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Urgent help please? Light or dark grout?

Vespa
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

I have just remodelled my small apartment galley kitchen and am really confused about what colour grout to use on my glassy looking grey subway tiles. I am only tiling the one wall and the stove/ hood will feature on this tiled wall. I don’t think I want a stark bright white as this is the colour of my cabinets. My countertop will be a similar tone and colour to the wall tiles. I am painting the left and right side walls in a similar colour to the tiles. So should I go with a light creamy coloured grout or a grey shade that is slightly darker than the tile? The tile really catches the light every time you move around the kitchen as it is not a flat matt colour. Any advice would be really appreciated asap as the tiler is coming in the next few days!!! HELP!! Thanks in advance. Pics below!

Comments (50)

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

  • suzyq53
    5 years ago

    Maybe a light silver colored grout? With regular sized tiles, there isn't usually a large grout line. If you go darker, it will look more like a solid surface. Is that what you want?

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  • suzyq53
    5 years ago


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  • Helen
    5 years ago

    I'm not a designer but I just picked out the grout for my various tile work with the help of my designer.


    My tiles are not the same as yours but they are also showpieces so to speak - i.e. not flat white subway tiles :-).


    With the guidance of my designer I picked grout that closely matched the color of the tile so that the grout itself wasn't an additional design element. FWIW, I like the way your tiles look right now without obviously contrasting grout. They are obviously tiles but the tiles themselves are lovely enough to be the only necessary design element.

  • always1stepbehind
    5 years ago

    My vote is no contrast.

  • suzyq53
    5 years ago

    For some reason I couldn't comment before. Which of the looks I posted do you prefer?

  • oaktonmom
    5 years ago

    Grout as close in color to the tile.

  • chispa
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Pick a grout color in the same color as your tile. You could go a little lighter or darker, just stay in the same color family.

    No white!

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    @suzyq: the second pic is closer to the overall finish I am seeking but I can’t see any grout lines at all in that pic which I am not as keen on.
  • suzyq53
    5 years ago

    I think if you try to match the tile it will end up slightly lighter anyway and create a very subtle contrast.

  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Normally i'd say match the tile, but with the way this is laid out, I'd do a light grout color. (beautiful tile btw. what is it?) You want a subtle delineation or else it will look like a one solid wall of color.

    if you match your grout exactly to the tile, you might as well as just painted the wall that tile color. you should be able to see a slight contrast.

    do a very light gray like Mapei Warm Gray, or do a darker bone white color.

    on the left are Mapei and the right is Custom

  • mpugs
    5 years ago

    closest to the tile color is my vote. Also easier to keep clean than white

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    This is what the tile would look like with white grout (pic taken from display in tile store when I purchased it)
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Custom’s Platinum and Delorean Grey seem to be the colours that are one shade lighter and darker than my tile colour.
  • suzyq53
    5 years ago

    Someone has one called Silver Shadow, can't remember the brand. I used it in a bathroom with gray-blue tile. Its a little lighter than those. It might work for you

  • NewEnglandgal
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I agree 100% with Beth H. Just a slight delineation would make the tile stand out. You do not want the wall to look flat and like it is painted yet you do not want stark colored grout. My vote ever so slightly lighter.

  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    suzyq, Silver Shadow looks like Laticrete's grout.

    Vespa,,,are your tiles more blue/gray or brown gray? hard to tell from pic. the one above leans a bit warmer toned. if that's the case, then you don't want to use a blue/gray grout. If you will have that color lighting (a bit yellowish) then take that into consideration.

    Who makes the tiles?

    it may be a good idea to make up a sample board. lay out a few tiles on a board and grout them w/a cool blue gray, a lighter grout, and a grout the same color as tile. then see what you like best.

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    @BethH The smoke grey from that palette seemed to be the closest colour that was one step lighter than my tile but it did have a slight blue tint to it. My tile has a beige undertone. See below for my tile against smoke grey sample with flash on and off...
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    @BethH The silver shadow from that palette was way too pale blue when I tried it so I discounted it on being the wrong tone
  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago

    ok. that's what I though from your picture. so you need more of a warm gray. try some of the examples I posted w/your picture on my other comment.

