Backsplash advice for my grey & white kitchen
My husband and I have finally settled in one place and just bought our first home. We are lucky enough to be able to remodel the kitchen with new countertops and backsplash. We've chosen Color Quartz Venatino for our counters, and cabinets are already white... I love a classic white kitchen and we are planning to add a brushed gold faucet and cabinet hardware to make the space feel like 'us'.
I've been hemming and hawing over the backsplash for weeks, and I just can't find the right thing at the suppliers our contractor works with.
At first, I was set on marble 2x4 subway, but we've decided it's too light, too much white, and too expensive. Also too similar without being the same material as the counter.
The reason I have been searching high and low for a smaller tile is a round window that will be in the way of a straight across backsplash. I'd rather put tile on that whole portion of the wall that's in between the cabinets. I don't have a great photo of the window, not sure why it's sideways either.
We are raising the desk portion to regular countertop height, so doing the backsplash as pictured isn't an option.
These are examples I've found of how a round window is dealt with. I much prefer tiling around the whole thing.
I'm not a fan of mosaic tiles, but have been hoping to find a gray 1x6, 2x4, 2x6... Something more that scale.
Our contractor has found a gray tile in a great color (our color palette is grays and blues), but is urging us to go with the normal 4x12 size.
It also comes in 3x6, but he says it's not as glossy. We're going to go see it in person tomorrow.
I have a hard enough time agreeing to 3x6. Our contractor is a great guy, but I have to remind myself that he's not a designer. Neither am I, but I feel that I have a pretty good eye for it, and I at least know what I like (and don't like).
The room is relatively small so I feel a smaller tile will help create movement. Even going with a 3x6 will not allow us to tile all around that window. Which sort of breaks my heart. I also have a hard time finding this size tile in a kitchen photo just so I can see what it looks like. It seems to me that 4x12 is more of a bathroom tile size.
Just seems I can't win. I'm probably being too picky and spoiled, but if we are going to spend thousands here I figure I should love it... Right?
Has anyone dealt with this before and have some advice? Sorry for the novel... I appreciate any input!
Comments (28)
Related Discussions
Backsplash Advice - Red Birch, White and Granite
Comments (7)Thanks avidinternet and others for your posts. I spent many hours over the last days staring and thinking. Thanks for the support that most of the options would work. The recommendation to keep to three colors has been very helpful. I was trying paint colors with slight yellow and green tones and feeling that they were not quite right. Now I realize that the real color focus is the birch cabinets (duh..) So, based on reading this post and many others, I went back to my inspirational photos (so GW :) The backsplashes sometimes introduce a new color, but work when they also pick up on at least one, often two of the main colors of the rest of the kitchen. For example, painted white and natural red birch cabinets with black countertops and a sparkly mosaic backsplash that picks up the cabinet tone, is reflective like the white and brings in a green, which is then used for a wall color. My challenge is with two different counters (though both are gray) I have to careful, especially with the movement of the island (the head cheese comment made me laugh :) Color wise, I am leaning towards BM Revere Pewter for the walls, more of a light gray/putty with a very slight green undertone but not a "color" like the others. Backsplash wise, it is either some calcatta (mosaic - hand cut or not, mini-brick or 2x4 brick) but need to determine if more white like the Statuary Calcutta, more color (Calcatta Tia) or in between (Calcatta Med brick.) I still have a soft spot for the Sand Chelsea art glass and love the triangle glass mosaic, but (1) I fear is is less "natural" then everything else I have chosen and (2) it is ridiculously priced. I have included a link to the same backsplash album, but the last two photos show the paint colors and tile colors options I am leaning toward (colorful Calcatta Tia and less colorful Calcatta), not necessarily the format of tile (yes, I think the flat octagons are too much, but I love that tile :) I did not have a sample of the more white calcatta staturario. Does anyone have thoughts on polishes versus honed on the walls? The Pietra countertops are honed and the Super White island is polished (for now, though we may change.) Thanks again for the direction, any other input appreciated. Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Backsplash Options with Paint colors at end...See MoreShe's done - backsplash, grout and ALL! Grey and White Kitchen
Comments (30)Thanks everyone. I'm all smiley and giddy hearing your kind comments. It melts me heart. I'm glad to hear people like the backsplash tile. It is pretty bold. I was also THRILLED with how the stain on the island turned out. Interestingly, lots of people say the kitchen has a peaceful look and feel to it and that wasn't necessarily something I was aiming for but my kitchen mission statement did include "casual but sophisticated/elegant" which might boil down to "peaceful or tranquil". We feel very blessed to have been able to do such a large scale kitchen remodel and are thrilled with how everything turned out. It also means we won't be moving for the next 15+ years! I can't wait until the bar stools are in and I can start serving snacks to my kids there. We are borrowing one bar stool right now and it gets a lot of use. clarygrace and others - I'm glad to hear you think the colors are coordinate b/c I was in a quandary about that at one point. I can't wait to see your kitchen and island. We love the shape of ours but did it b/c it worked within our constraints. We didn't want to mess with the existing deck outside the bay windows and we couldn't push right much more either b/c of the powder room. And speaking of the powder room - here are pictures of that which was also part of this remodel: tea4all - the pantry is pretty small as far as walk-in pantries go. Finished dimensions are 5.5' long by 46'' wide. We weren't originally going to do a pantry but it made sense with the rest of the layout (it brought the oven closer to the rest of the kitchen) and I am really glad we did! It was actually framed larger and had to be redone b/c large aisles were more important to me than a few more inches in the pantry. The other detail I forgot to include - the grout color on the backsplash is Custom Grout Light Smoke and on the floor it is Lacrete Parchment (just in case someone really wants to know - ha!)...See MoreWhich white granite and backsplash to go with my blue gray cabinets?
