pinch me... the only thing that bothers me is you keep coming back to this tile. I hate to think you'd regret if you didn't work it in somehow. I'm not sure how to mix it up... I mean, you could do the mosaic just behind the range; but that's rather "common". Nothing wrong with common, I have lots of common stuff by others standards; but it just doesn't seem "you" to do that. I like the idea of randomly mixing the white and off white. Kind of a tone on tone, like a quilt. I wonder (and really this is just me thinking aloud) if you cut the tile into strips and did it like a border would be around a quilt. Crazy? Probably....

I keep coming to THIS tile because I can afford it and it will "go with" what I already have. It's different enough that it isn't "common". We have the same thought process about "common". Not enough space behind the range to do anything. I'm not even trying. Yes, quilt is where I was kinda going with it. I don't know as I want a whole backsplash of it. I like it enough but to break away from the common I thought some sort of pattern. I should pull out my quilt books.......UGH! I'd rather someone came up with an idea before I do that.

Can you visualize this......a "block" of the brown bordered with white. Then a block of white bordered with the brown? Will it work? Maybe 6 inch blocks so I could get more of a quilt look? I should fire Photoshop up........Double UGH!

My dilemma is that I like two totally different looks. The bright colors are kinda farmy and cheerful. The brown is a step above jeans and t-shirt. I'm for sure a jeans and t-shirt person. And that's why I need two kitchens. I had way too many ideas left over when I got done with this one.

Are the tiles the same thickness? Why don't you play with your paper tiles to figure out a pattern?

Hi Pinchy,
What are the exact dimensions of those pieces? They look to be a nominal 2" long and varied widths? Any design is likely going to be pinned to the 2" measurement and the mosaic will need to run in strips.
It's difficult for me to see your colors clearly on my monitor but I'll give this a whirl anyway. I think you should consider ditching the white field tiles altogether. Instead, look to compliment the mid-range Honey-colored elements in the mosaic. There is enough white already in the mosaic to tie into your counters, though you'll have to be the judge whether they are complimentary whites or not? I believe that the white would fight too much with the mosaic for attention if you used it for the backsplash field also.
You could look at a warm brown to match the Honey but you could also use a something like the Mustardy yellow or the foggy blue or the Celedon-ish green here at the link below. Incidentally, the field tiles for this series are 2.5"x 10.25". Tres Sexy! I personally think that the yellow would compliment that mosaic pretty nicely AND get you part-way back to your happy Primary Colors place.
Hope that helped?
Shaughnn

Here is a link that might be useful: Ceramiche Grazia Listelli

I'll cut my Xerox copies up and play around. I can tape them to the wall and have the white wall be white tile. If I stand back it will give the illusion.

Monitor display .......the mustard is too dark, the creamy color might not be dark enough. Green is out. No green in the tile and the only green in my house are the living house plants. The mosaic comes 12x12 sheets. The "wall" is Xerox copies taped together and I didn't think to size them when I printed them off (over break at work so I'd have nice colors) But the little sample is real tile, a 4x4 piece. You're right, the mustard/yellow would help the transition. I was going to do yellow vinyl chair seats IF I kept going that way. I don't suppose I left the blue vinyl when I covered them last time. More color info: My curtains are cafe; golden browns w/horse heads and tiny faded blue stars. I can change them to anything Joann's has in the store.

How much is that tile? Looks like it's WAY out of my price range. The brown is $20 plus shipping. Comes to $756 or something like that if I did the whole backsplash in brown mosiac. BTW the mosiac is glass. eBay has stained glass sheets. I looked at it for a long time the other night.

Correction. the real tile sample is 6x6. I got to thinking about quilt patterns and realized those samples couldn't be 4x4. I suppose they send 4x4 when the tiles aren't as complicated as this. 4x4 wouldn't give you much of an idea. The lady at mosaicglassworks.net has been extremely helpful.

Pinchy,
I wouldn't be able to confirm anything with my own supplier until Monday but I was able to find some pricing for some of the other Grazia series and they all look to be retailing under $10 per square foot.
Shaughnn

I can't tell if the darkest tiles are black or brown... Whatever they are, it might be nice to do a 3 inch border above (bullnose) and below the mosaics of the dark "field" tiles, so that the mosaics would be a wide stripe in the middle. It would tone down the pattern a little, yet still have the majority of the bs as mosaics. It also would mean less sq feet of the mosaics.
I also think your mockups do not do the tiles any favors because they are not true to size. You can copy your actual tiles on a copy machine and make a mockup from the true size...

