Software
Houzz Logo Print
thynes1501

Creams, yellows, and browns - seeking backsplash advice

14 years ago

Posting as thynes, my username (allblack) seems to have disappeared...

First of all, thanks so much for your tips and inspiration thus far; GW is an awesome resource. We are almost through an entire home reno and we're so pleased with how this kitchen project is working out. The space is very warm, bright, and comfortable. We're getting close to finishing and are now having trouble deciding on backsplash tile. First the background: kitchen has creamy white cabinets, yellow walls, hand scraped oak flooring, and perimeter counters are Zodiac quartz in Giallo Michelangelo. We have four distinct areas that require backsplash: behind the cooktop, behind the main sink (below large window), above the undercounter microwave (next to fridge), and behind the coffee station sink. We found a mosaic tile product a few months ago that we loved and planned to install it in all four areas. However, now we're getting cold feet in that 1) we're afraid that this much mosaic will be too busy in such a relaxed space and 2) the Giallo Michelangelo is quite yellow in appearance and we wonder what type/color of tile would work best surrounded by all this yellow and creamy white. The Giallo Michelangelo actually appears more yellow under artificial light; to give you an idea I've included a nighttime picture (taken with flash) that shows it to a slightly exaggerated effect.

Our latest thought is that we'd install the mosaic just behind the cooktop (we still love this tile), making it somewhat of a feature wall, and going with a less intense pattern in the other three areas. Like many here before us, we have spent weeks accumulating tiles and samples. Mostly, we've been looking to match a shade and/or texture in the mosaic, but we find that tiles such as creamy chiaro tumbled travertine and bottoccino honed marble are too "blendy" with the creamy cabinets, yellow quartz tops, and yellow walls. To gain visual relief and a bit of "pop", we're thinking now of a glass tile in a 2x6 subway, in a color that's perhaps darker than the cabinets/tops/walls yet complements the browns, yellows, and creams that are in the room.

A few questions for you:

Should we really be concerned about all this mosaic being too busy?

Do you agree that some visual relief is needed, or does matching in shade and texture work best in keeping this a relaxed and cozy space?

Should we be thinking beyond creams, yellows, and browns and introduce some interesting color or texture into this space? Feel free to recommend a tile that would work well (material, color, etc). We are open to ideas.

Thanks!

Comments (16)

  • 14 years ago

    Your kitchen is smashing in a lovely calm organic livable way just as it is.

    I actually love the colors you put together for your mosaic backsplash (although I am seeing no yellowish casts on my monitor), but I also think that a creamy single-color subway or other tile would work as well. The only competition I see with the mosaic would be your roman shades.

    The thing is that I think your roman shades add a nice punch to the room. Indeed, your choice is making me consider for the first time something other than a solid-color shades for my two kitchen windows.

    If you can provide of a larger "sample" of the scale of your chosen mosaic -- even if it is not actually quite the right color mix -- I suspect that some Photoshop wizard on this forum would do a simulation of how the mosaic would look installed.

    If you want to go that route, you might check out pics of Elizpiz's amazingly wonderful kitchen either by searching on the forum or in the FKB. The texture of her backslash is more stone than glass and but the colors are subtle neutrals and scale is not too far from what you are considering.

    Best of luck. You are so on a roll with that kitchen.

  • 14 years ago

    How do you feel about green? Maybe a similar shape and size? I do like the mosaic you've displayed. Beautiful space---and those roman shades are amazing!

  • 14 years ago

    Thynes,

    I love your kitchen! Your quartz was one of the ones I was seriously considering in my kitchen. I could never find a large expanse of it though to be able to tell. Now I can really see it in a gorgeous space and i think it's lovely!

    Your selections seem more along the lines of what I chose for my kitchen. It's the light and serenity that I love about your kitchen.

    As far as back splash, you have to go with what speaks to you. I went with ceramic tile in my kitchen. I'm having a hard time visualizing the linear glass mosaic with the cheerful window treatments you have. Personally, I'd love to see a yummy cream subway tile as your back splash.

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

  • 14 years ago

    I love your creamy, elegant, soothing, soft and yet inviting
    kitchen space. A true dream.

    I am not sure the movement in the layered tile you have
    chose is going to be the best option for the entire kitchen.
    Your gut is telling you that just behind the cooking area
    might be best. You have excellent taste and style. Clearly
    or you would not have such a fantastic space before you.
    Go with your instinct on this. Keep searching for something
    to go with the space. I love Doonie's idea of subway. And
    there are others too.

    ~boxerpups

    {{!gwi}}


    Movement again? Would you like this? This maybe how
    your space looks. It is pretty but does not evoke quiet.
    {{!gwi}}


    This style tile in soft Cream
    {{!gwi}}

    NOT BLUE but instead a soft cream white


  • 14 years ago

    Posting as blfenton - my user name of byronroad seems to have disappeared.
    I really like the backsplash that you have picked. The only word of caution is that by choosing this one you will wind up with quite a bit of brown in the kitchen and as long as you are comfortable with that it is a reasonable choice. An option is to put it behind the stove with a matte subway tile that picks up the background colour of the counter. OR to go with the same tile pattern but in a more neutral colour if one is available. Boxerpups has posted some pics and I like the idea of the one second from the bottom. Same idea as yours but softer.

