Looked at the slide show... love the glass tile in the shower. And the really pretty foyer...and the giraffes :) Cool looking stone behind the sink in the 1/2 bath...oh and the wonderful lighting in the kitchen/great room. And the really nice window seat...hmm...I am sure I am missing something LOL.

What part of the country are you in ? Looked like maybe you are on the water...when I saw the outdoor walkway area. Anyway very very pretty use of materials. Oh ..how old is the house that you did a complete gut ? Guess that is all for now. Thank you for linking the "rest of the story ". c

Gasp is right! Really stunning! LOVE your huge window in the kitchen! OMG - - - you must be so happy!! love the sink in the island! Can you get a photo of that? Well Done!

Yes, very happy with how it turned out, and even more happy to be finally (almost) finished. Remodeling is not for impatient or faint of heart. We are in Florida, not on the water (well, unless you count a pond) but closeby. And here's a pic of the island sink:

Here is a link that might be useful:

After seeing your amazing reveal...I don't know if I want to put mine up when we are finished, there is no competing with that! I LOVE that ceiling and the pendant lights are awesome. Can you give me the details on those? I kind of wish I had seen these pictures before we started building so I could copy your amazing window and barrel ceiling idea. Why didn't I think of that:)

Jamie, well, it didn't start life as a barrel ceiling, so maybe you can change yours ; ) the pendant lights are by ET2, the neo line. Also comes as multi-light pendant, but I did 5 singles to spread them better. Thanks for the compliment, I'm betting yours will be gorgeous, look forward to seeing it.

Really nice looking kitchen. Those ceilings and windows are fabulous. But for what its worth ... I'd recommend you do a coloured backsplash. Glass sounds great. Not a busy backsplash, but one with lots of colour.

Congratulations!

Truly beautiful. Love your style, your marble, your pendants, shower tile... very very beautiful.

Count me as another "gasper!" That pic took my breath away....do you just pinch yourself each day when you walk into that stunning space? Love the stained barrel vault! Our front porch has a similar ceiling, but nowhere near that big. Gorgeous!

It's a modern space, so I think it could use something more modern. However, whatever pattern you pick will be seen from far away, so I don't think you'd want little busy colors.

You could try a more sculptural tile, keep it as neutral or colorful as you want.
{{!gwi}}

Maybe a big mosaic.
{{!gwi}}

I am always mystified why, with so many amazing tile choices out there, subways are so trendy.

Marcolo, you have a great point. I thought the marble mini subways would tie in the island, but hate to lose the opportunity to do something more artistic. Guess I'll make another trip to the tile store to look for something with lots of color, but not too busy, maybe something sculpural. Again thanks for the wonderful feedback.

What about a colourful but calm mural-type backsplash (ann sacks)?

[eclectic kitchen tile design[(https://www.houzz.com/products/eclectic-tile-prbr1-br~t_1053~s_2104)

Breathtaking. The ceiling, the layout, the lights, the cabinetry, the light, the floor... All great!

I also went through the slideshow and love the giraffes, bath tile, the entry light fixture, and the fun and funky round cushions in the beautiful window seat.

I'm a fan of color and whimsy... maybe a little bit of the unexpected, and from looking at some of the details in your house, it seems you might be, too. I would love to see something colorful on your backsplash. I'm afraid you might be playing it safe to do the marble. I see color peeking out from the stacked cabinets in some interesting glass pieces, and in your countertop appliances and plates, but those are tiny spots and I want more. :-)

Oh! You have a big ass fan! I was wondering about those for my parents. Would you mind letting me know how you like it?

Beautiful space! The ceiling is gorgeous. Congrats!

Sochi, that is gorgeous tile! Rhome, hehe, you got me pegged. Check this out for "unexpected whimsy" this is a pass through from my closet to the laundry room. A bit off topic, but thought you might enjoy.

Kikiko, love, love the BAF! I can set the a/c several degrees higher and still be comfy. It looks awesome and is very quiet. Not sure we needed all 21 speeds, but it is sure a conversation piece.

I'm still going to vote for the marble mini-bricks. You were exactly right when you said there is enough going on already. You have a lot of gorgeous focal points - the window, the ceiling, the stacked cabinets, the pendants, the tile floor design (did I miss any?) - and you really don't need any more. This is NOT your typical boring white kitchen that could use something to make it stand out! Just my two cents.

Awesome!!!!!

Love the ceiling, the lights, the floor! Great job! Enjoy!

When I opened the link I literally said "Oh S**t!" And I don't typically curse. I was blown away by how amazing it is. Wow! is right.

