Yes, no problem tiling wood. Use mastic instead of thinset. Mastic is sold in nice size tubs in the tiling section of the big box store.

Would it be Ok if I say I don't like this idea? :(

I like the tiles on the floor of the cabinet, but I think the "up the sides" tiles are too much of a good thing.

I'm not crazy about the cutting boards standing up, and I think they might be bad about sliding out to the floor. I'd consider corraling them into a pretty basket.

Thanks hags00.

ellendi - absolutely OK, that's why I post. I'd appreciate reasons not to do this as well.

MrsPete - the basket is an interesting idea, thanks for the suggestion. Agreed that I do need something to keep the boards in place.

I've already chickened out on the idea of 'random' pattern and have narrowed the colors down to a few matching ones and will plan on ordering add'l tile. It's almost 6 square feet, which surprised me.

One of my inspiration pictures showed open tiled shelves instead of drawers below a rangetop, with pots and pans at the ready. I love the look.

You guys haven't talked me out of this yet... Anyone else up for a try :)

ob2b - I like the idea of matching the tile to what you used in the rest of your kitchen, so it's nice to hear that you are changing that initial idea a bit. The randomness of using colors that you didn't like enough for them to be in your backsplash wasn't appealing to me.

I can see the use in what you are planning from the water standpoint. Keep in mind that when you do add the tile, it will serve to draw your eye there even more than the "open faced cabinet", so you're probably going to want to have lovely cutting boards and paper towels that are deserving of attention.

From a practical standpoint, I don't know for certain so I'm throwing this out there as something to research more, but you want to find out if the wood can act as a solid enough backerboard. And you want to maker certain that you won't have problems with what you use to adhere the tile to the wood. The last thing I can think of right now is finding out if the natural expansion and contraction of the wood might cause some cracking of the tiles and/or grout...not sure if your inspiration pictures used wood as their base for the tile or something else, so you may want to check into that if you can.

Good luck!

I'm sorry I just don't like the look. I think the contrast of the cool tile color tones in your lovely warm wood cabinet is too stark. I also think it draws the eye, but I concede that may stem from the angle of the photo and in real life would be a non-issue.
It is also very permanent. If you want to proceed, I would purchase a piece of masonite or something, cut it to the size of your cabinet base, put a nice little molding stained to match your cabinets on the front edge and mount the tiles on that. Then you can take it out if you get sick of it.
I do understand your desire for a more durable surface on the cabinet floor on which to rest damp cutting boards. What about applying a couple coats of good sealer?

oldbat, I don't care for it either. I do like the idea of protecting the bottom of the cabinet from dampness and this solution is ingenious, but it looks a little DIY crafty afterthought. It would be charming in a different kitchen but I'm not sure it matches the style of yours.

I do like localeater's solution of a less permanent installation. If it turns out you love it, us dissenters would be roundly proven wrong. :p

A half sheet or full sheet baking tray to line the bottom of the cabinet would be removable and you can put it in the DW to clean when it gets cruddy. For cutting boards, in the old kitchen with crappy cabinets that were going to go away, I used stainless C shaped hooks that screwed into the cabinet sides. The cutting boards handles slipped right over that and hung to dry, yet were easy to pull off. I did that on the sides of the cabinets next to the sink so that I rinsed the cutting boards and hung them to dry. One side dripped above my washrack drainboard, and the other, if needed, I just put a glass under the drip point that needed rinsing out---the lazy person's way of doing it. You might could adapt the idea to your cubby.

For the current kitchen, I did a doweled "plate rack" insert for them to rest upright and separated. All of the poly ones, which is pretty much what I use, go in the DW to be sanitized, and they are dry when they come out, so no drippy stuff. For the wooden ones, they get towel dried before being put away.

You mentioned that you have an inspiration pic that you like--is it available to post? I think I might like it if the tile was all white, or something extremely cohesive with the kitchen. I would want that spot to look functional and sanitary if it were my kitchen, rather than too designed, if you know what I mean. I also think localeater had a great idea that would solve the problem of potentially not liking how it turns out.