Comments (9)THANK YOU ALL for the great suggestions! I'm definitely going to go lighter for the countertops then! Showed all the comments to my hubby as well to convince him ;) At the warehouse now... just found out slab #3 (light gray and white) has a "smiley face" crack on it :/ I'll have to see if the fabricator can work around it. The "super white" looks super gray here. The frosty carrina looks great but still a little expensive for us :( Aprilneverends-You're so right about the movement on the cabinets! We had painted over builder's oak. That is a big factor that I'm considering when picking the movement on the countertop Aboxofcrayons-I love your cabinets! Is it the distressed wood look? I would love to see your kitchen once the countertops are installed! Oldbat2be- I have laminate right now and there are few burn spots on it too. I'm dying for something new, glossy, and durable :) Torreykm-We had our cabinets painted with a gray stain. I originally wanted a distressed wood or driftwood look. Our GC ended up painting it! We just left it then lol. I can find out which color and brand we used and I can post it here when I get back home :) I'll keep you guys posted! Thanks so much again!!!...See MoreAdvice on dark-ish backsplash for white cabinet kitchen
Comments (8)I feel a little bit of a contemporary vibe, so I'd do something like eam's first photo. That's kind of interesting because it repeats the shape of the distant mountains. There are others shapes that undulate like that with a smoother curve. If you don't feel brave enough to do a shape, use an elongated subway to cut down on busy grout lines. I like 3x8s and 3x12s, which would give you a more flowing movement than 3x6s to mimic the mountains. I wouldn't do anything different under the hood because you have so little area to tile. You also don't want to stop the eye--keep it moving around the room to the windows and view. It looks like the uppers over your peninsula stop short of the end of the counter, so where will you stop the tile?...See More
eam44
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoYOU SHOULD ABSOLUTLEY LOVE IT!!!
I think it's actually a good thing the marble fell through. Nothing makes faux marble look faux-er than putting it next to the real thing. Do you have a budget? I hate to recommend tile that might be out of range.
My first thought is that 4" x 12" tile is beyond beautiful when installed - not bathroom like at all. People underestimate the effect a larger format tile can have on a space - it will be really elegant if you decide to go that route.
If you are interested in another option, the round window made me think of curves and the bubble tiles from Mercury Mosaic. These are kind of pricey for ceramic tiles, but you can get a similar look with other round ceramic tiles.
The other option I'm thinking of is the ogee drop tile from Fireclay in Oyster Shell or another of their gorgeous greys.
al_cabone thanked eam44
al_cabone
9 years ago
my_four_sons
9 years ago
romy718
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoThe tile used here is mini brick, 2x4 or 2x5, Walker Zanger Mizu Pebb, which has been discontinued. You could replicate it with a crackle tile with color variation. Try Heath, Fireclay, Encore, Quemere or Sonoma.
eam44
9 years agoadoiron
9 years ago
Hillside House
9 years agoMy friend put these tiles in her last house, and I think they feel a lot like the aqua subway in that gorgeous photo:
She gives the manufacturer and color info here.
Lavender Lass
9 years agoHere's the picture a bit easier to see :)
Have you thought about using the same material for countertop and backsplash? Something like this?
catbuilder
9 years agoal_cabone
9 years agoI want THAT ^ but in grey! I've found some close...
Walker Zanger Gramercy in pipe smoke (in 2x6)
WZ Gramercy in Wedgewood Blue (in 2x6)
This is probably my favorite, but only comes in 3x6 as far as I've found - Jeffrey Court Riverwash:
Is the crackle too busy for the counter type?
This is hubs' favorite option-matte grey in a 2 x 6
All our options:
Don't know how I feel about matte.And our floors are now stained - pretty dark - so I want something that will give light in the room!
al_cabone
9 years agosivalleysteph
9 years agolast modified: 9 years ago
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
9 years agoal_cabone
9 years agoromy718
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agosteph2000
9 years agoromy718
9 years agoLiz
9 years agolast modified: 9 years agoJeffrey court riverwash is very similar to fireclay foggy morning. My local tile store had both on hand, and they were *very* close. Fireclay comes in a wide range of sizes. It's pricey, but absolutely gorgeous.
I was also shopping for a tile like this. My short list included Senio Newport in Alabaster Craquele or Transparent White. And my very favorite was an italian tile I hadnt heard of before... I cant remeber the manuf name, and my quote just says Aspen Loft Bianco in White. It was a white tile, but with an interesting finish, almost metallic. Looked so nice with my marble-esque quartz counters. All of these were in the $11/sqft range.
Here is the aspen loft bianco -
Brooklyn Townhouse 1 · More Info
iroll
9 years agoredoredone
8 years ago
oldbat2be
8 years agopelletis
8 years agoLC
7 years ago
romy718