Nancy's Backsplash

Look for me speaking in pink.

Dear Christine,
I haven't seen backsplashes addressed in your blog. That must mean you were just waiting for someone like me to ask the question! Yep - I was just waiting for you!
We are doing some kitchen remodeling and I'd like some creative input so I can make my backsplash selection. The cabinets will be natural alder in a shaker style. The countertops will be Absolute Black granite. Since I have never even thought about backsplashes, I am overwhelmed by the number of choices available.
I like some of the black and white backsplashes I have seen and I think that would look good with my black countertops. Yeahhh-- I wouldn't. I don't see white with your cabinets - I would go warmer. I also like the idea of incorporating my floor tile in the backsplash. It's available in 12" and 6" tiles. Yeahhhh-- I wouldn't. This is up there with having a coffee table that matches the end tables that matches the entertainment center. That kind of selection is for people that don't know how to coordinate. :) (Don't take anything I say personally - that goes for all of you...) It's slate gray that looks bluish. However- we need to remember the flooring when selecting the backsplash... Also I could incorporate some color that goes with the cabinets. My cabinet color is pretty warm and I don't want the backsplash to clash with the cabinets.
All the backsplashes are 18" high but behind the cooktop it's 29". Also I don't need to keep all the backsplash areas we now have when we get the new stuff in. We'll have a cabinet wall on the left side of the refrigerator that we have the option of adding backsplash to. The white refrigerator and cooktop are going to stay for the time being, but we plan to replace them with black. Same with the dishwasher. We're getting new black ovens.
I'm open to any ideas you have, so go for it!
Thanks,
Nancy

OK- so these are the elements we are working with - warm light cabinets, black counters, and a bluish gray floor. Here are some options:

1. Slate- slate is famous for having a lot of bluish gray - mixed with warm tones.
2. You can get some beautiful raised patterns - I love the weave below - the little bit of warm mixed through will look wonderful with your cabinets...
3. I am doing a bathroom as we speak with a flooring similar to the one below - a pebble mosaic with black, gray and light warm tones - this would also look great in your kitchen...
4. Don't think that you have to include black in your backsplash. The counters are your neutral - a stone basket weave like the one below would be perfect- it has the blueish gray, the warm tones- and would be very pretty (a lot more intense once it is sealed). What do you think? Anyone have a favorite for Nancy?

P Dub needs my help :)

You all know who the Pioneer Woman is -- right? She is the totally famous blogger, (she has one bazillion readers- and I don't even have a site meter- we are on different levels in the bloggosphere) Anyway- we all fell in love with as she told the story of how she and her husband fell in love. She has a section of her blog entitled "Home and Garden" In it, her latest post asked for some help. So- here I am- that's what I do :) Currently, and the number increases every minute or so, she has 919 responses to this request for help. All from amateurs. They are giving lousy advice. And sadly, she will probably never even read my very well thought out, professional, excellent advice. But, once I read her post, I could not, not respond. I just kept thinking about this zen- lodge bath- so here I am, giving advice to the girl who will never see my advice, because by the time I finish this post, she will most likely be over 1000 in her comments, and surely not read them all.- So hey- maybe it will give someone else out there an idea or two on their own bath.

This is her bathroom:

This is what she has chosen for her surfaces:

Some of her feedback said, don't use the travertine in the shower- it will get moldy! People said that over and over- (no- I did not read all 919 comments- not even close- I just scanned and saw it a lot) Personally, I would not worry about it. 1. This is a GUEST house- to me that implies only occasional showers, not 2x / day. 2. Any travertine shower that is cleaned regularly, is not going to get moldy. 3. The large holes are filled with grout. It should not be a problem. You should always have good fans in shower areas- to keep the area from being too humid. 4. Some of the responses said not to use the small tiles on the floor, because of the cleaning issue again. The floor of the shower needs the little tiles to provide the subtle curve in the floor needed for drainage. PW- don't listen to those 919 people who don't know what they are talking about!!!!! If however, you only plan on cleaning your shower once ever two or three months- -- perhaps something less porous would be my suggestion.

Here is a portion of her actual text:

These would be for the shower: the tiny tiles on the floor, the 6 x 6 tile (butted up really close together) on the walls. OK- let me interject here- when you have a tumbled stone, like the 6 x 6 in your photo- you cannot but them up really close, or you have these odd looking corners- you would need a minimum of a 1/4 in ch grout line for it to look right. if you want butted edges, select a stone with square corners.- OK- I will let you continue. I’m drawn to this color range: it’s ultra-neutral, but richer—more khaki—than many of the beigy-off-white tiles I saw. (This is in bright natural light; in the bathroom, it’ll appear darker.)
Now. My thinking is to go with a neutral shower in all the bathrooms, then change the marble/limestone pattern on the different countertops from bathroom to bathroom. Of course, they’re all in the neutral range, too…but I like them:

So here I am—back in the Land of the Neutrals. I want the bathrooms to be calming, soothing, with hints of Zen, but still true to our rural locale. Am I playing it too safe? OK- interjection here again from me- I would say- yes- too safe- Or am I heading in the right direction? Was I right to steer clear of shiny, hotel-style marbles? A variation in texture is good, a little shiny would be great- just not in large quantities. Is it okay to do all the showers in the same materials, then change up the slab patterns on the countertops? Are you talking about more than one bathroom I assume? I am starting to think you should have flown me out for this one. I paint the walls Cyndi Lauper Pink? Should I do a wallpaper border of Scottish plaid and golf clubs as a nod to my country club upbringing?
(Post Script: Not really on the pink and plaid.)
I’d love your thoughts. My mind is shot. I’ve lost the will to make smart choices. “I’m a pool of mushy goo.”
(Name that 80’s movie.)
Thank you…as always.
Love,P-Dub

So- basically- she needs to get her surface material selections to the contractor- Here you go:

This material below, Jerusalem Gold, was the surface that she started with, but disregarded because of it's shininess. I would go with it, but use it honed instead of shiny. This is for your counters.

For your floor, check out the selection below- she was looking for, and I quote her, " It’s supposed to be a lodge. A relaxing, cozy, Zen-like Lodge." What says zen-like lodge more than a black pebble mosaic? Nothing, I tell you, nothing! This is the perfect floor. This will give her a textural variety that is YUMMY!

For the showers- how about the piece below? You can use it on the floor, (this photo is blown up, it is pretty small), and mix it with some larger pieces on the walls, - in about a 16 inch section, bordered with some coordinating stone rope- with large 12 x 12's or 18 x 18's as the main field.

For your walls, it looks like there is not a lot of wall space, but where there is - go with this beautiful paper (below) from the Antonia Vella collection, book, Aviva. OK- stop that! There are a bunch of you saying, "OHHHH- that's too dark!!!!" No it is not. The kids aren't doing their HOMEWORK in there! It is a guest bath! Filled with large mirrors and artificial lighting! This will give it an ambiance that will make you want to never leave! It is perfect. It is fabulous!

Ok- give the selections to the contractor- all of the selections are available through Walker Zanger- available everywhere- even on the frontier! Oh- and Ree- if you do actually read this, I wanted to tell you that your photo on your About Pioneer Woman page is really stunning- in a "makes me want to dye my hair" kind of way :) I am a 36 year old mother of two girls and two boys, living in northern California- I think we should be friends :)