Before I get into my counters, I must share that progress was finally made in my half bathroom. Remember? The one that was a disaster and True Value came to the rescue? They’ve done their part, but it seems like life and my work keep stalling things on our end. It seems like there are always more pressing things to work on than a half bath in a house with two other toilets. Last night, those two functioning toilets fell to just one. The pipe that drains all of the plumbing from the upstairs was clogged and it was beyond our ability to repair, so we needed to bring out a plumber. I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to get something done and suggested we have him install our toilet in the half bath while he was there. (It was complicated because of the new height added by the tile.) Surprisingly, my husband agreed and now we are back to three working toilets. Here’s the thing, though. Someone forgot to buy a toilet seat for the new toilet. Someone assumed that toilet seats came with toilets. I…er…I mean…someone didn’t realize that toilet seats were an accessory. Oh well. We’re getting there. Slowly, but surely.
Now, from the toilets to the counters. (Boy, this post was poorly planned.) Anyway, I’ve received a few e-mails complimenting our counters and asking what they were made from. I hate to disappoint, but these counters are green laminate.
I’m not sure if I’m going to replace them with some sort of stone or wood. It’s a toss up right now. It won’t be in the budget for a while, but I’m hoping by next spring this kitchen will have new floors, appliances and counters.
When I finally do get new counters and, of course, share them on my blog, the preface will not be about toilets. Promise.
45 Responses
really? toilets don't come with seats? I never would have thought that either! that's crazy! {AND, Only Miss Mustard Seed could make green laminate counter tops look beautiful!!}
Ahhh! I wondered how that bathroom was coming along. And, are you kidding me? the toilet seat is an accessory!!!? That just doesn't even sound right…
Cindy
I had those same green laminant counters in my last house and I actually liked them. It is a pretty green and it does go with a lot of things, so they worked. Glad the toilets are all fixed. Hugs, Marty
How odd! 🙂 toilets come with seats in Australia! We just bought one:)
Glad you have it all fixed:)
We recently bought new toilets, and I am totally with you… I had no idea they didn't come with a seat! Plastic, wood, soft close…. choices, choices, choices. Choices are good, but for someone who is decision impaired like me… not so good.
I love seeing all of your renovations. I learn so much here!
I didn't know about the toilet seats either until we replaced ours. Oh the choices and believe me its a very comical decision making time. I recently replaced our seat and found out a lot about what I do and don't like when I sit my tush down.
Just don't get any wild ideas about using the Rust-Oleum counter paint.
http://www.buildsewreap.com/2011/03/ooooh-counter-paint.html
Such a major failure in our kitchen. 🙁
I'd have to agree in this instance, accessories *do* make the outfit.
Oh, but, Marian, prefaces about toilets do make your stories interesting! I'd say that you were not alone in assuming that toilets would come with seats. I would have thought that only special toilet seats would be considered "accessories." For instance, back in the 1970's, my parents had an acrylic toilet seat that had U.S. coins embedded in it. It was quite the conversation piece, believe me–though it was a little odd when they would take guests on special trips to the bathroom just to see the thing. Now THAT toilet seat was an accessory. Plain white that matches the bowl? I think that's an essential part of the deal. 🙂
Now, as for counters–the way you have your kitchen painted and decorated, no one would ever notice the laminate countertops. We're all too busy drooling over all your beautiful things.
Hope you're having a great week!
I agree with the first gal, only YOU could make green laminate counters look good!! Your kitchen is gorgeous as is, but I can see new appliances, flooring, and countertops would most definitely push it over the edge to perfection!!
Ha that is wicked funny about the toilet seats! They make a stone type of application that you can put over your laminate…supposedly a weekend project ~ saw it on DIY network 🙂
I, too, have laminate and hope to change them someday (soonish). I'm leaning toward concrete. It can be a very beautiful medium with the right mason..so many tints, textures even objects can be applied. I've got a lot of counter space and it'll be a more inexpensive and I think just as gorgeous solution from stone.
I must be the lucky duck of the bunch.. our new throne came with a seat!.. guess that means I have used up my good luck for a while now huh?
