Backsplash Layout
Hello,
I have a few questions about our backsplash layout.
Tile - 2-1/16" X 8.5" matte white subway
Spacing - 3/32"
Grout - 90% chance we will do white, 10% chance of gray or black
Arrangement- running bond (staggered by half)
Photo - Vertical blue lines would be half of a tile. Horizontal lines are the courses. You'll have to imagine the stagger.
Should I center the tile on the range / hood, the window, or the wall?
My thought was center on the range. This results in being ~3/4" off center on the window.
Centering on the wall will make it slightly off center with the stove and window.
The right end of the tile will continue around a corner, and the right end is not a critical part visually.
All three options are pretty close in layout, the difference between the three is moving the tile over an inch or so one way or the other.
Comments (15)
jck910
4 years agoEmily
4 years agoHere' some pics of the space so far, and the hood which will be sprayed white.
Doorway on right leads to a walk-in pantry. We will probably have some kind of black metal shelving beside the hood. Uppers on right wall will have doors.
Handle question:
The door on the right is hinged on the right side. Should I install the handle vertically on the left, or horizontally in the center?
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Please advise on backsplash layout
Comments (11)Thanks for all the excellent feedback! To answer your questions: - EAM: the perimeter counters will be IKEA gray laminate with the metal effect edge; the island will be beech butcher block; the tile grout will be white. - robot: the ceiling is actually low vaulted so the 39" cabs wouldn't fit :( The house is an old rancher that I am trying to turn into a calm, sleek mid-century modern. The kitchen is 14' wide by 12' long and is open to the living room (which faces the cooktop wall). So the kitchen decor will effectively become part of the LR decor. I looked at a few zillion mosaic backsplashes on Houzz yesterday and they almost all have full tile from counter to cabinet. But...I must admit that some of them look *really* busy to me. I was originally thinking of a low backsplash just to add a bit of bling to the kitchen. If I do the full 19", will it be too much? Here's a pic of the tile I have chosen -- what do you think, wise GWers?...See MoreInstall on Friday; junk everywhere; advice on backsplash layout
Comments (11)Based on my monitor, I like Pearl best. Once you need to make your final decision, there is a method to help when dealing with a number of different possiblities. First, you could take 2 of the 5 choices and choose which you like best; then take the winner and individually compare it with the remaining 3, keeping the winner each time, until you see which one comes out on top. Second, a more complicated heirarchy for choosing would be to make a table with 5 rows and 5 lines. Across the top, list the name of each color; and down the side also list the name of each color. Quickly fill in the grid by taking the first one listed on the side and comparing it to all of the other colors listed across the top, choosing your favorite in each comparison. Then mark in the appropriate space which is the winner (i.e., number each color and write in the number of the winner for each comparison). Do this all the way down those listed on the side, then check to see which one came out the winner. This method allows you to compare every color to all of the others. (Hope the description made sense---if you just make up the grid, it will probably be clear to you.) I have used this method when having too many choices and, surprisingly, it has been helpful. Or just go with your gut. :)...See Morekitchen help! counters, backsplash, layout
Comments (13)There are a few issues with what you're describing. I understand closing the window that looks into the mudroom - that is probably a great idea! But a GC could do that type of thing, or if you're handy and can drywall and mud with quality results, then go for it! However, what the other ladies are saying is correct. There's nothing wrong with your color choices, but be aware that what you're choosing isn't necessarily high-end. You're also placing an oven next to a refrigerator? Angled cabinets so you can get by them? Replaced double doors with a single for more space in an already-large kitchen? Widening an island that already eats up a big part of the traffic space? This is all over the place. The reason we're recommending a designer isn't because we're pros so we want you to hire one of us. On the contrary, we're trying to save you loads of money and frustration when you find that your choices aren't functional, or worse, you go to sell your home and find that the kitchen is a big draw-back for buyers. Instead of winging it with things like changing the oven size (major layout overhaul!) and adding conflicting work areas next to one another, work with a designer to get a functional, better layout. You're gutting your kitchen - don't think you can keep any of it with the kinds of changes you're talking about - so why not spend a few hundred extra dollars on top of the tens of thousands you're talking about and have it done right? If you're not going to take our advice to involve a professional, then you should replace the countertops and have the cabinets refaced, and not get yourself in a mess by spending thousands and thousands of dollars to make this space functionally impotent. Sorry, I know that isn't what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Good luck!...See MoreKitchen design opinions wanted - backsplash, layout, flooring, etc
Comments (3)NKBA recommends a minimum of 42" counter to counter for a one cook kitchen and 48" for a 2 cook kitchen. You can probably get away with only 36" between island counter and side wall to the right of the range. Less than that and you'll have a pinch point in your kitchen.They recommend a minimum of 44" behind a seating counter to allow people to walk behind seated diners. I spec'd my aisle between sink/DW and island to be 45". That's wide enough to allow me to have both the DW door and island drawers open to unload straight from DW to island drawers. Definitely upgrade to drawer bases. It's worth the cost for the increase in storage capacity. We removed 69" of upper cabs during the remodel but because we went from base cabs, most with roll out trays, to all drawer bases, we have room to spare. I'd make that decision again in a heart beat....See MoreEmily
4 years agoNot the most popular post in the world, haha. I will center with window and go with the horizontal handle.