Hmmm. I'm listening. Point taken about having nice cutting boards out and visible andreak100. (I so wasn't putting my 'white' one out for these pictures).

sharaz - I agree that single tile would be better.

localeater - so is it a color thing? Angle will not bother me; when I take pictures I am backed up against the perimeter run/cooktop cabinet. I like your masonite idea for a bottom piece but am still considering doing the whole inner cabinet.

mermanmike - can't find the inspiration pic but I'll keep looking for. I like the idea of making it look functional and sanitary, which to me means a light, near white look vs. darker.

linelle - you definitely got my attention with your 'looks like a DIY crafty afterthought' - no, I definitely don't want this! But, some of you may remember that I'm not thrilled with the island color - so in a way, I'm trying for a little sleight of hand; something to draw the eye AWAY from the island color/finish.

GreenDesigns - you always have great input, thanks. I think I'd like to either install a rod on which the cutting boards could hang or some sort of as you say, doweled 'plate rack'. Either way, I just want to be able to use the cutting board, clean it and put it away without making sure it's perfectly dry.

What do you think of marble? CT is Cambria Torquay. I think the two materials are far enough apart to be alright together.

I think the idea of the bottom is cool.
It's a good idea about water from the cutting boards, as well.

Those tiles were potential back splashes, anyway, so they'll coordinate with what you've chosen.

Go ahead. Outside the box with the inside of the box! :)
I think it's cheerful, too.

Sorry, but I don't care for this look either. Of the options shown, the last photo with the cambria is probably the best. I think the open cabinet just makes the kitchen look unfinished in my eyes. I would much rather see a cabinet door in that area or if you really like this cabinet open; a couple of shelves to match the cabinets for cookbooks, knick-knacks etc and i'd put the cutting
boards underneath the sink.

A friend directed me here. I am the crazy mosaic person. Anything goes in our house.

First we have icky manufactured home cabinets and not the lovely ones you have. we had them refaced with real wood and the doors and drawers were already real wood. So we were half way there.

Still I worried about the inside of the cabinets. I took those peel ad stick floor tiles and put them in the bottoms of my cabinets . Nothing like adding tacky on top of tacky. Right?? But it looks so much better. I no longer have to worry about a drip or two getting on the bottoms. I lined the insides of the cabinets with vintage trays behind my vintage wire dish racks and it is very cheerful to open the cabinets now.

On to your deal. I would not use mastic. I would use silicone ,GE Silicone II or the cheep wally world version,to attach your tiles.Get the tube and use your calking gun if you are going to do the whole inside of the cabinet. I can not see much of your kitchen. I can see just a bit of the dinning room or living room. If it were me I would make that little space a Jewel Box. What some of our friends call our house because of all my mosaics around.

I an not saying to go so over board as I have done. I just finished this antique desk top as a landing spot for hot pots when I am dishing up dinner or serving buffet if we ever have large sit down dinners.

Just going to show close up of the top because it shows the colors best.

You might not want to go so wild with color.

It might be a fun accent, but I'd go with a different tile. I think a small format like a 1" or 2" mosaic would be more interesting and appropriate for the small space. A glass or marble tile would probably work much better than ceramic/porcelain.

Sorry, I think the tile will look odd and significantly diminish the beauty of your cabinets with a cheap DIY retrofit. I could possibly see a piece of the Torquay on the bottom. Do you have your sink cutout or other scrap?

I've been looking at images of wall-papered stairs--have you considered using a fun wallpaper? Vinyl covered paper could probably stand up to damp cutting boards, and could be changed easily.

shades, I love that desk top!

oldbat, I didn't realize you weren't thrilled with the color of your island. The only problem with your sleight of hand trick is you've said that this opening is really out of the way and not very noticeable. So, it probably wouldn't really have an effect on your island, other than a little "Take that, island color!"

I like khinmn92's idea of finishing off the opening space below the roll of paper towel, even if that involves a special way to accommodate your cutting boards. I don't know if you have animals, but my cats would have a field day in that big old cubby.

I knew shades would know what adhesive to use. She's done some great mosaics at her house.

