See if you can score that 4" granite piece up the back and remove it. then you could do beadboard down to the countertop.

this link tells you exactly how to do it

https://sarahjoyblog.com/cover-tile-backsplash-beadboard/

or, I supposed you could leave the 4" piece and just do the beadboard over it. it's cheap. use the vinyl one if you like. paint it white.

https://www.artfulhomemaking.com/how-to-install-a-beadboard-kitchen-backsplash/

Is the countertop olive-green brown or root-beer-float brown?

If this were my kitchen, I'd do the following (note, these are just temporary holdovers until you can renovate):

1. paint the backsplash (I recommend matte or satin paint), or cover it up with peel-and-stick wallpaper.

2. I like the cabinets but not the slanted handles. you can fill and sand the extra holes, and install new hardware. did the previous homeowners leave behind touch up paint? If not, you might need to repaint the doors to blend in the patched holes. (or you might get lucky and find the perfect match, but that can be kind of hard.)

3. the appliances can be wrapped in vinyl with a stainless look -- or any other color. it's the same product as what they're using on custom cars these days. if it's tough enough for cars, it's tough enough for appliances (they do make a heat resistant type). for a professional application, you can actually hire a service to do this for you. check out this blog post where she describes getting it done for about $400 (for three appliances). the result was beautiful!

with the other improvements done, you might find that you can live with the countertops for a while, at least until you can get that reno done.

Paint the backsplash the same as the other walls, and the kitchen will have a completely different feel.

Leave everything else. Your cabinets, including the angled handles and the scalloped trim over the sink, are charming. Your counter and floor will look much better once the backsplash is gone - it clashes badly.

I've painted cabinets like that. It's a lot of work. I'd just touch them up if it were me, unless they're really bad.

Can I do vintage in the kitchen and then transition to a pale gray with bluish undertones with white trim and larger room with a combined/open dining & living area without having the it look weird when going from one area to the next? Yes, no problem.

Since you want to save for a full remodel, and don't have a lot of $$ to spend right now, this is what I would do for the temporary fixes:

Overall I would be going for a vintage black and white kitchen feel.

1) definitely paint the backsplash, a nice white (that works with the counter and floor, perhaps BM Simply White) Use the same color to paint all cabinets, trim and walls. Think about painting the window frames black.

2) change the cabinet pulls if they really bug you. Hafele brand pulls are lower cost but durable (I have these, easy to clean). Black or stick with silver color (nickel or stainless steel).

3) remove the scalloped trim over the sink. Eventually, you might want to change the faucet to a pull-down style

4) the flooring isn't so bad, seems to be a neutral shade that will work with black/white so leave it for now unless damaged - is some missing in front of the fridge? If it needs to be replaced, just go with vinyl sheet flooring in a white or black/white checkerboard.

5) perhaps if not expensive, replace the appliance handles with SS versions - that should lighten up the black

6) If you still just can't stand the counters, either go someplace for inexpensive neutral replacements (someplace like Grossman's, or Ikea) or consider coating the counter with epoxy (like this) if you are adventurous and/or handy enough

Please be sure to come back and show us when you are done!

The refrig is worse so large. If that could be white...

Thanks, Beth. I stand corrected on painting the backsplash now that you pointed out how poorly that particular tile would take to paint. Beadboard could definitely be the way to go--paint it the same color as the cabinets so it all blends in. In your first photo, the wall paint picks up the background shade from the countertop--another thing for OP to consider.

This is such a maddening dilemma since previous owners really chose poorly--practically the definition of a remuddle.

yes it is housegal. taking out the tile is messy, but it's not a big deal to redo the drywall and some skim coating. That option would be the cheapest way to go. At some point, homeowners have to learn to DIY certain things unless they have buckets of money to pay someone! youtube has videos on how to do everything. HD and Lowes offer home improvement classes.

if you want to remodel and don't have money, then I suggest you learn. If not, live w/it and save money!

https://hellocentralavenue.com/tips-tricks-painted-tile-backsplash/

Here's an example of small tile painted. In my kitchen the section above the 4" lower backspash doesn't get much splatter or wiping. And if it does chip, you have the paint to touch it up.

The problem w/OP's tile is the pattern against her countertop. Painting it won't cover the pattern. But maybe if she painted it a darker color, it could hide it? somewhat?

At least in this kitchen, she had decent subway tile and rail molding beneath it, and a solid countertop color. The pattern of the tile didn't compete, (and she said this tile is ceramic, metal and glass and the cost was about $100)

and she has decent cabinets so this actually looks OK. to be honest, I didn't mind the before.

