I love solid surface! With your existing elements, I would start by looking at creamy whites/off-whites. Have you found a solid surface person, and do they have samples so you can bring some home to see with your cabs and flooring?

Sorry, I just realized you said you’re painting the cabinets? I think stained wood cabinets wear much better than painted over, and look great with light counters. What color are you planning to paint?

Porcelain counters aren't as heavy but are up there in price along with granite or quartz. So if it is just the weight consider porcelain counters. I love that you're keeping the original cabinets, they don't make them like they used to, and paint is always an inexpensive fix. I'm sure it will look nice once completed, do post a final photo.

I live in a rural area so countertops are eifher from the big box stores or from local contractors. And cost is a factor. i wish it was not.

in terms of staining the cabinets, the doors are i believe plywood, so i am not sure what they would look like stained, i havent sanded them down yet. i am also hesitant to stain as all the wood work in the house is fhe same color, if i were to stain what color would you recommend?

Mrs. S - the cabinets look nicer in the photo than they are. i have read stone cant go on very old cabinets and these are 70+ years old. They are in good shape, but i dont know they are solid enough for stone.

I love the look of the stained wood. Any chance you can refresh them? They would look good with a white countertop.

Good luck!

houssaon - i had not considered staining the cabinets as the doors are kind if beat up. However, id welcome suggestions for stain colors, to see if i think its a possibility.

First off, I love your kitchen and happy you’re keeping the cabinets. I think the paint vs. stain issue depends on whether the cabinets are solid wood or veneered. You can refinish veneer but it’s trickier since you may need to repair chips. If they’re solid wood, you can sand and restain pretty easily.

As far as the countertops, unless there’s been water damage that compromised the wood at some point, those cabinets are probably stronger than most built today. That said, I think solid surface is a great choice that suits your kitchen better than granite, etc. Check out Glacier White as suggested.

Beeboo22 - the cabinet doors are plywood. So I am assuming the top is a veneer, it’s why i was considering paint. I dont mind the cabinets. i just hate the countertop (I am also not a fan of the floor, but that is not in the budget to replace and its in very good shape). White seems like it couod be a good option for the countertops. we dont have anywhere that sells Corian so id need fo stick to a product sold by thr big box stores.

I think your cabinets look nice in the color they currently are! I love love wood cabinets with white countertops. But if you’re set on a new cabinet color, I can understand that feeling too.

Since you’re buying from a bug box, i would head to the big box stores in your area and get samples of their solid surface countertop options. Around here the little square samples are free. They will each carry several different white choices- plain and/or lightly mottled/speckled. In my experience the samples can be slightly different than the actual product, I assume from different lots or something. But the samples will be a good starting point for you to narrow down your favorites.

https://www.cambriausa.com/quartz-colors/#!/

I would not paint those cabinets.

the cabinet doors are plywood.

Actually they look to be solid birch wood which was common in the 50's and they look to just need a refresh. If they were plywood, you'd see the layers on the ends.

Maybe a light sanding and then something on top to finish them? Painting will not hold up as well as a refresh of the wood.

Corian would be my choice for a solid surface top.

we dont have anywhere that sells Corian so id need fo stick to a product sold by thr big box stores.

Actually the big box stores do sell Corian. They may not have it in stock but it's definitely able to be ordered including samples.

Stivk with laminate. You do not need $7000 worth of counters unless you remodel the rest of the room to go with that.

Home Depot sells Corian, but you may get more bang for your buck with a plain off white laminate (assuming you need new countertops). You will probably need a new backsplash also, because taking out and installing countertop almost always breaks it. Put a plan together. Piecemeal changes in the kitchen usually don’t end up looking better, only “new countertop, old cabinets/floors, etc.).

@cpartist I am clueless when if comes to wood, I have inserfed a couple close up photos. What do you think?

When i went to the store and talked to Lowes and Home Depot the sales associates told me they no longer sold Corian that they only sold Hi-Mac and Wilsonart. Perhaps i was just tallking go the wrong person? The contractors I have talked to only use Wilsonart or stone.

@HU-328301744 - Luckily no bid is even close to 7k. There is about a $600-$700 difference for laminate vs solid surface based on my specs. i dislike the feeling of laminate and iw ill be in the home long-term. Given i will almost certaintly never be able to afford a full remodel I would rather pick something i like.

@Susie .I plan on replacing the backsplash as well, and the sink and faucet. As you noted countertop replacement typically damages a backsplash and most sinks are tough to reuse. I am replacing the counters because they are ugly. i like solid surface because its only slightiy more expensive than laminate but doesn’t feel super cheap. i can afford new countertops and backsplash. A new kitchen will never be an option for me financially unless i win the lottery.

Looks like plywood to me. Either way, I don’t think the wood looks bad and it will very likely look better than paint IMO. You would probably want some edge banding applied before painting, otherwise the paint will be absorbed into the ends and look odd. Professional painting can be expensive.

Do you have any favorites for the Wilson Art SS?

