Wow! That is looking so fantastic already! I really love the colors you picked for your perimeter cabinets and island. The island looks so much bigger ... did you totally redo it? What's the name of your granite? So pretty. Your floors are gorgeous. Did you refinish them? I have some maple stained chairs that I want to paint black. Can you please tell me what is the process?

Can't wait to see your backsplash!

Erika

Thanks erikanh! The island was refaced, the old one is still in there, but we have new panels built and installed overtop, I'll take better pics once the whole kitchen is finished. The granite is Caledonia Dark, and we had the cabinets & chairs sprayed with lacquer paint. I did all the cleaning, I used a tsp solution and gave them a good scrubbing, then rinsed and dried everything. The painters gave everything a good sanding and they were sprayed in their shop. As you can see the cabinet doors haven't been put back on yet, but they are done.

Oops, I forgot to mention the floor is a Shaw laminate that we installed ourselves 2 years ago.

PattyK

LOVE what you have done - Perfectly good cabs, tables, chairs have been given new life & look so updated & great in your space. Must really feel good!
I don't know how tiling all the way to the ceiling would work in your space - I think tiling to the bottom of upper cab would be better suited - Use paint to go over your stenciling. I think tile to the ceiling will break things up too much

Here's a link to Daltile, wonderful products at reasonable price points - If you post a close up of your granite you will get some great ideas for tile choices & maybe even a mock up on photoshop.

Great job

Here is a link that might be useful: daltile natural stone

My goodness you sure do work fast! What a HUGE difference! I love what you have done so far. I am not so sure about tiling all the way to the ceiling though. I think that may be a bit overwhelming for your space. Perhaps a nice paint color to hide your painstakingly done stencil above the cabinets and a gorgeous tile back splash tile below the cabinets would look better and not so dominating.

Oh dear, I doubt I'll be able to talk hubby out of the tile idea, for some reason heart is set on it. I guess he's seen it somewhere and liked it. Even if it's a light tile, like a travertine, will it still be too much?

Great transformation. I did some stenciling in my kitchen I was very proud of about 15 years ago! Thought it was so great then too ;-)

My concern about the tile to the ceiling - what are you going to do over the door? How will you end the tile given the cabinet crown moulding extends past the cabinet into the door area? I have seen the tile to the ceiling before but usually in kitchens with open shelving and no upper cabinets or very modern cabinets with no crown at the top.

It is your kitchen and ultimately your decision. Did you have an inspiration photo showing the tile to the ceiling in a kitchen like yours?

I had no idea the tile to the ceiling would cause so much concern! No I don't have a picture, it wasn't my idea. I'd be happy with it to the bottom of the cupboards, but DH insists it will look good. It's going to be a light travertine or tumbled marble subway tile. Honestly I'm feeling a little discouraged, I didn't think it was such a bad idea. :(

Nice! If you do the tile, I think the marble would be better--just a bit lighter. And I like it better. :) I think it'll look fine, but I'm not sure how he'll tile over those cabinets!

The stenciling looks pretty good, but I agree that its time has passed.

Where did your dh get the idea - did he see it somewhere?

You should not be overly concerned with other people's opinions if you really feel strongly about a design direction. THis is a high commitment decision - you are not going to be able to easily remove the tile and tile isn't inexpensive.

I make some pretty extreme design decisions myself and I usually like them ;-) I guess what makes me want to push you to be absolutely sure is that your style is so traditional and what you are proposing is not. I personally have never seen anything like it in a kitchen like yours. I also don't know how you end it at the end of the cabinets. Take a look at the picture you posted - do you see how the crown creates a situation where you will have to extend tile on the top and it doesn't match the line under the cabinets. It is also going to make the top of the doorway look a little odd - in my opinion and my opinion doesn't matter if YOU and your dh like it.

gldnfan: I think I'm just a little overloaded and overwhelmed from decision making/renovating etc., today and probably taking these comments a little too seriously. Sorry about that.
He did see it somewhere, but not with exactly our style of cabinets. I'm not sure what you mean about the crown creating a situation. The crown hasn't been nailed down yet, or whatever it is that needs to be done. The tile will be done and then the crown will be mounted after.

Well, relax. It's gorgeous and your instincts have been good so far. Trust yourself!

The all-over tile is an old-fashioned look, using stone updates it while still being classic. I've always loved that look. I think your cabinets are timeless enough to pull it off.

It is your home, but I would never put tile to the ceiling...just to the bottom of the upper cabinets. Use paint to cover your ivy (which I am sure was pretty 15 years ago)..... I happen to see a remodeling show (don't know which one), but it had tile to the ceiling and that was the first thing they took down. I hope you can find a picture of what your DH saw so you can share it with us.

Patty
Hard to find pics of the application but I tried

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6RuB-MyU_O4/STzH-FRlBPI/AAAAAAAADpE/CDYCP54NraY/s400/burnham+designs+whittier+drive+kitchen+houndshouth+checker+tile+backsplash+dark+wood+cabinets.jpg

http://roomenvy.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/0407_sunset_cottagekit_l.jpg

I would find the inspiration pic dh is referring to before you agree

Also, Get samples, live with them then get a box & do a mock up above the cabs - museum wax may work to hold them,

good luck

Pattyk, I agree with fori - relax and trust yourself. Your new kitchen is looking very classic and will always be in style. I think the tile to the ceiling will look great. Let us know when you find your tile.