But hey, OP, if you want to go this route, you have nothing to lose. (except $100).

I still say it's the pattern above this granite that is causing the visual headache.) Maybe instead of painting it a white, you could paint it a darker tan color so that it works w/the granite.

And if you don't like how it turns out, then you could try the bead board!

you could actually just tile over that tile. Scuff up the marble w/sandpaper. really rough it up.

get some cheap subway tile and mortar it right to the tile. The bonus is, you have that 4" border so you'll be able to build on top of it and have it almost level all the way up!

kind of like the black slate subway tile.

3x6, American Olean plaza taupe

If you must, paint the backsplash and call it a day. Save your time and money until you are able to renovate to get what you want. There are far worse kitchens I’ve seen on here. I get that it’s not to your liking, and trust me, I’ve lived for 6 years in a kitchen that was literally falling apart until we could renovate to what we wanted. But honestly, if the appliances are functioning and the cabinets are in sound condition, why spend the effort, time, money, headaches of fixing something to only tear it out in a short time? You have no idea what else is going to pop up in this house that requires immediate attention. I‘d honestly just wait.

Beth H., Thank you so much for letting me know about try to paint the backsplash would (or rather wouldn’t’) work! I had actually been thinking that was going to be the route I would be taking and was going to look for paint colors today... whew. I actually had no idea what the current (hellishly counter top contrasting) backsplash was. I’ve been trying to find out what it was for the last wee, 2 second Google search showed me the exact pattern once you said that the backsplash was Emperador Marble. Whew...one disaster averted. Thank you!

As much as I wish I could live with the kitchen “as is”, I‘m just not the kind of person that can leave it all alone for another 5 or so years. i’m afraid that patience is not a virtue I am possessed of. Life would be so much easier if I were.

Try contact paper on the countertops. It will be well within your budget and will be completely removable if you dislike it. There are a million blog posts with befores and afters.

Your kitchen has the potential to be extremely charming. I love the details. Right now you can cover up the back splash with thin sheets of what looks like bead board. I'd just lean it up against the wall, but it would be more secure if you screw it into the wall. The counter isn't bad at all, it just kinda clashes with the splash. I'd use soft yellow accessories.

contact paper on countertops is not even a good temporary fix. it burns easily, peels at the edges, and no matter how you plan it, there will be a few bubbles and an obvious seam somewhere. no matter what brand you buy, it never looks real enough.

you could have it enameled over, but IDK if it's worth it. I've never seen a version of that that actually looked good (unless you wanted to go for a totally solid color).

if you're keeping your cabinets, just go ahead and get new countertops. there are plenty of decent budget friendly options. or if you can't do it now, addressing your backsplash and cabinet hardware might help you be able to live with your existing counters until it's in your budget to properly replace.

I've had contact paper on my countertops for over a year. We actually have lovely granite countertops but you can't see crumbs on them at all due to the patterning so until we can replace it, we put on lighter colored paper just to be able to keep it clean with multiple young kids.

It is true that there are some bubbles but you mostly can't see them. The seams are obvious if you are looking, but otherwise not. It has not peeled at the edges despite little kids picking at it every once in a while. It has not burned though obviously we use trivets as we would for anything. It is easily cleaned and obviously easily removed.

It does definitely look fake to me - we have the faux marble. I agree that if that is your major consideration contact paper is not the way to go. :) However, I will note that no one has ever noticed and when pointed out people have been shocked. Which probably says more about how observant people are in general than the actual contact paper!

It certainly shouldn't be your permanent fix and won't be ours. As a stopgap, and given your budget, it's worth consideration!

sarahaccount24, May I ask where you bought your contact paper? I’m guessing it’s not the stuff that I’ve been using to line our shelves since I was a kid.

sure - this is what we used: https://dcfixbrand.com/product/marble-white/

it's at amazon, home depot, walmart, lowe's, etc.

Maybe you’ve done this already and i missed it, but perhps if you described your dream kitchen, or posted a few pictures, even though your present kitchen is absolutely nothing like the pictures, you might get specifc suggestions that turn the key.

The countertops appear to be Silestone Sienna Ridge. You could pull the 4" splash easily enough, but the ideas of painting tile and contact papering perfectly fine engineered stone tops seem foolish to me.

