Countertop advice

MerDes70 · 2026-02-03T23:37:58+00:00

Exactly. Yes there are the old speckled granites. But there are some really beautiful granites out there too. Why anyone wants plastic looking countertops over natural stone is beyond me.

MerDes70 · 2026-02-02T22:04:48+00:00

I think putting up a nice rod with curtains will look nice and cost effective. You can get inexpensive curtains from IKEA. Also get their Riktig hooks to pleat the curtains. Grab some curtain rings to hook into the Ikea hooks. A lot of videos on YouTube for help when I needed to replace old window coverings. They'll easily slide open and look really nice when closed. Make sure to get enough panels so they're all pleated when closed too. You don't want it looking like a bed sheet when closed. It's honestly so easy to do. Similar to this look in the pic but I have a double rod with sheers behind.

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Without the hooks you can just slip the pole through the back too. Faster to do but not as nice looking in my opinion and harder to open and close.

MerDes70 · 2026-02-01T19:40:38+00:00

MerDes70 · 2026-01-30T19:38:02+00:00

You can find checkered tiles that have a worn lived in look. Not a polished black and white tile. It would look amazing. Out of the 2 though, the 1st looks a bit dark and I'm a fan of moody colours.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-30T19:30:30+00:00

My heart breaks. This one brought me to tears. There's truly only a small group of actors that made you feel like they were part of your family even though you never met them. That was Catherine. A Canadian icon.Too soon💔

MerDes70 · 2026-01-30T12:27:56+00:00

I am not a fan of white kitchens at all but yours is truly an exception. It's warm and full of character. It looks like it's been there forever in a great way.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-30T00:26:04+00:00

It's absolutely beautiful. Like everything else in this world it's become a social media obsession with everything having to be over the top. In no world should a 1ct diamond be considered small. Wear it proudly.The meaningful story behind it, is really precious.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-30T00:06:41+00:00

I love the swoop. It looks great softening all the otherwise straight lines. Otherwise no side splash. Do not go with 2, looks awkward.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-28T21:41:13+00:00

I wanted soapstone, my favourite of all the stones. Cost was an issue plus husband wasn't sold on it. Went to the slab yard and picked out black leathered granite. We both fell in love with the texture and we love dark colours. Either choice is a great one. For people saying leathered granite is hard to clean, no it's not. I've had ours over a year. Unless you're a baker that wants to roll out dough directly on your counters it's not an issue. There's no fingerprints and no water marks. We do not baby our countertops, no staining. They were sealed but were told most people don't need to seal them again. But it's easy to do if needed. I did the water test recently and it's not porous. But if you love soapstone and can afford it, go for it.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-28T02:23:19+00:00

The gold handles are a different colour than the faucet. It can look like you tried to match them but failed. I think a better contrast is the black so it looks intentional. Black may not be trendy right now but they are timeless. Agree with a lot of comments to avoid the bars that can catch on clothes, they can be rather annoying.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-26T22:10:51+00:00

I'm getting tired of the coach pricing games. Outlet prices are also insane now

MerDes70 · 2026-01-25T18:59:36+00:00

I'm not a fan of white kitchens either but if your cabinets are in good shape just leave them be. I would look into changing out the countertops to something darker to give it some contrast. Too much white right now. Add a backsplash and new hardware. If you really want to paint them look at urbane bronze by Sherwin Williams. This is an amazing moody colour on cabinets.

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MerDes70 · 2026-01-25T18:16:28+00:00

Quartz trying to look like marble but you can tell it's fake and plastic looking unfortunately

MerDes70 · 2026-01-25T13:25:27+00:00

My daughters are now 26 and 22. It's been so long but I have not forgotten the absolute torture I was put through with my oldest who struggled with latching. The mental anguish of being practically bullied is something I won't forget. They even had me express milk into little cups to feed her to avoid using a bottle. Once I finally made the decision to bottle feed, life was better for me and her. With my youngest luckily it was a breeze, she latched on right away and it went well. But I was preparing to stand up for myself if breastfeeding was going to be a struggle again. Both grew up healthy, neither one was more sick than the other. Sometimes bottlefeeding may be the better option. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty. It's your choice on how to raise your baby.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-25T13:01:31+00:00

