How to Work With Dated Granite in Your Kitchen

When we were house hunting in Richmond last year, there was very picayune inventory, competition was fierce, and we needed a place to live ASAP. Nosotros kept a close centre on anything new that came up, and when the house we ended upwards purchasing popped up on Zillow, we pounced. The space was crawly, it had the open floor plan we wanted, and it was newly renovated. The one major trouble? Information technology came with a make new kitchen that just wasn't our style (ugh!).

Functionally, it was good to go, but it had antiqued fair cabinets, '90's-esque brown granite that felt dated to me, and a busy stone backsplash. There are a lot of competing "stars" in this infinite - it just feels like in that location's to much going on! At least the undertones are all similar; that's this kitchen'southward saving grace! ;) Here'southward a photo I snapped of it with my iPhone the other mean solar day:

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At present, I'm sure in that location's someone out there would dearest this kitchen, only my style leans more than modern and simpler. I've been practicing a lot of gratitude for it though because hey, we have a lovely home with a brand new kitchen! I realize that's a huge privilege, and I don't have that lightly. We're not planning to do a major renovation anytime soon, so I've been trying to think of smaller, more budget-friendly ways to brand it feel more updated.

The particular pain point for me is the dated granite countertop that has to stay at least for at present. The wait definitely isn't my favorite, simply my bigger trouble with it is that it's hard to keep clean. Information technology hides everything (and not in a good way!). I'chiliad sure I'm not the just one who has this style of stone and isn't in a spot to rip information technology out and supercede it with something glorious similar a marble-wait quartz, so I wanted to share some ideas for making it piece of work.

How to Work With Dated Granite

Cull a simple, complementary backsplash tile.

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via Wow I Beloved That

This particular style of granite is decorated and tends to be a piddling bit bossy in a kitchen. Since there'due south no fashion to alter its look, a good form of action is to make certain the other materials in the kitchen don't add to the noise.

One bang-up opportunity to do that is with the backsplash. A subway tile in a neutral tone like ivory, off-white, or fifty-fifty greige will complement the granite and actually work to tone it downwards. Stick with a slightly warmer tone to aid it alloy in. And so if you want a white tile, make sure it's a white with warm undertones. Also, stay away from tile that has as well much color or design since that volition merely heighten the busyness of the granite.

In the photo higher up from Kelly's kitchen, you can see she chose a slightly fair subway tile to go with her off-white cabinets and it makes that granite look and so much meliorate.

I'd love to replace our natural stone backsplash with something similar this instead. It would work wonders in in that location!

Here are some tile options to get you started in your search:

Want to become white? Cull a cabinet paint color that has a hint of warmth in it.

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via Bria Hammel Interiors

Busy brown granite usually has a mix of tans, browns, warm grays, and ivories in information technology. If you like the idea of a white kitchen, but have this detail style of countertop, effort to match your paint with the lightest color yous can observe in the granite (this is also a great strategy you lot tin can utilize for selecting a backsplash tile!). Doing that will assist you lot cull a color that will alloy with the granite and requite yous that white kitchen look, but won't feel too stark in contrast.

Grab a selection of warm white paint chips and hold them up to your granite. When yous find a match for that lightest tone, that's your ticket. This is a example where a pure white (sadly) isn't unremarkably the right choice. You can get shut though!

Or, go with a dark paint color to balance the dark-brown out.

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via Chris Loves Julia

Chris Loves Julia did just that in their "Phase One" kitchen renovation and I honey how it turned out. The moody bluish-green-gray helps the countertops almost disappear! The lighting and accessories as well assistance make the chocolate-brown granite countertops experience more intentional - hints of brass and warm forest caught my eye as bully details that add together to the overall await.

Keep your floors uncomplicated.

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via Martha O'Hara Interiors

My final slice of advice is to keep your flooring simple. Follow the same guidelines I mentioned to a higher place with choosing a backsplash. Information technology'southward really difficult to notice a pattern that will work well alongside a busy granite, so a good bet is hardwood, forest-look tile, or laminate. A neutral, light-colored, solid tile also tends to work well.

So tell me - do you have dated granite y'all're trying to work with in your home? Which of these ideas would you run with to make it feel more updated?