I'm having trouble envisioning how you plan to use the two colors of tile. A checkerboard pattern? Black in the traffic line with white on either side? Which color will the tile "runner" be?

We layed out a few of the tiles with the black as the accent and vice versa. The pic is the one we are preferring of the two options. The black/white would be the "runner" from doorway to doorway which is 14' long.

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Is it my monitor or is the tile that is suppose to be black look gray to anyone else? Maybe that's what is throwing you off, it is not a true dark black.

The color is showing more of a grey on my monitor too. I said black (I tend to round colors) when I meant charcoal (grey/black).

Do you think it being greyish is bringing down the fresh look I'm after? Do you think it's the patterning makes it seem to formal and not light and casual?

In my last home my utility/laundry room was black/white with lime green walls~~it definitely helped sell the house! Even though you don't have a lot of wall to paint, you can bring the lime green in with other accents, such as lime green canvas baskets.

It makes for such a cheerfuI space I promise you wouldn't be sorry! ;o)

Will you have any counters and if so, what color are they? If they're very light or if there are none, then I think you might consider reversing your idea and having more of the gray tile than the very light since you're describing a lot of white in the room. In your picture, the gray tiles are lighter (or at least no darker) than the concrete floor they're on--and concrete really isn't black or even charcoal to me.

I think the gray tiles will look really great with the white cabinets, trim, etc and aqua walls. I'd use a grout either lighter gray or quite a bit darker gray than the tiles. It sounds like it'll be beautiful!

Could you share the aqua color you'll be using? Maybe the lack of freshness is the shade you've chosen. And you could use dark accents in the room by perhaps a geometric ironing board cover in charcoal and white and other wall hangings.

Patty cakes, that's good to know that you and others like the end look IRL. In comparison to the white, there is less walls but I think I may not have reflected how much pastel aqua would show. I'm guessing the proportions to be about 75% to 25%.

Sajafr. The floors were painted concrete. The darker tile is at least a dark grey if not a light charcoal. I've included the darker combination for comparison. I haven't gotten a chance to check out paint swatches yet. I wanted a very pastel aqua (w/o being babyish).

I debated about the countertop (still unbought). I thought the white would keep the look fresh.

I'm not going for a dramatic look, like I want in the rest of the house. It's really about fresh, crisp colors. I would consider getting an aqua countertop, if I could find something inexpensive but aqua isn't exactly in the cash and carry countertops. I'm OK with the lightness of the room, it's just the dark grey IMO just has no "reason" to be in the room. We haven't found a sink yet either (gosh I'm behind on selection) but have looked at some SS ones online with a SS pull-out faucet. Though the tile is substantially darker, could that be enough?

Coupled with everything else, I want to ensure that I can change out the aqua if I so desired (I like to change out the cheap things). One wall will have a 9' countertop and large bins below it. I've been looking for some aqua platic baskets to no avail. I thought this would be a fun place to throw some dramtic color in (don't want it on the upper walls.

It's important that I have good "bones" to the room. I don't want to be ripping this tile out EVER and this is our (pre)retirement home.

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On my monitor, the tile shows as a medium grey with darker streaks. When I think of the words you use:fresh and clean, I think of more intense colors than grey. I could see black and white checkerboard in a smaller tile for the clean, fresh look. Then you could go with about anything for counter top, walls, baskets and artwork and also easy to change when/if you tire of it down the road. The pattern seems too much, too busy for that size tile. JMHO

How large is the floor space that will contain tile? Those are pretty large tiles, and I am trying to picture how it will fit in the space and how much impact your chosen pattern will have. I would be more inclined to work with an allover pattern, rather than a runway down the center.

One thing you might do is use graph paper and draw in the layout of the tile in correct proportions, coloring with a light touch with a regular pencil for the grey, and see if you really like the overall look.

