Laurie, sorry for so many pictures but I downloaded the pictures from the camera and just had it download all to Photobucket and I was too tired to delete pictures. Next time I share, I will send in less so people will want to view. But I appreciate your nice comments. That is why I sent the way before picture to show that my kitchen is a big improvement from when I bought my home and the mini blinds broke from raising and lowering them. The wall color was also too white for the appliances back then. Since the wall color looks nice in the foyers with my other tile called Akoya Bone that is a little darker, I feel once the tiles are down, it will look nice also. I am not sure how the blinds go yet but I will worry about that next. But I really am liking the tiles and feel they will enhance my kitchen with that outdated in bad shape Linoleum floor gone. I also love that little table. I was dating a guy when I moved into my home and we were looking for a small kitchen table for my kitchen and he kept trying to push me to go with cheap tables at stores that I hated. He finally told me that the deal for the table that was too big for the kitchen was a great deal and he will take me to Ethan Allen to show me what expensive prices are like so I will see that the table and chairs he is showing me were a good deal. The minute I saw this table and chairs, I fell in love and despite how expensive the set was even with the great sale this store was having at the time. I bought all four chairs and the insert to enlarge the table. I am able to add two more chairs from other rooms if I have 6 people at the table with the insert in the middle of the table and it fits in the middle of the kitchen. But I am glad I can then make the table small again for room to walk and cook. The table is so well made and is solid wood with even the side rails for lowering the sides made of solid wood. I went back the next day to bring one of my drawers to see how it matched and bought it. I have always been happy with my decision. I always wished my cabinets were made out of the wood that the table is made out of. Not sure what it(forgot since I did not know much about wood almost 14 years ago but remember it being a nice wood and it was solid wood and not oak so I was happy it went with my cabinets despite not being the same wood). I love the Wheatback chairs so much. I am so glad I did not try to save money and get the table that did not match my cabinets and was too big for the kitchen. Some things are worth investing in. Like you invested in the cabinets and put other purchases on hold. I feel that was a wide decision. I also love your tile floors backsplash, wood floors and baseboard trim in the other room. Again, thank you for being there for me and making me not feel alone during my home renovations. I can't wait to post new pictures when the tile floor is down and then to work on other parts of my kitchen project.

Some subway tile is designed to be installed with a "butt joint" whereas they are stacked directly on top of one another, making for minimal grout lines. If your tile is like this, you will see a little raised area (either nubs or all along the length of the tile) that will act as the "spacer." Due to the edge profile of some tiles, even if you use 1/8 inch spacers, when you actually put grout in the joints, they will appear larger than 1/8 of an inch. I'm inclined to say 1/16 inch would be better, but seeing your tile would be helpful.

We try to get the thinnest joints as posted above. There will be some shimming of the subways as you will find one wall will slowly pass the other wall then catch up again. We normally tile 3 or 4 rows at a time, completely around the room as to allow for adjustments, occasionally checking with a straight edge to check for hums and bellies.

Fire that guy immediately. There are zero cases whatsoever where no grout is an acceptable installation practice for flooring . None. If he is offering to do that, you already have prima facia evidence that he is a hack that will ruin your installation. You want someone who owns s copy of the TCNA manual. And understands it. You’re dealing with someone with zero knowledge of industry standards. And who probably won’t even do the prep needed to get 3/16 grout lines. https://www.ceramictilefoundation.org/homeowners-guide-to-hiring-qualified-tile-installer  https://www.tcnatile.com/products-and-services/publications/218-english-publications/188-handbook/957-2018-tcna-handbook-for-ceramic-glass-and-stone-tile-installation.html