I put vinyl stick on tiles on my cabinet shelves so I don't have to worry about water. It's also much easier to clean than the wood shelves.

With just the photo of the cubby area, I don't know what would look good with the rest of your house/kitchen, but I do like the idea of a mosaic. Before doing anything permanent, you could glue your tiles, wallpaper, or whatever, pieces of thin board, stick it in the cubby area, and live with it awhile to see how you like it.

I'll admit though that I'm not wild about all the mis-matched tile in your first photo. I think it would look nicer with just tile or stone on the bottom.

Oldbat, I think maybe it was mostly a color thing for me. In your second picture, with just the piece of marble I think it looks very nice.
Since you are trying to do something to draw the eye, have you given any thought to fabric. I am envisioning a kind of fabric door made from swing arm curtain rods, or tension rods or a combination. Mount the upper one below your paper towel holder so it doesn't decrease that accessibility. Hang a fabric panel between them. Whenever you wanted to change it up you would just need a fabric scrap with two hems in it.

I like the tile idea. I gravitate towards out-of-the-box ideas and creative solutions. But, I would suggest using 3M Command Strips to adhere the tiles so you can remove them without damaging the cabinet and change it easily.

Another idea would be to use painted beadboard for the sides and back and tile for the bottom.

2B: If you like the idea of tiling the whole box, I think you should. I also think you have some great suggestions for semi-permanent solutions above to wade in slowly and then see how you like it. At this point you may be feeling like you just want to do it and be done with it, and if you are confident that this is what you want, Do it :)

And may I also add that i LOVE shades of Idaho's mosaic and want to see more...!

Glad you have changed your mind about the random tile idea.

I think the tile on the bottom could be very smart looking and practical.
Not sure about tile on the sides.

I plan to use "smart tile" when I tile the inside of my microwave shelf. I will be using Ikea and they assume you will use a built-in microwave, hence they don't finish. I think smart tiles might be a good idea.

AND.. they are removable. I haven't priced them but for such a small patch, I'm hoping it won't be too much. Thought you might find them useful also. I don't think this last little bit of kitchen remodeling is good place to start being so frugal using existing tile, IMO.
Smart tiles at: http://www.thesmarttiles.com/c-2-collections.aspx

I haven't done a serious investigation on these yet so could be a "show stopper". But consider this an FYI

Here is a link that might be useful: Smart Tile Collections

I just recommended something similar for visual effect on the back wall of glass front cabinets and open upper shelves. With the right tile it will be very nice. Tile the entire box, though. Here's a glass and copper mosaic that would be lovely. The small format of the individual tiles and color will be great for your cabinets.

Oh, and adding a copper rail across the bottom, say 5 inches from the base, will help keep the cutting boards in the cabinet.

Here is a link that might be useful: glass/copper

Old bat: I wouldn't let GW inhibit you from a little practical use-it-up ness or even 'craftiness'. Things take on a life of correctness just for being loved by their owner. Think: 'all kids are beautiful in the eyes of their mother'. It does depend on the look and feel you're wanting to create, but that can come from within to without of you (if you follow); it was your idea and you liked it, I think? It's OK to have an idea different from the standard ... depending, of course, on how much imaginativeness you're wanting in the kitchen.

I would suggest something that I'm pretty sure would not be loved by most here, and maybe not even you either as you seem to have an aversion to the notion of 'craftiness'. But if you're wanting to use up all that spare sample left around and the colors don't feel quite right, I'm wondering if breaking up the tiles into a sort of random mosaic pattern - that is, smaller than the large, regular tiles, might not work. But I'd agree probably only for the base.

I think the suggestion for application that's removeable is a good idea .... but how about just making essentially a tray of the tile and setting it on the floor of the open cabinet. That way if you end up hating it, you can just lift the whole thing off with zero damage to the cabinet at all?

Personally, I like the idea of that random-shaped jaggedy look, but your kitchen looks very regular and traditional to me and it might not be part of your mind-set. What I'm trying to say, though, is: it's your mindset that drives this creative bus. And if you're liking the idea, then likely it will work, work in a way that our sterile envisioning might miss.

