backsplash ideas?

[DrSally]

I have dark gray/black granite with brown/copper flecks, natural cherry cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. My paint color is a neutral beige. Wondering what to do for a backsplash? People have said to go "neutral" and let the countertop shine. I've also heard you can either go shiney (glass) or not (travertine?) I just don't know. Do you have a backsplash that you love?

[strollerqueen]

Yes. They are handpainted ceramic tiles, of angels blowing horns, and this swirly design underneath. Kind of looks like something you would see in ancient Rome. They are colorful, but not too bright or garish. One of the colors is cobalt blue, which is the color of my countertops. My cabinets are cherry, too. I just went to a nearby tile store, and they had loads of nice choices. It's a nice way to add a little color into your browns/earth tones.

[KpbS]

I love the look of subway glass tiles. If I was designing a kitchen right now I would absolutely go with this look. There are a variety of colors and textures out there--google images--subway tile backsplash--for some examples.

[DrSally]

I love the look of subway glass tiles. If I was designing a kitchen right now I would absolutely go with this look. There are a variety of colors and textures out there--google images--subway tile backsplash--for some examples.

I love the subway tile look, but never considered they would come in something other than white! I know glass can be expensive though. I did go to the local tile store and there were so many choices it was dizzying!

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

We just finished a mini kitchen remodel and my favorite part is the tile. It is off white ceramic handmade subway tile but it had a beveled shape so that it actually sticks out from the wall. I loved it so much I want to put in on the other walls of my kitchen from the floor to the same height as the backsplash.
Company is Pratt and Larson and made in USA is a plus.

[BeachBum]

Here is a great place to look for inspiration. It is all real homes, not magazine pictures.

http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/

There is a link on the right of backsplashes only.

This blog was put together by a poster on the Kitchens forum at the message boards of "thathomesite.com" It is a fantastic resource for all things kitchen remodel.

We chose to run our marble up as the backsplash (should be installed today). In our old kitchen we had (fake) tin ceiling tiles as a backsplash. They come in copper and a tin type finish.

If I were doing tile I'd take a very, very hard look at Ann Sacks tile and Walker Zanger.

[WitMom]

I don't have any input for you (I have my own backsplash that I'd like to change), but I do have a couple of websites for you to check out. Go to www.thathomesite.com, and go to the kitchens forum. There are a ton of kitchen obsessed members in various stages of remodels and new kitchen installations. There are a lot of good pictures and information. Along with that website, one of the members put together www.finishedkitchens.blogspot.com. You can search on this site by almost anything (i.e. color of cabinets, a specific countertop material, a specific layout, color of appliances...you get the idea) and see great finished kitchens using that element. There are tons of awesome backsplashes...be prepared to waste a lot to time oohing and ahhing over some of these kitchens.

[DrSally]

Thank you for the website recommendations and tile brand recommendations. I spent some time last night looking and will look again tonight. A great way to get a lot of ideas. You really have to see it put together, rather than looking at indiv tiles at the store.

[trales]

It sounds like we have a similar kitchen, though I have black appliances. I am/will be going to go with glass subway (small sized) in off white, peachy, light mossy green and blue-grey. Very subtle colors, with tiny flecks of black in them. I don't know the brand but found them at a local, independant tile store.

[ThreeofUs]

Just a note from my experience - if you do tile, make sure the grout is easy to clean! i.e., near-flush w/ tile tops and smooth.

Friends put in tile w/ a different, rough grout and are sorry!



baby in arms, sorry for brevity/errors

[beansprout13]

I think I have the same type of granite that you described (dark brown/black with brown and some off white flecks)... I have coffee colored cabinets and stainless appliances. For our backsplash, I did a natural, tumbled marble tile on a diagonal pattern. I love it. It is simple and not overstated, but very classy looking at the same time.

[saschalicks]

What about a stainless steel backsplash?

[DrSally]

What about a stainless steel backsplash?

I thought of doing the pressed tin as a backsplash (the kind you can use for ceilings that pp mentioned). Reading some of these websites, it says that sheet stainless steel is pretty expensive. I might be afraid it would be too shiney too. It's so hard to decide. The tip on the grout is good to remember too.

[DrSally]

Boy, these websites are a world onto themselves. Lots of georgeous kitchens. Here's a subway tile I like:

http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/2005/07/annaleefs-kitchen.html

I like some of the mini tiles, but they can end up looking busy...

[bubbaray]

Our backsplash tiles are very similar to those in color, though they are square, not rectangular. I like them, they are easy to clean!

[BeachBum]

I thought of doing the pressed tin as a backsplash (the kind you can use for ceilings that pp mentioned). Reading some of these websites, it says that sheet stainless steel is pretty expensive. I might be afraid it would be too shiney too. It's so hard to decide. The tip on the grout is good to remember too.

You should really check out that plastic look a like stuff from HD and Lowes. I think you would be surprised.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=89091-82801-L53-21&lpage=none

I'm not sure that this is what we used, but it looked pretty similar.

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

Just a note from my experience - if you do tile, make sure the grout is easy to clean! i.e., near-flush w/ tile tops and smooth.

Friends put in tile w/ a different, rough grout and are sorry!



baby in arms, sorry for brevity/errors


I just want to add that the type of tile may dictate using the rougher grout which is called " unsanded". If you use hand made tile with irregular edges often the joint will need to be wider to accommodate the irregularities. The sanded grout is used in these cases because it is stronger. Machine made tile can usually use the regular unsanded grout. I believe the rule is if the joint is more than 1/8 inch to use sanded.

[DrSally]

I just want to add that the type of tile may dictate using the rougher grout which is called " unsanded". If you use hand made tile with irregular edges often the joint will need to be wider to accommodate the irregularities. The sanded grout is used in these cases because it is stronger. Machine made tile can usually use the regular unsanded grout. I believe the rule is if the joint is more than 1/8 inch to use sanded.

Good to know. I think I'll prob go with a machine made tile, nothing too fancy.

[DrSally]

You should really check out that plastic look a like stuff from HD and Lowes. I think you would be surprised.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=89091-82801-L53-21&lpage=none

I'm not sure that this is what we used, but it looked pretty similar.

You know, I saw these at HD when I was shopping for carpet and assumed they were real!