plus there's the problem of the grout lines.

I like the mirror idea. Either get a piece cut, or buy a ready made mirror that fits. You won't notice what it doesn't cover. Then use glue or sticky back velcro to attach some ribbon, trim or a skirt to the edge. Fair warning, sticky velcro leaves behind a sticky residue too.

What about using some leather or leather-look vinyl cut to size and held in place with double-sided tape? There's a lot of historical basis for leather-topped vanities. If you wanted to get fancy, once it's in place, stencil a metallic border to replicate tooled leather. Good luck, you have a nice space.

A student on a short term lease? Why bother doing anything besides putting your stuff on it? It looks like something you could handle for the length of a semester...

That is granite tile, it's not fake granite. With that said, it looks fine. If you must do something, I would get a piece of glass cut to fit and put some cute fabric cut with pinking shears under the glass. Let it overhang a bit to cover the sides of the counter top.

If it is not a long-term lease, I would personally just choose to live with it. If you plan on using it as a vanity, you're likely going to have all sorts of pretty bottles/jewelry on it- why not just focus on curating the things ON the vanity instead?

Go to your local flooring store and see if they have a box of snap together hard wood or laminate flooring. It can be cut to size and you could use a simple double sided tape to hold it to the vertical surfaces. Cost around 30 bucks but it would have a nice warm appeal to it.

or as other posters mentioned, cover it with plywood (1/4"). You can finish with stain and trim pieces. Easy fix that can be just lifted off when you move.