I applaud you for finding a way to deal with the excess scrap!

I wasn't a fan of the multi-colored tiles, but I like the look of mimicking the counter with the piece of marble.

I will just throw in the fact that tile and grout are actually not waterproof, so you wouldn't be protecting your wood from moisture by tiling it without using some kind of waterproofing underlay like a Kerdi membrane. However, a damp cutting board wouldn't be very much moisture (I throw mine right into a wooden cabinet. The finish protects it just fine). So it's really just an aesthetic decision, not a functional one -- perhaps that might help you decide one way or another?

Hehe. I love the mockup. I like the "sensible" marble on the bottom only.

I can't get over how dusty and fuzzy an open lower cabinet would be in my house though!

I would probably chicken out and tile removable boards instead of the cabinet walls and floor. But I like to think I'd chicken out in sample multicolor.

When I was selling my condo years ago, I took out a trash compacter in a space comparable in size. In it's place I made a wine rack that held 12 bottles of wine. The new owner loved it! ;o)

LOL - I have lots of tile samples to figure out a way to use!.
OldBat - if you like it - go for it! I would think about mounting the tiles on a removable piece of wood so downstream, you could remove it without damage...
Best of both worlds.

How about hanging the cutting boards? Not sure if the frame could support the weight and you would want your most used ones in front.

I am really liking the marble idea.

Christine - exactly. Most of the tiles would coordinate (admittedly, not all!).

khimn92-My sink cabinet has 3 recyling/trash pullouts, so unfortunately no place for a cutting board. Love the setup but definitely didn't plan for cutting board location up front. I do love bookshelves in kitchens and have two tall ones nearby.

shade_of_idaho - Wow, now that's some serious bling there, would love to see more pictures of that table. Now why silicone instead of mastic?

chiefneil, marti8a - We did our master bath with mosaic tiles. Tiled walk in shower, inside and out, and tiled walls and floor. It took two years. I never want to attempt another mosaic project again!! (That said, EAM44, that glass and copper combo is gorgeous).

marcolo, appreciate the honest feedback. No scraps unfortunately, but this is definitely somewhere where scraps could be used. I've considered getting 5 2cm marble pieces cut, guess it wouldn't hurt to get a quote. If I do this, I'd like it to enhance the space.

mama_goose - hadn't thought of wall paper, thanks. I still like the marble idea.

linelle - no cats, just a big old dog. Putting a door on the lower half of this cabinet is an option, and building a shelf, but I like the functionality of no door.

localeater-I never think of fabric. I do not have a single curtain up anywhere in the house!

corgimum - sticking tiles on temporarily and living with them for a while is a good way to go. I'm pretty sure I will want to grout for a permanent look, if I proceed. Tile beadboard is an interesting idea, but again, beadboard is another thing I've done a lot of so will probably avoid.

claybabe - I'm pretty sure I will tile the whole box.

elphaba - what a cool concept!

EAM44- where should rail go? on floor of cabinet or up a few inches?

aliris19 - absolutely nothing wrong with 'craftiness' but I agree that this is not the place to start being frugal. I definitely prefer the look of the marble tile to the fireclay tiles for this application. Interesting idea of breaking up the tiles... but I'm thinking that would be way too much work!!

fori - oddly enough, in a house filled with dog hair, this cabinet doesn't get dirty.

chiefy76 - glad you like the marble look.

circuspeanut - for me, using a white color is an aesthetic decision, white=clean (ha ha)

patty_cakes - good point, this could be repurposed if needed.

a2 - hanging is an option, DH may be able to figure out some sort of support

OK all -thanks for the great feedback. I think most of you are tepid about the idea but I still like it and will proceed. Best, oldbat2be

Go for it - but remember my idea of tiling on a second board so it can be removed downstream.

The rail should be 4 - 5 inches from the "floor" of the cabinet that you're going to tile. Any higher and boards can slip under it and onto the floor, much lower and they can slip over if you have too many in there.

I can't wait to see how it comes out!