I know you said that patience is not one of your strong points, but it seems very foolish to throw any money at that kitchen if you're going to do a total renovation in a few years. When we bought our home the kitchen was also a total mess--a small 1960s renovation in a 1920s house. Painted white cabinets just like yours (with the same scalloped valance over the sink), laminate counters that tried to look like butcher block, old blue and white checked wallpaper, and a vinyl-tiled floor. Not much storage, as the lower cabinets were only 12" deep. 1970s era mis-matched appliances. One fan light with a pull chain in the middle of the room. Not to mention a small addition with a bedroom and bathroom that had a shower so old and leaky we used it for storage. Tiny eat-in area for 3 people max.

Well we did NOTHING to that kitchen, but spent the next few years planning the renovation. In the meantime we lived our lives. Fed our children, had birthday parties, hosted Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations and entertained friends and family. Ate meals in the dining room, which was a room to eat in, not a formal velvet-roped-off room. After one Thanksgiving dinner the ancient Kitchenaid dishwasher stopped working and we washed everything by hand from then on.

Four years later we had a showstopper kitchen that cost big bucks but that blew everyone away. Our meticulous planning and saving money paid off. So glad we didn't waste any $$ on silly cosmetic fixes that would have only made it look worse. As my sports-crazed husband likes to say, "sometimes the trades you don't make are the best ones."

How about this: Since your DIY skills are peel and stick tiles, get some plywood cut to measure your space, and peel and stick the tile on it, then affix it to the existing wall.

Oh....keep the counters as is....they are not that bad.

Oh, as for the tile behind the cabinets where the doors have been taken off, and the shelves by the sink....paper or paint posterboard and glue it to the tile. Use a color that coordinates with the peel and stick tile you used on the above-mentioned plywood.

It's perfectly horrific, I agree. The backsplash is the killer. You are just going to hate everything about it until you can really fix it, so I think I would just give up and live with it until you can make it the way you want it.

Paint the back splash tile. It will look much much better. I disagree that the pattern will make any significant difference to the final look. And if you really don't like it, you've wasted a quart of paint and a few hours work, and can always stick something over it.

You could stick this acrylic panel over the backsplash for a cleaner look - I wouldn't paint (but that would probably be a visual improvement!)

https://innovatebuildingsolutions.com/products/bathrooms/high-gloss-acrylic-wall-panels

Personally, I would put up with it all, just to have that built in breadboard. I love those things, and its been years since I have had one.

I just remembered these, from Ikea: backsplash panel

Also I recall seeing stainless panels at Lowes, meant for a stove backsplash but perhaps could be cut down to fit: stainless panel

Just as Beth H. has suggested, along with beadboard which would look very nice, there are other thin sheets of materials at the big box stores that can be painted and attached with adhesive, including cheap smooth vinyl flooring.

Despite my links above, I am in the camp of doing as little as possible, at as little expense as possible, to make the space just tolerable enough to stand while you save for the real re-do.

Diana Bier Interiors' previous comment is absolutely spot on.

I don't think there's anything wrong with applying a few inexpensive DIY solutions. remember that for some of us, this kind of thing is actually fun. it's my favorite hobby, and would 100% put in the small amount of money (and larger amount of time) in order to take something from ugly (op's words) to tolerable. I certainly couldn't live with that backsplash for a month, let alone 4-6 years.

Alexandra, I do agree with Beth that painting that particular kind of slick tile might wind up being a bubbly mess, so I stand corrected with my previous suggestion for that. but some kind of thin panel (like many here suggested) would make a huge difference. or since this is temporary, maybe even peel-and-stick tile. you could start with one sheet and see if it sticks ok. but a panel will be tougher.

Truthfully it would make me very nervous to have guests in a kitchen that I really couldn’t stand or found embarrassing, so advice to change myself rather than the kitchen wouldn’t make much sense to me.

Fortunately I would be okay with wacky or fun fixes — I am pretty sure I would take this kitchen and make it very Japanese— but I understand the desire to have a kitchen that is part of the flow of the house.

The OP mentioned liking some of the vintage aspects of the kitchen. The cabinets, the angled handles, the curved shelves, the window valance -- they are really charming. If you keep everything intact, someone will happily take that off your hands when you're ready to renovate.

Does OP know for sure that the backsplash is marble tile? I wonder because it is on the wall behind the refrig, which seems a bit of a hidden spot for it.

