So I did this to close up a tv cubbie. I had reclaimed wood on hand to build a mantle and corbels. The corbels are longer than I planned, but I think it will be fine once it’s tiled. I want the tile to go around fireplace and down below corbels. Would love it here your ideas for masonry.

Thanks barncatz, this is the first and probably last kitchen I’ll ever do myself. While rewarding once done, building my own cabinets prolly took a few years off my life from the stresses of doing it! The tiles are cheap enough, maybe I will make a couple grout boards. My original thought was just finding a premixed grout that was close to the tile color.

"My rule has been white and no frills: slab cabinet and vanity doors, bathroom counter is "blizzard”, kitchen counter is "organic white", baseboards are straight: no groves or bumps, all fixtures - from hinges & door knobs to faucets and cabinet handles - are polished chrome." Based on what you are saying here my mind thinks of something like this (I'm hoping the pasted link works!) BTW I love Behr paint and just did my house completely in Smoky White and Granite Dust! <div><a rel='follow' href='https://www.houzz.com/photos/york-mills-residence-contemporary-living-room-toronto-phvw-vp~11108072' target='_blank'><img src='https://st.hzcdn.com/simgs/pictures/living-rooms/york-mills-residence-anthony-concrete-design-inc-img~72f1e84e034be577_3-2981-1-cff2e56.jpg' alt='' border=0 width='222' height='320' nopin='nopin' ondragstart='return false;' onselectstart='return false;' oncontextmenu='return false;'/></a></div><div style='color:#444;'><small><a style="text-decoration:none;color:#444;" href="https://www.houzz.com/hznb/professionals/fireplace-sales-and-installation/anthony-concrete-design-inc-pfvwus-pf~1761814467" target="_blank">Photo by Anthony Concrete Design Inc</a> - <a style="text-decoration:none;color:#444;" href="https://www.houzz.com/photos/living-room-ideas-phbr0-bp~t_718" target="_blank">Look for living room design inspiration</a></small></div>

Yeah, you need to work with your granite also, which is warm. Here are some ideas. You will want to sample the colors before buying a gallon. Simple White is a pale gray/violet which looks to me like something that will pick up the biggest color in the room (large format tiles). Diverse beige will likely look good with the countertop, but may make problems with the dark tiles. All colors look different next to other colors and it is more evident with bigger samples, so that’s why you really need to sample. I think almost anything will be better than the gold you have now. BM Revere Pewter will sometimes bridge the gap between warm and cool.