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Backsplash pencil liner runs into outlet help

12 years ago

More backsplash decisions! I had decided on a Creama Marfil 3 x 6 subway with a pencil liner after the first row, then a nice subway pattern remaining. (I had previously posted Marcy96's pic as my inspiration)

Then I saw a mosaic that I just loved that includes some marble, plain glass and bubble/textured glass that would look so amazing with my granite and said 3 x 6's. However, I only want a 4" or so thick accent of this glass mosaic framed by the pencil liner, and the rest with the 3 x 6's. Anyway I try to arrange this pattern, I have the liner (that projects out further than the tile) running into a outlet. My GC says you just can't do it - for looks - but I am not so sure.

I have looked through the backsplalsh gallery here and all over the interent, and can't seem to find anyone who has a liner (like a chair rail for tile) that projects out running into a receptacle. What do you all think?

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Comments (8)

Fori
12 years ago
Can't you move the outlet?
EllenMel
12 years ago
My former kitchen had a small protruding pencil liner going right through the electrical outlets. The outlet covers could never fit snug up to the wall, and I could never come up with a solution.
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I think Dune matches the best in the picture (but pictures aren't the same as real life). The marble looks good, and very rich. Thebes is too dark, and it looks like Porcelain is too blue. I like the brightness of Papyrus, however, and think it's worth continuing to consider. Good drawing. I hadn't realized there was wall over the windows. That area was there in the previous drawings, but I had interpreted it as ceiling. Question: Is the bottom of the cabinet on a line with the bottom of the hood? Usually it's a lot lower. Looking at your nice drawing, I'm thinking it would look better either to tile the whole wall, or to stop the tile at the bottom of the hood. This can be done, but it's outside of my experience, so you'll have to ask someone else the best way to trim it so that it has a nice finish, and how to set the hood so that it's in the right place vis-a-vis the thickness of the tiling. Doing that with the wall color on the sides of the hood flare will give you a better horizontal illusion.
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I see your point. You could also add interest there with something hung on the wall. Maybe something simple and made of pottery. I am not a fan of fancy backsplashes above the stove. I know they are very popular BUT I wouldn't want something that permanent as a decoration. I like the flexibility to change the decorations and keep the more permanent stuff simple. I read something recently that said although we believe our taste has changed a lot in the last decade, we don't believe it will change a lot in the next decade... and yet, it will. They found that people underestimated how much they will change in the future. People just didn't recognize how much their seemingly essential selves would shift and grow. Many people take into account how saleable their houses are. Making strong difficult to change decisions in a kitchen certainly have a bearing there. Easy to take down your decoration. Fancy tile.. much harder. Here is a link that might be useful: changing over time This post was edited by donaleen on Mon, Jan 21, 13 at 13:56
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Lavender Lass, I'm sorry--to the left of that counter is about a foot more of wall and then the back door, which is full glass. I really like the green, and I like the open look of that wall. I'm hesitant to tile higher than the cabinet bottom--hence I'm considering dropping it to the windowsill after the cabinet run. I have pretty things that I'd like to hang in the wallspace around the window. BUT....I really don't want it to look skimpy, either. I've never had a nice backsplash before, so I want it to look good. I'll try and get a picture of the sample tile, believe it or not they only have ONE tile. LOL...hard to make a decision with that. I wonder if taping some paper on the wall for a visual might help. Thanks everyone. Cj
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Sophie - first, I love Sonoma Tilemaker's tantrum glass tiles. LOVE IT and it will look great with your blue island - what fun. Second - I like the last sketch you did but before I even saw it I thought if the blue tiles as a solid block is "too" much behind the backsplash, why don't you use the subways to make a grid and put the small tiles inside the grid squares. It might be too difficult to figure out the math/layout/dimensions but just something that came to mind. Or maybe something like this but obviously with your blues and whites. [traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by boston kitchen and bath Venegas and Company Or this: [traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by atlanta kitchen and bath The Furniture Guild I don't love these colors but perhaps as a design layout, it is okay: [traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by boston kitchen and bath Mike Cavallaro Looking at the pictures I posted, you'd have to add another tile shape to your desgin but honestly, another shape, like square might be a nice addition to your small mosaics and subways. Maybe get 4x4's in the tantrum blue color.
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remodelfla
12 years ago
It would really help if you posted a pic. What if you did liner, glass, liner and then the subways?
lascatx
12 years ago
I ran my liner just above the outlets -- about 1/3 of the way down, 2/3 of the way up.
harrimann
12 years ago
Can you move the outlets up to the edge of the cabinets? I've seen that done in cases when a backsplash wouldn't look right with an outlet in the middle of it.
colorado_mom
Original Author
12 years ago
I will try to get a picture up tomorrow.

I can't move the outlets - that part of the project is done.

The pencil liner can stop at the outlet cover, so it won't interfere with the outlet cover - it just might look odd in that the rail projects out from the wall more than the tile.

I can't get the rail to go both below the outlets, and then above the outlets because that would make the glass mosaic huge, and I just want it as a little interest border. Let me work on the pic - thanks for all your help and ideas!!
ideagirl2
12 years ago
I can't get the rail to go both below the outlets, and then above the outlets because that would make the glass mosaic huge, and I just want it as a little interest border.

Maybe you could turn the outlets sideways--it's very little work (less work than moving them)--and then your glass mosaic would only be, what, 2.5"-3" (however big the narrow side of an outlet cover is).
Fori
12 years ago
It's not too late to move the outlets. It will cost some money but it's not too late. I'm not surprised your GC says it's too late, but it is not.

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