backsplash in 3 wall alcove with centered apron sink

14 years ago

We have a 10.5' run of base cabinets with an apron sink centered on a window. The window apron is about 4" above the granite countertop. Two 30" wide wall cabinets flank the window and there is about 5" between the edge of the cabinet and the window trim on each side of the window. All of this is in what I would call a 3 wall alcove similar to how bathroom vanities are done sometimes.

Because we didn't really have enough of the countertop granite to do a short granite backsplash and because our walls are so uneven we have decided to use tile. Everyone, and I mean everyone---KD, cabinet installer, GC, painter, DD and assorted other relatives, neighbors and their dogs and cats---have said we should do subway tile along the entire back wall up to the bottom of the wall cabinets. They are split on what to do on the two side walls of the alcove: some say the same height all the way to the end of the counter, some say it should step down to the end, some say nothing at all should go on the end walls but that is not an option because of the uneven gaps where the granite meets the wall.

Although I have seen all the beautiful cabinet height back splashes done in large subway tile posted here I don't think I'm going to like the look in my kitchen. Have any of you done a tile splash that is only as high as the window sill? In my case that would be a back splash about 7" high since the apron underneath the sill is about 3" wide. I was thinking of a small scale subway tile with some sort of glass tile detail. My thinking is not at all refined on this as you can probably tell. Also I'm pretty sure I wouldn't like the look of tile at 18" high on the end walls or having it step down either as some have suggested. Having the back splash at 7" high would let me just continue the same height all around the 3 walls and deep the back splash from being the focal point of the wall. Since there is already a lot going on in this space with the apron sink, a strong swirly gray/green granite, and the wall cabinets with mullioned glass doors that will eventually hold the china I inherited from dear MIL I'm afraid that any type of high back splash would be too much. If this isn't already TMI, the cabinets are white shaker style and the walls are painted a pale blue green. Thanks for any ideas and suggestions.

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Comments (7)

rubyfig
14 years ago
Maybe take a look at 2"x8" subway tiles. Not as busy as the smaller ones, but would still give you details in the narrow spaces.
flseadog
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, rubyfig. Anyone else have an opinion? TIA.
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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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Thanks prill...I'm leaning towards only doing tile in area to the left of the casing...then in the window area just doing paint and the casing down to the counter. I guess I'll just have to be more dilligent with cleaning. The Reef was the first tile that spoke to me...I really thought I was going to go for a more solid blue, but reef is so much softer....it allows me to play up the color of the walls more...not that I have a lot of walls...And, I found out that my designer can get it for about 12.50/sf where I was quoted around $15/sf.
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flseadog
Original Author
14 years ago
Help, pleeeeeease.
lascatx
14 years ago
Can you post a picture of the area -- that would help me make sure I see it the same as you do.
flseadog
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for asking lascatx. Tech support (aka my 3 children) have all moved out of state and my computer skills are so limited I can't post a picture. The only other way I can think to describe this area is to say that it really is a 3 wall alcove situation. We have a 3' wide window in the exact middle and the farmhouse sink is centered on the window. The 10.5' run of cabinets here sort of nestles between walls at each end. We have a doorway to a hallway at the right end and a pantry wall at the left end. No "L", no open ended counter, just a 3 wall alcove with those cabinets flanking the window over the sink. The only other way I can think of to describe this is I've seen large range installations with beautiful hoods built into an alcove and the three walls of the alcove tiled on all 3 sides. We have the alcove with a sink and a window flanked by cabinets instead of the range and hood filling the entire upper part part of the space. Hope this makes sense. In any event, thanks for trying to decipher this explanation.
lascatx
14 years ago
I think I understand you wall situation, but not sure what gaps you have with the granite -- along the sides? Did you tell them there would be tile on the sides? If not, they should have fit that in closely enough to just caulk it. I have a hutch-like cabinet arrangement in between two walls and that's what we did. No tile or side treatment at all.

Each side of my kitchen has cabinets ending in a wall or tall cabinet. We took the splash up to the upper cabinets and ended it at the side -- nothing turning the corner. That would be my first preference.

There are some photos of terraced tile sides here. I can't think of names of who has them though. I think that looks better with more contemporary looks, possibly arts & crafts and more modern, and with tiles that have some accents, color variation or other feature that helps with the visual movement.

In a more traditional setting, if you have to carry the tile around on the sides, I would probably bring it around more evenly. You could consider taking it to the ceiling -- as if the entire alcove were tiled and you plopped these pieces inside.

Take a photo or drawing of the elevation of that wall and make several copies. Draw it out several different ways and try coloring with pencils if you want to play with colors too. Look at them several different times and see what you think overall. Even inexact little pencil lines on a drawing will help you get the feel and will probably tell you which way you like it best in your setting.
flseadog
Original Author
14 years ago
This is so helpful. The gaps at the end walls are really not much at all and have been caulked nicely. It's the back wall that is the real problem and one of my own creation since I told the installers that there would be a back splash. Now that you state it so clearly I do see that the "terraced" back splashes I admired were in arts and crafts or modern kitchen. Drawing it out is a great suggestion. Thanks, again.

backsplash in 3 wall alcove with centered apron sink

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rubyfig

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backsplash in 3 wall alcove with centered apron sink

Comments (7)

rubyfig

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