Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Kitchen Counter Samples

I mentioned the other day that we're thinking of replacing our kitchen counters. I'm pretty sure we're going to go with laminate again because we've been so happy with it. I love being able to use any kind of cleaner on it, from natural cleaners, to Clorox Clean Up to my nightly wipe down with vinegar and water. It doesn't stain, you can leave water on it for weeks and it won't do any damage and the new color choices are spectacular. The new edge options are my favorite part. Instead of straight or just rounded edges, you can get the Ogee Edge. 

In fact, I still love my current counters, I just don't love the edges. I should have paid extra to get the Ogee Edge in the first place. Note to self: Spend a little more in the beginning and get what you want, rather than paying a lot more in the future to replace the whole thing. 

I thought I'd share some samples I received to show you just how far laminate has come. And by the way, I didn't lighten or edit these in any way because I wanted their true colors to show through. The Milano Amber color is from Wilsonart, but all the rest are available from Formica.


Formica options

I brought out this sample I already had of our current counters in Milano Amber color...



And here are the new samples I ordered...











The one below, Ouro Romano, is one of my current favorites...



For awhile, I was trying to decide between Ouro Romano and Argento Romano. But I wanted a combo of greys and creams and the Argento Romano is more black and white. P.S. All this "romano" talk is making me crave pizza. ;) 




My other favorite is River Gold. Here are some examples of Ouro Romano on the left and River Gold on the right...




You have to keep in mind, these aren't continuous samples...meaning they aren't cut from a single piece of laminate. They're all from different pieces, so the colors don't flow together like they would in reality. 

Ouro Romano on the left and River Gold on the right...









Here are some larger examples of River Gold I found online...




More River Gold...




It's pretty, right? And can you believe it's laminate???

It's so hard to decide. I think Ouro Romano is a little more traditional, while River Gold is a little more updated and interesting. 


I think Ouro Romano has the perfect amount of creams and greys...




Just for reference, here's a huge sheet of Ouro Romano at Lowe's...



They just happened to have it stocked right next to my current counter color, so I had to snap a pic for comparison... 

Ouro Romano on the left, Milano Amber (my current counter) on the right. 


A big sample of Ouro Romano...



Here's a close up of the Ogee Edge that we want on Ouro Romano...



That edge makes all the difference to me. 

Okay, one last time. Here is River Gold in my kitchen...




And here is Ouro Romano...






I tested both samples with Clorox Clean Up, Lysol Anti Bacterial Kitchen Cleaner, Vinegar, Green Works All Purpose Cleaner and even RED FOOD COLORING! There wasn't a problem with any of that and the food coloring even came right off with bleach. This is why I love laminate so much. :)

I already posted some pics of each on Instagram and took a vote to see which one people preferred. I'm curious to see if the same one wins on here too. I'll let y'all know what the fan favorite was. :) 

So what do you think? Ouro Romano or River Gold? Please leave a comment with your favorite. Thanks! 


~Lisa 



10 comments:

  1. Tough comment. I love the ouro romano, but think the coloring of the other looks great with your floors. It does look piecy though. Not sure if that makes sense.

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  2. I like the Oruro Romano....looks less busy! I really like ogre edge, too!

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  3. I really like the Oruro Romano... I think it will look beautiful with your cabinets! Whatever you choose will be gorgeous I'm sure!

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    1. Thanks, Kendra! I think that's the one we're going with. Thank you for all your help! :)

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  4. Oh Lisa they are both pretty close in my mind. This is hard. Both look great with your cabinets. Looking at the sample counters I love the Oruro Romano the best.... I think..... LOL! Wow both are great choices. The Oruro Romano probably is a little less modern and more traditional. Good luck with your choice. This will be a hard one but at least which ever one you pick it is going to look so pretty. Love the edge you chose too.
    Kris

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  5. These are both great looking and go with your floor. You'll know after you live with them for a while, and see how they change as the daylight moves on to night. Good luck!

    Jane x

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  6. Lisa,
    Both are beautiful and at first glance I was leaning toward Ouro Romano but when I saw the big sample of River Gold on the countertop I changed my mind. The veining on River Gold is really gorgeous and it looks so much more expensive.

    Also, I am so happy to see a blogger featuring laminate instead of granite or marble. Laminate has really come a long way especially the new Formica FX line where you now can get under-mounted sinks and different custom edges. I see all these bloggers putting in marble countertops and while they are no doubt beautiful (and pricey) they are not the most ideal. They stain and chip very easy plus they can be a nightmare to maintain because they have to be sealed frequently.

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    1. Thanks, Teresa! Yep, I'm a big laminate fan. :) I love the ease of it. I don't want to worry about things like plain water staining my counters. I can't imagine the stress that would cause. Lol! Thanks for stopping by!

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  7. I like the Ouro Romano and I also really like the River Gold. However, I think you might get tired of the River Gold eventually; with that much movement to it I think it would be the first thing you see in the kitchen. Just my personal opinion.
    Go with whatever you LOVE LOVE LOVE and think you can live with for a long time. Formica has come a long way, baby! lol xo Diana

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  8. Haha...now I can't remember which one I chose on Instagram! However, seeing them both in your kitchen, I think either one would be lovely...and I think I mentioned it on Insta, that I too have laminate. It's been 15 years and it looks brand new, not a scratch or a stain and cleans up easily. Can't wait to see your choice!

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