New, sort of, Countertop!!

We never go to Lowe's anymore.   We used to go almost every day and three times a day on the weekend with the Dream House.  If we were friendlier (ha!) I'm sure we would've been on a first name basis with every. single. employee.  We were there THAT much.  I think the paint guys would run when we came in.  Anyhow.

before we moved in

Pepito's room gets lit up at night by our inconsiderate neighbor's spotlight - seriously - why are you playing with your four dog at 9pm?!! In your backyard that is literally 5 feet from my baby's bedroom?!!!  Just saying.  So the time had come that blackout roller shades were necessary for our sanity - we don't work well together on only a couple hours of interrupted sleep and it seems that being on the same page is a good thing when parenting together... heehee.

Sam's test run on painting cabinets

Off we went to the big blue box to get some roller shades cut.  William will put up with errands in the cart as long as he is moving and has new things to look at.  So, while Sam waited with the shades, we rolled over to the paint section.  I love looking at all the spray paint colors.  I swear, one day, I am going to buy a fun color and do something fun with it.  One day.  Put it on the list.  But while I was dreaming of how to use the perfect happy green spray paint - lo and behold - there it was.

Laminate Countertop Paint.

OMG - I think I yelled at Sam I was so excited.  I absolutely despise our countertops.  Mint green yucky geometric disasterness.  And it was on our list to replace them, just with black laminate (money spent on granite, or even a solid surface, would not be recouped in our neighborhood), but we don't have tons of money just laying around, so there it stayed, on the list.  That infamous list.

This paint is $20.  Done and done.  We actually waited a whole week to buy it.  So proud of us.  Got it tinted in black and home again home again twiddly dee.  I had to go to a party a friend was hosting that afternoon, but by the time I got back, Sam had fixed the broken spots, sanded, cleaned, and painted two coats.

The surprising part about it was - it kept looking better and better the more days passed.  The instructions say to give it three days to fully cure and for once in our lives we obeyed the instructions - so I've gotten to assess the finish often.  We just tested it on the buffet for the time being.  We can't be without countertops for three days with pepito needing to be fed, constantly... so this was perfect.

We're still trying to decide if the backsplash should stay black or if we should paint it blue to match the walls.  I think we're leaving towards blue, but I'm not sure how the blue paint would do on the laminate and this stuff is MADE for laminate...anyhow - I'm waffling.  It would be an AWFUL LOT of black.  We'll see.

Now here's hoping we can get the rest of the cabinets and countertops painted on the other side of the kitchen over Memorial Day weekend - any grandparents want to keep pepito?  Four days of fun for everyone!!!