Before & After: An Easy & Affordable Counter Fix

published Feb 29, 2016
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(Image credit: Submitted by Sara)

After moving into her new home, Sara realized her design non-negotiable was living with her old, stained, formica countertops. With a little research she was able to find a fast and affordable fix to tide her over till it’s time for a renovation.

(Image credit: Submitted by Sara)

From Sara: My husband and I moved into my grandparent’s old house a year ago and we’ve been making slow progress in each room, but I’ve really been focused on the kitchen lately, specifically on appliances and the counter. We had an old formica counter top that has been with the house since it was built in the 60s and I hate it! There are old scratches, stains, and ring marks from coffee mugs that I have tried to get out but just won’t budge.

The kitchen was looking a little bland too so I knew I wanted a more exciting counter top look. I can’t afford new counters right now, but I was desperate! After looking around for solutions on Apartment Therapy I found an article about how a homeowner updated her counters with contact paper! I was so excited because the thought had just never occurred to me. So I read the article a couple times, ordered some ultra glossy contact paper from Amazon and got to work! It was a little difficult in some spots because contact paper does bubble, but eventually I got the hang of it and I am so happy with the updated look! It was really cheap too, about $30, so I can keep saving for the real thing!

Thank you, Sara!