3 Clever Ways to Update Old Granite Countertops (Without Spending a Ton)

If your kitchen features granite countertops and you’re just not loving the look but cannot take on a renovation, not all hope is lost. There are many creative approaches that you can take to transform your kitchen so that there is less of a focus on your countertop material and more focus on your styling, cabinets, and/or walls.

Here, three interior designers share various approaches that they would recommend taking, all of which are budget-friendly and not too time-consuming. Many are even renter-friendly, too, so if you’re in a space temporarily, you can apply this advice to your home as well.

Disguise Granite Countertops With Decor

Redoing your kitchen countertops is a lengthy, expensive process. If you’re not ready to take this on (or aren’t 100 percent sure that you want to say goodbye to granite), you may wish to spend some time redesigning your space first in order to make your granite counters less visible without fully getting rid of them.

Mary Gordon, the vice president at InSite Builders & Remodeling, explains how thoughtful decor can help shift the focus away from the granite.

Preparing to host a gathering and don’t want your guests’ eyes to be on the granite? Lay out a bunch of charcuterie boards when hosting, Gordon suggests. Of course, other sizable entertaining pieces will make a major impact, too, she adds, citing various types of wooden boards, marble slabs, trays, and baskets as other possibilities. If your granite is dark in color, go light or neutral when it comes to these accessories, Gordon advises.

Another tactic that can help you to disguise your granite countertops is bringing in seasonal accents, Gordon adds; her suggestions include styling branches in tall vases or fresh fruit in a bowl. In the fall, you can also weave in pumpkins, and in the winter, holiday greenery and candles are excellent choices.

Last but not least, do not forget about the importance of texture when it comes to your decorative accents, doing so easily helps break up the granite and soften its appearance, Gordon says. For example, she recommends placing a table runner down the center of an island. A tactic as simple as this one can go a long way in temporarily yet effectively sprucing up your countertop space.

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Repaint Your Cabinets

Another way that you can avert your eyes from your granite countertops is by painting your cabinets and then updating their hardware, Shannon Kadwell, senior interior designer at Anthony Wilder Design/Build, shares.

If you’re a renter and are unable to paint your cabinets, consider covering them with contact paper or removable wallpaper. While this process will be much more time-consuming than painting, it will have a similar effect on the space and is easy to undo down the line prior to your lease ending.

Wondering what cabinet colors will have the most impactful effect?

”Choosing light, warm tones for the cabinetry paired with dark hardware can be an elegant and timeless choice,” Kadwell says, noting that these hues look great alongside many types of granite and stone. ”The contrast will really make the hardware pop and add a touch of sophistication to your kitchen.”

Paint the Walls

Another tactic, which should be suitable for renters and homeowners alike, is to consider painting the kitchen walls. The key is to be strategic when selecting what paint color to use.

Mackenzie Collier, the founder of Mackenzie Collier Interiors, recommends identifying the strongest color in your granite and then incorporating it into your space. By taking this approach, it’ll help the countertops blend in rather than stand out, Collier explains.  

Wallpaper, whether traditional or removable, is another approach that you could take that will have a similar effect. Once again, select a pattern that reflects the most dominant color in the granite, per Collier’s suggestion, and you’ll create a seamless, stylish space.