Very very interesting tile!

Progress is looking good.

I held back from phoning my carpenter today, but will do so tomorrow, and hopefully soon I'll be posting my own pics.

Just one concern, do you think it will be a pain cleaning those tiles if they get greasy/dirty?

Oh, and one other question- are you the one holding off on oiling your soapstone? If you plan to oil it eventually, will it change the look/colour and how it will go with the tile?

Beautiful wood cabinets! Yes--that's interesting tile.

Ah - interesting. In my family, when my father said the food was interesting, my mother knew she should not make it again - LOL. A double-edged word, that.

Raehelen - It is porecelain tile. The only place it might get greasy is behind the range. The only place it could get paint/dye on it is behind the sink, which is why I want something without light grout.

I am not oiling my soapstone, but the tile reflects, so I imagine that if I should oil it someday, it will indeed look darker, just like the soapstone. Don't know.

Looks great so far Rayna! I like the tile, too!

Ah - interesting. In my family, when my father said the food was interesting, my mother knew she should not make it again - LOL. A double-edged word, that.

Raehelen - It is porecelain tile. The only place it might get greasy is behind the range. The only place it could get paint/dye on it is behind the sink, which is why I want something without light grout.

I am not oiling my soapstone, but the tile reflects, so I imagine that if I should oil it someday, it will indeed look darker, just like the soapstone. Don't know.

"Interesting tile" ... that brings to mind a kitchen I once wallpapered many years ago.

I used a simple kitchen-type paper for the walls, but then used a small blue-white check for the backsplash. Didn't realize until I was into the project what a trick that small check could play on my eyes - it seemed to pulsate in front of my eyes, not really able to focus on it. Thankfully, it was a rental and I didn't have to live with it!

Maybe your tile wouldn't do that, but I just wanted to tell you my experience. HTH

I love the color of your cabinets with the soapstone and the stainless - a refreshing and soothing combo. The cooktop will look great in there too!

As far as the backsplash, I think your idea of getting a box and living with a mockup for a little while is a good one. But remember - it is your space, and if it speaks to you then go for it! That particular tile would most likely be the focus?

Keep the pics coming!

I love that tile!! But I agree that it is a big decision. When I narrowed my choices down to two, I purchased extras to make sure. It cost me some time (had to be shipped) and money ($50) but was well worth it.

Good luck!

Rayna,it looks great. We need more pics. I love your tile choice with the soapstone.How about adding accent tiles or border tiles? We are still waiting on wholesale and or Adelphi to get our cabinets in. I hope ours looks half as good as yours.

hi raynag-- Two comments-- first, I really love your use of soapstone with slab cabinets in a contemporary setting. I always suspected that such a combo would be stunning and warm and it is. Second-- I really like that tile. The color and texture work really well for me, while letting your soapstone be the star. I also think its contemporary without being stark and cold. I like it especially with really tight grout lines. Good luck!

I love that tile-very different and modern! It is soothing to me too. The soapstone is beautiful! Congrats on the major progress!

Raynag, I really like that tile. Contemporary but not cold. I'd print out a bunch copies of the tile photo and tape them to the backsplash for a while to see how the color and pattern work for you.

Beg to differ with the consensus here. I think that the tile competes with the soapstone and will draw all attention to it. I think the stiff regularity of the pattern of the raised squares will fight the flow of the soapstone. With your contemporary cabinets, the soapstone provides a nice counterpoint but the tile defeats that.

Don't get hung up on the backspash. It is really just a backdrop for everything else in the kitchen, kind of like the paint on your walls is for the artwork. And I see the countertops as the artwork in your kitchen.

All good feedback, guys. I'm on my way over to the tile store now to purchase a sq. ft and then on to some other places to see what else is out there. Part of the problem, which I keep repeating, is that I am an artist who dyes and prints my own fabrics and when I wash stuff out in the sink it sometimes splashes to the backsplash. I am avoiding a light background because I do not want red and blue and purple splotches on light grout. So, off again on the hunt.

Amy - Mike from Wholesale was just here to deal with a couple of things, like my counter depth fridge which sticks out just enough for me to see an inch of black sides. Drives me crazy. He is ordering a 3/4" strip at no charge to add to the fridge side panels to mask the problem. Yay. A few other little things, all of which will be resolved. He is sooo great to deal with. I am happy.

I agree with mary 228. It's really beautiful tile, but not with those counters. I love your fan: what is it, please?

I have paint for my backplash. Our walls are BM matte in a Thyme Green. I scrub it even behind the Caldera and fryer and it still looks new after over a year. I don't know why more folks don't forget the tile backsplash and just paint. You could always do that for now and see how you like it. Everything is coming together beautifully. Caroline

This may be totally out there, but have you considered a section of stainless steel backsplash behind the sink area? Keep your tiles everywhere else or maybe incorporate a strip of stainless at some level through the tiles to help blend the stainless backsplash area?

Oh, what about a backsplash to match your soapstone counters? Just in the area behind the sink.

bump

Writersblock--I believe the fan is a Zephyr.

