Forgive the pun—I couldn’t resist. One Project Closer invited me to serve as a judge for their Before and After contest, and this week I had the tough job of picking a favorite from many excellent entries. One project in particular caught my eye.
From the blog Domestic Imperfection came a truly distinctive and impressive makeover: a handmade penny countertop. The project stood out for its attention to detail and the obvious time it required. You don’t see penny countertops every day.
Ashley, the blogger, deserves praise for documenting the entire process: sourcing shiny pennies (even exchanging $50 for pennies at the bank), cleaning them, trimming coins to fit the countertop edges, gluing individual pennies to the sides, and carefully dealing with epoxy bubbles. Her step-by-step photos and descriptions make the effort clear and inspiring.
The result is a dramatic improvement over the previous surface and a guaranteed conversation starter at any gathering. The new countertop blends creativity and craftsmanship to give a room real character.
Below are some of the standout photos from the penny countertop project.
Many thanks to One Project Closer for organizing the contest. Congratulations to Domestic Imperfection, winner of a $50 gift card to Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Amazon. In addition, One Project Closer will make a $100 donation to Habitat for Humanity in their honor, and the project is entered for a chance to win an additional $150 gift card later this summer. Habitat for Humanity does important work, and it’s been a privilege to collaborate with them in past efforts.
The contest runs through the end of summer. If you have a before-and-after project you’d like to enter, you can find submission details on the contest page.