Stripping Painted Kitchen Countertops After 8 Years (And Why I Didn’t Repaint Them)
Sometimes the projects we think will be quick fixes around the house end up surprising us in the best way. My kitchen update that started as a plan to strip and repaint my kitchen countertops turned into something completely unexpected.
After nine years of living with the painted Formica kitchen countertops I painted to look like Carrara marble, I decided it was time to repaint them… but once the paint was gone, I discovered I liked what was underneath even more. It was a reminder that sometimes what you already have may be better than the change you planned.
Stripping the Paint From My Kitchen Countertops After 9 Years
A few weeks ago I mentioned that I was getting ready to strip the painted countertops in my kitchen. Do you remember when I painted them white to resemble Carrara marble about 9 years ago?
When we first moved into the house, every surface in the kitchen had a similar shiny brown surface. Cabinets, counters, everything. It felt heavy and a little gloomy. I have always liked rooms that have contrast and a mix of textures, not everything blending into one color.
So after painting the cabinets white, I decided to go all in and paint the counters, too. Carrara marble and white quartz were everywhere in decorating magazines back then, and I loved the fresh look they gave a kitchen.
Since our kitchen dates back to the 1970’s and we haven’t done a full remodel yet, projects like this are my way of giving the space a refresh now and then while we wait for the day we eventually take the room down to the studs.
I have to say, I was pretty impressed with how well those painted counters held up over the years. But nine years of everyday kitchen life eventually took their toll. The finish had become worn and stained in a few areas and they no longer looked as nice as they once did. I knew it was time to strip them and start fresh.
Stripping paint is never the fun part of any project, but repainting them to look like marble is actually pretty straightforward once the surface is prepped. I fully expected that after all the stripping and cleaning, I would simply repaint them again.
But something funny happened once the paint was removed.
When I Realized I Didn’t Need to Repaint Them After All
When the counters were back to their original brown Formica, I expected to see damage or discoloration after all those years under paint. Instead, they looked surprisingly good.
Standing there looking at them, I realized I actually liked how the kitchen looked with the brown counters again.
The color works beautifully with the nature-inspired colors I’ve been bringing into the adjoining living room. From the kitchen you can see the lake and the trees outside, and the warm brown ties everything together in a way the white counters never quite did.
I’ll admit, I had a little moment of relief. I didn’t need to repaint them after all.
Even for someone who enjoys a good DIY project, being able to cross a project off the list before it even begins feels pretty good.
So my kitchen now has white cabinets and backsplash paired with the original brown countertops that almost look like wood at a glance. It feels warmer and more grounded, and I’m really enjoying the change.
Repairing the Countertop Where the Cabinet Once Sat
There was one small spot that did need a little attention though.
Two years ago we removed a row of ceiling-mounted cabinets that once divided the kitchen. Taking them down opened up the room and allowed light to reach areas that had always been in shadow. It made the space feel so much bigger.
Those cabinets, however, had a support that anchored into the countertop. Once the cabinet was gone, the small spot where the support had been was left behind. I had filled it in with wood and putty and then painted over it. After stripping, the raw wood was exposed.
To blend it in, I have been dabbing on a few shades of acrylic craft paint over it so the colors mimic the surrounding Formica. Once I am happy with the color, I’ll apply a thin coat of Annie Sloan Clear Wax and buff it so it blends in even better with the rest of the surface.
Rethinking the Color of the Kitchen Island
If you enjoy decorating your home, you know how this next part goes.
You finish one project and suddenly something else in the room no longer feels quite right.
That is exactly what happened here.
After getting the kitchen back together, I realized the blue paint on my wood island no longer looked good to my eyes with the brown counters. The color suddenly felt too bright and a little too cool against the warmer tones now in the room.
So it looks like I will be doing a little painting after all.
I have a few paint swatches taped to the island, and the one I keep coming back to is a dark sage green called Secret Garden from Sherwin-Williams. It’s the first swatch on the left and the one that feels the most at home with the colors in the kitchen.
Once the island is painted, I know I’ll have fun adding a few simple spring touches around the room. For now, I’ve started the framed landscape art I hung on the white tile backsplash…
… and a new set of sage green waffle-weave dish towels.
Sometimes the best decorating decisions happen when you simply pause and take a fresh look at what is already there. I started this project fully expecting to repaint the counters, but in the end all I really needed to do was uncover what had been hiding underneath for the last nine years.
It ended up being one of those small home updates that made the whole kitchen feel different without actually changing very much at all.
Once I get the island painted in the sage green I have my eye on, I think the room will feel even more balanced with the warmer brown counters. And with spring right around the corner, I’m looking forward to adding a few more simple seasonal touches to the space.
For now though, I’m just enjoying walking into the kitchen and realizing that a project I thought would take days of painting turned out to be finished the moment the stripping was done. Sometimes the easiest decorating decision is simply deciding that what you already have is just right.
How Painted Kitchen Countertops Held Up After 8 Years
When I painted my kitchen countertops nine years ago to resemble Carrara marble, I honestly didn’t know how well the finish would last in a busy kitchen. To my surprise, the painted surface held up far better than I expected.
Over time there were a few worn spots and some staining in high-use areas, which is why I decided to strip them and start fresh. I even did a post a few years ago about how I had to match the paint on newly exposed counter when we got a new cooktop. But overall, the project served its purpose and allowed me to update my kitchen on a budget for many years without replacing the countertops.
Would I Paint Kitchen Countertops Again?
I would absolutely paint kitchen countertops again. If you can paint, then you can successfully paint your own kitchen counters if you follow the kitchen counter painting steps I did to paint mine. I used a Giani kit, but I have also painted counters to look like marble without using a kit, but with craft paint and clear furniture wax.
Kitchen Countertop Painting Kits
There are many brands of kitchen counter paint on the market today that will allow you to achieve the color and look you are after.
Here are a few that I would recommend:
- Giani White Diamond is the kit I used, but I tweaked it so it looked like Carrara Marble. Years later they came out with this kit:
- Giani White Glass Epoxy Kit
- Rustoleum Home Marble Countertop Covering Kit – I haven’t used this one, but have heard good things about it.
Would you like to save this post?
Enter your email below and I’ll send it to you!
I love the sage/wood/white combo. It adds a lot of warmth and nature to your kitchen.
It was indeed a wonderful surprise! I love the brown!
What a happy result and the kitchen counters look great against their white backdrop. I chuckled when I read you now need to repaint your island as I think it’s the law of design that when you change one thing, something else needs to change too! Love the green and can’t wait to see the new island.
Your brown countertops really do look amazing! They resemble warm wood and I can’t wait to see the green island. Love the color you chose. Thank you for all the inspiration your blog brings me!