I'd wiggle that refrigerator over a bit closer to the cabinet - assuming the electrical outlet and plugs aren't preventing it. There is peel and stick for refrigerators and dishwashers (does OP have a dishwasher?). But other than automobile painting of range, I think you are stuck with black. refrig magnetic panels I like this one:

Love the open pantry idea, and obviously painting the trim.

I normally don't like to do cheapo coverups, but if you hate your space, a few bucks for a few years is well worth it. If you visit Apartment Therapy, you'll find more budget and/or short-term fixes (houzz tends to be more expensive or long-term projects). For example - this photo shows peel and stick backsplash and contact paper counters.

Apartment Therapy

Other than possibly doing Beth's suggestion to install bead-board over the backsplash, I would not do a thing. Even that is going to be a chore.

Why not open a saving account and put every nickel and dime you could spend on "little fixes" to your renovation budget? Spend time planning the future dream kitchen.

"nervous to have guests in a kitchen that I really couldn't stand or found embarrassing"

Wow that says a lot.

I thought GUESTS were either friends or family........

If either of those are in charge of your self esteem ? You need "new". Both. More than you need any kitchen,

I wouldn’t want to spend 5 years in this kitchen either. Removing backsplash tile costs nothing but you may end up messing up the drywall underneath so you will have to fix that yourself or get someone else to - not an expensive thing and then paint. It would have to be done anyway when you do remodel your kitchen . The diagonal pulls bug me so they can be taken off, holes filled with wood filler and take door off to get color matched and paint over holes and just put “normal” knobs on. The fussy trim over sink is not a good look so I’d remove that also. This should all be in budget and make the kitchen bearable while you plan for your remodel.

Jan and Diane, ive looked at your portfolios. Its true id be mortified to have guests in them. Designers who know how to design truly attractive and livable spaces for human beings other than themselves are what most people are looking for. But keep on posting. Its your business and reputations, not mine, you’re hurting.

Really...............: ) : ) : )

It's a BLOODY miracle I feed myself. But I defer to the actual paying clients, who love their kitchen or their bedroom, eating sleeping, having guests in both. Sans....."mortification".

The original poster has another thread in which she has shown pictures of her painted backsplash, so that's a done deal. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6068842/please-help-i-need-countertop-paint-recommendations-asap#n=21

I think she's still deciding what to do with the countertops.

The black appliances/sink, gray floor, and reads-gray-black backsplash are one color family. The reads-brown countertops are another. Even if you replace or cover up the backsplash (the least expensive option), the appliances will still clash with the countertop. If it were mine, and you're sure you only need to live with it for a few years, I'd paint the countertops. I like Daisychain's suggestion, too: 1. paint the trim and pantry doors white to match the cabs/other trim in the house and 2. take down the scalloped trim above the sink.

Hi Alexandra,

keeping in and you temporary liw budget and using the cabinets and appliance for the color scheme I put tower some options in an ugly unmatched kitchen idea book but here are some of my picks from it below.

in addition I would spray paint your cabinet hinges a matte black and for your door (assuming pantry by the fridge either matte black for it and the trim or using white distressing wax to give it more character or stain it with weather wash stain.

hope this helps
the wallpaper for above the cabinets but if you don't like that then a nice creamy white paint would be nice.

Vesdura Waterproof Vinyl | Click Lock | 6.5mm | Rigid Core | Gray · More Info

Cosmas 783 Cabinet Cup Pull, Flat Black · More Info

Grey Vintage Wood Peel and Stick Vinyl Wallpaper, 24"w X 108"h · More Info

cabinet color · More Info

MTO0403 Peel and Stick Linear White Gray Khaki Glossy Resin Vynil Mosaic Tile · More Info

Renov8or can polished stone countertops be painted though? the only tutorials I ever see are for laminate-- so you can scuff up the surface really well before priming. (I'm not against that idea, I've looked into if for my own granite counter. I'm just not convinced you can get the paint to really adhere.)

I would just remove the cabinet above the fridge and buy a new fridge. Everything else can wait. At least you have a solid surface and not Formica!!

I love mod no they cannot be painted

Diana pro has some great advice. It’s a really nice space. I can assume you left your other killer kitchen because this house offers more, somehow, and some time. Just put the fridge back where it goes and get a new one. Then live your life in this great space until you can remodel.

she went ahead and painted that marble.

Like I said,,,,,,, not a good idea.

she abandoned this thread and started another one.

And now wants to paint the quartz countertop!!

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6068842/please-help-i-need-countertop-paint-recommendations-asap#n=21

Omg because the doesn’t like the truth ?? 😂😂😂😂😂