Countertops and Backsplash: Lowe’s Home Improvements DIY Kitchen Project

I’m so happy to share about countertops and backsplash today, as I recently partnered with Lowe’s Home Improvements for a mini kitchen re-do.

Let me say from the outset, I love our home! It’s been a work in progress the past 8 years, being a fixer-upper 1978 home, but it’s just the right size for our family and perfect for entertaining.

We were fortunate for this portion of the job to have Jack, our retired handyman friend, who came to help with the backsplash, and our friends at Lowe’s and their team of installers from Medford Countertops. Two outstanding experiences and such a quick turnaround for getting the job done!

When it comes to home improvements, I really like a quote I read in Better Homes & Gardens magazine from Gayle, their Editor in Chief. Gayle said:

“Because every time a problem is solved (in our homes) the life we live at home gets just a little better.”

Blank Form (#3)

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we'll send the recipe straight to your inbox (and more recipes sent weekly!)

Email

Submit

A fresh kitchen with new colors and inexpensive ways to touch it up and freshen it up can be energizing and, in my case, it makes me more excited to entertain. Since the kitchen is the heart of the home, and the room we are in the most, why not make it “you?”

I’ll start with the countertops.

After Kevin came to measure the current countertops and and make a template, it took less than 2 weeks for them to make the new LG HI-MACS Solid Surface Countertops. They said our center island was probably the 2nd largest they’ve ever fabricated (in one piece). Here are the guys bringing it into our home.

The reason we went with this LG product for more than one reason:

-The material is acrylic and non-porous and doesn’t require any sealing
-The seams are very inconspicuous and oftentimes invisible
-The cost is less than granite
-It has a 15 year warranty, which you can’t get with a natural stone product

That made our decision easy, plus we loved the white Milky Way color. Part of the mission of redoing our kitchen was to brighten it up! We also learned that Medford Countertops only use certified fabricators (you have to go to school to get the certification), which means the home owner gets a way better product.

This is true. Let me tell you why. Our countertops that we put in 4 years ago cracked around the stove area, which is why we looked at new ones.

We also learned it’s all in the installation (which is why you want a certified fabricator installing the product), and that the corners need to be rounded with a seam block. Below is the Medford Countertop crew, with Mark in the center who orchestrated the quick turnaround for us!

When they removed the old countertops, they showed us what happened with the original ones. One more no-no was they used particle board instead of plywood. Four years ago we really trusted the company that installed our countertops, but now working with the Medford Countertop guys, we see the how important it is to have the very best installers.

Happy with our new product, Jack came back to help us install the new graphite strip backsplash. Here’s Jack carefully laying out the pieces, which were like a jigsaw puzzle. It took time and detail, but it was so worth it.

It turned out beautifully and we love the new look! No matter the era or latest trend natural stone never goes out of style. Here’s a picture after the grout was put up!

Little tiles of colors that combine the color schemes of our kitchen is why we chose this pattern. Cherry red, charcoal, blue hues and with the white cementing, all tied it in to the countertops.

Here are the details of the tile we put up: 12-in x 14-in Gray Mosaic Wall Tile (Actuals 12-in x 14-in)

The backsplash matches the cabinets and floors, and the white in the new countertops and stainless in the appliances. (New stainless fridge is coming from KitchenAid … stay tuned.)

I was able to reuse my 2 stainless kitchen sinks – it made me very happy, that Medford Countertops worked with me on this.

The final pictures are yet to come, as there is one more piece coming to add to the kitchen re-do. A brand new KitchenAid refrigerator. More on that later, with before and after pictures, in a dinner party post!

Our mini kitchen remodel increased storage (it made me sort through a lot and get rid of extra tools and dishes I wasn’t using), improved the style, and I love walking into a bright and airy space!

If you could change 2 things about your kitchen, what would they be?

Disclaimer: Products for this mini kitchen re-do were sponsored by Lowe’s Home Improvements. As always, alll opinions are my own, and I was thrilled to be working with Lowe’s.

Learn more about Lowe’s on their Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & Pinterest.

Read my kitchen story from the beginning:

Brightening the Kitchen: Lowe’s Home Improvements DIY Kitchen Project

Paint and Lighting: Lowe’s Home Improvements DIY Kitchen Project

My friend, Ali, is remodeling her kitchen, too. Check out her post at Gimme Some Oven, here.