DIY Faux Granite Counter tops and Some More Kitchen Pictures

After months and months of not knowing exactly how to redo our kitchen counter tops, I finally bit the bullet and decided to go with a faux granite (painted) counter top because I had seen so many pictures online about it and figured it wouldn't hurt to try it out and see what happened. 
Plus, it didn't cost me anything to do, but time of course, because I used paper towels instead of a sponge and all the paint I already had on hand...so since I didn't have to purchase anything, I decided to give it a try. 
And I must say, I absolutely love, love, love how it turned out. 
I was a little nervous at first when I started because it wasn't looking right, but the thing about doing this kind of DIY is you can't really mess it up. It is all about the layers!!

Remember, we started with a green laminate counter top and since we can't afford to replace the counters at the moment, it was time for a DIY.

This is where it all started (the picture from the listing online):

And now, for the updated pictures...warning- lots of them to come in this post!!

The top picture is after a couple of blots of paint with the paper towels.
I made sure to prime the counters (TWICE) and let them dry for a week or so while I decided what colors to go with.

I used a few mixes of light gray paint, dark gray paint, white, and cream to make this combo.

I knew I wanted something light to go with the cabinets and figured going too dark would be a bit too much...especially since we have wood floors and a few spots of wood trim I never painted. I think it was definitely the right choice.

I took some close-up shots of the counter tops...you can really see how it looks from these pictures and again, I have to say, it looks pretty darn good in person too.

If you try this method, make sure you also paint/blot the sides to make it more realistic. 

Looking at these pictures makes me want to paint the doors trims white but keep the doors wood....and also paint the trim around the dining room windows since I haven't done that yet. :)

There are lost of methods on how to do this so I didn't bother posting every step and detail of the process. You just kind of have to do what you think is best- and choose colors you like. 

To finish everything, I did end up putting 2 coats of a clear coat of protection on the counter tops for extra durability. So far they are holding up great!! I'm not too worried about minor scratches or dings we may have along the way at some point because these aren't our planned forever counter tops, so for right now, they work perfectly.

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Details:
Paint color on walls is SW Mindful Gray
Paint color on cabinets is SW Alabaster
Kitchen island color is a combo mix of gray and navy I made up
Dining room wall color is SW Intellectual Gray
Backsplash is Lowe's wallpaper board and batten (paintable too)
Nickel brushed light fixture from Home Depot
Kitchen nook light fixture from Habitat Restore and painted in bronze
Kitchen nook and chairs are a thrift store find- refurbished


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Linda at Coastal Charm 
Elizabeth and Co 
Jann Olson blog 
Katherine's Corner 
Lamberts Lately with Leslie 
Happy and Blessed Home