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parsuzi

Help me pick my backsplash, please! - pic heavy

parsuzi
14 years ago

Hi everyone. I haven't posted in a while. Our kitchen still isn't quite finished - but it's time to choose a backsplash. I didn't reduce the pics, sorry.

Originally, I wanted the Alys Edwards Gigi Stix. Concerns about that: Too small/busy for my galley kitchen? Might get tired of grays?

This one shows the size of the stix better

Then I looked at the glass 1x2s - Again - they read blue/gray. Is it too much shine? (Old pic, before the counter was installed.)

How about the marble sticks? Too much grout? Even if I choose white?

Traditional white subway? Too boring? But it is neutral, can accesorize w/ whatever color I like.

ACK! Need advice, input.

Counter is Zodiaq Cloud White...As far as style, I know that some of these backsplashes read traditional and others are more modern. Our home is a 1950's split - kitchen in front of house. (I stood in the front 'hall' when photographing the pics of the kitchen below). We have a ton of real wood paneling in the house, which we have painted white, but eventually may remove and replace w/ drywall. Neither DH or I are in love with our house - we have a habit of flipping them and moving on. That said, Murphy's Law indicates that this is the house we stay in for more than 5 years!!

Here is the kitchen. Please excuse the mess.

Any advice or input is appreciated.

TIA

Parsuzi

Comments (27)

  • heart-of-dixie
    14 years ago

    I like the glass tiles (the blue/gray). Beautiful kitchen.

  • plumberry
    14 years ago

    I like the first tiles pictured...but I'm not able to envision how it will look. I personally don't like the opalescence (showing pink caste) of the last tile shown. If it were me I'd need to do a square ft block as it would be on the wall and compare. Your kitchen is beautiful.

  • pugrolls
    14 years ago

    I like the blue and gray glass tiles too. Then again, I'm a sucker for that color combo. I think it would be nice to bring in a little color to your (gorgeous!) kitchen.

  • rhome410
    14 years ago

    I thought you'd had a glass tile picked out that had both grays and some brown that connected with the cabinets? The Gigi Stix look very tiny to me. I like the tile I remember from previous posts the best, but from those hear, prefer the grays...just fearful of the size.

  • petra66_gw
    14 years ago

    I love the 1x2 glass tile. The rest feels too cold for me. Lovely kitchen!

  • remodelfla
    14 years ago

    How about the Sumi-e brick. They have a little less irridescence I think. They have 1x2 or larger brick. This is the Sendai color

    {{!gwi}}
    And zushisilk color... a little more blueish/gray
    {{!gwi}}

  • parsuzi
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Rhome - I HAD it figured out, then decided I wasn't ABSOLUTELY sure...

    Remodelfla - the tile that Rhome refers to is VERY similar to the pics you posted. - see pic of glass 1x2s above.

    ACK! I'm so indecisive!

  • Gena Hooper
    14 years ago

    Love the first tile, but the size looks so super tiny! I can't picture how they would look. I like the first tiles that remodelfla posted.

  • morton5
    14 years ago

    You did a great job with your kitchen! Of the ones you posted, I like the glass tile best, but I think the ones remodelfla posted are super!

  • gigib_08
    14 years ago

    I love the glass tiles (blue and grays)! Beautiful kitchen!!

  • jb1176
    14 years ago

    Beautiful kitchen!! The cabinets are great with the white countertop. You've made excellent choices so far so trust your instinct.

    I do like the tiny gigi stix and the marble stix. Don't care for the other more colorful samples pictured above.

  • beekeeperswife
    14 years ago

    I like the first tile, the gigi sticks. I think that they look they will read as 'color' and not individual tiles. Does that make sense? I think if they were a variety of sizes, or different finishes, such as matte mixed with gloss, your eye would see the backsplash as different tiles. I think the smaller ones will just give the appearance of color.

    A long time ago I was in love with, and still am, a mini tile that was about 1/2" x 1/2". It was by Oceanside and it read as glam, which is what I apparantly am going for in my kitchen. Have you seen the ad with the tile in it? It is the Kraftmaid ad with the all white kitchen? So, those small tiles just gave the look of one color. Here's a picture, I know this obviously won't be like yours, but I think the overall effect will be the same.

    {{!gwi}}

  • kitchenconfidential2
    14 years ago

    I like the glass tile and the first one remodelfla picked.

    Beautiful kitchen.

  • parsuzi
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    beekeeperswife: I had also considered the one below. It's still not off the list, either. Do you like it better than the darker one?

    Here's another pic of it next to the first glass tile board I showed. The boards were borrowed, I've since returned them to the tile store. These tiles are available in about 1x2s and 1x1s. The tiny tile sheet above in the picture with my other options is a sample card of it w/o grout. Looks very different with grout!