I am wondering about having a strip near the top. If I start with a full tile as my first course, I will wind up with about 1/2" of tile at the top. The ceiling also slants 1/4" over 7' to the right of my range hood (1940's house), so this will grow from 1/2" to 3/4".
Alternatively I could take some off my first course to wind up with more thickness at the top (which is what is shown in my hand drawing). This would be about 1-3/8" (of the 2-1/16" tile) at the bottom, and about the same at the top.
Generally, looking at photos, it seems like a strip is left at the top (see photo).
For starting my tile on the left cabinet beside the stove, I know it would be okay to start at the edge of the counter. Would it also be okay to start in 1" or so to align with the edge of the bottom cabinet itself?
Emily
4 years agoEmily
4 years agoThanks @houssaon. To center on range, I'd probably want to start in from the end of the counter a bit, as shown in the photo below (not sure if this is generally considered acceptable). This is aligned with the cabinet base underneath, and would avoid slivers on the end. If I go right to the end of the counter, I'd have 1" of tile at the end.
If I center on the window, I won't have this issue, which is why I'm leaning in that direction at this point.
PROAdrian J. Naquin Interior Design L.L.C.
4 years agoEmily thanked Adrian J. Naquin Interior Design L.L.C.Emily
4 years agochispa
4 years ago- PRO
Adrian J. Naquin Interior Design L.L.C.
4 years ago 
PROBeth H. :
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoI'd tile the entire wall, up to the ceiling and over the end of the counter.
stopping halfway like this looks unfinished, to me. would have looked sooooo much better going all the way up w/the tile. this actually cuts the height in half.
this looks funky to me. it just does
also a no. I mean, ?? tile is cheap! this would have looked better just going w/the countertop material in the same location. with tile? no. just no.
you plan on doing any wood shelves like these? then stopping 3/4 of the way w/tile would look ok
The other issue is, you're using plain old white subway. It's not like it's a show stopper as far as decor goes (and I'll show you why). doing the entire wall makes it look cleaner and more uniform
now, if you had a more decorative type of tile, then doing an accent strip, or halfway, seems to look better than doing halfway w/white subway. (unless you plan on painting your wall black or something)
however, I really like this look. find yourself a cool piece of slab marble and I'm all for this
as for tile layout, start in the center of the wall and work outward. you want to end with half cut tiles (not slivers) in the corners, around the window, and outer edges. do a dry layout. if you do get slivers, then adjust left or right until you get at least 1/3 piece of cut tile. look at pic 3. perfect cuts in the corners, along the tops, etc. no tiny cutstry to start w/a full tile on the bottom. what do you end up w/at the ceiling? if it's not a sliver cut, you're ok.
you can tile that hood too
Emily thanked Beth H. :Emily
4 years agoHi @Beth H. : Thank you for your detailed response. I agree with you that it would look best tiled to the ceiling. I do like the slab marble look but it would be quite the switch-up at this point - may take me a while to wrap my head around doing that!
The shelves we are planning will look similar to the ones below, but designed to suit our space optimally. They may be skinnier, or with supports to ceiling on just one side, etc. I will have them fabricated. We may add white oak to the base of the shelves, but we will have white oak window trim and the uppers beside the fridge will be white oak.
Regarding the layout - we are good side to side. However, if I start with a full tile at the base, I will get a strip at the top (see the photo I posted above with the green backsplash - it would be like that). I could also trim my first base tile so that both the bottom tile and top tile are a little over half a tile. Can't see this done in any photos - seems like it's always a strip at the top.
houssaon
4 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoAnd you've taken into account your grout spacing? that still doesn't push it up?
So I have many options to address your concern about the small strip at the top:.
why not go w/a 1/16" grout line?
or
what if you picked a diff tile? a 3x9 or 3x12 should buy you that space.
Layout. Try a diff one.
instead of running bond, what if you did a vertical stack? I really like this layout. It's a bit more modern and goes w/the look of your kitchen (with the shelving) rather than a regular old subway layout.
Or, go for a herringbone layout The bottom course always gets cut anyway
OR, you can trim off some of the bottom row (maybe a 1/3) in order to get you at least 1/3 at the top.
see the top in this one? if you could somehow stretch it enough to end up w/that, it would be ok.
and lastly, another option is to install a simple crown molding at the top to hide the small gap. (you wouldn't tile, just do the trim) Is that something you could do? felizlady
4 years ago
houssaon