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debbienp7

Need Backsplash Advice!

debbienp7
11 years ago

So we are having a mosaic made to go behind our cooktop. I will attach the inspiration photo of the mosaic. It is of red poppies. It won't be exactly like this, but very similar. So I have 2 questions:

1) What should the boarder for the mosaic be? Should I get some of the special "border" tiles so that there is dimension to the border? Or would a flat boarder that is all black or alternating black and white tiles look better?

2) For the backsplash in the rest of the kitchen, should it be:

a) Solid cream colored subway tiles that match our cabinets

b) Solid cream colored subway tiles mixed with some glass and stone square mosaic tiles. I would do 1 row of subway tiles on the bottom, then 2 rows of the little mosaic squares above that, then 3 more rows of subway, then 1 row of little square tiles, then 1 row of subway on the top.

I love the way the mosaic square tiles look with the subway tiles, but I'm worried the kitchen will look too busy and detract from the mosaic. What do you think. I will post pictures of everything so I can get some opinions. Thanks!

Comments (36)

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here's a photo of our unfinished kitchen.

  • deedles
    11 years ago

    Pretty! I'd vote for keeping the BS simple. What about a double row of tiles around the mosaic... like a double mat for a picture? Maybe thinner black on the inside and then larger white in a bigger depth to match the BS tiles?

    I like your ceiling!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here is the tile board with the smaller mosaic squares that I am thinking of using together. I don't have the tile board anymore. Unfortunately this photo doesn't show a subway tile visible. The squares are 1.25" squares.

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here's a photo that shows the squares with the subway tiles on the board to the right, just so you can see the relative size of the squares to the subway tiles.

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    This is the kind of tile border I am considering. It is 1" wide and would give some dimension to the border, so it would look like a picture frame.

  • corgimum
    11 years ago

    Your mosaic is going to be beautiful! I like the mosaic border that you have selected and I would go with subway tile for rest of the kitchen.

  • deedles
    11 years ago

    Just playing around with your tile picture. Here is a version with the black pencil line and a picture without.

    {{!gwi}}

  • debrak_2008
    11 years ago

    I like it outlined in black, seems to bring out the colors better. You have black in your granite.

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks so much for the photos deedles! I like the mosaic with the pencil line and then the tile boarder around it too!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes, I do have black in the granite and our island is black, so the black would definitely tie in.

  • Pipdog
    11 years ago

    I'm loving the rustic beams and the counters you've selected, but I have to be honest...I'm having a hard time envisioning the red poppy mosaic over the cooktop. It seems like it might compete with the beautiful movement of those counters.

  • gone_south
    11 years ago

    That black pencil line really frames the mural nicely!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Pipdog, I have agonized over this mosaic. The mosaic artist is coming tomorrow, so I have to finalize my selections tomorrow. Here is the inspiration mosaic I originally wanted to use. I love it but then once everything got installed I felt like the kitchen was looking more formal than I had wanted and I felt like the scrollwork would make the kitchen look even more formal. So I looked for some other possibilities. I love the poppies and I felt like they would look good with the color of the beams. The mosaic artist asked me what I wanted out of the mosaic--if I wanted it to blend in or if I wanted it to be the "star" of the kitchen. I felt like I wanted it to be the centerpiece. So that's how I came to pick it. Although at one point I did consider changing the mosaic to one that would blend in more so I could use those mosaic square tiles in the rest of the kitchen and have it flow better. Now I'm second guessing the poppies!!! Help, I don't know what to do!!!

  • localeater
    11 years ago

    I love the poppies, and I love your kitchen, but I don't think I would love them together. The glass tile mosaic poppies feel so contemporary but your kitchen feels very traditional, plus your granite is very busy.
    Is the artist coming tomorrow for a consultation? Chances are he will see your space and tell you what will work and what won't.

  • deedles
    11 years ago

    The best idea I've seen on here for this type of decision is to print out the picture with the poppies and tape it up over your stove space. Take it to kinkos and get it enlarged if you have to. I have to be able to see things to know if I like them so maybe you're like me in that regard?

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    That's a great idea deedles! I am going to do that tonight!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here is the photo with the poppies. (Sorry for the messy kitchen!)

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here is the scrollwork design. Opinions?

  • chloe.chloe
    11 years ago

    I definitely like the scrollwork design better of the two. I agree that the poppy mosaic would compete with all that movement going on with your granite. I think you can always use accessories and decor to to bring out pops of color or make the room less formal as opposed to a mosaic ( which you are "stuck with" for years to come). Your kitchen looks great!!

  • chloe.chloe
    11 years ago

    I definitely like the scrollwork design better of the two. I agree that the poppy mosaic would compete with all that movement going on with your granite. I think you can always use accessories and decor to to bring out pops of color or make the room less formal as opposed to a mosaic ( which you are "stuck with" for years to come). Your kitchen looks great!!