Also, I love that tile but agree with others who don't see it in your kitchen, Rayna. The soapstone is the Star.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zephyr

I love the tile (and the kitchen). I think it's a nice contrast to your counters. If you're afraid the problem with the overall pattern being too much for your eyes, like the checkered pattern napagirl mentioned, you could try one tile surrounded by a sleeker, flat tile to set it off, making the texture tile kind of an accent?

Rayna, I love the tile. I do not see the soapstone as the great big focal point as others do. I think the ss is on the subdued side.
But, big But, I don't think a fair assessment can be made without envisioning the hardware, pulls, because I think the hardware becomes the jewelry. Actually, the more I think about it, even with straight, modern, bar type hardware, that tile would be gorgeous. That tile is the star.
Only you can evaluate the potential effect of the dyes and splashes. You'd have to clean any b/s. This tile would require more effort than a smooth faced tile, but, what, a minute or three more?
Try placing the tile on some dark matboard, brown, black or whatever you're considering to see the effect of the grout. Dont underestimate the grout effect. I think it's major. I am a painter, pictures, not walls.
What will the dyes do to the soapstone?
Your kitchen is beautiful. I love it. Beverly

Yes, the hood is a Zephyr Tamburo. 400 CFMs. A piece of sculpture!

So yesterday I ran around looking at tile. I picked up 8 more of the bumps and kept looking. At one point I had a vision of medium gray glass tiles, medium gray grout, grass green walls. I picked up a quart of grass green, a couple of other paint samples, and came home.

Taped a sq. ft to the wall. A resounding NO. They looked brown,which would be ok except that if the soapstone darkens (which it will, I suppose, eventually) the tiles will really not work. It just looked off. Bummer.

Last night I was up till all hours doing a glass tile search to find something that was less than the $27-39/sq ft I had been seeing around here. Will report in at the next round.

The handles and shelves went in today. The first thing I did was start to fill the bookshelves. that horrible Minidata notebook is full of recipe clippings I will never live long enough to try. Need to organize it and maybe do something with that ugly notebook cover. A shelf of art books and then we'll see.

Second thing I did was put the tea tins back on the shelf over the sink where we are used to finding them. That shelf will be usable stuff, the ones above, display for my antique tins: a counterpoint to all the sleekness.

I printed out labels for the 5 mailboxes: one each for DH & me, one for my mother - whose bills I take care of, one for outgoing mail, and one for random stuff. I will have to nag DH to sort the mail instead of leaving it in a pile on the island. Grrrrrr. New leaf. Two weekly papers came in today: the one I haven't read yet is in my box.

Finally, I picked up the barstools I had ordered at Crate & Barrel. $89 each and they SPIN!! What fun! I can sit and read my cookbooks at the island while I contemplate what I am going to make for dinner, instead of standing at the counter and reading. DH can sit with his laptop or pay bills at the island instead of upstairs in the 2" of space on his cluttered desk. He will do this while I am on my teaching trips, no doubt. The kitchen table will be a while in coming, although we ordered it.

Thanks for the input on the tiles; they work en principe - mais pas en réalité. On continue.

Tomorrow, if we are lucky, the crown molding goes up and maybe the light rail. Off now to get a decent night's sleep - or what is left of the night.

Where are those mailboxes in your mix? I like the idea - and share your need to retrain habits.

Hope your day is a good one!

Hi raynag-- I have one good source for more modestly priced, but very good quality glass tile. Ann Sacks has one line called "Crystal Glass" that runs $17-20 psf and is lovely. The tradeoff for the low price is that it comes in a limited range of colors and sizes. But there is a lovely soft gray and a grass green color which could work well, and they have 1/2x2" bars on mesh that are set without an offset, so they look really fresh and modern. Don't get me wrong, that textured ceramic tile is still my first choice (you have a great eye for color!), but if you were looking at going the glass route, check out that line.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crystal Glass

Hi Rayna--I agree your kitchen is looking gorgeous--

re tile--I have seen a slate subway-tile backsplash on here somehwere that I thought was lovely--it's that great kitchen with the blue granite island and craftsman cabs--

also Pratt and Larsen has some really interesting textures and they have metallic glazes if you want to go ceramic. Here is a link to their catalog online--look at the metallic glazes and the bas-relief tiles--they also have glass tile and lots of netted smaller tile which would help in hte texture dept. I don't know about price though.
HTH!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pratt and Larsen online catalog

i love the suggestion of glass tiles and think it would work well in that contemporary space. i'd do mosaics and i'd love to see them a bold primary color on your backsplash. fire engine red or kelly green would both work well, i think, but if you want to stay more neutral, you could do some sort of smokey gray steely blue kind of color combo that would pick up the undertones in your soapstone.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Check the link below for relatively affordable glass mosaics. I have the sample set of the Ashland series and they are beautiful. The tiles are much thicker than most "budget" tiles and the irregular shapes give a somewhat rustic, handmade look, while still being sleek and modern (if that makes sense).

It's a shame your porcelain bumps didn't work as I loved that look!

Here is a link that might be useful: Hakatai Glass Mosaics

Hey Rayna
I was thinking about your kitchen today when I was emailing a friend in NYC. She has a kitchen similar to yours. Her backsplash is beautiful. It is Artistic Tile Opera Glass in a beautiful green. Thought it might be a helpful info.

Here is a link that might be useful: Suzy's Kitchen