Pinchy,
I wouldn't be able to confirm anything with my own supplier until Monday but I was able to find some pricing for some of the other Grazia series and they all look to be retailing under $10 per square foot.
Shaughnn

Pinch,

You know I love your kitchen. You know I love you. You know I'm saying this with love...I'm worried (as obviously you are) that this tile doesn't really go and is too dark and too busy. A little looks great, but with the xerox pages up, even allowing for digital transmission monitor drift, shadows, lack of sheen, etc., it just feels like it's killing your counter and like it's going to argue with some of your pretty touches, as well as some of the other bits and pieces you show in these pictures.

So, yes, not only is there something you can do, but I think you should!! Your cabinets have strong verticals, so I suggest your white subway tile in a standard, horizontal brick set, with a stripe of the mosaic. You can cut the net apart and use 2" strips (i.e., one tile high) of the tiles standing vertically, running as a horizontal stripe below the level of the switchplate. I think that would look amazing! If you did that you wouldn't have to worry about the price so much (one box would probably be enough and might give you enough over for a trivet), you'd get the full force of how cool these tiles are, and you wouldn't be fighting with the white counter or darkening the room.

It wouldn't have to be subways either. You could do it with 4" or 6" squares, but I would still do a staggered set (either by thirds or halves) so that the verticals of the grout lines would be offset like they are in the mosaic stripe.

I think that would look really really good.

i agree with plllo, and was going to suggest using the subway tile with stripes of the mosaic. it breaks it up nicely without dominating the space. good luck!

It's unanamous then. plllog and research_queen are thinking what I had originally thought. shaughnn says I can afford those field tile. dianalo, I like the idea of brown field but then I'd be locked into browns forever....I think. But maybe it would be OK. I'll soon be too old and decrepit to be climbing around on my counters repainting/papering. Eventually my kitchen will turn into that "hasn't been touched for 20 years" kitchen.

thanks, everyone. But if you came to the party late and have an opinion, SPEAK UP NOW!

Dear Pinch,
Consider me a completely objective (my backsplash currently consists of painted z-brick!). My first reaction was that there is too much contrast in your sample and that it will be "too busy" like pllog said. I like what some of the other more expert/experienced posters said about leaning more on towards that honey color, maybe combined with your white or cream or whatever you were leaning towards.
That's the problem with tile backsplashes - they do seem so permanent and difficult to change, as opposed to paint/wallpaper.
There are talented people here and I'm sure you'll be able to work it out!

plllog, Can you draw me a picture? On a napkin is fine. Just something to look at and think about. I like the look of subway but I think 4x4 might be more in keeping with this house?? From what I can tell, this was never a show place. Not even close. The fact that it's survived 120+ years and is in such good condition amazes me every day. The barns on the other hand, that's where the money went! But I can't even criticize that. I bought this place from looking at the barns. Imagine my shock the day I moved in and saw the green shag carpet.....I had been in the house but it must have not computed. That carpet left soon after I got horse fence put in and I lived with the old painted board floors while I got the animal quarters all spiffed up. Priorities, don't ya know!

Pinch, I can't send you a napkin online!!! Yes, I'll do you a sketch.

Been on any good walks lately? ;-)

Okay. Here's a rough sketch of 4"x4" in a brick set and 3"x6", also in brick set, both with one row of tiles on top of the stripe. Assumption is that the mosaic tiles are 2" tall (minus a little for the grout). This is scaled to about 8'x18".

plllog, I like ;-)
Thank you very much.

Ooooh, the subways one looks so nice! I think the higher up, the more the accent line will be seen. Too low and it gets lost behind counter stuff.

Wow, PinchMe, you have one of your tablecloths in that photo.

Based on a review I've just made of your kitchen in the "Modest and Quirky" thread and seeking it here, would not be happy if you took my previous sight-unseen advice approving the rectangular black, carmel, etc. tiles. I don't think this is a modern geometric kitchen, based on those few photos. The first tile pattern you posted doesn't expand the space and it limits future design-related activities. Instead, I like the idea of putting in a more generic, maleable pattern such as the one Plllog has posted, which has the virtue of expanding a small space with horizontal detail yet gives a plain background for the counter-sitting stuff. Having a happy, simple backdrop that will adapt to variation in stuff over the years would be good.

Not sure if this is "you" but...
last winter when I was on a more "up" decorating jag than I've landed on now, I bought all the colors of the Home Depot 4" square tiles and messed with pairs, trios, and quartets of them, thinking about possibly using a band of repeating colors within a ground of one single color. They weren't selling a real red, but they did have a near-red, a happy blue, an interesting green, a black, a white, a cream, and a strong yellow if I recall correctly. I enjoyed the combos and it was only because of some other issues that I moved away from it. They were available in a lot of different shapes. Think about these kinds of not-really subtle colors for your color band.

I think dianalo makes a good point about the accent line not getting lost behind the items on the counter. Pllog's rendering is attractive and not too much.

