I don't care for the roughness of the subway tile. It looks damaged and doesn't fit in your kitchen, which is what GW calls the One True Kitchen--white cabinets, marble or light counters, and white subway tile. I don't think it works with the refined style of the arabesque tile either. I'd get a white tile because of the paint color and match it to the arabesque, as long as that white is a good match to the counter and/or cabinets. I'd like to see that tile with the counter before committing to it.

My counter is White Ice, that looks just like your Snowfall and I know Granite is named differently by region. So, just to offer you a perspective of a different option I, went with a gray tile to break up the white and to pull some of the warmer tones from the stone.

It must be difficult to focus on a bs when your heart and mind are with your mother. My thoughts are with you, and I hope I can be helpful.

It is fortuitous that your tile is back ordered. For your beautiful space you can do better than white. Here are your materials:

While not quite as pretty, Daltile's Rittenhouse Square tile in Matte Arctic White is in the right neighborhood insofar as color goes, and has the added advantages of being inexpensive ($2.82/sf) and in stock just about everywhere (like Home Depot) with bullnose and trim pieces to match. Your bs could be finished in less than a week.

What a wonderful feeling to come here to find such helpful advice and words of encouragement!!

Yes, it's very hard to be here and my heart is with my mom!! The past 2 days my nieces and Aunt are with her but tomorrow I'll be in Houston for a week. I might come back to a completed house!!

Thank you all so much for offering advice!!

mrspete- I agree that this kitchen is too much for me yet I like the look of it. That probably sounds contradicting. I am doing the arabesque tile behind the range so I tried out some other tiles today to hopefully do the kitchen justice.

I'm so glad you mentioned the depth of the new granite! At first I didn't like it but I believe it was just a change from what my mind had been visioning. Now, I really like it. It's stunning with the black island and has more warmth to it.

I'm a more simple person while liking nice quality and don't want cookie cutter.

Our hardware is simple round knobs and cup pulls. I had those knobs as in the inspire kitchen and we had to put a dab of glue to keep them from becoming spinners. I am considering glass knobs in my glass upper cabinets but am not sure.... too busy maybe??? I really like the ice box type hardware, too but couldn't convince DH to do them over the fridge at least.

Mayflowers- I like your name. It brings such pleasant thoughts to mind. i agree about the white subway tile. I liked it in the wall at the tile store but now I'm glad it's back ordered!!

Rebeccamom- your colors and granite are lovely together!! Your granite does look much like mine. I tried a grayish tile today but it's a bit darker than the look I'd like. Yours is so very pretty though and yours looks so comfie and inviting!

eam- wow!!! Thank you for taking the time to post the pictures. It does help me "see" my kitchen. I picked up about 10 different samples today and really like this simple Prestige Soho tile. It's slightly beige and matches the arabesque tiles really well but I'm unsure of 3 things.

1. How it looks with the wall color

2. It's big- 4x16 so will that look weird in a kitchen?

3. Could it be laid diagonal to go with the more diagonal deco tile???

Heres some pictures:

close up of deco, trim and tile

Here shown with the wall color:

Ok. Open to ideas!!

Thank You!

Sunny

In that photo your counter shows a warm undertone and I don't like the gray arabesque with it now. Nor the bright white.

I like the larger subways but I think that's too large. I noticed that size at my hospital in a glossy finish so it looks a bit institutional to me now, even though they use a colored tile with a very nice glass mosaic. I think they're best for a full wall, like a shower.

It's always hard to tell colors on a screen but from a style standpoint, I personally think the large 4x16 tile tends to read more modern and your deco accent title (and inspiration photo) look more traditional/old world to me. I also think when shown with your granite, it's a bit too grayish white and not warm enough.

I agree that the arabesque is reading very gray and not matching the tone of the countertops at all. I love the shape and texture does it come in a warmer tone? I don't care for the big tile either and definitely don't think that doing diagonal with arabesque is a good idea. In your last picture of the samples the 4 on the right I think the second up from the bottom(not counting the black barely showing) looks like a good match to the granite.

What great help you all are!! I was worried the large would be too large. I'm going to go by another tile place this morning. More samples coming!

I actually really like large format tiles. They are a more modern look as Rebecca points out. But the color I'm also unsure of. It's tough to evaluate online, but you see them in front of you. If they go well with the counter and with each other, you may be done. Are you absolutely going with the arabesque? Keep us posted!

I already purchased the arabesque but that was based on the whiter granite. I DO like it a lot but would consider going another direction if it looks better. So, while I'm "dating it" I'm not married to it... other than DH might not be happy about having to buy something else but we don't want to settle on something, either.

Other ideas if we basically started over??

I like fire clay but it's really over budget.

Thanks again for your help here!!

What is your tile budget in $/sf?

This is a lantern tile from Allen and Roth that is sold at Lowes. I believe all of the A&R mosaics are 75% off at the moment. Combine that with field tile from American Olean in Gloss White, or the Rittenhouse tile from HD, and you will have a great look at a great price.

I actually looked at that tile yesterday. It wasn't in sale but I'll definitely take another look now. I like the soft colors!

Oh good, I'm glad you like it. Just a word on grout - all of the Lowes images are with a hideous tan grout. That's an obvious No. you'll want to match the grout to the lightest tile and the field tile.

I'm a more simple person while liking nice quality and don't want cookie cutter.

Yeah, I could say the same thing!

I am considering glass knobs in my glass upper
cabinets but am not sure.... too busy maybe??? I really like the ice box
type hardware, too but couldn't convince DH to do them over the fridge
at least.

While I love glass knobs, I do think you might be heading towards "too busy".

I love the granite. I love the arabesque tile. I don't like them together.

Thing is, they're both very busy patterns, and they compete. One of them needs to be simple. I'd also like the arabesques better if they leaned towards brown instead of grey.

Well, I'll respectfully disagree on the glass knobs being too busy. I have glass/ORB cup pulls and ORB door pulls. From before our refresh, I also had some small ORB knobs on our off white upper doors. I just switched the ORB knobs out for glass specifically to reduce busyness, the contrast of the dark knobs. Now the knobs blend into the cabinets. And they're sooo pretty.

Some glass knobs have a metal 'backing' piece. If you get that type, match the metal to your other cabinet hardware and I think it'll be fine.

I like the deco tile eam posted but I'd like some other options if possible. I like a little shine but not gaudy or over the top.

Here are our glass knobs. Well, they were supposed to be plain glass and these knobs were four master bath but trim guy put these here and for now I'm going to leave them.

I put to "different " knobs in the Landry room over the washer and dryer. These came from Hobby Lobby.

So..., more granite ideas???

Arabesque

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Oh what great help to see this!! It helps me visualize so much better.

I like the herringbone a lot. Nice yet not too busy. My second favorite is the arebesque and the small tile feels busy to me.

I'm with my mom for several days but will be checking here periodically.

I thank you so much!!

Sunny

If we can convince you to use the same tile throughout, just in a different layout over the range, like may's lovely images, that would be fantastic. The "accent" tile has never been a favorite of mine. When you get a chance, show us more samples in your space.

While I'm in Houston I may pick up some sample tile. You all might be able to convince me to do the same tile throughout, especially because I don't want it to be too busy.

Mays sample photos are lovely!