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31 Days of Character Building: Granite


Welcome to Day 5 of my 31 Day Series, Building Character.





Like many builder grade homes, our home was a sea of beige when we first moved in.  The kitchen was no exception.  Let's take a look back...




(Before)

(Before)
  
Wow, was it that bad?  Beige counter tops, beige cabinets, beige laminate floors, oh my.

To give the space some much needed drama, we traded in the laminate counter tops for solid black granite.  This was a pricey upgrade.  Some things are just worth the money.
We chose "Absolute Black" granite with a beveled edge (to make it appear thicker than it really is).  We also added a stainless steel under mount sink, upgraded the faucet and replaced the flooring for a more custom look.




I will be sharing more on the kitchen soon.  It's still in it's character building infancy but, it's getting there.  

See you tomorrow!

To view the entire 31 Day Series, click here.
For information on my affordable online design services, please click here.


11 comments:

  1. Such a difference! I've been reading each post in your series and think it's great - you've done a fabulous job with your home and I'm looking forward to reading more on building character!

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  2. Good morning...I love the absolute black...(see my post on beach house kitchen)...so beautiful...even if it is a bit of work to keep clean...lol...we are getting ready to replace the laminate countertops and paint our cabinets in our "burb" home...your upgrade is sooo worth it...looks beautiful...can't wait to see more...xo, Mariaelena

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  3. Fabulous! I love that you did so much with out having to redo everything! What product do you use to keep your granite clean and shiney? I have done some research and wonder what other ladies are using. Thanks! Megan

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  4. Love this post as I am in the process of picking a new kitchen counter. Love your black. Wish I could use that color but I live in Oregon and feel that it would be too dark with our naturally gray months of rain. You did good!

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  5. Beautiful!!! I absolutely LOVE your canisters and the photo with the gorgeous lighting. So practical and pretty! Love it! This is my first visit to your blog, and it is lovely! I'm a new follower :)

    I blog at "Only a Breath" and would love for you to stop by if you have time! I'm writing about "31 Days to Love Your Neighbor". It has been a very interesting journey to say the least! :)

    Have a great day!
    Melanie

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  6. Hi. You have a beautiful home!! I love your blog and your great ideas.
    I was wondering where you got the great rolling pin above your cupboard. I would love to buy one.
    Thanks so much. Lisa

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  7. Lisa, Thank you for visiting and for your sweet comments. I found the rolling pin at Potterybarn a few years ago. Thanks for stopping by! ~Sarah

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  8. It may be pricey, but looks gorgeous and made your kitchen look more custom. Enjoying catching up on your 31 days series.

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  9. Your kitchen is absolutely gorgeous! My husband and I are building our home....we will be breaking ground withint the next month. The one thing we are "stuck" on is what to get for countertops. I love the black granite....but I have heard the darker colors show scratches easier and I have had conflicting opinions (some say granite (clear coat) scratches easy from dishes and every day use while others say granite never scratches). How long have you had your countertops and do you have any scratches in them? I greatly appreciate any feedback that you can give to help us with our decision. We really want an undermount sink for our kitchen but plan on having children in the near future and don't want to spend all that money if in a couple years our countertops will be all scratched from daily use and kids. Thanks again in advance for any info you can help us with! :)
    Hugs~
    Kim

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  10. Kim, thank you for your kind comments. I love the look of my black granite. It has not scratched at all, we have had it almost 6 years and it has held up beautifully. The only negative thing I can say about dark granite is that it shows fingerprints, smears, and smudges. It requires daily cleaning with glass cleaner. That being said, there is nothing prettier than sparkling clean black granite. I hope that helps you make your choice. Best, Sarah

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  11. LOVE the edge profile you picked for your black granite! It really does make them look thicker and even more expensive. I really like how it looks on the pass-thru to the other rooms that you can see behind the sink.

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