Not quite working for me, either. I have seen other tile "tattoos" (I think they were called?) somewhere online that might work better? If I can find them, I'll re-post with a link.

Unless there's a lot more wall space that isn't shown in the pic, if you're bored, you could always paint the walls a new color. That's an inexpensive way to make a pretty big impact! And/or new cabinet knobs? I am NOT saying there's anything wrong with what you have -- but if you're looking for a quick change, those are two relatively inexpensive ideas.

Here they are! If you google "tile tatoos" you'll find more, too.

Here is a link that might be useful: tile tattoos

Same here....looks nice with just the original tile. Have you thought about maybe some different accessories that have a pop of color or just rearrange some of your kitchen counter items? Sometimes it doesn't take a lot. Your kitchen does look nice as is though.

I like it. Interesting and looks modern.

Not a fan either. Also, not sure I would like it any better if you had all stainless appliances.

I think I would like it much better if all the tiles were covered. However, not sure how it would look with your all-white appliances and counter. If they are returnable, I say give it a try and see if you like it---oh, and be sure to post another picture! :)

I don't know, I sort of like it. You have a lot of white going on with the counter and backsplash. The tile stickers/tattoos break that up and coordinate with the cabinet hardware.

Btw, where did you find them online? And do they make a subway size?

I think a straight horizontal line maybe the third row, would look really great.

Thanks everyone.

I can return them minus the shipping. I didn't buy enough to cover the entire backsplash. I just put some up on one end so that it looked like an all-stainless backsplash and didn't like it either.

I did see the Tile Tatoos. I almost bought them but DH didn't like them at all so that's why I thought I would try these stainless tiles.

I'm just looking to jazz things up. I cannot repaint b/c naturally, DH doesn't want to. The kitchen, dining area and family room (which has a vaulted ceiling) are all the same color so it would be a big undertaking.

I considered painting the tile or possibly putting a crackle finish on it but DH put the kabosh on that as well.

Maybe some new accessories...but I don't like a lot of clutter on the counters.

I got the tiles from this catalog called "Improvements".

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/metal-tiles-kitchen-wall-tiles.do

I have seen subway sized ones at Home Depot but they are much more expensive. The brand is called Aspect.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202275407/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

I think some "wow" accessories would help add some zip. Or even a red toaster or red coffee maker. Actually, I can see a large and really bold and unique accessory adding a nice contrast to the classic and elegant look of your kitchen.

So sorry that you cannot do the reno that you wanted. It is true that all your kitchen needs is new backsplash and counters. Here's hoping that this will happen for you in the near future.

I'm not crazy about the random tiles, like the majority. You have beautiful cabinets, tho, and I really like the decorative piece on the wall above the window. It's perfect for the space.

Your kitchen is really nice. I do understand wanting to "do" something. I get the same feeling after looking at the same thing after a while. Hmmm . . . Have you thought about some type of fabric for a window treatment valance or perhaps a woven shade? I agree with what some of the others have said about a few accessories. One thing I've learned the hard way is to be patient. Someday, when you're least expecting it, that perfect item you didn't even know you wanted, will present itself.

Eh. I don't love the stainless tiles. I kind of like the kitchen as-is, though. Pretty cabinets, and I like the plain white tiles. I agree, though, that if you're itching for change, maybe add some color with accessories, a rug by the sink, new towels. It doesn't look like you have a lot of counter space, though, so be careful about clutter.

Chocolate, thanks for the links!

Call me crazy... but I kind of like them. I'd move up the middle guy of the row of 3, but otherwise, keep them.
They don't go with the art over your window. Could you respray that silver?
I think I like them because they add some spunk and cheer.
All stainless would not appeal to me as much.

I really like the pops of red in your very pretty kitchen, especially the flowers in the green vase.
If it were my kitchen and I wanted to change up the backsplash, I might try a few of the red peel and stick tiles (2nd row, middle tile in sueb20's link) Or else try the brown tiles which are to the left of the red tiles.

I like the tiles, breaks up the white and bit and is fun. But honestly, your kitchen is beautiful already. I'm jealous.

I would live with the stainless tile for awhile...I sort of like them. I would take the green vase/red flowers away from the window....seems just too tall to me. Maybe put a colorful valance on the window and a colorful rug in front of the sink. I am not liking the iron piece above your window...though it is very pretty....could it go somewhere else in your kitchen?

