I used epoxy without much fuss and I never used it before and only tiled once before in my life when I did my small kitchen backsplash area last year. So laticrete epoxy isn't that hard, honest. Once its done, your done, and you will have a durable grout. Have you considered urethane grout? It needs a 7 day cure time, without use, but other than that I've heard good reports. It is pre-mixed and the container can be recovered for use later; how long, I don't know. A high end tile shop in my locale uses it for their display floors because of the ease in use and the ability to cover and save. It is a Hydroment brand that they use. I have used the Hydroment thinset and have been very pleased with the product. They make the Ditra-Set that I used for my Ditra installation. Regarding Laticrete SpectraLock: What I did for my floor grout was mix a custom color with laticrete spectralock colors Platinum and Silver Shadow and some other grays. I did some small mixing with the small cartons of color you can get at Lowes, but I only purchased one tub of the epoxy. I prepped all my dry color combos and kept records. Then I mixed the epoxy and divided into small disposable containers mixing the dry into each. Ultimately, I came up with a 3part platinum and a 1part silver shadow that I used on my floor. I am very happy with it. I bought a large sized Laticrete kit of the Platinum online, that was linked through the Laticrete web site. I then bought a small carton of just the dry Silver Shadow color at Lowes and measured this SS amount, removed that same amount from the Platinum then added the SS. The large kit is equal to 4 small kits. So that was my 3:1 ratio. Of note the Laticrete Spectralock in the small cartons at Lowes is the "Spectralock Premium" and the large kit I got on line was the "Spectralock Premium Pro". The colorants are all the same, the epoxy, parts A&B are what differs. The Pro I think is a newer product and maybe has better application properties. As I said I ordered mine online, but you may be able to get the Pro version through special order at Lowes. Here is my finished grout, Silver Shadow on the left and Platinum on the right, My custom is the grout in the tile:

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.

Xposted in Floor and continued here. So during demo, we found the original unfinished pine floor beneath the sink cab so DH broke his back and scraped up the ceramic tile, wonderboard, peel and stick tile and all the adhesive on the floor. He also pulled out all the screws and loose nails. It's so great when he's on board but I digress. So I'm thriled because I may get my wood floor after all if we can refinish this floor. So . . . one guy came yesterday, said the floor could be saved then tried to sell me a new floor. I don't want that. Someone else came today highly recommended and a gentleman. Everything was great until I asked about the color when he was leaving . . he said he can't really stain the floor because it won't take but it will be a lighter color than it is now and then bloom over the next 6 months to a year . . . I wanted a dark stained floor. He said because the wood has been covered for so long (since 1940) the oils have been dried up (I think). Utter disappointment came over me and I lost my focus. Your thoughts/comments please?

I told Sayde I would help her post photos of her kitchen and some tile samples, so everyone could see. (I have serious house envy, having grown up in an English Tudor.) Original Kitchen: New floor plan: Possible floor tile, 4x8 Mojave tumbled travertine tiles: They come in 8 x 4, 8 x 8, 6x6, 12x12. Wish there were 8 by 16 but not in this tile). Another shot of same tile as above: "These are the terracotta pavers I like and they're larger. Worried they'll be more difficult and may-be too red or too dark. ???" Flooring pattern. Def pretty but is it to busy, noisy live with daily? "One alternative to a hood that we would construct might be something like this. I like the geometry of this one . . ." Or copper: Backsplash: "They used three different colors of off white. When you hold the tiles in your hand they look much closer together in value than they do here (below). These are 4x8 but they come 3x6 and also square. They are the only tiles I've seem that have that nice talc like matte surface, but also a very subtle craze that you only see close up. When I saw them next to that edge of midtoned wood I got drawn in. And what about these with the floor? Colors? Sizes?"