  • suzyq53
    5 years ago

    Everything you're doing is gray except the cabs? You need a lighter grout in the same tone as the tile. Sometimes white with a touch of your gray really works to pull it all together with the cabs. If you go darker, you are going to pop the white cabs by making the "accent wall" look like a solid color. I'm not saying that's bad. It depends what you are trying to do. Are your tiles warm gray? Or pure gray? Can't tell.

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    My tile colour is most similar to Custom’s Oyster Gray
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    @suzyq53 The floor is handscraped chocolate brown, cabs white, walls grey, appliances stainless.
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    This is going to be the colour painted on the side walls.
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Here is my tile, next to Laticrete smoke gray grout sample and next to the “chic gray” pant colour that will be used on my side walls
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Laticrete colour chart with my tiles and sample of smoke gray so you can see the difference in colour between paper print and plastic sample!
  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Bone grout next to the oyster grey color of your tiles:

    I think I'd try Bone first and see how it looks. they have a small container of premixed, unsanded grout. try it out. The colors on the bottom right are Mapei.

    just for reference, here is oyster gray grout w/the white subway tiles.

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Made a sample board today with the actual tiles and actual grout from Custom:

    Platinum, Delorean Gray and Oyster Gray. I’m thinking the platinum?
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    All 3
  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago

    smoke gray is nice. what if you did a lighter color that wasn't gray?

  • suzyq53
    5 years ago

    Its too hard to tell, on my screen that tile looks warm, like dark taupe and the light pewter grout looks like a lighter version of the same color.

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    OK, going with the smoke gray! Tomorrow is the day!!! Thank you everyone for your help and advice. Will post a pic tomorrow of the completed job!!! *nervous*
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Here are the “before grout” pics. Will post the “after grout” pics tomorrow
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Grout is drying... so final colour is not showing accurately yet! Hopefully will be able to post a pic at the end of today!!
  • natesg
    5 years ago

    I like your smoke gray beside the sample. Hope to see your finished wall. What are you using for your counters?

  • PRO
    Carol Jean
    5 years ago
    Light is right
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    @natesg I have a symphony grey caesar-stone countertop.
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Countertop will be like this
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Grout has finally dried and I love the colour of the end result! The walls have also been painted now so you can see how the tiles and grout contrast against the white cabinets and parts of the wall which are still white! Fridge has also been put in today. Countertops coming Monday!!
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Other side
  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    looks really nice. question...why the white outlet way up on the tile? can't imagine what you plug in up there. you could buy an outlet and cover in a gray color that would match your tile. that white one just really sticks out!

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    Hi @bethh ! The white outlet is for the extractor hood that will sit above the stove. You won’t see it as it will be inside the chimney section!
  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago

    ah, ok. that explains it. I was trying to imagine what was going there and still allow the upper cabs to open.

    where did you find that tile? it's really nice.

  • natesg
    5 years ago

    It turned out really nice. Good grout choice.

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    @Beth h: I found them in the UK and they were about $0.35c each. I carried them over in my hand luggage!
  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    5 years ago

    Vespa, really? lol. can't believe you carried that entire batch on the plane with you! what a great deal.

  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    @beth h: Yes, 17kg in each piece of hand luggage. My arms and shoulders ached for a week! But I saw similar tiles in New York for $6 each, so the cost saving was worth the pain! Plus going through security was funny when they made me open the luggage to see what they were!
  • Vespa
    Original Author
    5 years ago
    A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped me make the decision on grout colour. The colours work amazingly well together! Here is the latest pic. Just got to install the stove and last row of tiles now. Will post a pic when it’s done!!
  • suzyq53
    5 years ago

    It look great! Just the right amout of contrast. Enjoy your beautiful new kitchen.

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