I think some color on the backsplash would be lovely though. It would add some color interest into a mostly white kitchen. The first tiles Marcolo posted are beautiful. As are the Ann Sacks Cherry Blossoms. There are soooooo many beautiful tiles out there. Follow your inner, unexpected whimsy and do something fun.

Tilenut, your home is Simply Stunning! The glass tile in your shower is to die for.

Back to the kitchen reveal, I'm kind of new, so pardon my lack of terminology, but that wood ceiling is beautiful. Also, I love the counter stools and flooring. Great job!

So many great details! I love the ceiling (of course!), the curvy prep sink, the fun rough-cut granite in the powder room, and that awesome port hole window. Great job!

I LOVE that pass-through!!! THanks for showing it to me. :-D

Your user name says a lot that those mini-bricks don't. ;)

GORGEOUS! Another draw dropper here when I clicked on your pic :) No wonder you want to show that baby off!

Love the ceiling, very neat and warm looking. The window at the top is to die for, and I really like that you chose lit cabinets at the top. Great job! Enjoy!

you should be proud. Its gorgeous!

Not to get off topic in the Kitchens forum, but can you tell me the name of the tiles you used in the Hall bath? Everything looks terrific.

I don't know how everyone is finding your slideshow, but I want in! I only get a large single pic from each link....HELP!

I love your kitchen and esp the dark band in the floor and the tall ceiling among many other details.

I'd say you should not get a mottled bs, so that takes the marble mini bricks out. I'd try for a single color with maybe some design to it, like the Ann Sacks cherry blossom or first one by Marcolo, but in less bold colors. I don't think this needs a "pop" of color because the whole look it has is scrumptious as it is. To me, your kitchen is all about texture and differing materials and going wild on the bs would detract from the flow. I'd try for a mellow color in a soothing look. A smooth light colored glass tile would be wonderful or even a single color ceramic tile. Something with gloss in a single tone would look ideal.
I am not suggesting playing it safe or going neutral out of fear, but because I think your kitchen has bold architectural elements and does not call for the smoke and mirrors a bright color would bring to add pizazz.

Love, love it. Just want to go in and hang out at your island and stare at your ceiling.

I would think a color other than white for your backspash. I do like Marcolo's choice, although there are probably many others that would work well too.

What IS the first tile you posted, Marcolo?

Love, love, love everything about that space! The window, the openness, the lights and the cabinets! Wish I can move in! :)

Some of the best eye candy out there.. my apologies in advance, but I am SO stealing some of your ideas!!!

Gorgeous! What a sense of space.
Congratulations on your beautiful new kitchen.

Votes seem split between Marcolo's first (what is that??), something like the Ann Sacks, and the marble minis. I'll pick up a few samples and repost. Meanwhile, Dianalo, if you click on the "Total remodel" link above, you should see the slideshow. Constanceann, the hall bath tile is from glasstilestore online. It is the spa glass series, believe the color is seafoam. I am thoroughly enjoying all your comments, makes me feel like all the pain and $$$ was worth it.

Can I cast a vote for both Marcolo's first one and the Ann Sacks?? Or is that cheating?

Good luck with your samples, looking forward to seeing what you find.

Went to a tile store today. After about 1 1/2 hours, i came home with only 4 samples. Here they are, along with a few others I already have:

Plus I already have:

And of course, the marble. I looked at some reds, my favorite accent color, but think I'd rather limit that to easy to change decor. Any of these stand out to you?

Love the whole space! Is that a giant fan in the ceiling? Your ceilings are gorgeous. I am in agreement with the colored backsplash group. The blue one that marcolo suggested contrasts nicely with your red appliances. What is that by the way? I really like the wave effect.

THUD, now to dust off my clothes after falling on the floor. Stunning, absolutely stunning, yet inviting, warm and I want to cozy up to the island and have a great cup of coffee and conversation. Kudos to you!

In my totally inexperienced look at your kitchen a few things stand out - the glow from the lights under the counter and in the upper glass fronted cabinets, the clear light from the windows, the red of your mixer. The outside light is very bright and clear (not much color) except that the greens are in view through the adjacent room. The undercounter and upper glass-fronted cabinets have a warm cream glow.

The yellowish glass tiles seem to pick up the artificial warm light. The striated glass tile is beautiful with the counters and picks up the window light. Marcolo's suggestion of the wonderful red tiles picks up the red of the mixer. Seems to me you need to decide which you want to emphasize. May depend on your climate.

