backsplash: subway vs mosiac, glass vs ceramic vs m.o.p.

11 years ago

Seriously, I need some help in choosing a backsplash. Here is my kitchen, should i go with

1) stark white 3x6 ceramic bevelled edge subway tile.
2) white 3x6 glass subway tile
3) peral white glass mosaic
4) white mother of pearl mini brick tile

You may not be able to tell from the kitchen, but the cabinets are not pure white, they are an off-white, and the counter is bianco antico more taupe-y than grey.

dont know who to post multiple pics, so I'll post a pic of each tile option separate below...

Featured Answer

slonewby

11 years ago

If you really like the white look, I would encourage you to keep looking at cream subways. It took me months to find the "right" one. I know the stark whites make the cream cabinets look muddy and some of the creams make everything head to the yellows or makes the granite look dingy...I LOVE my cream bevelled subway: In this photo...you can see the contrast between the WHITE dishwasher (which we haven't replaced yet) and the cream cabinets. The beveled backsplash tile matches the cream almost completely..yet the bevels give it just enough character so as not to be boring.

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Comments (53)

cbBird
Original Author
11 years ago
option 4
nixit71
11 years ago
We installed the whitest 3x6 glass subway tile we could find. While I do like the reflective and bright nature of the tile, the tile does not appear as white on the walls as it does when laid flat (see attached). I'm fine with it, but just a FYI. Maybe do #1 with #3 as an accent tile.
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cawaps
11 years ago
I'd vote for red back-painted glass. But if it has to be white, I vote for option 4.
blfenton
11 years ago
My concern with #3 and #4 is how busy they are. Your granite is already a small busy pattern just like these two Back splashes are. Having said that I think the white might be a little boring for the kitchen.

I would go with a larger format tile (3x6) that has a little of your wall colour in it - maybe.
Oakley
11 years ago
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{{!gwi}}
ellendi
11 years ago
Ordinarily I would say a simple cream tile. And, many people here have done the white kitchen with the white/cream tiles with Bianco with great success. However, you have a white floor, which gives me reason to rethink your options.
There is a dark tile that Bee recommended that looks good with Bianco. If she doesn't stop in, give a shout out to her and get the name of that tile. (Sting Ray?) It would give the same effect as your paint.
What color is your paint? I would se that as a jumping off place for a tile.
eam44
11 years ago
I get that you are averse to adding color to your space, but have you considered using a grey glass tile? The contrast between your wall color and stone looks great, and you will lose that if you use a white tile.
xc60
11 years ago
My vote is for #1
hosenemesis
11 years ago
I like the color that it is now. Your kitchen is lovely, and I like that contrast.
petra66_gw
11 years ago
I put #1 the white bevelled subway in my kitchen, also combined with an offwhite cabinet (colour is comparable to BM Simply White). HTH, Petra
Jfay
11 years ago
I vote for the beveled subway. Your counter already has a lot going on but is really pretty and it would be a shame to compete with that. I think it will be the one you will like for many years to come.
luckymom
11 years ago
Sounds like you're in the same boat as me- white tile is "too white" for the white cabinets. All the grey's I tried made the room too dark. I considered stainless steel, but I was afraid of SS overload- all my appliances are SS. I must have over 40 different tile samples.

Went with the MOP mini bricks, delivered Thursday. They are GORGEOUS. Not too bright, white enough to read white, enough variation to blend with my cabinets. Now comes the debate on grout...

Anyway, I vote mini MOP! (have you gotten samples yet?)
bcafe
11 years ago
How about glass with some texture? We went with Bellavita 3x6 cobblestone tiles. They add a dimension without being busy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bellavita
slonewby
11 years ago
Hey! another Bianco Antico person having BS trouble! I've been there! We have a slight offwhite cabinet but have dark floors so we ended up using a cream beveled 3x6 subway and LOVE it. There are lots of creams and whites out there and it seems like it took forever to find the right one.

I do like the current color of your wall though. I think, with the white floor, you need some sort of color to balance the darkness of the island. When we were searching, I came across a lovely tile in a malt color that would work....I'll have to search to find the maker. The stingray that someone mentioned would be nice too....

