We were feeling a little underwhelmed by how unfinished our “new,” tile-ready walls looked. Staring at mismatched, unpainted paneling and the exposed, stained sections of ceiling left behind when we removed the upper cabinets was honestly kind of depressing.
So what did we do? We painted.
The paneling needed two coats of primer and two coats of paint to get an even finish. The ceiling took even more attention — several coats of Kilz CleanStart primer (a no-VOC option) followed by multiple coats of the ceiling paint the previous owners left in the basement. Some areas were raw and others were stained, so we wanted to be sure everything blended seamlessly. After a lot of patience and touch-ups, the ceiling finally matched the rest of the room.
The result was definitely improved, though the space still feels raw. Once we get the new countertops installed, add trim around the window, install backsplash tile, update the lighting, paint the cabinets, and lay our cork floors, the room will feel much more polished. We’re slowly but surely moving toward the finish line.
Before the counters could go in, we had to install support brackets for the peninsula. The counter templating pro advised that any overhang over 10″ needs reinforcement — our peninsula will have a 12″ overhang on two sides. We could have paid hundreds to have the Corian reinforced, but the templating pro suggested a simpler DIY method.
We bought six 10″ steel brackets from Lowe’s and sprayed them to match. At about $6 each, the total was roughly $36, which is far cheaper than professional reinforcement.
Once the paint on the brackets dried, I prepared scrap pieces of wood cut to 12″ lengths to use as backing inside the cabinets. The templating pro recommended against fastening the heavy brackets directly into the thin cabinet material. Instead, we anchored them into the thicker wood backing hidden inside the cabinets for much more secure support.
After measuring and marking the cabinet interiors to ensure even bracket spacing, I loosely set the scrap wood in place behind the cabinet panel. I used another scrap board as a temporary counter surface to set the brackets at the correct height so they would carry the overhang properly. Each bracket was secured with three screws into the internal wood backing.
With the first three brackets in place, the structure felt solid. When the countertops are installed, they will be screwed into the Corian from below; the Corian itself includes reinforcement points for overhang attachment during fabrication.
Once counters and cabinet paint are finished, the brackets will be barely noticeable. To make the peninsula look intentional and finished, we’re planning to add shaker-style panels to the back and possibly the side. Those panels will add detail and hide the brackets by routing out a channel so the trim lays over them. We’re looking forward to tackling that step.
We also primed a narrow strip of the refrigerator surround where it meets the future countertop. We didn’t want to fully paint the cabinets before countertop installation because heavy, tight-fitting counters often cause scuffs and touch-ups. Painting that little edge beforehand means any tiny gap between paint and countertop will be white instead of bare wood, which will visually blend much better after installation.
For now, the kitchen is in its counter-ready state. It’s starting to look like a kitchen, though temporary seating and a few placeholder pieces make it clear we’re still mid-project. To keep things safer for our toddler while the brackets were exposed, we added a dummy counter surface out of leftover cabinet shelves so the edge would be more visible. That, plus some chairs, helped reduce the risk of bumps and scrapes until the real countertop arrives.
We’re excited for the next update: installed counters. Having a functioning sink again will be a huge relief — washing pans in the bathtub was getting old. We’ve still been able to cook thanks to the working fridge, stove, and dishwasher, but a proper counter and sink will make life so much easier. Stay tuned for photos of the finished installation.
P.S. We’ve listed our old granite counters on Craigslist for anyone interested and included details in an earlier post.