I think they're ok but not really adding much to the space.

I really like your cabinets! I'm sorry you have to pause the redo for now.

I know what you mean about not wanting a bunch of stuff on the counters. Maybe you could find a neat, low rectangular basket to hold the s&p and spices. Then you could add a decorative item, like a picture, leaning against the wall. ? I have a basket on my counter layered with my s&p & butter, wood candle holder, small apothecary jar with wine corks, and an small oil painting.

I think your kitchen looks great! I also don't think the tiles add anything, the wall hanging above the sink is nice for color, and the vase with orange flowers looks good, you could add a pop of something shiny or colorful on your island, or something textural. I like the contrast you have of the darker cabinets and light walls.

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

I thought about adding a valance, but DH doesn't want one. He is really driving me crazy - I wish he were like most DH's that don't give a darn about decorating! He doesn't want anything on the windows to obstruct the view. I had considered a roman shade instead of the wood blinds, but the wood blinds are throughout the main floor and tie nicely with the other rooms. Plus, this side of the house faces west and we need to tilt the blinds in the afternoon b/c of the sun.

I need to find a nice low basket for those spices (again, another one of those things DH INSISTS on keeping on the counter!). I have been looking on and off for a while but everything I find is too tall.

The roses that were on the island are no longer there. My mom brought me those flowers a few weeks ago.

I have mixed feelings about the vase in the window. I liked it when I first got it, but now sometimes I think it is too tall. I don't know what to put there however.

The coffee maker is new so I need to keep it. I want to get either a black or stainless toaster but since the current one works fine I have to hold of on that for now.

I do not have a lot of counter space. The other side of the room has the fridge and a small area next to it where I keep the toaster oven. This is an older pic. I don't have so much stuff on the fridge now.

{{!gwi}}

Thanks again!

Well I really like the stainless tiles. They give a little umph to your backsplash.
Since your dh insists on the spices on the counter I'd buy three salt/pepper shakers at The Dollar Tree and label them with a silver paint pen. Total cost about six dollars unless you have a paint pen already.
And how about an oil and vinegar set that isn't labeled to put your hand and dish soap in? Again labeling them with the paint pen.

Do you have a Hobby Lobby anywhere near you? They usually carry a pretty big assortment of baskets and they do the 50% off regular price sale on them every few weeks (and publish a 40% off coupon in the Sunday paper every other week or so), maybe you can score just the right one for only a couple bucks.

I think you have a really nice kitchen, hope you get to do your makeover before too long.

I agree your back splash could use something. I wonder if some color tiles wouldn't have a higher impact. Do they make a similar product in colors? All the white, counters, appliances, back splash is too much for me. I think the stainless tiles are an improvement, but I would go farther. If nothing else more of them?

I also like the stainless tiles in a random pattern. On my monitor they look great, give your kitchen a little jazzier look.

My DH also likes to put in his two cents on decorating questions. I like justgotabme's salt/pepper shaker idea for spices, and the unlabeledoil and vinegar set also.

You have a lovely kitchen. Good luck with finding just the right pop!

Since your DH seems very disagreeable, I would step away from the kitchen for a while. It is true that with just a new backsplash and counter, you would upgrade your kitchen tremendously. As it stands, it is a very nice kitchen.
I don't like the tiles. They add nothing and are distracting. I agree with the above posters. Get some accessories at TJ Max, Hobby Lobby etc. Pick a color scheme and find objects that coordinate with each other. This will give you the "lift" that you need until you can reno.

Is there any chance that you can tile yourself? From what I can count up from your pictures, you would only need about 25 square feet of tile. There are several tiles at Lowes and Home Depot that are nice for about $5.00 per square foot. I have seen some natural stone 4x4 or 3x6 subway tiles in this price range. Another type to consider would be the sheets of glass tile also $5.00 a sf at the big box stores. I just did my SIL's backsplash in these glass tiles and with about the same sf as yours and with all of the supplies it was less than $200! I have done several backsplashes and it was by far the easiest one I have ever done.
Even if you don't consider yourself handy, this is a pretty easy project!

I didn't take very good pics, but here's what I've got.

chocolate bunny, I think ellendi might be right that it's time to step away from the kitchen for a bit (I know that's hard when there's this forum filled with ideas and you've been planning!). Find another hobby or room to focus on, just until your DH feels a little more secure and won't be overly sensitive to your desire to spice things up. My DH seems to take it personally when I want to change something, like I'm dissatisfied with the home he's provided, and it's worse if he's stressed about other things.