I'm on a different computer right now...my "kitchen planning" info and photos are on another. I'll try to post pics tomorrow?
slonewby
11 years ago
haha...I found the malt tile online. It's from the Debris collection from Fireclay ...I think I'm attaching a link to the site (not sure if I remember how to do that!)

I called and asked them for samples b/c there is great variation in the tones/colors from tile to tile so I asked them to send me a fair representation of that variation. It was really pretty and my second choice for our kitchen.

I wouldn't do the busy pattern that they show in the photos ...go simple with a subway

Here is a link that might be useful: Fireclay
cbBird
Original Author
11 years ago
thanks everyone for your input. i did remove the 3x6 white glass subway (option 2) and the MOP (option 4) from my shortlist for the reasons that nixit71 offered up (the glass subway colour changed when up on the wall) and the MOP looked to busy against the granite. i also removed the 3x6 subway white bevel tile (option 1)because the white was just too stark against the off-white cabs.

i get how the whole kitchen would just be too white if choose to go down this white tile route. as EAM44 indicated, i am colour-phobe and have very, very little of it in my entire house. The rest of the main floor is basically shades of gray, white/cream, brown and black.

i am still hanging on to the mosaic white glass tile, but am heading back to the tile store to get more samples (something close to the wall colour, maybe) as I am not completely sold on this one.

p.s. ellendi: the paint colour is benjamin moore AF-690 (metropolitain)
slonewby
11 years ago
Here's a more recent photo of our kitchen "lived in":

and a closer up view of the tile:
sandesurf
11 years ago
slonewby,
Love your BS! Who makes that beveled cream tile? I've been in the ABBS club for almost two years!
slonewby
11 years ago
Thank you Sandesurf~ The tile is made by Bellavita Tile...it is the cream bevelled 3X6 subway tile in the Manhattan series.

Seriously...I looked at BS tile til I was blue in the face. This ended up being my number one choice....and, as an added bonus, it was only something like $5 per sq ft!!! A far cry from the $25+ per sq ft tiles I was looking at!

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: manhattan cream
sandesurf
11 years ago
Thanks, Slonewby! I'm hoping to find a cream, bevelled, subway in a matte finish. Our kitchen gets a lot of direct sunlight, and I feel there would be too much of a glare with the glazed finish. But I sure love the way it looks in yours!
kylady7
10 years ago
Know it's been a while since this thread has been used...But...I am in the same boat as a lot of others!
I have narrowed my backsplash down to subway tile from the suggestions from those of you who have answered my plea earlier. .... I really want the Beveled...first choice was crackle....but couldn't find the right color...So had almost decided on Cottage Lane, color-Summer Beige (name is deceiving it's a pale cream) from Anchor Bay Tile. I sent him a e-mail last Wed evening and called several times daily up until Sat. No reply back from e-mail nor no answer on phone....So I started looking again.
I've got some more samples coming one that is a Beveled in Biscuit...but she said they were much thinner than the Cottage Lane.
I have just got off the phone with someone with Bellavita Tile in Berkley CA. He is going to call me back later this afternoon to give me a ball park price on shipping.
The price is Fantastic ..But depending on what the shipping is will probably be close to the Anchor Bay Tile cost, since shipping is free.
I just want to be sure to get the Correct Cream. My cabinets are a very Dark Cream Color and my Granite is Bianco Romano with a light cream background. Would rather have the BS color blend more with the granite than the cabinets...as my kitchen is small and not much natural light.
I have two tiles on the granite..the darker one is a crackle from the Hampton Series, the other is the gloss Cottage Lane...Both Beveled Edge 3x6.
I would appreciate any feedback on the true color of the Bellavita Beveled Edge Cream Tile. I know "slonewby" you have it and it is absolutely Beautiful in your kitchen...But your cabinets are much much lighter in color than mine.
Is it a very pale Cream?
I will post a couple of pictures to show the color of cabinets and granite:

My Cabinets are a Deep Cream but pictures show darker than the true color....First picture is closer to color.
Thanks for your Help!
bookworm4321
10 years ago
they both match the granite, so post next to the cabinets.
nosoccermom
10 years ago
I'd go with the lighter color. What does it look like with your cabinet?
Carol.33
10 years ago
I like the lighter one.
kylady7
10 years ago
Sorry but the colors don't show exactly true...The darker is a Crackle Tile in the Hampton collection by Cardif and the lighter is Cottage Lane both are at Anchor Bay Tiles.
http://www.anchorbaytile.com/subway-tile/