And when it comes to wood counters call me for a wee little chat.. I love mine be the learning and care curve were a bit much.
Maddie
I guess it depends on what kind of toilet you buy. The one we bout to replace the scuz in the hall bathroom when we moved in, came with its very own seat. HOWEVER- a seatless toilet COULD, in fact, be delegated to a boys only bathroom- no more pee on the floor of every bathroom in the house! (I have heard other complain of this. Apparently im a lucky mom/wife and my boys have really good aim)
and your counters look very nice for laminate! lucky you- I have seen some BAD ones. I have granite that was in when we bought this house. woo hoo! jump up and down! yay granite! EXCEPT- i dont like it. not the granite part- the piece they picked. the pattern, or whatever you call it in natural stone, is very busy. its brown- so thats good. just not what i would have picked. ever. one day I will get new… but new floors (to replace the super light colored pergo) are next on the "big expensive project" list.
frankly my mustardy friend, you can lead off any posting about your bathroom progress. i have nothing but admiration for your tolerance of incompletely finished rooms. our kitchen remains with significant unfinished parts, a mere 16 yrs. after the reno was initiated. it is the bane of every carpenter's wife. their home is NEvER remotely close to finished. sigh.
you start anyway you want to. i know you will complete things faster than my hubby and i ever can. sigh number two.
xow.
you know laminate seems to get a bad rap, but every now and then I fantasize about getting some good old white formica counters…nice and clean and fresh looking!
I've been wondering what happened to the bath remodel…when do we get to see it?
After having the toilet replaced, we had to go buy a new seat. My youngest wasn't very big at the time and decided he should be trying out the seats to see what was most comfy to sit on. In the middle of the aisle sat my little boy on first one seat and then another, until he found one that was "just right".
gertie
Haha – this post made me laugh out loud. I would never have guessed that a toilet seat was considered an accessory either – haha!
I'm so happy that you've made some progress in your half bath! In fact, I'm just flushed with excitement! Ok, that was bad LOL! I couldn't help myself. I love all the items you have on your counters! You could just transport everything to Lucketts! Love the old door in the kitchen too! Hugs, ~Leena~
I can't wait to see which counters you'll choose as I have the same hesitation between stone or wood… In case you haven't chosen your toilets seats yet, a word of advice from someone who was there just a month ago. They are accessory and they exist in different sizes. Being me, I bought mine based on design… But when back home, they were too wide and couldn't stay fully up, meaning they were not "guy friendly" at all… Great thing was, I never had to say "put the toilets seats down", but of course I went back to the store and change them!!!!
Best of luck with your bathroom redo. I know how it is when things go slower than we hope cause Life gets in the way of Decor or even remodel..
I like your counters:) they sure look a lot better than that $15,000.00 worth of granite that looks like someone stood back about ten feet and threw paint and just let the splashes fall where they may.. I'm sure you've seen the kind I am speaking of.
I need some of those glass canisters you have.. I'll be on the hunt for a few of those.
I have the same counter top except mine are a gray/black speckle intended to look like granite. They are not hideous but at the same time they are not what I want. I would love real stone (of some type) but that isn't in the budget until at least 50 things before it get finished!
I drool over your kitchen. How do you keep it so neat????
I can't wait to see your finished bathroom. I'll bet you can't either. 😉
New appliance are so much fun but I love your stove. Sometimes I feel that putting stainless appliances in kitchens make every kitchen look the same. There's something really beautiful about that old gas stove in the middle of all that loveliness…..
Hello Marian,
I have cream laminate counters and they are in such great shape that when I did my farmhouse kitchen restyle, I left them intact.
You have to know when to pick your battles, if you know what I mean.
I saved $$$$$$ by incorporating them into my design and it worked!
Happy to know 3 people can be piddling at the same time now ;->
Janet xox
http://theemptynest-janet.blogspot.com/
I'm a fairly new reader so I haven't seen pictures of your kitchen before. Now I'm a bit envious. I love your bead board cabinets. That's my dream. But it won't happen here. The best I can hope for is getting our cabinets painted. I have thought about using bead board wallpaper on the inset of the doors. Do you think that would work?
