backsplash feature over cooktop or not

jess1979

13 years ago

I would like to get peoples advice on the kitchen backsplash. The kitchen and eating area is 20X20 it will have built in seating and a 3'3"X7' island with seating. The area with cabinets is 13'X14'. It has a cooktop along the wall and two stoves built into the cabinets. I was planning on a subway tile for the backslash and above the cooktop. The designer at the tile store thinks it should have a feature of different tiles framed above the cooktop.The subway tiles are 4X8 but come in many sizes.
We have finally decided to use the same tile in 4X4 on a diagonal above the cooktop that would go all the way up. I also see people use the subway tiles in the herringbone pattern above the cooktop. She is going to use some very pretty glass tiles as a divide between the subway and the 4X4 tiles. Can you please let me know what you advise. I don't have any of the samples right now to post a picture.

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Comments (4)

catbuilder
13 years ago
That's a personal decision. Some people like it and some don't. You should do what you like. A good place to look to see examples of both is houzz.com.
rosie
13 years ago
Great advice. We're currently in a rebound from everyone putting obligatory medalliions, etc., in and then feeling stuck with them as the style dated, so we've instead been going through a keep-it-simple era. Nice, but people will, of course, get tired of that turn-of-century marker too.

Especially since this opens up a giant, unfilled market for decorative features, you can bet your bottom they'll be back in style big time at some point.

So, as Catbuilder says. Research, find out what pleases you now, and do it. If you do a framed herringbone, or whatever, make it the right size and shape for the space. No need to be stuck in 2013 if you keep in mind that someday you might wish you could have an artist on Etsy create a tile landscape of hummingbirds busy at a bank of fuschias. How perfect if you had a frame ready and waiting. :)
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rococogurl
13 years ago
I think the framed look is already dated plus 9 times out of 10 the scale is off. No desire to hurt anyone's feelings but that's how it looks to me. I also think the diagonal with subways is tricky as that pattern is not restful. I also don't like the odd thing in another material stuck into subways. If you truly want subways, I like the larger scale type in this kitchen on the link where they create the entire look. This is an old treatment but looks "new" since it's not piece-y.

Or, find a tile you really love, one that works with the rest of the house and go with that. If it's subway shape then perhaps think of one with some texture, relief, the larger scale or something to set them apart from the usual.

There is so much tile product out there and while subways are great, no issue, the tile person making suggestions doesn't seem especially creative or current to me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Metro Tiles

This post was edited by rococogurl on Tue, Jul 2, 13 at 19:26
a2gemini
13 years ago
I struggled with this as well.
I decided just to add accent tiles-although I did do one level of tiles, border, and then diamond tiles above the border.