Still don't feel like I have found the Correct Color....hoping to hear back about the Bellavita Cream Beveled....I have ordered so many samples....hate to order more...But may have to order one of them. My problem is the Shipping is going to be so Expensive from California if I decide that is the Perfect Color!!
thanks for everyone's help and opinion....I am definitely leaning towards the lighter one.
romy718
10 years ago
I like the lighter one also but can you show them closer to the cabinets? This backsplash business is tough, isn't it?
kylady7
10 years ago
It's has certainly been the hardest part for me....I thought picking the Granite was tough....piece of cake compared to this...lol
slonewby
10 years ago
I think the lighter one you have is lovely. It will brighten up the space without being drab and pulls a balance between your cabinets and counter well. The bellavita tile I have is very light. I know our Lowes and Home Depot had some very nice beveled cream tiles..they were too dark for me but might work for you. On a side note...I really like the color of your walls right now...is it a pale green?? a sage green? Have you thought about doing something like that?? Or, is it too dark for you?
slonewby
10 years ago
Calyle...got your email but couldn't email back to you...My cream is very light. If you look at my photos, you can see that my dishwasher is bright white ....the cabinets are a soft, off white and the tile matches the cabinets almost perfectly. It would probably be too light for you unless you want a non-stark contrast to your cabinets. I would encourage you not to go stark white with your choices...stark white muddied our bianco terribly and I think it would for your granite as well.

Good luck!!!!
kylady7
10 years ago
Just got back from Lowe's they have a really nice 3x6 Beveled Subway tile...but only in White..nothing in Cream or in their case Biscuit....The same with Home Depot in my area...can get a Cream..but not beveled.

The color of my walls is BM Tranquility....Blue at times..green at others and even a grey blue....depending on light, which wall I'm looking at and the time of day. I did think of using that color...even got a glass tile that was almost exact in color...but decided I'd rather have less contrast...and let my pottery pieces be the color instead of the backsplash. Also want to keep the Granite as the focal Point...so don't want it and the backsplash to compete against each other.
Sounds like the Bellavita Cream might be too light..so waiting for some more samples to come in.....hopefully one of them will be the color I'm needing.
No, I do not want to go White...Do not like the stark contrast with the cabinets and granite...want something softer and that blends in better.
Thanks everyone for your help....
sandesurf
10 years ago
sloanwby, still love your kitchen, and I'm still an ABB! :(

calyle7, your granite looks a lot like mine, but we have Typhoon Bordeaux. I even have the same accent color as you! :)
slonewby
10 years ago
sandsurf, I love the white in your kitchen! You're floor is darker so you could do a white pretty easily ...especially if you keep the white walls adjacent to the uppers and around the window. I think backsplash decisions are the hardest part of doing a kitchen by FAR.
sandesurf
10 years ago
Thank you, slonewby.
Believe it or not, the walls are not white. We thought we were going wild, and painted it a darker (than usual) color! LOL There is NO white in our granite, however, so white isn't what I'm thinking. I want a cream color, but like so many, I can't find just the right one. They're either too yellow, or too pink. I LOVE the beveled look, and plan to shop harder! :) This kitchen is actually in our vacation/retirement home, so I don't live with it everyday, as much as I wish I did! If I were living with it, it would have been done by now! :) (I'm 2 1/2 years into it)
slonewby
10 years ago
yeah, I can see now that there is no white....and the white color muddies it up (like it did w/ our bianco)...cream would be nice..but a light one..but then you'd have to paint the walls too. what about a very pale green?? Is there a green tint to the granite? I know what you mean about finding the right cream...they are SO different. I was literally dancing when I finally found ours that matched our cabinets perfectly!! good luck!!
kylady7
10 years ago
sandsurf...yes..we do have same accent colors..mine is a bit more subdued...more like the tranquility...but still in the same family...
Love that big plate and your cups!! Been thinking of getting some blue cups and putting on a cup tree myself...love the look!
Also where did you get the padded saddle stools?
sandesurf
10 years ago
cayle, we got the stools at JC Pennys, but Kohls also had them. Now, Kohls has them with a teal color pad! I'm considering them...
But we did go through a bit of trouble with the stools. They come in two heights. Neither was right. I bought the too tall ones and my husband cut them down! :)
sandesurf
10 years ago
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but I FINALLY found a BS that makes me say, "I love it!" I'm SO excited!!! I will post my "finally" finished kitchen soon. Here's the tile I found: It's a beveled, polished, crema marfil. 2/4 subways.
nosoccermom
10 years ago
It looks perfect!
slonewby
10 years ago
Lovely! I want to see a close up...and, I want to see it finished! Don't you love it when something just makes your heart sing?? It's worth the irritating wait!
kylady7
10 years ago
Looks Perfect...Anxious to see it completed....Your kitchen is lovely!
I also finally got my tile ordered and received it the end of last week from Anchor Bay Tile. It is a 3x6 Beveled Subway Tile in Sand..although it's really a light cream. The tile guy was suppose to come yesterday ...didn't show ...so was expecting him today....But no show. He had gone to the hospital to have lab work done for his knee surgery on Thursday and it took much longer than he expected. Hopefully he and his tile partner will be here tomorrow...and then the partner will come back later to grout....as he will be unable to do anything for awhile after surgery. Hoping to be able to post the finished kitchen soon. There have been several mistakes made..most I just tried to look over...but a few really bothered me....but decided to live with them. For the most part I am thrilled with the finished area...and we are truly enjoying the added space (even though it is still small) and the convenience of everything!
sandesurf
10 years ago
slonewby, Yes, I've always heard, on here, that "I would know" when I found the tile, I just had a hard time believing it. Mostly, from looking through ALL the kitchen pictures I could get my hands on, and nothing spoke to me! I sat with this sample on the wall, all weekend, and kept saying, "I love it!". I'm thrilled! Hopefully, our tile guy, who is also a friend, has time for the install soon!

