Are only white or marble/gray backsplashes acceptable?
Seems like every house photo I see online and every kitchen redo or new build I see on HGTV features a kitchen backsplash that is either white or pale gray (often marble). We are in the planning stages of building a house with the following finishes in the kitchen:
* White shaker cabinets with navy blue island
* White quartz countertops
* White farm sink with apron
* Venetian bronze fixtures, pendant lights, and cabinet pulls
* Natural maple hardwood floors (5")
* Stainless steel appliances.
I really want to do a backsplash in the blue/green family, as we have these colors in our dishes and cookware (Le Creuset). Will I be hopelessly out of style if I do this? The tile I want to use is below. I have also considered using the white tile in this same line and just doing a square of the Marine color behind the cooktop, but my colorful side is yearning to go for the full backsplash. Will I regret it?
T
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Only the uppers will be white. The rest Fieldstone. Which white
Comments (13)Hlove - you're sweet for saying so. The gray will always be a tad darker than I'd hoped in such a small, North-facing room...although there are times of the day/year when it looks more soft and powdery which I love. :) I think you're right about the ceiling. They're painting the cabs today and I think/hope will put them back up tomorrow, they re-paint the ceiling the Friday before Easter so by then I'll know what sort of change would be appropriate if any. The cream color that's presently on the walls/ceiling is BM's White Linen. Since I don't love that color in my kitchen, I just assume re-paint the walls along with the ceiling since the ceiling has to be re-painted anyway. So something less dingy-yellow than the white linen without being white-white since the upper cabs will now be a whiter-white and they don't need any competition! :) I appreciated your advice and did in fact find a white with gray-green undertones! I hope I like it and too late if not cause they're painting now. It's BM's Cotton Balls. I'd held it up along with 5 other whites, at our local Benjamin Moore store, and held it up next to a Fieldstone sample (like our cabs) as well as the Linen White sample and the 3 colors together looked really nice. Thanks again! Michelle16 - thanks! Before I had just Miller Paint's "white-white" (an older color) on all my cabs, and a beige-avocado color on the walls/ceiling. It was pretty but I'd had it for 11 years and really needed a break. Little did I know white kitchens would become all the rage - haha. The Fieldstone was inspired by Sally Wheat's kitchen which another GW member suggested I check out. I loved it immediately and liked how painting the woodwork a darker color with lighter color on the walls was a nice change from the norm (more so at that time anyway, compared to now). I liked how it reminded me of how homes used to be a hundred years ago only then it was unpainted wood vs. a lighter color on the walls. So something very period-appropriate about it but with a twist. ;) In my kitchen, it's a bit darker than I like at times - because of the lack of white since my cabs aren't open as Sally's are, and also cause my room has a LOT of cabinetry and faces North so it's a dark room - but I still love it more than not! And the darkness of it at times (when the room's all cleaned up and there's a pop of color e.g. a black bowl filled with tangerines or something like that!) can look sophisticated. Once my in-ceiling speakers are installed I'm going to feel very cool, having deep, bassy jazz playing in there at the same time as in the living room during a party. With the under-cab lights on dim and a few candles lit, I'll be scattin'! Eandhl - me too! :) Do you have it in your house? I love your short little comment - I wish I could keep things that short but alas...... Daisychain01 - Hi! :) In your picture it's PERFECT (and of course may have turned out perfect in my kitchen) but when I had it fanned out along with the other whites in my hand at the store, the Cotton Balls - much to my surprise - seemed to blend better with the Fieldstone gray color of my cabinets. I can't remember now if the Cloud White was too white or too creamy but it would have been one way or the other, although I seem to recall it was my second choice, then my first, then my second, then my first - haha. I think she told me Pottery Barn uses it too (?). Anyway they painted the cab doors today and then a fresh coat tomorrow morning (Fri.) so as soon as they're up I'll take pics and post. Wish me luck! And thanks so much for including the pic! That bathroom is very sweet....See MoreBisquit/Bone/Grey subway tile?? Acceptable?
Comments (8)I'd need to see pix of what your other choices look like together to have an informed opinion. FWIW - we are going with gray subways from Daltile. I had tried to find a certain color, then another, in subways and when I could not find the right shade of either, we settled on the gray. It is a little different than plain white, but is also a neutral. It works with the colors of our kitchen so it was an easy decision between the 2. It was well cheaper than handmade tiles, but it does not look like handmade tiles. We figured we were willing to pay the premium to get exactly what we wanted, but were not willing to pay more for something that is now meant more as background than a feature. I'd have loved to get crackle in the right color or even gray, but could not justify the difference at the time we ordered. By that point in the process, money was tighter. We did pay a bit for the vintage and custom tiles that will make up the feature in the bs.......See MoreDo you have marble or white granite behind cooktop (backsplash)?