I actually like the tiles, but I think it would look nice without them, too, if your DH can't live with it. I'm jealous of your warm wood cabinets, soothing green walls and crisp white countertops! Your kitchen looks very warm, inviting and functional.

Yes it is so true that men are sometimes on such a different wave length. (Jessica, I totally know what you mean.) But, this could be a whole Other thread. Not sure what it would be filed under though.

Jessica - you may have a point. I never thought about DH taking it personally about me wanting to change things up. Never thought that he could think I'm dissatisfied with the home he's provided. The problem is he is ALWAYS stressed about something. Me wanting to change things is nothing new - it has been going on for a few years now.

I am willing to tile myself. Again, DH is afraid I will mess it up..."leave it to the professionals" is how he approaches things. I grew up in a big DIY household, DH did not. I am pretty handy and this is something I would be willing to try (heck, even my mom offered to help!) but again, it's the stinkin' $$$$ issue. I will look however, have to take a look at the big box stores again. I think I was so enamoured with the Ann Sacks and other high end tiles that I tend to get a little lost dreaming!

I have not found the peel and stick tiles in other colors.

Heck, maybe I just need to stay off this site!

Thanks again for the thoughts :)

Sometimes, I find it easier to get forgiveness than permission! I ALWAYS try to do projects when DH is out of town. He can't handle the mess of the process, but usually loves the result!

Another thought is to check craigslist in your area, I recently saw some Ann Sacks tiles on ours and about died that I couldn't use them! I think I called 10 people to try to get someone to buy them :-)

chocolatebunny, soooomanyboys' comment reminded me that some years ago while DH was out of town on business I had the windows in our living room made larger, the old ones taken out and new ones put in all the way to the floor. It made our back yard look like part of the house. He was astounded, and he loved it! No mess, no fuss. I realize your situation with the tiles may be different, but perhaps you should consider what soooomanyboys says.

I think this would work more by doing the entire bottom row with the stainless tiles where the counter meets the back splash, than covering some kind of serving tray with the same tiles to put on the island to bring it all together. Than I'd look for some higher type containers to put on the counter with stainless steel tops. maybe clear glass ones and fill them with a POP color you would like to bring out.

"Sometimes, I find it easier to get forgiveness than permission!"

Not sure this would be a wise move for chocolate bunny.

Sorry chocolatebunny,I don't like the random metal tiles either. I do understand your desire to update your kitchen, but IMO the kitchen is not really your problem.

I don't dislike the idea at all, but what is throwing things off for me is the randomness. If I focus just on the 3 tiles by the stove that aren't randomly placed I like it. Could it be that your DH feels the same way, but isn't able to express that part? Some people can handle random others like patterns. Just like some can handle asymmetry and others prefer symmetry.

It really isn't hard to do a backsplash and if you can find some tiles on craigslist or a Habitat re-store it might not cost you much at all. I did my current house backsplash for

Oh I forgot - maybe you can ask your DH to allow you to tile the backsplash as gift to yourself and tell him that since you had plans to make changes later it wouldn't be permanent anyways and could he to please you decide to live with it for a couple of years even if it isn't done professionally. Then of course tell him you will do it for under $XXX, I'm guessing in the end if you do a good job he'd be pleasantly surprised.

I would save money and redo the counter tops with granite. Your cabinets are very pretty but that white top is making it boring.

I haven't posted in a couple years, so not sure if anyone remembers me or not, BUT I just wanted to weigh in on how things are so different these days. I'm 54, men didn't comment much when we women decorated our homes, That was usually a problem with our Mom's or Mother in laws! LOL
The kitchen was OURS, the BBQ pit was theirs. All men wanted some kind of man cave but the rest they rarely cared less about. As long as there was a comfortable sofa,and or chair, a work shed or garage,and the house wasn't all pink... they were pretty much quite content . LOL

Ha, agreed Cindyxeus! lol

Another idea.....I made a faux roman shade that I velcroed to the top of my blinds.....I pull the shades up under the roman during the day and close them at night.

It would be a quick and "no commitment" way to try some colour and pattern on your windows, and if it's a "no go"...then merely take them off.