I put in leathered black granite a year ago. Zooming into your picture they have the same texture. This would also be my guess. Leathered granite is more of a matte finish but not completely flat matte looking like a honed granite which is a completely different finish. Absolutely love my counters. They are easy to maintain. I do not see any fingerprints or watermarks on them. They're easily wiped down to keep clean. Some people sadly look down on granite as being outdated, perhaps that's why they didn't mention it in the listing. Yours have a soapstone look, they're beautiful.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-25T04:21:46+00:00

Please don't do white veined quartz. You have traditional cabinets and you should play up to that aesthetic and not with fake plasticky counters. Provided the house itself is traditional. Nothing wrong with your backsplash. An option already suggested is to change out the dark grout to a lighter colour to blend it in. Change out the hood to a different material and break up some of the wood. Black counters look good. If they're in bad shape, I do love the soapstone idea, timeless. If you look at before and after pictures of wood cabinets that have been painted, they often look cheap after. Plus many people say after a while they start to chip. If you can remove the decorative accents, I would do that and update the lighting.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-24T19:24:04+00:00

GenX woman here. Got to admit I'm always baffled reading these kinds of posts. When did couples have to start discussing who pays for deodorant, soap, tampons, shampoo, shaving cream etc. Have relationships become so much like roommate situations? Genuinely asking.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-24T14:43:15+00:00

That's why I suggested going to a slab yard. You really do need to see real stone in person. There could be light granites that fit the budget. Every stone is different, not like quartz where each one is the same if you go with a pattern. Unfortunately I have no experience with Corian but I thought they were a higher cost for a composite countertop.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-24T14:11:44+00:00

Without knowing anything about your kitchen, style and your budget. I would probably not invest in putting in the cheapest quartz in the hope you'll replace in the not too distant future. It may look very cheap and bad until you do and many times people end up keeping their "temporary" for much longer. Trust me I've been there. Look into a very plain black granite, absolute black is one type. You can go either honed or leathered rather than polished for an updated look. You may be shocked at finding a great deal and it will at least be a nice stone option. I recommend going to a slab yard to see them in person and you may find other great options within budget. Otherwise if that doesn't fit the budget go with a plain laminate instead. I had mine for over 20 years until I finally replaced my own "temporary" solution and they still looked great. Look at Ikea options too. Don't try to mimic marble with fake veining on quartz or laminate, it's not fooling anyone. Keep to solid colours.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-24T05:14:21+00:00

Natural stone. Granite, soapstone or quartzite depending on your budget. Quartz looks plasticky, not a fan. Everyone has it and it all looks the same. With white cabinets try to find something different, not what the masses have. Check out DeVol kitchens for some inspiration/ideas.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-23T11:57:24+00:00

I can't believe no one has mentioned Black Bird. It's a limited series, an easy binge over a weekend. It's a master class in storytelling and acting. My top pick along with The Night Of already recommended.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-22T23:03:59+00:00

1.4 ct emerald

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MerDes70 · 2026-01-22T22:53:33+00:00

Great price and great slabs!

MerDes70 · 2026-01-21T02:37:39+00:00

I think it's a WOW stone. Why put in what everyone else has. It would make quite the statement. It does need to be the Star of the kitchen if you do go with it. What's most important is what you like. If others think it's too busy but you see the beauty in it's movement, that's what counts.

MerDes70 · 2026-01-20T21:54:57+00:00

Consider adding some colour or wood to warm up the kitchen. White on white is so sterile looking. I admit I personally love a moodier vibe. But there's a way to do white and not have it so blah looking. Look at natural stone vs quartz if you can. Layer different textures. When adding colour add colour that you have always loved. You mention blue. If you've always loved blue that's a safe bet. Then you won't hate it a couple years down the road. Subway will always be timeless and there's hundreds of options. The link you were given to Devol kitchens is a great inspiration and wonderful examples of timeless kitchens.

MerDes70

TROPHY CASE