Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
phiwwy

Does this tile work with my Bianco Antico?

phiwwy
11 years ago

Help! This is the honed version of the original 4x12 marble wooden beige that we fell in love with originally. Polished is no longer available, so we bought a box of honed to try it out.

I loved the lantern-shaped white ceramic from California Art, but DH maintains that he does not like it.

I've tentatively omitted the idea of adding pewter accents and just letting the BS be in the background and let the counter and hood be the star.

So, here are some pix with the honed tile, taken with in various lighting situations.

Tell me what you like, or don't like, about this please. I'm so exhausted from this renovation and just want to be done (although there is still SO MUCH left to do besides BS). I'm so tempted just to slap anything up there but I can't vent the hood or get inspections until BS is done, so I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself.

Thank you so much in advance for your help :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: More photos of tile laid out

Comments (14)

  • remodelfla
    11 years ago

    I really really like it ALOT!

  • mamasheshe
    11 years ago

    I think it is beautiful, understated elegance that really lets your counter and hood be the stars. I would do as-is without pewter accents. And that's from a very blingy girl. LOL

  • ellendi
    11 years ago

    I know this is not what you want to hear, but I think it looks too busy. Bianco granite is a stand alone star. My preference is always a solid tile. I think the color is fine though.

  • beekeeperswife
    11 years ago

    Well, I was thankful for everybody's brutally honest opinions about tile when I wanted whatever I was showing to be "the one". So, I am going to gently say, I don't think it works. But, that is based on photos. You are there in person and you alone can see if it works.

    I think the BA really needs a solid tile to go with it. I think I told you this before, but I had a heck of a time finding something other than a grayish-white subway tile to work with my BA. The thing that made the arabesques work for me was that the shape was so unique, but the color was simple. And with the beveled edges it really made it even more special.

    So, if you like the shape of the subway, can you look for a beveled white subway? Or a beveled subway with a little taupe?

    I just think the tile you are showing is beautiful, but it is trying to steal the show from BA.

    Just my 2 cents. Hope you aren't mad.

    bee

  • cardamon
    11 years ago

    I agree with Ellendi and Bee. I have a similar granite to BA called Vintage. I put up a cream crackled glaze subway tile and am glad I did. I didn't want my granite to have any competition. But it is your kitchen so you have to do what pleases you. That is most important. It is a pretty tile but it has a grain pattern and the granite has pattern and if you like having the two things to look at it will work for you. You asked for opinions!

  • williamsem
    11 years ago

    I think it's lovely. It's very monochromatic and I don't think it's too busy. But I'm not very good at color and things. I think you already know deep down if it will work for you, listen to your instincts.

  • lala girl
    11 years ago

    I will chime in too - I think a crisp solid tile or surface (SS, glass) will better sell the gorgeous BA - these seem to muddy each other rather than help each other shine.

    but full disclosure I am absolutely a one stone to a room girl :)

  • sofla
    11 years ago

    I don't think the marble and granite are complimenting each other. The granite should be the star. Try a white or cream subway or a white or cream 1x2 rectangle tiles.

  • breezygirl
    11 years ago

    I don't think they work either. Yes, the colors in them seem the same, but IMHO the patterns are battling each other. When I was planning BA for my kitchen, several people warned me that it was very difficult to find tile to go with it. I think a solid color is your friend here. Have you tried that route?

    Maybe I'm missing something, but why can't your hood be vented now? Must the tile be done first? When we needed to move back into our house, I didn't have the time or desire to pick bs tile so we installed the hood anyway. A year later. I still don't have tile, but I enjoy using my hoood. I *will* pick tile one day and will take the hood down at that point to tile behind it. The hood will be rehung afterwards. Is this a possibility for you? I feel like it might relieve some of your stress.

  • phiwwy
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for everyone's help and opinions. I'm going to return the box. It just doesn't work. I will continue looking for a solid tile, white or even greige. DH nixed the lantern shape in white. I will even bring home glass to see - but everyone says glass will be too modern looking. Here is a grey sample board, but I don't like the sizes (3x6 would be the only contender) and I think it's a little flat. I think a grey or greige in a glossy finish might be nice. But it's encouraging that perhaps this route may be one to try.

    Breezy - thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely ask the hvac guy - but I think he said that the ductwork that he will run through the garage will be attached to the hood, making it permanent. Also, the crown that will go along the upper cabs flanking the hood will return to the wall, or tile, which will be there eventually. I guess I could ask the cab guy to put it up there and leave space for tile and not have it hit the wall. But if those 2 things are possible, then yes I would love to move ahead, get the final inspections and take my time with the BS.

    I so love the bianco antico that I do not want to take away from it. So all of these comments have been most helpful - thanks again!

  • SaraKat
    11 years ago

    It doesn't seem right to me, something about how the tile looks very modern and the counter top of a different feel. I don' t like them together though love them separately. Your kitchen is beautiful.

  • breezygirl
    11 years ago

    Yes, the ductwork (however it comes into the hood) attaches to the hood. Still, at least with mine, you can detach the hood from that in order to take it down. Ask your guy.

    What I did with my crown was to have it run as it would anyway--right into the wall. I think the plan was to take the crown down at tiling time and replace. But I could be mistaken--it might be that the tile would be cut around the crown. I can't remember. All I remember is the 1,327,378 pounds of weight lifted from my shoulders when I found out that we could work around the lack of bs and I did NOT have to pick tile in two days with all the work I was GC'ing and other decisions at the end during such a huge stress period. :)

    Of course, without the pressure, I'm still in a tile-less kitchen almost a year to the day later..... ((ugh)). And the whole master bath addition has been waiting on me for that year to pick tile also. Oops.

  • williamsem
    11 years ago

    I like that last pic you posted, the color is great!

  • phiwwy
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    sarakat - thanks - were you referring to the first set (the 4x12s, wooden beige tile) or the last pix I posted, the grey?

    breezy - yes I will explore this option. thank you so much. will ask the hvac guy. bet he could temporarily vent it w/out permanently attaching to the hood. and the crown - I'm wondering if that piece that returns to the wall could be cut, tacked up, and later taken down, cut back to fit against the tile. I would not want the tile guys to try to scribe the tile to the crown. i think that there are a few too many curves in the crown profile.

    ahhhh breezy we also have a master bath sort of in progress. floor tile is down, base cabs in, granite broke on the way in so i'm waiting to see the other slab or choose a slab from another lot. thankfully they have a few slabs! There is another area with a 5' piece and a few smaller pieces cut from the 1st slab so I really want a super close match. anyway, i also have to wait for glass shelves for the niches, because the first set DIDN'T FIT! we measured wrong or extra mud got put in or something anyway that turned into a $425 mistake which hurts here at the end when the well has run dry. at least i have picked the tile and everything.

    i just want the kitchen/paint/floors - entire 1st floor done for thanksgiving - except for backsplash!