I think the grey tile is pretty, but would not really think of that as a fresh look. If you are going mostly white on the floor, I think, as others have mentioned, that you need a stronger contrast (black) rather than the streaky grey.

I would go with a white countertop. Aqua counters lock you in, and you said you like to change things up.

Lizbeth, it makes sense that the grey is the problem more then a definate black or white that I so often use through the house.

We were thinking this morning that since only 3.5' wide (14' long) will be seen typically perhaps this wouldn't look that great in the laundry room either. We liked these tiles because they widened the room both in the size of the tile and the "grain" in the tile. When I look at pics with light floors, I much more prefer that over a dark floor. Perhaps we should purchase a few tiles and see what they look like in the room. Nothing much is in there right now but we will have the light from the window and washer/dryer too. Back to the store I suppose.

I would consider the gray/white pattern a neutral and think it would still be crisp. Also a great back drop for aqua accents.

I had a black and white laundry room floor and it was a pita to keep clean. A weird sort a magnetism occurred and every piece of white lint fell on the black squares and black lint on the white. lol!

Having had a very light floor, I'd agree about the pain it can be, so I'd still lean toward more gray and think that pattern is very interesting if the width of your room is enough. Centering the pattern would mean cutting both side tiles, and Les' suggestion to draw out the pattern will help you see if you'd completely loose the effect you're going for. Since the light tiles have striations in them, perhaps IRL they'll look less white than on my monitor.

IMHO, not sure I'd want a white counter either...pain to keep clean unless it's a white style tile--rather than laminate of some type, but that's been my experience. We have a somewhat white marble-looking tile in a powder room with gray grout and that's easy to keep clean. But you know your needs better, and it could certainly be pretty.

It all sounds like a lovely combination to me--very fresh, even with the gray, so please let us see your final results!

i like the dark better, with the white as the accent tile. Is your tile guy good? Can he make lots of cuts and work with smaller pieces of the tile for a more interesting layout for a runner pattern? Or, look for coordinating mosaic tiles for an inset runner.

I used to have a program where i could draw up a zillion ideas in seconds, but I did this in Word and it took me forever to just move around a few boxes...

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I'm not fond of the gray. It looks like it would go in a cafeteria. I like the runner idea, but I'd go with a bolder color. I have a long UR like yours and went with red/cream checkerboard w/pale yellow walls and all white cabs/w/d. I like the cheeriness of the room because it gets a lot of sun.

How much light do you get from the window? If the room is bright then the blue could look nice. If the room is still darkish, I'd go with a lighter color on the walls.

3.5 feet width of visible floor space is not very wide and IMO too narrow for a pattern. I think it would look better with just one tile. If it were me, I would do the gray floor (as long as that mixes well with the rest of the house). I think all white (doors, counter, washer/dryer) on the gray floor would look beautiful. I do not think it would take away from the fresh look you are going for. I do think a pattern floor might take away from that look. Also, I see it as a neutral and you can add any color accesories and paint you like.

If the gray is just not for you, I'd do all white.

I like the idea of using horizontal striation in the tile pattern to widen the room. Not keen on mixing tile colors to make a pattern - reminds me too much of hopscotch in the narrow space.

Of what you show, I'd go plain gray on the floor (white is a nightmare) and use a punchy wall color - maybe lime or chartreuse or yellow?

I think the gray is not giving you the umph you are looking for and I'm not sure about the size and shape of the tiles on the floor. A simple checker board in black and white is timeless and gorgeous IMO.

How about a solid white runner, with gray on each side? Like an actual runner with carpet?

I like the idea of the aqua walls, with the gray and white. If it were me, I'd switch out the countertops (if possible) to a gray to match the tile. If not, white will still be nice :)

i like the gray tile and i like more gray with white accents better---

if i were doing a 'runner' look, i would definitely either make the runner all white or cut the gray tile as in froofycat's 1st pic. i would use an accent tile(such as mosaic) if i bordered the white- i wouldn't use more white for the border.