Rethinking grout color...can I get some opinions?
I originally thought I'd use gray grout on the floor (marble basketweave) and white grout on the walls of my bathroom, which is currently getting tiled. Seeing the tile on the wall makes me wonder if I should use gray throughout the room. I do not like the "vintage" look of super dark grout, but at the same time, I'm worried that white grout will look odd between the more gray marble tiles.
What do you all think?
Comments (26)
bill_vincent
15 years agodkitchenreno
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Mosaic grout color: Can I change it after it's dry?
Comments (2)I think gray is nice with pink. Just for your future projects: do you know about putting some dry grout on a small area of your piece to get a sense of how that grout color will look? its a bit messy but can save a piece from being grouted the wrong color. Kathy...See MoreGrout - not sure I like it.... opinions
Comments (18)Debi_2006, I have very similar tile and grout like yours along with the same type of accent rope piece. I like the fact that your grout matches your tile so well. We also wanted to have a backsplash that would not compete with the design of our granite. One small difference I think I see looking at your pics is that our subway tile has what is called a "pillow top" which tends to give each tile more of a 3 dimensional look. When light and shadows fall on the backsplash this helps to separate the tile from the grout. I think you will love your current tile and grout with time though because it really does provide a neutral compliment to your beautiful granite. This will leave you more options for choosing decorative accessories to place on your countertop. If it really doesn't make you happy though after living with it for awhile, you can always try the grout coloring technique others have mentioned....See MoreCabinet Skins, Can I get your opinions please?
Comments (5)Skins are brad nailed and then filled with the putty stick if the small holes are in a noticable spot. They can be problematic to install, and sometimes end up looking just like you've pictured because they're so thin. What you have is an "average" install, not a poor one. I prefer a furniture finished side from the factory for that very reason. No skins. It's a bit more expensive,but not by that much. Personally, I'd order the decorative door overlay to go on top of that skin as you'll be seeing that side a lot. The door overlay will make it look a lot more finished....See MoreI would LOVE some opinions on this kitchen layout
Comments (10)I like your general layout just the way it is! The Prep Zone in the island so you can face others or just look out while you prep (70% of the work & time spent in the kitchen). The Cooking Zone very handily nearby on the wall where it's so much easier (and less expensive) to adequately vent (and where you only spend 10% of your time). The Cleanup Zone (where you spend 20% of your time) in front of nice big windows with plenty of counter space on both sides for dirty dishes as well as a secondary Prep Zone when needed. I would leave the DW and sink where they are. Even if you prep mostly in the island, if you have two prepping it will be very useful to have two nice Prep Zones...one on the island and one b/w the range and sink. It will also be better if you have one person prepping and one cleaning up...no collisions! As to the prep sink location...there are pluses & minuses to both locations! :-) As it is...there is room on both sides of the sink for you to put things. E.g., putting unwashed veggies/fruit on the left, washed on the right. That does mean cutting down on the workspace you have on the right. But, to be honest, you already have plenty...18" + 18" + 15" 1.5" overhang + 2" or so b/w the sink edge & sink base edge = 55.5" I have approx 42" in my primary Prep Zone and find it sufficient. However, YMMV. Moving it to the left edge...It will add another 15" to your island prep workspace, giving you approx 70.5". You will also be able to access from two sides of the island. However, you will only have about 1.5" overhang + 2" b/w sink edge and sink base edge = 3.5" b/w the sink and the counter edge...which means it will be easy to accidentally knock things off the edge and, of course, no work or landing space to the left of the sink. Which is better? This is one of those things that has no "better" option...it's what will work best for you! A couple of things that I think might improve it... Trash pullout...do you really need so much trash space? You're devoting a lot of valuable base cabinet storage space to trash & recyclables. What type of recycling do you have? Mixed? Or, do you have to sort everything? Our county went to mixed around 2009, so we must put everything (except newspapers) in the same recycle bin. For your setup, I think an 18" double-bin trash pullout on the right end of the island facing the range will be your best arrangement. That would place the trash & recycling in your Prep Zone and across from your Cooking Zone...the two places they're used the most and for the longest amount of time. It will also place it very near the Cleanup Zone so it can be used at cleanup time. That would free up the left base cabinets for dish storage and, possibly, a dish hutch. Of you need more recycling space, them get one of those "recycling centers with 3 or 4 bins...one for trash and the rest for recycling. I'd still put it in the same location. Seating overhang...have at least the minimum overhang recommended by the NKBA...15". If you're a tall family or a family with long legs, then I recommend going to 18" (I wish we had!) You already have plenty of linear space for the three stools you show (24" per seat is recommended). You might even be able to add another on Great Room end....just add about 3 or 4" to the length of your island and shorten the 36" cabinet to 27" (assuming you have a 15" overhang already in the layout) and it will be perfect for four! * Width of island: 15" for overhang for seat on Great Room end + 3 x 24" for each of the three seats on the long end = 87" * Minimum Depth of island: 15" overhang + 1" decorative door on back of island + 24" deep base cabinets + 1.5" counter overhang = 41.5" * On Great Room end: 24" for seat + 16" for a cabinet + 1.5" for counter overhang (Your island is already deeper than the "minimum", so your cabinet can be wider than 16">) One piece of advice: Do not plan your kitchen, storage, seating, access, etc. around small children. Children grow up very, very quickly (as you already know!) and they will quickly outgrow anything you plan for them while they're small. You want this kitchen to last past when they leave the nest, so plan it with adults/adult-sized teens in mind, not young children. That doesn't mean make it a kid-unfriendly kitchen, but it does mean to not design it with small children in mind...unless it's temporary and can either be changed later or adapted for something else. Good luck!...See Moreastridh
15 years agocangelmd
15 years agopaxispl
15 years agoJeannine
15 years agoThanks, all. I'm going with the gray (Delorian Gray to be exact)...yet another trip to Home Depot. What about the caulk? My tile guy told me to get caulk that matches, but it's going to be against the bathtub...will that look strange?
Just for fun, here's how it looks now. I'm getting so excited!
pharaoh
15 years agobill_vincent
15 years agoevilbunnie
15 years agobill_vincent
15 years agoSilver shadow's a good color, and so is smoke grey. I'm not a big one for mixing grouts because if you have to match it later for any reason, it's next to impossible. As for the delorean grey, you're right. Because of the white tile, it'll show up ANY color as alot darker than normal, and for this reason, most people will use lighter colors to grout it.
These are pics of a mock-up floor I did for a plumbing company that I do alot of remodeling work with. Recently they put a booth together for a home show at the county civic center, and this was it. The grout for this was Mapei's Warm Grey:
nomorebluekitchen
15 years agoJeannine
15 years agobill_vincent
15 years agosherri_09
15 years agobill_vincent
15 years agoSherri-- It wouldn't look out of place at all, especially if you were to keep the whole bathroom as a period room. It would almost be like walking thru the door and stepping back in time! And even that's not necessarily the feel. This following bath doesn't have an old time feel to it whatsoever, and it's ALL white hex tile:
As for grout color, you CAN go a shade or two darker if you wish, but I don't know that I'd go any darker than that. Otherwise, it'll stand out way too much and overpower everything else in the room.
sherri_09
15 years agokimkitchy
15 years agobill_vincent
15 years agokimkitchy
15 years agokimkitchy
15 years agobill_vincent
15 years agoKim-- This isn't Jeannine's, but I think this might be what you're looking for:
Jeannine
15 years agoBill's picture shows what mine will eventually look like. Here's one corner, without grout...the entire vertical line hasn't been done yet. I'll post when that's one.
kimkitchy
15 years agosherri_09
14 years ago
evilbunnie