I like the stripey pale yellow glass tile. It looks great with your granite.
Next, I'd vote for the mini bricks you already have.
In fact, I am kind of torn between the 2. I wish I could see a larger sample of each with your granite.
My vote is split 50/50, the more I look at those 2....

Stunning kitchen - I'll have to go back and look at all the rest, but first I have to know about that beautiful striated glass tile....who makes it and where can I get some?

So much to think about. Cinda, the striated glass is from glass tile store .com

Tilenut, I notice Marcolo has not posted back and it finally occurred to me to cut and paste the URL from that very first tile picture. The wavy blue tile is a Vicente Wolfe Textures by Ann Sacks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wavy Blue Tile Marcolo posted

What a gorgeous kitchen! Congrats. The window over the range is so pretty.

When I think Florida, i think Moroccan or Spanish encaustic tile, or Bromstad vibrant color. But I don't see either of those in the choices you have made for your home.

I havent looked though all the posts, but i think your backsplash should match your wood ceiling, hung shiplap style (ie horizontally). I love the ceiling but in the photos I don't see where you pick it up anywhere else.

You can use marine varnish on it and my fabricator guarantees the finish, on wood counters with runnels yet. Plus I had beadboard on my old backsplash and had no maintenance issues.

The other issue is that it is kind of dark, which can make it recede. But you have undercab lighting which helps, and you can also use the dark wood as a great foil for kitchen accessories.

Just throwing it out there....

I'd still like something more colorful, but of these, I like the striated/striped yellowish tile, too. For one thing, I prefer the larger size to all the tiny choices. I feel like the smaller ones repeat the size of the all-over pattern in the granite.

I have thought about doing wood like the ceiling, as I have enough left over. I think I already have a lot of wood, though, and it's dark. How is this for color, to go behind cooktop. More than I wanted to spend for just that area, but maybe if I do an inexpensive ceramic on the rest, I could make it work. Thanks for figuring out that wavy tile, Colorfast, I'm going to look up that too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Poppy mosaic

What an Awesome Space! You must be relieved it's almost finished! We just decided on our backsplash. We were originally going to do all Mosaic but it was tooooo much..so we decided to do mostly subway with a 3-5 layer strip down the middle to tie in the counters...here is our photobucket..I will post more pics when the backsplash is finished! Good Luck ! Either way it's going to be georgous!

http://s1011.photobucket.com/albums/af233/flatman/Kitchen%20Oct%202011/?action=view&current=289ec471.png

tilenut --

At least from the photo you posted, you seem to have crafted your gorgeous space for living well in a warm muggy sunny climate.

I don't mean just the shape and height of the ceiling and the world class ceiling fan, but also how you managed to create a kind of three-dimensional mosaic of light (or lighted) and dark and medium tone (the fridge, the plate rack) geometric shapes in a really pleasing scale. The champagne-colored glass tile would retain that essential feel as well as any pale subway or other ceramic tile.

Were you even thinking about going bright with your backsplashes, I would first tack up paper or fabric of a color or pattern close to what you are interested in in all the backsplash spaces, then live with it a day or two in various light situations.

If you stay within your established palette, a longing for more brightly colored accents could be addressed with items that could be easily replaced. I can see flowers as tall and sculptural and bright as anthurium or bird of paradise or coral canna lilies (in tall geometric heavy crystal or matte dark to neutral vase), or brightly hued glass or ceramic objects on your island or a counter. (Note how your tea kettle pops in the photo with your range hood light on; it only looks diminutive in your generous space.]

If you have any "before" photos, I hope you will post them. Whatever you started with, you have a sui generis masterpiece now. It is sooo worth the care and the trouble and the money you invested.

Heartiest congratulations. hbk

DH likes the blue/beige 1x1 cracked glass mosaic, for the cooktop area, with plain or textured white or the beige crackle for the rest, with maybe a few accents of the blue/beige. I'm thinking of making the poppy mosaic linked above into a picture I can mount or remove from the cooktop splash as I please.
Funny noone mentioned the blue/ beige. Maybe you have to see it in person, but it is stunning. Just too busy to use for the whole backsplash. And thank you, honorbiltkit, for your observations. I did put a lot of thought into all those things ( non GWers would think an obsessive amount ;-)

Sorry for the long delay, but in case anybody is interested, here is a pic with the new backsplash. Crackle glass above cooktop, and same marble as on floor for the rest.

This post was edited by tilenut on Sat, Apr 13, 13 at 10:23

Gorgeous!!! Love the warmth of your space!

Oh, that is totally magazine worthy!

Gives me hope that *one day*, I'll have a finished kitchen too. LOL

Congratulations!