Countertop Adventures: Goodbye Yellow Tile!

Of course, as soon as the cabinets were fresh and white, the old ceramic tile countertops stuck out like a sore thumb. They were this yellowed, outdated color, and honestly, they looked even worse next to the bright new cabinets. So, we decided it was time to go countertop shopping.

But before we could pick out our dream countertops, there was this annoying little wall in the kitchen that blocked off the space and left almost no prep room. It had to go. Armed with my dad’s reciprocating saw and after turning off the power, I went to town tearing down that wall. Everything was going great until I ran into some PVC piping hiding inside. Not wanting to risk turning our kitchen into a swimming pool, I called in Jess the plumber to shorten the pipe, and after that, it was smooth sailing.

With the wall out of the way, we knew we wanted to extend the countertops beyond where the old ones had been to give us more workspace. We chose a gorgeous quartz countertop with subtle gray veining—clean, modern, and timeless.

To add a bit of extra flair, we picked out these stunning iridescent hexagon backsplash tiles. They definitely weren’t cheap (thanks, Melisa!), but they add so much character beyond the typical subway tile.

To bring everything together, we added matte black hardware that we found online, and I installed them all myself using a KregJig. It was a lifesaver, ensuring that every handle was perfectly level and consistent. No one wants to risk messing up their freshly painted cabinets, right? We loved the hardware so much that we later used the same pieces on other cabinets throughout the house.

In the end, the kitchen became exactly what we envisioned: bright, functional, and modern, with a touch of character. It was a huge transformation and one of the most satisfying projects we’ve completed in the house. Now, it’s the heart of our home—perfect for cooking, hosting, and everyday life with our growing family!