  • deedles
    11 years ago

    I like the poppies better. It seems to 'bridge' the floor and ceiling so there is continuity. The other seems to make the floor and ceiling kind of 'separate entities' from each other. I really don't think the poppies compete with the counter esp if you go simple and use the backsplash as another 'bridge' between those two. OF course, I'm on a computer and you are there IRL looking at it all.

    so...

    Which do you like now that you see them both up there?

  • hobokenkitchen
    11 years ago

    If I just look at the cabinets and counters I like the scroll work more - simple and elegant. But for some reason when you add in your ceilings the scroll work colors fall a little flat for me and the colors in the poppies mosaic seem to tie it in to the rest of the kitchen better and compliment it more as a whole.
    I think I'd go with the poppies but it's a tough decision - good luck!

  • ellendi
    11 years ago

    The flowers, although pretty, don't seem to relate to anything in your kitchen. My vote is for the scroll work.

  • autumn.4
    11 years ago

    Is it possible to change the color scheme in the scroll work to get the design you love but add you color there to bridge everything together?

    I like the design of the scroll work but it does kind of fade away.

  • labbie
    11 years ago

    ooh- very pretty!
    I love the black liner around the mosaic, and personally would go as plain as possible for the rest of the backsplash.

  • oldbat2be
    11 years ago

    debbienp7 - did you make a decision today? Let us know. If you haven't yet, one other thing to consider is the shapes of your two inspiration pictures. One is square and one is rectangular. If you go with the scroll work, I really like the grey border framing it. Your kitchen is lovely, looking forward to more pictures.

  • rngal
    11 years ago

    debbienp7 - Random question - do your cabinets to the left of the stove sit flush to the edge of the wall? Does your granite countertop and molding hang past the wall a bit? Curious as it appeared it possibly might be and we're having an issue with our kitchen on whether or not we should add 3 inches of cabinet knowing that 1-2" of countertop or molding will hang over our wall. Our wall actually slants back at a 45 degree angle at that point so I'm not sure it will be noticeable. Just thought I would check on your thoughts though if your's does come out a bit.

    Also, I'm leaning towards the scrollwork of your two choices above, but both are beautiful. Agree that you could change color of scrollwork to add pop if possible. Or add other accents to kitchen to add color such as jars. Good luck with your decision!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I ended up deciding to go with the scrollwork. The curves in the scrollwork complimented the curves of the pendants. There will be 3 pendants. And I just thought it was lovely how that tied together. It was such a dilemma because the orangey red in the poppies, really did tie in the ceiling color very nicely also. I also felt like it was less likely that I'd get tired of the scrollwork as the years went by, since it is more of a pattern and not a picture. Anyway, decision made! Thank you so much for all of your opinions and ideas. We thought about trying to tie in some of that orangey red for the ceiling, but we agreed it wouldn't look good. So it will be done in the greys and black. The only part that is kind of up in the air is the border around it. I am going to mock up some border choices to get some opinions on that.

    rngal, I will post a photo of how the granite and cabinets are on the edge of the wall.

  • nosoccermom
    11 years ago

    Great choice. Elegant, complements the rest of the kitchen, and timeless.

  • autumn.4
    11 years ago

    Be sure to post pics when you are finished so we can all oohhhh and ahhhh over them!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here is how our granite is. It doesn't look bad in person. If you want me to take more pics from different angles, let me know.

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Here's the upper cabinet. Sorry all my pics are sideways, I don't know how to change it.

  • rngal
    11 years ago

    debbienp7 - Thanks so much for the pics! They helped me visualize what our's would look like with a slight overhang. Can't wait to see your finished kitchen. Love it so far!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    rngal, the granite overhangs about .5". The light moulding on the upper cabinet does not overhang. Good luck!

    I will post pictures when the mosaic is finished!

  • chloe.chloe
    11 years ago

    Debbienp7- your kitchen looks great and I just saw your post about swapping out your oven door- that was brilliant! I was just wondering what the name of your granite is? From my computer it looks like it could be Delicatus or Alaskan White or White Persia? Also, may I ask what the up charge ( if any) was for the ogee edge? Thanks for all your posts and I can't wait to see the final pics!!

  • debbienp7
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    chloe.chloe, the granite is called Vintage Delicatus. Our fabricator charged us $250 extra for the ogee edge for our entire kitchen. I got several quotes from different fabricators. One fabricator did not charge extra at all for the ogee edge (but their overall price was about $1k more). Whereas, another place charged $30/linear foot for the ogee edge! I was outraged by this, especially since their base price was $1k more! Needless to say, I did not go with them!