Notice how in the examples jejvtr posted the tile dead ends into a wall or is installed in a straight line - the cabinets have no crown on top so the tile is even over the cabinets with the tile under the cabinets.

that is what I was trying to point out in your kitchen - the crown on the top of the cabinets extends over the door so you will have tile on top that runs into this area and will not line up with the back splash below the cabinets - unless you are planning to tile around the door too?

I'm also worried about your DH's idea to tile above your cabinets. I just think it will look odd to tile above your doorway or to try and stop it before the doorway. But I could be totally wrong!

pattyk!! it's looking great! I spent all week-end putting our stuff back, I wasn't able to get on here. So glad I didn't miss it! :)

Okay, now that we have the same cabinets, the same granite and wood (laminate)floors, can you hurry up and choose a backsplash and wall paint color?!? LOL......... those are the items I am stuck on right now. Have been leaning towards tumbled travertine set on the diagonal with a mosaic border in charcoal - very similar lay-out to ccoombs backsplash. So, if you put up the stone I can see what it will look like in "our" kitchens!! :) Any clue what direction you are taking for wall paint?

Can't wait to see more pics! I need to take some more soon. Our floors go in tomorrow, so maybe in a few days. I'll be watching for your posts!

Patty,
What a difference! Looks amazing! Have to agree with those questioning your decision to tile to the ceiling. I feel that will close in your space and suggest you paint over the ivy and tile only to cabinets. (Will save you a bunch of $$ as well). Can't wait to see it finished. You are doing a great job.

Hello friends,

With Hopefully i am going to give my Opinions. I bought so many Kitchen Appliances like Countertop Microwaves, Dishwashers, Mixer, refrigerator, icecream maker etc., at Bestbuy.com so i have got 2.40% cash back. I am very happy to say this. I am very happy because I saved the money. For all the items i am going to this store only.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bestbuy

One thing I might mention that will make installing the tile above the cabinets much easier, if that's what you are going to do. Don't nail down that crown yet. Cutting all the tile to fit around the crown will be a horrible task. Install the tile first and then cut a little off the crown pieces so it fits tight against the tile instead of tight against the wall. But I still think that it will look much better with no tile up there.

perrymatthew.....huh?? This sure looks like spam and has nothing to do with this thread at all!!

katiee: I'm having such a hard time deciding on the tile! DH and I can't agree on a color, and I have no idea about paint anymore. We have a decorator coming on Monday to help us figure things out. Hopefully by then we'll have a better direction where to go. I would be happy with a porcelain tile, at least there is more color selection that way. I'm finding the travertine and tumbled marble I've seen here all have either peach or pink undertones, which I absolutely DO NOT want. I will let you know when we've got it figured out though. Have you decided on anything since you posted?

ccombs1: Yes, the reason DH hasn't nailed down the crown is to make the tile installation easier. I appreciate the tip though!

Honestly, I realize most of you don't like this idea, but it's not just my kitchen, DH has his own ideas and I believe we need to find some kind of compromise. I'd like to maybe see the section by the kitchen sink to go up to the ceiling, maybe that will be enough to make him happy. Anyways, here are pictures of the place where my husband got the idea of tiling to the ceiling. I realize not everyone agrees with this idea, and that's fine. This kitchen is also fairly different in style to my kitchen, so I realize it's something to take into consideration. The pictures aren't the best, but I wasn't taking them in mind for posting, it's from a place we stayed at for a weekend once, a vacation spot for one of the builders my DH does some work for.

pattyk, you're right, that kitchen is a very different style from yours, more of a Tuscan style, right? However, I totally agree that your DH's ideas definitely need to be considered. I think your idea of doing the tile on the sink wall up to the ceiling is a very good compromise. That way you won't have to worry about how to end the tile at your doorway.

Good luck!

Erika

wow beautiful transformation w/ just a bit of paint and new countertops! congrats
I also think the pics of the tile above the cabinets help put it into perspective as that is a beautiful tuscan looking kitchen and it might just look nice. I couldn't picture it as I've always thought either cabinets to ceiling or paint above them. You may compromise and just do one side of the kitchen like you said by the sink and maybe that one end you have in the picture above those cabinets. but i am sure it will look great!

hey pattyk - I seem to find less and less time to get on here lately!! my son's baseball season keeps us pretty busy. Okay, I brought home a tile from Lowe's just to see how it would look. It's a creamy white tumbled stone and most opinions so far are they like the look in the kitchen. Hard to judge by one tile propped against the wall. I need to find the time to get to The Tile Shop and bring home samples of what we picked out months ago to see if we still like it.

Family that was visiting this week chose a few BM paint colors to get samples of. Balboa Mist OC-27 which leans toward gray. Smokey Taupe 983 which is tannish brown family. Ocean Pebbles 1530 which has sage green undertones. I am not sure how each will react in our space because I will continue the color into the DR since we opened up the wall.

The Brazillian Cherry Laminate was installed this week and it is a bit of a shock getting used to darker, redder floors!! I love the floor but it really throws my color choices off. I haven't a clue which way to turn now. haha

I think I need a decision break for a bit and leave these few unfinished and maybe the answers will come to me in a dream.........LOL........ I'll keep checking here when I can and will still be watching to see if you have an inspiration I can steal. Good Luck!!

can you tell me where you live and how you found someone to spray your cabinets. I really want to have mine done. I live in Western Mass. Thanks Prill