When we moved into our home, I knew eventually I would be changing out the counters, cabinets, and adding hardware to the cabinets. My husband loved the dark wood and dark granite, but to me, it didn’t sit right. I love a light, airy home and with the dark look in the kitchen and all three bathrooms, it just wasn’t cutting it for me. Both of those upgrades in a kitchen or bathroom can get extremely pricey, so I looked for other ways to update the spaces without breaking the bank.
Disclosure: I was invited as media to cover this event. All opinions are my mine unless noted otherwise.
I stumbled across a product called Instant Granite by Appliance Art and thought, “I could do that!”. The company promises a “bubble-free” adhesive and that it won’t damage your countertops plus after an easy installation you’re left with a huge transformation.
Of course, I forgot to take a “before” picture, but I have one from December 2016. Besides decor, the kitchen hasn’t changed. See what I mean? It’s just too dark! And we have an open living space, so it makes everything… blah. I needed a change, and it had to start with the counters. I’m still trying to convince my husband that we should paint the cabinets but that’s a fight for another day.
Cost-Effective Counter Update
Before placing your order measure your counters making sure to include all sides that need to be covered. Instant Granite rolls come in 4 different lengths, but you can order a custom size for an additional cost. For my large kitchen, I received two rolls. They combined the sizes of my three smaller countertop spaces into one roll and my large 7 1/2 ft. island into its own roll.
Installation was super easy. I have videos of the bathroom install saved in my Instagram Story Highlights Instant Granite. Those videos should give you a better idea on how easy it is. To do the bathroom it took me about 30 minutes.
Tools:
- Box cutter
- Smoothing tool (IE: credit card)
- Hair dryer (optional)
Keep peeling a couple of inches back at a time moving evenly across the vinyl. Cutting around the sink can be time-consuming but simply take your time being extra careful to cut as close to the sink as possible. To wrap your corners, think of them as a present. Wrap one side over and then the other side for a clean look. Some people have said that using a hair dryer on the sides/edges worked for them, but I did not find it necessary. Keep one close by in case you feel the need to heat up the vinyl as you apply it.
Straight corners are a breeze but rounded corners can be a bit trickier. For straight corners simply wrap a small portion of the vinyl down then press the side over that. Trim the excess. For a rounded corner, I tried a few different methods to find which one was best for me. First, we tried making an upside-down triangle but I found that it stood out way too much and you could see the triangle clear as day. This is SUPER hard to explain but I will try. I will definitely advise that you watch my Instagram Highlight Stories to watch me do this part live. What worked for me is pressing the vinyl down right before the rounded edge starts, then cut straight down to trim away the part that would essentially cover the edge. Then take the piece you just cut off and attach it again. Attaching it after the fact will help it lie flat. At this point. you probably have a lot of overlap on both sides of the cut edges. Using your finger or your credit card, press the attached piece up against the cut edge so you can see where the two meet. Slowly cut straight down to cut away the corner overhang. You can see in the photo above there are two vertical lines on either side of the rounded corner. In person, these lines almost disappear and disguise themselves as marble veining.
Instant Granite is fade resistant, easy to clean with most household cleaners, removable, and designed to be damage free to countertops. The tacky adhesive cures in the first 48-hours after installation yet is still easily removed years after. Instant Granite White Italian Marble has subtle veining and creates a clean and elegant look. I do wish the veining was a bit darker like Carrara marble but that’s all personal preference. Everyone that comes over is super impressed and couldn’t tell it was a vinyl film on the counters until we told them. With some new hardware added to drawers and doors, it’s like we have a whole new kitchen that I love looking at.
For a temporary solution until you can afford a huge change in your kitchen/bathrooms or if you’re a renter and want to personalize your home without the risk of losing your deposit, Instant Granite is the way to go.
With the leftover vinyl I was able to do our guest bathroom, and with some paint on the cabinets and new pull handles, it’s a brand new bright and airy space that I love so much.