calyle7, Thank you, we LOVE that kitchen. Wish it was my everyday kitchen, but that just makes it that more special. I'm excited to see your finished work too!!!

I LOVE GW!!! It's really not pink looking, as the close up seems.
slonewby
10 years ago
I'm really curious what you are planning to do around the window? Will you carry the tile up the wall? Paint? Will you do cabinet height tile around the window??
kylady7
10 years ago
I think you are asking me?
If not....sorry...
I will take the tile up cabinet height around my window as there are cabinets on both sides.....I am leaving the rest of the window without trim as I have 2 & 7/8" from cabinet to edge of window...and thought I would put a small trim around it...but then when they put the light rail up there is only 1 & 7/8"..so think it's too small for trim.....What is everyone's opinion?
Just found out today...that the guys that was going to do the tile (looks like they work as a team) won't be able to do it until the one that is having knee surgery is able to work ...which could be weeks!! He came today to get paid for all the other work he did...and I asked him if his partner would go ahead and put the tile up.....He is suppose to let me know... Oh well I've waited this long....and really not long at all...so a few more weeks is OK....just anxious to see the kitchen completely finished...now that I finally have the Subway tile sitting in boxes waiting to be installed.
sandesurf
10 years ago
Just in case you were asking me... :)

We're going to go up, under the cabinets, then stay low, under the windows, then end at the end of the counter, next to the sliding door.

We may try to find matching granite, to do the sills, in both windows. Not sure we'll be able to find a good enough match, since it's been 2 1/2 years!
sandesurf
10 years ago
cbBird, Did you ever choose your tile? Pictures please!! :)
slonewby
10 years ago
I was originally asking sandesurf about the windows...but, now I want to see a bigger picture of your kitchen, calyle! This thread has taken a few detours from the original poster (cbBird, I want to know what you've selected as well!) All of the kitchens are lovely but now I'm having trouble keeping them all straight! :-)
sandesurf
10 years ago
sandesurf follow up with BS

Here is a link that might be useful: sandesurf got BS!
sandesurf
10 years ago
slonewby! Yours is the kitchen that made me LOVE the beveled!
I looked all over this site, and Internet, and never really loved any of the backplashes I saw, until I saw yours!

Thank you! Not just your bs, put whole kitchen is beautiful!
slonewby
10 years ago
Awww...shucks, sandesurf, so glad I could help! Your kitchen is so lovely....I know you will enjoy! Isn't it wonderful to be done now and able to enjoy it? You've come a long way from your original kitchen! Looks fantastic!