If it were my kitchen and I was in your situation, here’s what I would consider. I would go for a true plain white countertop and backsplash. I would worry that a creamy white would clash with the pink in the tile. I think natural woods tend to work with most hues, but tile is usually too bossy to ignore. I wouldn’t paint the cabinets if you can refresh the wood. I would use a grout colorant and try to camouflage the dark grout - get something close to the tile color and the floor won’t jump out at as much as it does now with the dark grout. It’s not expensive, and something most people can do themselves - just takes time and patience.

You have classic 50s wood cabinets with a midcentury vibe. If they are worn, send out the doors for very light refinishing or have someone in who could do the job on doors and drawers.

Get Hi-Mac white with a very light pattern. It's a great working surface. Put undercabinet lighting in. Get classic white subway tiles for backsplash.

Add a few pops of 50s accessories, tea kettle, dishtowels, some art in oranges or turquoise.

"Rothko Surprise #8 #Vangopulse" Original Artwork By Stephen Neil Gill · More Info

@Susie . Thank you for the suggestions. The floor is apparently less then 10 years old, and it’s great shape (although so difficult to keep clean), so i like the idea of seeing if i can change fhe grout color. i had not considered that. I have painted cabinets in the past and it takes forever, and as i dont mind the cabinets if i can refresh them I would give it a go. i can always paint in the future if i want to.

The colors i like for solid surface are white or in that family. Arctic White, Ice Queen, Aurora Ecru or Aurora Cream. i think most of those are Hi-Mac colors.

If you can get samples to bring home that’s your best bet. You want it to work with the tile and seeing it in your light is important (versus the bright/harsh lights in the showrooms). It’s difficult to choose something by looking at photos. The tile and countertop will be in the same visual plane so it’s important they play nicely. I think your cabinets would look good with a lot of different countertop options. Do look at photos of different combinations, though to give yourself an idea of how different countertops look.

I have Hi-Mac countertop on my island. It’s the same type of solid surface as Corian and it has worked well for us. Good luck with your project!

Ive gotten some samples. They all kind of look fhe same in my kitchen (although they look differenf in the showroom). I have posted photos below. The top two photos with the writing on them are from the showroom. i like all the samoles against my cabinets. The floors work with mosf of them. These are all some version of white. This is in artifical light, bur, i don’t get a ton of natural light in my kitchen. Right now i am leaning towards fhe cheapest option, as I cannot really tell the difference. would welcome any feedback.

That is probably because you're looking at 2" x 2" samples. The slight variations in color are going to look much more noticeable in a huge slab.

I would try to get a bigger sample. Some manufacturers let you do that. Some independent retailers have bigger samples.

Look at the undertones. The first 4 look like versions of gray, to me. The white looks bright. Too bright? I don't know.

Can you set them on the floor and take a photo? It’s hard for me to tell. Or are they sitting on the floor?

@Susie . Samples on the floor. the floor looks dirty, but sadly most of that is the tile..

@Mrs. S the first four are photos from the showroom. They are 3 of the 4 pieces on my current kitchen counter. they look completely different out of the showroom.

Put a white sheet of paper next to them, as a reference point.

@chispa Although all fhe natural light is gone now so i am not sure how representative this is.

I believe Corian is only installed by trained and certified Corian installers. You might try finding a certified Corian installer and have them give you a sample of Glacial White while providing a quote for the product and install. You could start your search by contacting customer service at https://www.corian.com/-contact-a-corian-r-distributor-

Hi Emma,

I agree that it's difficult to see much of a difference between the samples. Bigger samples would be better for sure, because our eyes just don't notice color nuances on small samples. Are you looking at Home Depot? I think they only have 2x2 samples, but you can get a 4x4 sample here: https://www.lxhausys.com/us/products/himacs-solid-surface/arctic-white/2788 It is 4 times the size of the 2x2 when you think about the area (4" versus 16"),

I think the Arctic White is the whitest you can get - it's not a warm white, but it shouldn't fight with your floor. Think about what you have in mind for the space - do you want a pattern? If it were me (keeping the floor), then I'd want a solid. I think you can rarely go wrong with a solid white countertop. I also think that a solid white with your wood cabinets gives a very nice modern vibe. Maybe that's not the vibe YOU want, though.

Think about the room as an entire package and how everything will work together - floor, countertop, appliances, cabinets, backsplash.

Hi Emma,

Home Depot still advertises Corian on their website,and you can order small samples from them. It seems your local staff isn’t making much effort for you. I have had corian countertops in various places in my house over the years and always been very happy with it.
Another countertop you could consider is Vetrazzo, which is a product made partially with recycled glass. It comes in many colors, may be more expensive than Corian (I’m not sure) but might be a pretty addition to your kitchen, especially with those mid century wood cabinets.
I think Home Depot had a brand called Geos.

Whatever you choose, I think you will be really pleased with the update.

I got vanilla corian for my kitchen two years ago and just got it for my laundry room too. I adore it! I can afford much pricier counters but why? This material is incredible.

Home Depot was a complete pain to deal with so I found a local source that did it instead. I went to their "showroom" - a corner in the workshop. The owner gave me a gigantic scrap - 4 x 12 to use as a sample. Those 2x2 samples are a total joke. Have you tried to find a local installer?