See! Now I've got you guys doing it! How about a band of yellow in place of the brown? Then I can go either brown or primary colors? I think the accent line will have to be just an inch lower to be seen. I thought maybe 2/3 of the way up. I haven't played with it, just thinking. I wish Home Depot was closer.

Pinchy,
There is absolutely no reason that you need to limit your choices to the stuff that the DIY barns carry. I take it as a personal crusade to rescue as many people as I'm able to from the Despot or Blowes.
Where are you located? I will ask around to see if I can't find you a good showroom close to you.
Shaughnn

I'm in Iowa. Likely the showroom nearest me is Des Moines or Minneapolis, MN. Too far to run to look at stuff every weekend until I make up my mind. And I don't drive in city traffic. There is a Floor to Ceiling nearer but their store hours don't correspond to my time off work.

pinch me... have you thought about looking through meridith/iron gate tiles liquidation sale? From my understanding they have real quality stuff. There's not that much left but you may be able to put something creative together. I dont' know how much square footage you need.

Here is a link that might be useful: Meridith Art Tile

A bit pricey! And no, not much choice left.

Pinchy,
I asked because I know installers all over the United States and sometimes I can find out through them about some useful resources. I'm supposing that you're on the Iowa/Minnesota border. Is that correct? Having a zip code, if not a city would be useful. You can send it privately if you prefer?
Shaughnn

pinchme you have the right idea since there is so much white in your kitchen. I find the current choice of tile to have too much color contrast. Anything similar with less punch and blast would be better. Same tiles, same shape.

No to the yellow band. The brown works because it echos the cabinets. The yellow would be extraneous. Don't lose the operating rules for your kitchen design on the tile!! Your whole kitchen, in the hard finishes (i.e., built-in) is simple, practical, and no-nonsense. That contrasts with the pretty, decorative elements like the vintage, rounded light fixtures with the flowers.

I know you want some punch and excitement and you love love love that wonderful curvy tile, but you're compromising your aesthetic to have even a hint of that. The band of the vertical mosaic does work with what you've got, but what would go best with your cabinets, counters and sink would be 4"x4" or 6"x6" squares in a white that goes with your counter. Introducing a band of yellow does you no favors. Instead, how about a plain, white backsplash and curvy switch plates with roses? Then you can decorate the soft finishes as you please, and change them out with the seasons or your whims.

As much as I love color and eclectic design (particularly in creative backsplashes)... I really see plllog's point on this. Pinch me... what if you were to get creative with color by changing out your curtains when you find great vintage material or finding a clock that brings in some color. I really like the ashy wood tones of your floor (no yellow/orange) and your oak (?) chairs. Fill your glass cannister with colorful whatever and when you located great finds in material, you can play with that in curtains/tablecloths. You have alot of rectangular verticals in the molding of your cabinets and around your window. I think the square shape on a backsplash would make it stand out even in the white. How about mixing matte and shiny finishes in the whiteish tile?

Just my thoughts... hope it doesn't confuse you more.

-hope it doesn't confuse you more.-
Would that be possible?

I've been looking at some repro vintage fabric for curtains but.......I like it, it just doesn't seem right. I've been looking at more table cloths with the idea of cutting them up for curtains but I have three windows and those babies aren't cheap!

I really like my brown curtains and thought by switching the brown stripe for a yellow stripe I could have the best of both worlds. Now I think I might paint the backsplash in the tile pattern to look at. From a couple of feet away I'd get the idea of what tile would look like. And last trip to Habitat Restore there were some old yellow 4x4's. I didn't count how many although I did hold some in my hand.

plllog, the only tile I'm considering right now is the assorted browns at the beginning of this thread. -And maybe some yellow 4x4's if it might work.
davidro1, The mosaic also comes without the dark brown piece.

My canisters/glass jar are filled with cookies. Sometimes. Did you know you can buy cookie dough balls in the frozen section of the grocery store! Just put them on a cookie sheet and bake. How easy is that! The house smells like you just baked cookies, which of course you did!

I've been looking at clocks for quite a while but the genuine ones are pretty shop worn and the reproductions are pretty expensive. There's a limit as to how much genuine stuff I want. I have already lived with a lot of the real thing the first time around. My wire cat clock was an impulse buy at KMart as the kitchen was coming together. I wasn't even looking for a clock but there it was saying, "Take me home with you!" So I did. And it wasn't even on sale. Now I see a Felix Cat Clock would have been appropriate. For $50. Plus shipping.

Here is a link that might be useful: vintage fabric by the yard

Pinch, if you had done the counter and backsplash in the yellow 4x4's it would have looked fine, but the yellow just to throw in another color is just clutter. The curtains are fine as is, or done over. You have perfectly good taste and will make them look nice.