  • remodelfla
    14 years ago

    OK.. that last pic helps more. They look very very similiar to what I posted. I like the one on the right (darker one)

  • blondelle
    14 years ago

    I would like a clean, simple glass or crackled ceramic subway tile either 3 X 6m or 2 X 4 in a similar color to what your paint looks like by the doorway in that same pale blue gray with off white grout. It will pick up and pop your cabinet color, and be a cleaner, easier look to live with long term. The other tile is a bit busy and trendy.

  • doraville
    14 years ago

    I'm so happy you posted your pictures. I'm finding it hard to take good pictures of my galley. Your cabinets look like mine, but I have a smaller galley kitchen. Your countertop is one I considered and wish I had gone with instead of my granite. Now I get to see what it would have looked like! In a galley kitchen with dark cabinets, I don't think I would go with a dark backsplash. I struggling with this too but I have a busy granite that a backsplash shouldn't compete with. However, you don't have that concern. Even so I like the marble stixs. I'm not too fond of glass tile or tumbled stone. Maybe some color that bridges the dark cabinets and the white counters? Try something bigger than smaller.

  • beekeeperswife
    14 years ago

    I like the one on the right. but I sort of like the one on the left too. sorry. It's just 2 different looks.

    That being said, you need to do the "squint" test. I think the lighter tile on the left will appear to give you a white-ish color--so stand back, squint your eyes at the painted backsplash area now--do you like what you see or would you want it darker? Maybe do the test again with the tile on the counter--where you have counters so as to get the full effect.

    If you want it to look really rich, then darker. If you want to keep it light, then the lighter one.

    I think both will look nice, seriously. I say pour yourself a cup of tea, and sit down and just stare at it. It will come to you. It is sort of like a meditation type of thing. If anybody is home, they will wonder if you are "ok".

  • kitchenconfidential2
    14 years ago

    I like both too. The darker one makes a stronger statement, has more personality, and is more taste specific. It's beautiful. The other is more neutral - if you think you might be selling your house in the near future - and is just as beautiful. You cannot go wrong either way.

  • moana1011
    14 years ago

    Love, love, the interlocking marble "sticks". Looks beautiful in your kitchen - classic, elegant, but just a smidge eclectic.

  • blondelle
    14 years ago

    Neither of the glass mosaics have any tones though that relate to your cabinet color. With so many colors in them, I think at least one should pick up that reddish brown. It's not an issue with one color tile but with many colors, at least one should be similar in tone to the cabinets. A multicolor backsplash should tie the counter and the cabinets together, and those don't.

  • dedtired
    14 years ago

    Not the grey. I sgree that it does not pick up the warm tones of the cabs or floor. I like the glass tiles. On you picture that is further down in the thread -- the two samples that are differnt colors -- I like the one on the left. It is warm and will add some lightness to the darker wood cabinets. The sample on the right is nice, too.

    Good luck. I am trying to pick bathroom tile and I am ready to jump off a roof. I felt the same way picking my backsplash.

  • blondelle
    14 years ago

    There is also another issue I've just noticed. Your furnishings in the adjoining room are traditional as are your curves in the countertop. A lot of your choices such as the long sticks would really fit better in a more modern kitchen.

    I think I would also like a more traditional larger subway tile or a 2 x 4 if you go that route. I think the easiest way is to look at lots of kitchen photos on the net that share your counter, floor and cabinet colors and choose one that you like and then try and replicate it as closely as possible. That will give you a fair idea of what your finished kitchen would look like with that backsplash choice.

  • seliles
    14 years ago

    parsuzi,

    I like the gigi stix Good Vibrations in the first picture.
    It would be nice if you or someone could photoshop these tiles into your pics. I can't do it, but I've seen other posters do it and it works great when you're trying to decide on whether you like the overall look .

    One quick side question: I see you have a GE CAFE electric range. I was thinking about getting that model and just wondered how you like it? Complaints/dislikes?

    pbear

  • prill
    14 years ago

    I like the darker of the 2 you posted last. Have you looked at Akdo glass. One of their subways would be really pretty in there.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Akdo glass tile

  • parsuzi
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    PBear2007 - Yes, we have the GE Cafe electric range. No complaints at all. I bought it for the 'look' (horrible reason, I know)...I did use the convect and thought it didn't seem to work like my old convection oven, which automatically converted from traditional to convect...I'm thinking that I did something wrong, though, as I never read the instruction manual. Otherwise, it's really nice. The lower oven takes a really long time (this is reflected in the manual, which I consulted when it seemed to take forever) to preheat. I would really only use it for overflow, since the main oven heats quickly.

    The top seems easier to keep clean than my old GE glass cooktop. Not sure if the glass is different or I'm just more careful.