Thanks so much to all. I placed my order today, Calacatta gold marble 2x2's with a 12" chair rail in the same material (to keep the cutting boards from sliding out). Will post follow-up pictures once all is complete. If it turns out OK :)

{{!gwi}}

I think your final tile choice will look lovely! I also like the open cab with useful things in it. (Doesn't look "unflinished" or a "crafty DIY afterthought" to me as much as eminently practical with a nice finish.) One thing to consider in lieu of the chair rail is a wooden plate rack, which we put in the open shelf above our prep area for cutting boards. We got ours at a locally-owned kitchen and home store, but C&B has a similar one. You can find them or easily make it out of 2x1s and dowels for any sized space (see link below). It makes it much easier to grab the correct board rather than having them all leaned and jumbled together. Ours is oriented on end, so individual boards can be pulled out, as opposed to stacked, which would require sorting through them front-to-back.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wooden plat rack

Oldbat2b, Thank you for the kind words. If you click my picture it will take you to my flicker pictures and after scrolling through dogs and cats and flowers you will come to many more mosaics.

I use silicone because for me it is easier. You do not have to spread it all over with the notched trowel=less clean up. You can silicone the back side and set the pieces in place.Or silicone the mesh side of a sheet and stick it down or up. And I can say from experience my pieces stay put. I had a different mosaic top on this desk that was plates kind of the shabby look. Linked below in kitchen at our last house.

It took me three long hard days with hammer and chisel to get the old top off. It was done in 2005 and wanted to stay. I am glad I worked through it as the new top is more usable to me.

Another reason for silicone is I do a lot of glass on mirror and it gives the glass bits a pretty shine through them. The silicone is clear and if you are careful you can remove all bubbles and lines and this is why the glass bits glow.

I honestly think your marble choice is gorgeous. Certainly more sophisticated for your lovely kitchen.

Here is a link that might be useful: Old top on desk

shades_of_idaho -- count me in as your fan! Wow. My eyes are swimming with delight at the visions of what you are doing. I love it all!

Oh thank you aliris19. I just thought of some thing on my project. Those 6 by 6 tiles are 1/4 inch thick so I needed the thinner mirror behind the glass bits to bring them up to the proper height. If I were using regular 1/8 stained glass I would also use the 1/8 inch mirror against 1/4 inch tiles.

I know my work is kind of insane says she smiling. It is not for the faint of heart. I suppose some day I will be known not only as the crazy cat lady but the crazy glass lady too. Good thing we have a strong foundation on this place.

Oldbat2be I did not mean to take over your thread. Sorry. I will go now. FYI It is fun being an old bat I have had experience. :^)

shades_of_idaho - thanks for the silicone input and please, hijack anytime:) Delightful is truly the word for your work. I really enjoyed looking at your pictures. I love what you do with circles!

Wait! Shades of Idaho: I am a huge fan. I want to know more about how you do that, what you build your larger tiles on and how you cut marbles. Can you steer me toward some instruction?

OB2B: I think your cutting board nook is going to be fantastic. Can't wait to see it.

Claybabe I sent you message through GW.

Updating with details and a picture. Still need to finish cabinet toekick (furniture style, but that's another project).

Source: The Builder Depot, Calacatta Gold Italian Marble 2x2 square mosaic polished. Item CAL-2X2-SQP, $18.95 per

I wasn't a fan of tiling the whole box, but now that I see it, I like it! Can you get a photo which also shows the bottom of the box?

Thanks suzannes1. Here's the bottom of the box:

I couldn't get the marble liner piece to work to my satisfaction (this would have gone across the bottom, and is what prevents the cutting boards from sliding out), so DH cut a small piece of toekick and we used this instead. I like it much more than the marble.

Of course, taking closeups reminds me of what's still not done. I now see that we need to repeat the same piece on the top.

You did it!
I really like it.
It (still) seems so sensible (to me) and such a pretty accent.

I also love the fact you came back to the original discussion thread. I like things nice and neatly tied up. You've addressed my OCD.

Great job -- oh! I love that little bun foot.

Nice!

Love it!