The Perfect Subway Tile...

Hi Christine,
This is my kitchen. In the spring we painted the cabinets white, changing the hardware, installed black granite countertops and an undermount sink. But my husband and I cannot agree on a backsplash. We've spent the past 6 months arguing about it. Help! I want a backsplash before the holidays get here! I like white subway tile but he thinks it looks cheap. What would you do for a backsplash? We live in a suburban Missouri neighborhood and need to keep it pretty neutral for resale purposes.
Love your blog!!!
Thanks!
Kelley

Kelley,

Your kitchen is looking great! I think we can find a perfect solution for you. A subway tile that does not look cheap. No problem!

I have four types that I would like you to look at.

1. Beveled edge
2. Stone
3. Handmade
4. Glass tiles

The subway tiles with beveled edges have a really nice depth and a more striking pattern to them. I know that Porcelenosa has a nice one. But just go shop at your local source and ask for a subway tile with a heavily beveled edge. Make sure you also get a flat one to show your husband the difference. Show it to him installed if you can.

All kinds of stone come cut in a subway tile shape. Any nice neutral travertine or marble would look terrific. You get your subway look- he gets the richness of real stone. If you want to keep it white like a traditional subway tile- no problem- you can get a carrara marble in a subway cut. (at least you can in California :)

Hand made tiles have such a terrific richness to them. The lack of perfection- makes them perfect. Jeffrey Court- Walker Zanger, Country Floors- there are many sources- again- go to your local tile source and ask for hand made subway tiles. They will cost so much your husband will never mistake them for "cheap."

Glass is the hottest new surface in backspashes- and comes in a lot of neutral shades- not just the blues and greens. A subway shape and size will also be simple to find.

Hey readers- what do you think? Which way should Kelley go? Or do you have another idea for her altogether?

If you still have problems- you can call my sister- in- law- she is a Ph. D. and does relationship counseling. She is very good. :)

Limestone Flooring

Christine,
Thank you for your advice on my home. I would like to replace the stone floors and carpet that run through the whole downstairs of the house. Should I put in wood floors or another travertine stone?

How about limestone? Check out the examples I posted here for you- a limestone with a cool gray undertone to it would be great with your cabinets.

One more thing- my whole house is painted the color you said I should change. Should I change the whole house to a blue or green?

I do not like the current paint color with your cabinetry at all. If that natural maple is found in a room- leave that paint color out of it. Would I do the entire downstairs the same color? If your downstairs is under 1000 square feet- perhaps I would- but overall- it is hard to say without pictures...

or should I paint the cabinets?

Your cabinets appear to be such a nice quality- I am very hesitant to have you paint them- which would also be a solution to some of the decorating issues in your home. I would suggest you replace the backsplash - keep the cabinets. I posted some backsplash ideas also. Keep it simple- keep your floors simple. These are expensive long term items. Think solid colors- a pallet for you to decorate with. Add pattern elsewhere. Keep these two items simple.

Where do I start?

Start with the floor. Then go for the fabrics and rugs- then do the paint.

I feel overwhelmed.

Relax- it will all come together. I am really glad you are replacing the flooring. Yours was a hard combination. Start there. Start with getting some gray limestone samples and taking them home and seeing how they blend with your cabinets and other items that "stay." The gray limestone that has a combination of warm and cool will be easy to decorate with. Combine this will a simple glass backspalsh in a coordinating shade. If you have more questions- take more pictures and send them my way.

Kitchen Mini Makeover

Hi,

My name is Grettel and I found your blog while searching for ideas to update my very 70's kitchen. We just moved to our new home and our budget is pretty limited, therefor new cabinetry is out of the question. I look at pictures of white kitchens, with dark counter tops and oiled bronze hardware and wonder if this is something I can do with the kind of cabinets that I have (they are laminated) I was hoping you could show me the light at the end of the tunnel so that I can feel inspired to cook again as I used to before we moved. I am attaching a picture of the kitchen. I hope you can give me some advice and ideas. Thank you for your time Grettel

Dear Grettle,

I am going to show you a design that will go with the style of cabinetry that you have. The cabinets are not only laminated- they are also pretty contemporary. Trying to fight that, and make them more traditional is not going to work. Let me show you what will.

1. Remove the soffit. Chances are it is there for looks only- as it does not continue around the room.
2. Remove the upper cabinets.
3. You will need a new hood. I am hoping that stainless steal appliances are in your budget- :) Put in a new hood that doesn't' require cabinets to hide it. Like the one in this photo.


4. Replace the light fixture. This will go along way to changing your atmosphere. Replace your florescent with about six can lights. The shade chandelier below is from Lamps Plus.


5. now that you have nothing on your walls- add some tile. This is a combination of glass and travertine. Put it on the wall from the counter to the ceiling. I cannot tell what is on your counter right now. If it needs to be replaced- replace it with a laminate or Ceasarstone that matches the travertine color in the mosaic. This mosaic is from Ectile.com.


6. IKEA has such great prices, as well as good style in their kitchen items. I would add uppers and shelves like the ones below. For open shelves- you will want consistent nice looking dishes and glasses- get a basket in your lower cabinets to hide your husband's "Word's Greatest Dad" mug and any other unsightly additions. IKEA also has some nice looking islands- check them out- you appear to have plenty of room to add an island.


7. I know that I can't see much of your room adjoining the kitchen- but I can see some of it and want to go there. Replace the flooring in the kitchen and family room, giving yourself one flooring surface. I would use a cork floor like the one below. When doorways are so wide- it always is so much nicer to have a continuous floor. Paint the paneling Swiss Coffee white- and paint the ceiling and the kitchen a light gray- like the gray in the shade. While you are painting- paint your dining set- the darker khaki color in the glass mosaic.

OK- so there you go- I'm going to call the look "Urban Cottage Chic." What do you think?

Dawna's Bathroom

Dawna's bathroom. Our first step was selecting a sink. The one above is from Overstock.com- only $969. Catch up with Dawna in this post.

Be sure to add some greenery on your counter. Like I discussed in this post... (plants above from Uttermost)

For her surface products, I told her to go to some stone distributors and ask if they have any specials. She does not need a specific stone- so she has the freedom of looking around for a sale. I have seen travertines as low as $2/ sf. This can give her the opulence of a spa on a lower budget. (since I spent her budget on the headboard yesterday :)

Add a splash of style and color with accents of a green mosaic in the backsplash. I feel like the Master bath and master bedroom should blend together in color in style. See plans for her master bedroom in this post. If the accent color is localized like this, she can chip it out in 10 years and change it entirely if she decides to change her colors.

To stay away from that "too much stone" feel. Break it up by doing the floor in Amtico. Amtico is a high end resin product- and would work great in a steamy shower room- unlike real wood. It has the richness and feel, however, of a real hardwood floor. It is also easy to clean, and care for. I also discussed Amtico in this post.

On your window- add some pattern, softness and color with Roman Shades- like the one below. This bathroom also has a great paint color for Dawna- it reminds me of Relaxed Khaki from Sherwin Williams. I like it mixed with the crisp white trim and ceiling.
Hang two mirrors instead of one. The mirror below is 26 x 36- (from Uttermost) it adds some green and style- and keeps the bathroom from having that "tract home cookie cutter" feel.Anyone have more ideas to make Dawna's bathroom look fabulous?