It would be very easy to sew a valance/roman shade and would not be costly....
Just throwing out another idea for you, I know it gets difficult when you have so many ideas thrown at you. Good luck, you have a lovely kitchen!

Thanks again everyone!

Yesterday I ran out to Pier 1 and found these ceramic canisters to add some pop to the countertop. I really love them!

{{!gwi}}

I got a small and medium one. I don't think I need 3 canisters on the counter.

What are your thoughts on the following?

I was thinking of getting this serving bowl for the island to put fruit in:

{{!gwi}}

Or this one:

{{!gwi}}

Using one of the plates from the collection to put the salt/pepper/spices on:
{{!gwi}}

or this one:

{{!gwi}}

Then possibly in the corner near the toaster put this pitcher with some flowers in it?

{{!gwi}}

In the window area, I am still torn between keeping the tall green vase, or putting these small vases (with small flowers in them) there and doing a faux roman shade or valance:

{{!gwi}}

I really love this fabric for a possible valance or shade:

I don't want too much red b/c the other areas have more green, and I think of Christmas when I see a lot of red and green.

And, I think I will re-visit the tile tattoos again and do a row along the bottom of the tile, where the tile meets the countertop. Either green or taupe, only if I do not do the shade or valance (I am generally a neutral girl so this is a big step having all this color in my kitchen!)

{{!gwi}}

Am I going overboard now?

I think maybe those canisters/dishes are too much pop.
What about something like below in the link...they would go lovely with your painting, and the floral pattern you picked for your window, and bring out the stainless steel tiles, while adding some color to the counters. Check them out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kirklands canister set

cindyxeus - my parents are the same way, and that's what I expected my marriage to be like! But then, I haven't been married long, and I moved into my husband's home, so I think he's adjusting to sharing (or giving up) control in some areas.

However, I have done what sooomanyboys mentioned in painting the bathroom while he was out of town and then asking forgiveness...so long as he doesn't have to deal with the mess and it's not a huge investment, I think he can roll with it.

And chocolatebunny, I did have to take a break from this site for a while to give him time to "recover" from the bathroom episode! Now I'm hoping to move on to the kitchen...and thinking about painting the countertops if he won't go for my inexpensive butcherblock idea. Hoping not to resort to that. Hoping we can reach a healthy agreement. If only ours were neutral colored like yours!

I love the colorful dishes & vases you found - just the thing to add pizzazz. :)

Oh I love, love, love your Pier 1 finds. I only wish they'd look good in our kitchen since I have a hundred dollar gift card from there to spend and when I saw them I wanted them. I'd have to change too many things to make them work so I'll just wait for them to have the right thing to spend my hundred on.
Anyway, I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing the tile tatoos and the fabric going with the awesome dishes. If I didn't have to get back to sewing right now I'd do a fabric search for you.

Chocolatebunny, tile is pretty cheap. We did our own tile backsplash and it was under $200.00 for the materials. We borrowed a wet saw.

I'm going to give up on the tile tattoos. They're expensive and I would rather save up to actually retile the backsplash.

I am also giving up on the fabric b/c it really wouldn't match the eat in area and family room.

I do really like that Kirkland canister set too! It goes with the metal flower piece on the wall above the window better than the Pier 1 canisters. I don't want to go crazy with color but I think my kitchen needs something.

Another thought until you save up enough $$ to get exactly what you want is to do a little decoupage here and there on the tiles and on canisters. Buy a few practice tiles or even use old ceramic plates to practice on and start learning how to decoupage..you can learn everything you need to know basically on the internet...the ideas are endless!

I love your cabinets!! Did you do those or did they come that way?

I'm revitalizing my old thread.

KelliJohnson - I did not choose the cabinets. The house was 4 years old when we bought it and we are not the original owners. This was a spec house for the builder. The cabinets are birch and while the cabinets photograph well, the stain is wearing down in some spots, especially the wood edging on the countertops. So long story short, I do not know the actual color of the stain.

I did get some new appliance b/c the range oven just died one day (my new job helped pay for that!). Frig was on its last legs as well. So I just have to replace the dishwasher.

{{!gwi}}

I need to take a pic of the frig. I have a new faucet too (Kohler Forte that I love!) so I need to take a new pic of this side too.

DH thinks the stainless appliances make the kitchen look smaller (I disagree) so he insists on keeping the white bacsplash. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the countertops...(yes, it's been over a year!)