I had a local guy come out and measure for countertops and he also does cabinets. I am getting a quote for cabinets as well. Just to see (he gave me a ballpark estimate that might be doable, but ballpark is just that). i would keep the same floorplan, and the same horrible floors as replacing those really is not in the budget at the moment.

i just want my kitchen to be lighter and brighter and have it feel more modern,

You can get bigger samples of Corian if you pay for them. A lot of people balk at paying for samples and shipping, but it some small money lost upfront is worth it to see bigger pieces onsite.

@palimpsest i have ordered a couple online to see if its more helpful. I think ive felt rushed fo make a selection because once school goes back i cannot be home for measuring or fitting. But, this morning i decided that its too big a decision to rush, especially when i have a completely functional, albeit ugly, kitchen.

https://www.younghouselove.com/how-you-like-me-now-grout/comment-page-11/

Since you're keeping the floor and those floor colors/tones will drive the other surface decisions (cabinets, counters), you may want to update the grout if that's part of the reason you dislike the floor. I follow YHL and they used a grout renew product for a foyer tile floor. Their blog posts are very detailed and give step-by-step instructions for a DIY approach.

@tlynn1960 I definitely plan on colorin the grout no matter what. it seems like a cheap project, and it could make a big difference. i dont like the floor, but i think it would more easily be ignored with the dark grout.

I have not used this product, just saw it on a Sarah Richardson you tube. https://fuzionflooring.com/en-us/product-category/luxury-vinyl/
Video: https://youtu.be/YJ5lmDVYpVU

I don’t mean to add a “while you’re at it” to your project/budget, just wanted to point it out since you hate your tile. I think your cabinets are kinda cool. Assuming they are in shape, structurally you may want to keep them.

@Susie . Thanks for the link. i think the cabinets are in good shape. i don’t mind the look of them. But, if i can afford to change them i likely will. Mostly, because they are 70+ years old, and they just are not as functional as a modern kitchen. It is little things like no pull outs, no soft close doors, etc But, i will need to wait and see what the numbers come back as to see if i can swing it. I feel fortunate that i can live with what i have now if need to.

Hopefully you can get what you want with new cabinets. IKEA is a great budget alternative (although they’ve gone up in price in the last few years). They have soft close doors and a lot of organizing options. Drawers are great options for lowers. Easier to access. Good luck!

And if you decide to do new cabinets post your measurements here and the forum can help with layout options

@susie honestly the layout is doing to have to stay as is. without removing some walls the layout is as good as its going to get. the big issue is the fridge as there is no good place to put it. I have out a rough sketch of the layout (the fridge i have is 32 inches wide, but i have a hard time capturing it on paper the start and stop areas are about right). i have attached some photos as well so you have a better sense…its a mess, it won’t tidy again until my 3 year old goes to bed.

I did ralk to the contractor about moving over the stove and microwave by 9-10 inches so a narrow cabinet could go between stove and the doorway. And then i asked for a cabinet over the fridge to store the crap that gets shoved up there (its stuff i need out of reach of little hands). i also feel i dont need extra cabinet space, but i need the space to be more functional. I have empty space in the lower cabinets because either things dont fit, are not accessible, or i want them away from little hands. But, my uppers are full.

Those cabinets look like very solid construction to last. If you go forward with painting them consider having all the knob holes filled so you can change up cabinet hardware to compliment. Preferably the hinges should match. Hope you can lighten the flooring grout to maybe a cream color, the tiles are nice. Maybe you need to select countertops before choosing cabinet color.

My parents added pullouts and interior accessories to some cabinets later on. The house was built in 1969. I can see on FB that the new owners kept all of the kitchen cabinets except the ones over the island, changed the range hood and the countertops in the past few years, but the kitchen is now 54 years old.

Emma, what did you end up deciding on countertop and cabinets? I realize I am late to the convo, but I’ve had Corian and Menard’s solid surface in two kitchens and have really liked it. Both have been either white or off-white which I understand can really hide issues with scratching. One of our kitchens has 40 year old Corian and we could just buff out scratches if needed with Bar Keepers and elbow grease, but rarely did since they were hard to see. After 40 years that Corian still looks really great! We swapped the SS drop in sink with a drop in white fireclay and I think the combo looks nice in our older home.

I put in 90 square feet of LG Hi Mac Arctic Granite two years ago and love it. Looks great and easy to clean.

Solid surface is a good fit for your situation especially since you’re not replacing cabinets. For lighter matte options look at Corian LG Hi Macs and Staron they all come in soft whites off whites and light greys that work well in darker kitchens Ask for a matte or satin finish which is standard and helps hide fingerprints and smudges. Good color choices would be warm whites creamy tones or very light grey with subtle speckling these stay cleaner looking than pure bright white It’s also worth noting that solid surface bathroom countertops are often made from the same materials so you’ll find similar finishes and durability options across both kitchen and bath applications. You don’t need to avoid quartz or granite because of weight in most cases but solid surface is lighter more budget friendly and easier to maintain so it makes sense for your project.