Re the mosaic, it's the dark pieces that make it and give it the excitement and tie it in to the cabinets.

I believe we've come full circle now.

If the brown mosiac was already here and I saw those retro tablecloths, I'd probably buy it and use it and not give the backsplash a second thought. The browns would all go together and the table cloth, although not the same class, would be fine. A crochet cloth would be better but far less exciting. I always think I want to wear a dress until I hold it up to me. Maybe it's the same with this backsplash. It's not jeans and t-shirt enough where as the table cloth is. I suggested to my carpenter that we run the white formica up the wall just like the formica I had taken out but not the metal strips that collected gunk. I though I was going to have to call 911.

I might paint a yellow stripe on the white wall just to see. Or maybe a brown stripe or two. And the famous words of the lady who painted her ceiling black, "If you don't like it, paint over it." I've got the rest of my life to either do something with it or not. I've committed to sew quilt tops for the church this winter and who knows, I might have an epiphany while I'm sewing. Lots of thinking time right around the corner.

I am thinking the mosaics are retro but not the era you lean to based on your pix and fabric choice (excellent, btw).

I think you may want to see the website below for some fun retro looks ;)

Here is a link that might be useful: bars and booths.com

One of my favorite look at sites! And every time I go there I think, why didn't I do the diner look? There isn't enough time left for me to do everything I want to do. Maybe two kitchens aren't enough. Three would take care of all my ideas. I think.

Oh, for heaven's sake! The formica would have been just fine!

So, if you're a quilter you'll understand. MEH always said (and was right), one red might clash, but ten reds don't. If you do a strip of the mosaic it'll be great with your existing curtain. One brown might be off, but you can't argue with ten!

With the dark brown piece it seems to have four tones.
Without the brown, it seems to have only two tones.

I would get the richer one (with dark brown) and use it as a strip as shown in plllog's image posted Sunday evening. The reason is that too much of a good thing is not good.

The curtain browns are a piece of cake. It's working the happy table clothS in that's the problem. Notice I'm now talking about clothS. Yes. I've started a collection. They don't have ANY brown. And since brown and yellow do go together, yellow was my mediation color to let me have everything;-)

I'm so confused! I thought you were talking about the curtains and changing the curtains to different primary table cloths.

You mean fun old cloths for the table like the one in the picture? That goes fine with the brown and white. You don't need yellow tile on the wall to add the clear colors. In fact, without the yellow on the wall you can do funky '50's turquoise and pink on Mondays, '60's jewel toned Madras plaid on Tuesday, Fourth of July bunting on Wednesday, 30's green and melon conversation print on Thursday, white damask on Friday, coral and cocoa designer cloth on Saturday, and 80's neon on Sunday. You can use anything That's the whole point! Let the permanent colors be a background to your lively self!

I know white tile is "boring" but your tablecloths aren't! Let them have the spotlight.

Now you and I are on the same page! That's what I think, too. Just let the backsplash be the room and the tablecloth be the tablecloth and I can have it all! I'd do the white 4x4's and a row of the fancy browns. I prefer the look of 3x6 but that size doesn't feel right in that room. Using 4 inch will bring that top row down just a little bit and I think it needs to come down. I do think I will paint a brown stripe where I think the brown tile will go. I won't be tiling right away anyway and it will give me something to look at. I like to change things and the tile is so permenant. I don't know if these curtains will stay another month or 10 years but I like them today. I also don't know how long the tablecloths will stay on the table. I might get real tired of straightening them. And I did go to the trouble of refinishing the table a couple of weeks ago. Now it's under a tablecloth. I will probably still get a crochet cloth... When I find one I really like. I let one get away on eBay the other night while I was dithering about the backsplash. And I have all winter to hit the second hand stores and antique stores. I should ask around at church, too. I bet someone has a crochet one they don't want. and I want it to look used, not like I just took it out of a plastic bag. I'm going to keep my eyes open for Vintage curtain fabric. Maybe I will order the dusty red flowered toweling I saw at the redheads site and add it to my stash. Everyone who sews knows you can never have too much fabric ;-)

Winter is long here in Iowa. Summer is short and I spend it outside. None of my animals saw much of me this past year what with the kitchen and then the bathroom right away. We're all getting old. I need to spend less time thinking what to do to this old house and more with them. My house is so much nicer now than last year at this time. I love my kitchen! I have a really nice bathroom with a walk in shower. I'll always paint, paper, and change cosmetic things. Always. that's just the way I am. The kitchen the way it is will likely hold me for a few months.

Clocks are everywhere on eBay tonight. Before I knew it, I had bought this one.

FABULOUS clock!!!

Sounds like a good plan for the kitchen too. ;)