Hi,
I didn't see Your kitchen before… I'm a new reader:-) Your kitchen is… "magnifique" with personal charm. I love Your kitchen!
Have a very special weekend!
oh marian love what you have done so far in your kitchen reno and only you could make laminate work ;). we did a reno here few yrs back and i went with wood [ikea and lumber liquidators have good prices] it was less than laminate. so much so i was able to get my dream farmhouse sink with fancy faucett. mostly we saved on instalation just make sure you have new saw blades. good luck. i always thought wood was kind of french farm house
Even as a plumbers wife I am still surprised that most toilets don't come with a seat. However, may I make a reccomendation? Seeing as you have little ones, they make this great seat called a slow close. Kids can't slam it down and break it! Imagine that! It is great though, you barely touch it and the seat and lid will close. You can also get really fancy and pricy and get ones that close on their own. 🙂 The slow close are not terribly expensive, and can be found at Home Depot and Lowes.
On your counters, we did something a bit different in our laundry room at our old house. We go oak ply wood, and built our own counters, and then stained them and sealed them with Marine Varnish. It does have a high gloss, which is not always optimal, but it made a beautiful counter and people loved it! Plus, it was super cheap, it has been in for 5 years now and it has held up well.
I was laughing about the toilet seat…someone I know (ahem!) also assumed they came with the toilet. After all, it is sort of a necessity, right? 🙂 Our downstairs bathrooms needs a complete overhaul also…I bet yours didn't have green formica on the walls seamed together with aluminum stripping (think airplane bathroom in a min-chocolate-chip-ice cream color). But the best part is the pink toilet. Maybe True Value would take pity on me?
Good luck on the renovations, I'm sure it will be lovely when it's finally done.
I think you counter tops are very pretty – even though I do understand about stone or granite… that being said – when you do replace the counter tops – save them and use them in your garage or workspace. Or you could use them outside under a patio cover by a bbq.
Love your blog – you are my all time favorite. Wish you would post more than once a day!
Have you thought about cement countertops? I've seen some beautiful ones online and you can DIY them for a very reasonable price! I saved a link to a really good tutorial on pinterest…
You could always paint them until you can get new ones….I painted mine to look like granite 😉
I'll e-mail you the link to check out if you want. Super easy to do & you are good with paint I hear 😉
-Kristi
@ Creative Kristi
I have a toilet sitting in a box in my garage waiting for the wonderful day when my ensuite bathroom is finished. No toilet seat you say? Oh crap (pun intended) what if I can't find one to fit? I had no idea.
I think we have the same green laminate counter tops and I think they look great.
I liked your segue. The two most used rooms in the house. lol. I would not have guessed your counters were laminate. They photograph beautifully.
I so share in your surprise about the seat.
I recently remodeled the bathroom and ordered the toilet early on so it would be ready. The unopened box sat in the garage for months. Finally it was time to install it, we dragged the box inside, ready to go and…..no tank. They'd just sold us the base and failed to mention we had to buy the tank separately. Awesome.
i love your kitchen! im with all the others cant wait to see the bathroom finish!
blessings,
aimee
Don't invest in stone or marble cabinets unless you plan to stay in your house. Your kitchen is beautiful so it is greener to keep the green until they need replacement! But really the thousands you put into counter tops may not be there when you sell so unless you are going to enjoy them don't invest. The price of homes is so low you may lose that money.
Oh, you make me laugh! Which makes my day…thanks!
funny stuff! counters can make such a difference! i'm in the process of considering replacing mine as well. if money wasn't an option! 😉
ashley
Hilarious, M! With a house full of "boys," you might easily get outvoted as to even HAVING a toilet seat – bet they're loving the convenience! ~ Terrie
"I'm not sure if I'm going to replace them with some sort of stone or wood."
Why not granite countertops? They come in a variety of different colors and patterns. Check them out. You might like them more than wood. 🙂
Well! Seriously even I would like to confess here that I didn’t know before that toilet doesn’t come with toilet seats.
Toilets Seats
Hi…..
This is awesome. I got lot information from this website. Thanks for giving good information.