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Losing sleep---second guessing the backsplash

14 years ago

Hello all,

I'd like to get some feedback on my backsplash design before it's installed....tomorrow...YIKES

I've had some difficulty with my new kitchen. In a nut shell, my slightly off-white cabinets have some pink undertones that are somewhat pronounced certain times of the day. Also, the cabinets are a bit more on the creamy side than the paint sample indicated when I ordered....

The very little bit of wall space that is visible near the backsplash area is SW Dried Thyme, a medium, slightly cool green (to offset the pink undertones) I have black perimeter counters and a honed calacatta island top. My plan was to have a thick frame made from the slab remnants for behind the range and white subway tile would go inside the frame and in all other backsplash areas.

Now that I have creamy cabinets, I opted to stay away from the white subway. I still have the marble frame and opted to get a calacatta honed 3/4x3/4 squares mosaic for inside the frame and all other backsplash areas......

I thought I'd go through this with confidence and no second guessing but it's not to be.....

Anyone kind enough to offer thoughts on this idea? I'm including a link to a backsplash that my original inspiration came from, just picture it with the squares. I'm just not sure what the squares are going to "say" about my kitchen. The calacatta subway tile was too busy and I didn't want to waste that frame.......is this going to work??? I really love how the squares look like individuals when grouted, some are gray, some white, some tan.

Thank you in advance for any of your thoughts and ideas. I really, really value the help I receive from all of you on this forum!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1416859}}

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Comments (5)

firstmmo
14 years ago
What happened with the paint consultation?
rookie_2010
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi firsthouse,
I didn't do the consultation yet. I prepared the box of sample material in the event that the green I chose didn't work, it would be ready to go to the post office, shipped to Maria from Colour Me Happy. The box is still on stand-by until the entire room and adjoining nook are painted. I followed up with Maria and let her know that I was taking just one more crack at it since I'd already purchased the sample paint. The consultation would have saved me money if I'd done it right away, it's not as pricey as I expected. I really hope the green does the trick, so far, the sample areas I painted are looking good......
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I can see why it might be advisable to remove the left/rt portions of tile, but I would be inclined to wait until ithe kitchen is completed before deciding. If, as your gut tells you, it "needs" to come down, nothing is really lost except a little more time with it up. Perhaps knowing you are not "locked-in" or committed to it, will help give the perspective to view it more objectively while deciding for sure. This way you will not only have the chance to see it with everything else in place, but you will also have the opportunity to get used to it, before deciding if you truly dislike it, or just haven't gotten used to it being there. As subtle (in color) as our tile is, after months of looking at white painted Sheetrock, it still looked "different" and stood out when we looked at our kitchen. Once we became accustomed to it, we couldn't imagine our walls without it. That's how I am with many things--after living with a blank wall or empty space for any period of time, even a long awaited piece of furniture or decor item jumps out at me, and almost seems like too much, until I get used to the vacant space being filled. Thanks for the compliments on our backsplash Laura and andreak100! It's the Opera Glass tile from Artistic Tile (Stilatto pattern) in Wolfgang White. It does read greenish-blue(-grey) in certain lights or times of day. We had to think about that one while deciding if we wanted to use it, and obviously decided to go for it! Good luck Laura! Honestly, whatever you decide will look terrific!
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I so wish I could lose the frame BUT this b/s was done by the home's previous owners. It's definitely not my taste but I was just trying to make an improvement to what was already there. The way it is mapped, I think it would be an effort to rip out center and surrounding tiles and lose the frame. What you can't tell from the pics, the center 4x4s are set straight square and the tiles outside the frame are larger pieces of diagonal travertine. So it is framing "something". This is not my forever house but I hope I can live with it as it. I don't have any of the accent tiles or even know where they came from so anything plopped in the center might look like an afterthought. It seems any more work invested should be starting over. So in keeping the frame and knowing what I have going on, do you still think a center tile is appropriate? What kind? Thanks!!!
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What a beautiful kitchen! I love the movement of the countertop. I think the off-white/cream subway tile you sampled would work well, maybe even having the glass tile you picked as an accent rectangle inset over the cooktop. I also think beadboard would work nice if you lean a little more traditional-transitional, or you could do beadboard installed horizontally to give it a less traditional look. I currently have beadboard in the bathroom and just installed it in my kitchen, and with semi-gloss paint (even painted white and ivory, respectively) it seems to hold up well. I wonder if you've even considered mirror for the backsplash? I can envision mirrored tiles on the diagonal, which would give a larger feeling that doesn't compete with the countertop. I don't know if the upkeep would be too much, though, just a thought!
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beekeeperswife
14 years ago
hey rookie, cyber sympathy hug to you. My backsplash is going in this weekend too. I'm excited and nervous. Let's not second guess ourselves. Everything will be ok. Hopefully we both will have the 1/2 way there photos by tomorrow night. I'll be looking for yours!
kitchenkrazed09
14 years ago
It sounds like it will be lovely. I really think the squares will be very pretty, especially against the black counters.

(By the way, I'm supposed to be in the bathroom forum but saw your original post there! My bathroom renovation starts Monday, but oh how I love the kitchen forum.)
rookie_2010
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you everyone! Beekeeperswife, thank you for the kind words. Please share an update when you're ready! I'll do the same, I never imagined that a backsplash could induce anxiety this way! kitchenkrazed09, thank you weighing in! We're building a new house, I have 3 bathrooms getting tile this weekend and my backsplash getting started. I'm back and forth between here and the bathroom forum, my wires got crossed, lol.

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