7 Gorgeous Epoxy Countertop Ideas For Every Design Style

DIY projects are an excellent way to get more personalization into your home decor and have a more hands-on approach when it comes to design. From installing your own floors to building countertops, it can be especially rewarding in a major room like a kitchen since you'll get to see your handiwork often. One project that we're loving these days is the process of applying epoxy resin to kitchen countertops. This dazzling DIY will turn your countertops into a unique home feature because it gives you the opportunity to create just the design you want.

With epoxy, you can pour it over an existing countertop like laminate, concrete, wood, or ceramic, or build your own countertop from scratch. To DIY, get an epoxy kit (available at craft stores and online retailers like Amazon) and follow the instructions. Apply the undercoat to the surface, let it dry for at least four hours, and start pouring your epoxy. You can mix your desired colors in disposable tubs and pour from there or pour the colors right onto the countertops and use a magic trowel to create the designs as you go. If you want less of one color, you can just layer on another shade and mix it in. When the epoxy is set, sand the surface down, and apply the top coat to make it strong and durable. Leave the countertops to cure for about a week. Because epoxy resin dries so slowly, you don't need to rush your pouring and can take your time experimenting with designs. This is important to note because the process can't be undone so if you make a huge mistake or want to redo everything, you'll need a whole new surface.

One idea is to recreate the look of the galaxy with your countertops. You'll need colors like blue, white, and black, but can also mix in a bit of purple and/or orange. One approach is to mix them together and pour it for a uniform layer, but then go heavier on some parts with two or three colors. This is good for a futuristic home theme or if you just want to do something different. And if you really want this but see that it won't fit with the other elements, consider it for an outdoor kitchen.

Another idea is to use epoxy resin countertops to bring the ocean into your kitchen. If you have a coastal or beach theme, this can be the focal point of the room. We like this idea because it can take on various forms. You can choose to use a few deep blue shades for something more dramatic and sophisticated, or some light blues for something more playful and airy. The way you mix in the white will also determine the drama of the effect. More white than blue, for instance, will allow you to incorporate other colors into your kitchen decor.

This is a great idea for an industrial, modern space but also for something more chic and streamlined. For a clean, sharp look, mix up silvers, golds, and whites and pour evenly over the surface. This silver metallic epoxy resin kit from EPODEX already contains both colors and can help you get the look. It costs just under $100. If you want, you can create veining and detailing to mimic granite or quartz. For a more glam look, add some glitter into the mix and/or sprinkle some onto the surface after you've applied the mix.

Similar to the stars and the ocean, you can use epoxy to recreate another aspect of nature (the Earth itself). Just DIY some geode designs with colors you like, as demonstrated by @artisttilldeath on TikTok, and you'll have a focal point for your kitchen. This is great for a home with a nature or abstract art theme. One tip is to spray some isopropyl alcohol after the pouring to create little pools that give the surface more texture. Something else you can try to enhance the effect is to build an unconventional island that mimics the shape of a rock.

Still on the earthy concept, you can use epoxy resin to turn a wooden slab into a countertop. This natural feature can fit into a lot of interiors, from rustic to contemporary or Scandinavian if you want to push the boundaries a bit. Just choose a wood slab with a grain pattern and shade you like, and apply clear epoxy to it. You can also recreate the wooden grain look on a blank surface by drawing the growth rings and knots typically found in natural wood grain with epoxy and a toothpick or popsicle stick. These wooden countertops will give the space a natural warmth, but the shine of the resin will still make them look elegant.

One House Digest survey found marble to be the top trendy kitchen countertop material that people would like to add to their home. However, marble isn't cheap so it's nice to find alternatives and epoxy can be a hack. You typically need to mix white, gray, and clear epoxy and then carefully draw on the marbling and veining as you pour. One kit to consider is the TotalBoat Epoxy Marble Effect Countertop Kit which includes the epoxy, hardener, mixing tools, and a heat gun. The 2-quart kit costs $110 while the 2-gallon kit costs $220 (via TotalBoat).

Another gorgeous epoxy countertop idea that is sure to suit your design style is a good ol' freestyle. Make a bold move with big, vertical waves of epoxy. You can do this by pouring one color first for the foundation and then using the trowel with one or more colors to draw big waves down the countertop. You can even add some glitter if you want more glam. Choose colors that go well with the rest of the kitchen and just have fun painting. You can even extend the creativity to that dated bathroom countertop that's in need of a major upgrade.