  • 14 years ago

    Wow, your kitchen is incredible. I think the tile that you've picked out is absolutely perfect!! I think you can still add in other colors with accessories/paint (which are easily changed to suit mood/style/trends/etc). The tile you've picked will withstand all of that.

  • 14 years ago

    I am over the moon about those WTs!! Need details please! :-)

    Like a few others, I feel like a "quieter" tile would compete less with the shade fabric. I have been looking for something similar...low key but with pizazz....and have considered many of the tiles Boxerpups posted above.

    I ended up ordering from Pratt & Larson's Intaglio line. It is more about texture and less about color, somewhat of a departure for me, but I decided I had other things (rugs and art) in my space that were bringing enough color into the mix. I am getting 3 x 8 and plan to stack them for a bit of a contemporary edge as my kitchen is transitional.

    The tile is on a truck as we speak, so I don't have better pics.

    Here are some of the decorative liners:

    Oh, and here is Oceanside Glasstile in their mix called Veil. It comes in a bunch of different shape formats. It didn't work for me, but it might for you.

    I am very excited about the Intaglio I settled on because it is something you don't see all the time. "Plain" subway just didn't have enough going on for me. But, I will get the serenity that a "plain" subway offers with a little extra something. :-) (Can you tell, I am excited?!)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pratt & Larson

  • 14 years ago

    You're kitchen is gorgeous! I am by no means an expert on backsplashes. After 2 years, my backsplash is going in Friday. Your kitchen is very similar to mine, except my counters are more brown/carmel (quartz). I've gone through all different styles of tile. I've looked at the site constantly for ideas and opinions..4x4, 6x6, diagonal, not diagonal, mosaic (which I didn't think would be too busy)... and decided that those that suggested to keep the backsplash subtle was the best way to go. I finally decided on a honed travertine 2x4 subway tile. The color compliments the glaze on my cabinets, and the carmel color in my counter. I also chose glass tile, which compliments both the counter and cabinet color, as a border. Subway style really grew on me... before I wasn't a fan, but after this site... it grew on me, and it just seems to be classic. Good luck!
    Stephanie

  • 14 years ago

    I don't have any real advice, I just wanted to say that I have that exactly mosaic in my floor and in my bathroom shower. It really is lovely. I agree with others that it would be too busy for the entire backsplash. If you choose to use it, I would do so sparingly as an accent rather than as the main event. I love your choices and would love a read the details of your kitchen.

  • 14 years ago

    Wow, your responses have been amazing! How thoughtful of you; thanks so much for your complements and for taking the time to offer suggestions.

    We're beginning to agree that the mosaic may be too busy when combined with the window treatments. I think the problem is, we began by choosing the crystal pendants and mosaic backsplash as focal points in the kitchen and would have gone with a more neutral pattern for the window treatments, but then along came this amazing fabric that we loved and that threw our plans things off a little. Having considered all your advice and viewing the many pictures and suggestions, we are leaning toward something less busy throughout. One option would be a pale green glass subway behind the cooktop and a creamy ceramic subway throughout the kitchen. We are now much better prepared to think this through, thanks to you guys!

    Oh, and amysrq, the roman blind fabric is Robert Allen @ Home in Sperling Geranium.

  • 14 years ago

    Thank you! :-)

  • 14 years ago

    So a few months have passed and I thought I'd update this thread. We are slowly getting closer to completing the last few outstanding items, and are looking forward to being in a position to finally post finished pics. We will move on to a large landscaping project when spring eventually (?) arrives here in eastern Canada, so we hope to finish this up in the next couple of weeks and focus our attention outdoors!

    The backsplash behind the cooktop was completed last week. We knew we wanted glass tile and were willing to take a risk on something different and interesting. We searched high and low for inspiration, and we both instantly agreed that we had found the right tile when a local tile dealer introduced us to the Metallic Glass collection at Saltillo Imports. It has a wavy surface texture, and the tile background is in a metallic glaze with matching contours. We chose the EM113 Las Vegas (brown) in a 2x4 subway pattern (see link below). It was a challenge to install as it does not have any straight edges or flat surfaces, but we are very pleased with how it worked out.

    We feel it works well as a feature wall, however the darker color will not work terribly well throughout the kitchen. We have chosen lighter, more conventional crema marfil polished marble in 2x4 subway pattern for the other areas of backsplash throughout the kitchen (see below).

    Here is a link that might be useful: Saltillo Metallic Glass

  • 14 years ago

    Cool! Looking forward to seeing the other part up!

  • 14 years ago

    Beautiful!

  • 14 years ago

    WOW, that is great and definately a focal point! Can't wait for the rest.

  • 14 years ago

    Love it!