Comments (19)Deb: $125 per foot!!! Oh my! That's almost twice as much as I paid (prefabricated, I paid $40.38/sq ft). I did some testing and while it did MUCH better than the marble, there was some staining (not etching) on my pre-sealed sample when I had a few food stains that sat for 24+ hrs. My fabricator claims that sealing the granite should take care of the light staining that I saw, so I am trusting him. I actually don't care that much if I have some "lived in" looked. I have lived with marble so I know what that feels like, I am just hoping to defer some of that permanent etching that we had. If you have white cabinets and a wood island, I might actually think about the Caesarstone if you can't find the white princess. I was pleasantly surprised to see a showroom by Christopher Peacock that was done in the Caesarstone that looks like marble and it was REALLY pretty. I would never have believed it unless I saw it myself. Wish I could have taken pics but they wouldn't let me! The other option I love is concrete! Might be too un-traditional for your style, but I really like the counters in my friend's house and they are very light gray--and very easy to take of! Despite what some people say, she has never had a staining problem. They have a gorgeous patina that is really pretty and I love them with the white counters. Not her kitchen, but similar--look how pretty the concrete is! From Menlo Farmhouse...See MoreFound! A white marble that goes with London Grey & Statuario
Comments (31)@kpyeatt - I decided to go to Floor & Decor based upon your photos above. I wanted to purchase some tile for one of my fireplaces. FYI - I had never been inside the store before - kinda overwhelming with all the beautiful tile choices on display! The Sahara Carrara tile looks NOTHING like what you have installed in your bathroom! Hardly any variation - and it looks very different from my bianco Carrara tiles. The bianco Carrara is actually from Italy - so, I expected to see a difference - but I didn’t expect the composition actual stone to look as DRAMATICALLY different as it does. The Sahara Carrara had more of a translucent look to it + it kinda looked a bit “sparkly” (not sure how to accurately describe it!) You either got “lucky“ with the batch of tiles you received - OR - I am just “unlucky” based upon the ones available at the store! Maybe the quality has declined over the past three years since others in this thread (including the OP) decided to buy it - who knows??!!? It would be interesting to see photos posted by others who have installed it. Just thought I’d post this in case anyone decides to order some online, and have them shipped without actually seeing the product first. I highly suggest that you order several samples in order to get an accurate feel for how it will look. It’s unfortunate because the price was good - and, based upon your photos, I had high expectations. 😞...See MoreEmily
3 years ago
PROBeth H. :
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoi'm so glad to hear someone wants some color! I love that color.
however, I'm a little concerned about the small size arabesque shape. (which actually looks like pool tile. If you love that shape, go w/the bigger arabesque)
you really shouldn't go smaller than this for the backsplash.
Tilebar also carries this Nabi Harlequin in an Arctic blue. I have a sample. this is beautiful. you get 5 samples for $5 over there. take a look.https://www.tilebar.com/shop-by-colors-now/blue.html?filtertileuse=Backsplash&p=3
Winchester 3x12 tile
comes in this color, Pasture, below. you could do it in the herringbone layout.
also, why don't you consider a soft gold hardware? or is the venetian bronze light enough? against a dark blue cab, it might get lost.Emily thanked Beth H. :
Maureen
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoCould even go a bit darker to compliment the navy island. If you both love what you chose, more options are probably just confusing vs helpful. Your decisions sound lovely
Emily thanked Maureen
Fori
3 years agoEmily
3 years ago
eld6161
3 years agoSue Wulff
3 years agoThis is my new home being built in Arizona. I plan on using this for the backsplash
ShadyWillowFarm
3 years ago
Design Girl
3 years agomxk3 z5b_MI
3 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years ago 
Trish Walter
3 years agoEmily
3 years agoHere is what the tile looks like as a backsplash. I do appreciate all the opinions! I may change my mind before we get to this point, as it is a detail that can be changed later, once the kitchen is mostly installed, but right now, I really like this one, since it ties in the lighter green/blue of our china with the darker blue of our cookware and island. I appreciate everyone's opinion!
- PRO
dezign interiors, llc
3 years ago chispa
3 years ago
Lukki Irish
3 years agoEmily
3 years ago
OneRidgeOff
3 years agoI think that’s a gorgeous tile and You should go for it! If it’s any encouragement for you, i put in a vibrant saturated blue backsplash three years ago, and zero regrets, I think I love mine even more now. Like a poster said above, it truly brightens my every morning to see it.
Emily thanked OneRidgeOff- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoi just saw these glazed clay pieces and thought you'd like the colors.
You can do a blend of them like this, or all solid color (I believe these are 3 dfiferent shades. )
https://clayimports.com/product/sirena-hexagon-blend/they have this blue/green shade too
https://clayimports.com/product/glazed-thin-brick-light-green/
https://clayimports.com/product-category/solid-tile/mex-zellige/ Emily
3 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years ago Emily
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agolobby68
3 years agoI say please go for it! I love the tile and I love your color scheme. We are redoing the kitchen in our lake shack (I can't in good conscience refer to it as a "lake house") with white shaker cabinets, white corian counters, black pulls and this backsplash:
Emily thanked lobby68Emily
3 years ago
cpartist
3 years agoI would never use white or gray. Blah!
My backsplash tile is a green. And my ceiling is BM Wilmington Tan. and my countertops are Fascination quartzite which has green, gray, brown, black, peach, red and even some purples in it. If like me, you love color. put in color.
Emily thanked cpartistEmily
3 years ago
C W
3 years ago
PROHALLETT & Co.
3 years agoWhile I do lots of white/ cream backsplashes it is fun when someone commits to color. This house had some original blue painted ceilings (pre civil war) so the blue island and backsplash repeated the color in this newer part of the house.
Fulton · More InfoEmily thanked HALLETT & Co.Emily
3 years ago- PRO
Beth H. :
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agodon't think i'd do a taupe grout. (besides, it will blend in w/the edges of the tile and just look muddy. you want some delineation)
you can see a taupe color upper right. (too dark and too close to the edge of the tile color)
I really like the quartz color. if doing white cabs/countertop, I'd go w/the quartz shade. it has just a touch of gray to it and well let the blue color pop) by all means wait until installed, and have the tile guy do a few sample mock ups w/diff grout colors.
Emily thanked Beth H. : Emily
3 years agoEmily
3 years ago
Tara