Patti and Darin’s yabba dabba DIY kitchen makeover — more thumbs up for Wilsonart Betty laminate

Patti writes:

Hi, Pam! Oh my, where do I begin? A few years ago you featured my pink bedroom with the silver starbursts wall and Heywood-Wakefield furniture. This was where my midcentury obsession began. Since I had moved out of my ‘big house’, a 1903 four-square and into my 1948 garage apartment out back, it was the perfect time for out with the old and in with the new modern. But that’s a whole other story. This one is all about Betty.

“Howdy hudee, bring it on,” we told Patti! “Let’s hear more. Let’s see more.” And she delivered.

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And so our email back and forth commenced:

A little over a year ago, I moved from my apartment in the town I grew up in to North Carolina. I dreamed of buying an untouched ranch. And I found her, a 1957, no less. She’s as old as I am and equally as worn. The kitchen has the original cabinets, counters and sheet vinyl floor. Original appliances are long gone, and craigslist replacements were there for resale. I wanted a period stove and just couldn’t find what I wanted to fit the 36″ space. But I had to do something with those cabinets so I could unpack my dishes….my dishes! My 1957 set of Franciscan Starburst, my coveted dishes!

My original plan was to restore the cabinets to their former glory, sand them down and clear coat. But after 2 weeks of sanding I couldn’t get the wood tone even. And the inside of the cabinets were a worn out mess.

I had leftover paint from my vintage camper redo, Sherwin Williams 6758 Aqueduct, which just so happens to match my coveted dishes. So I decided to give the paint a try — and my cabinets turned out beautiful, inside and out.

And so my kitchen waited since last December, until I could find the perfect laminate for my counters.

In the meantime, the search was on for a late 50’s stove. We said we wanted gas, but when I found my pink wall oven and cooktop on craigslist, I had to have it.

It waited patiently covered up and off to one side in my kitchen for the perfect laminate. Many, many samples were delivered to my house but none were ‘the one’. Until you, dear girl, featured Betty and Endora. Finally!

The original counters are tan linen. (It’s still in the main bath. The half bath is original gray boomerang.) The finish was completed worn off in several places, and the counter was still solid as a rock. We decided to relaminate over the old.

Editor’s note: Remember, readers, a special reason we love Betty and Endora is that they are stock laminates — not special order. Stock laminates are generally much, much cheaper than custom digital print laminates made-to-order. For example, this 4×8 sheet of Wilsonart Betty from Home Depot is just $59.

When I saw Endora, I was so tempted to repaint my cabinets pink but, you know — those coveted dishes! So Betty won out.

I ordered two (5 x 12) sheets as soon as she was available from Home Depot. Shipping was free to my door, and I asked them for a 10% discount, and they said yes! We’ve contemplated how to do it for months, then, finally a few weeks ago we dove in.

I measured and calculated and made all the cuts…

Darin wired it all up…

(… Weensie Scarlett was ever so helpful every step of the way proving how valuable a lovely assistant can be.)

It was a lot of work, hard work. Laminate is not forgiving, once it sticks, it’s stuck! But I just had to work slow, be patient, and think it all through.

I’m so happy I ran the laminate up the wall as the backsplash. That was tricky, because nothing is level or square, but it got easier when I quit being so particular and decided caulk was my friend. The trim where the counter meets the wall is aluminum 90 degree L from Lowes. I used contact cement to adhere it.

I painted the walls SW 6360 Folksy Gold.

I still can’t get over it!

My Burke tulip table and chairs (too big for the kitchen) are now kinda in my living room, which I suppose was once the dining area, though I don’t know how in the world they ever fed a family in that space.

(Side note: When I took the living room carpet up a few months ago, there was a patched place in the floor between the door  on the left and my table. Must have been some sort of divider to separate the dining space. I thought about putting it back, but had already moved the ceiling light and hung my flying saucer retractable light up, so I patched in flooring I stole from the entry to the attic. You never know what you’re going to find. I always say, “If it doesn’t say Sunkist, you don’t know what’s inside”!!))

Yowza, Patti and Darin, this is just Yabba Dabba DIY Awesome.

Patti sent us some other photos — some decorating tweaks to her 1957 bathroom and to the basement, where the couple has created an office and crafting area. And — sneak peek that snack table and boomerang clock. Come back tomorrow for the details on how Patti made those. Meanwhile, I lavished praise on Patti for her decorating and design inventiveness. And, I asked for a personal photo to go with the story.

It sounds like they make every moment an adventure… She replies:

The truth is I just have way too much time on my hands! And, wow, it’s hard to take a good picture of yourself. We’ve been laughing our heads off. But here we are.

Golly, Pam and Kate, I can’t thank you enough for all the awesomeness you share and all the hours you spend finding the things that help us make a house our home. And eight years?! Good grief that sure went by fast. You have drawn together so many like-minded souls. These midcentury homes keep us grounded in a simpler time. We are all forever grateful!

Thanks a ton…
Patti

Thank YOU, Patti and Darin! xoxo

DIY laminate countertop:

• See Kate’s story on how she DIY-ed her laminate countertop by clicking here.

More Wilsonart Betty: