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anita_thames

Help! Gray/beige/greige cool warm, need opinions!

9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago

Above photo is my choice for herringbone accent tile but does it go with the subway tile and wall color in the kitchen?

I ordered tile for my bathrooms and kitchen. When it all came in and was at my house it looks totally different than it did at the store. I'm told its due to different lighting. My house will be getting LED lighting and I've been told that will make whites really bright. My cabinets are white. My tiles are mostly warm gray/beige BUT my favorite tile of all is a herringbone in cool white/gray (Carrera marble) which will be used as an accent tile in bathroom shower, around my fireplace an in kitchen as stove backsplash design.. I haven't ordered my countertops yet but they will not be marble. My contractor/tile person says my favorite tile is too much of a cool/ blueish gray to go with the rest of my tile especially with the LED lights. Please give me your opinions. It's kinda hard to see the variations in the pics so look closely. My trim, doors and fireplace is the color below, sherwin williams dovetail. Wall color is Repose gray. The subway tile in my kitchen is a light gray beige. The tile on the right (Carrera marble) is my choice the one in the left (Arabescato Carrara marble) is one I've been told goes better but I don't like the yellow tones in it. It's on the rt in the bottom photo. You can also see my floors in bottom photo.


All tile has been bought & delivered so it's not like I can easily return it. Thoughts please! Also any thoughts on countertops to go with all this?


Below is trim color with two of my tile choices. I've already bought the one on the left. My tile person says she doesn't think it works. These are the colors that will be around my fireplace. The fireplace will be in the SW dovetail you see on this door.

Comments (12)

  • 9 years ago

    There is an ongoing post discussing similar colors and combinations. Hope it helps. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/repose-gray-with-cream-trim-dsvw-vd~4609002

  • 9 years ago

    I looked but didn't find anything helpful. My paint on walls and trim is already a done deal. Now it's trying to get the tile colors right. They are ready to put the tile up in my shower and ready to order countertops but waiting on me!

  • PRO
    9 years ago

    I think those colors all go very well together. This will give you the ability to decorate with accent colors in your rugs, counter decor, and wall art.

  • PRO
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    have you considered using the same stone you are using for the counter-tops as backsplash?

    From bottom picture, I like the right one better

  • 9 years ago

    If you look at the 3rd picture you can see ALL the tiles I have already purchased except for the herringbone on the left in the 3rd picture. I WANT to use the herringbone with more gray tones. But my contractor/tile person says it will be too white with a gray that has bluish understones & everything else has beige undertones. Do you think it looks ok or will it stick out like a sore thumb under my LED lights? THANKS! I am getting desperate as they have stopped all work on tile in my house until I make a final decision

  • 9 years ago

    I am not good at this but I made some images for you. I extracted color from the marble and superimposed it on the subway tile as an accent line.

    and with the sherwin williams visualizer I made this image of a fire place
    I would not use the herringbone behind the stove or as an accent. Both are rather dated looks and marble is not a good backsplash for a cooking area, IMO. I might use it on the fireplace because I would reason a fireplace could always be painted a different color, ie, white. I also would not use the other herringbone in either the kitchen or bath. You don't need an accent. Maybe you can sell it on Craigs List.

  • PRO
    9 years ago
    I don't like telling you this but honestly you are trying to mix Beige warm tone with cool whites and grays. And they will be close to each other. Get whiter tile to go with Marble or change Marble. One of them have to go. I don't think lighting will create or solve this mismatch. When colors are light, missing tones and hues makes things look really bad. So sorry. I know you can do better, just painful event. I think you know it too.
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The one on the right in the last picture with the trim looks better to my untrained eye too. I'm sorry you're going through this!

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    As for the kitchen backsplash, do the entire thing in the herringbone or in the beige subway. do not mix the two. the marble tile is cool tone and the tan is warm tone. they don't really go together. the easiest way to make this work is to paint the kitchen walls in a different color.

    If you have to have that color wall, perhaps you can exchange the marble to a Calacatta instead of the carrera. Calacatta has more golds and tans than the blue-white carrara.

    as for your yellow toned carrara marble, that would be a lesser quality carrara. If you want the true white, get the higher quality. (where are you buying your tile?)

    notice how they did the accent behind the stove. they used the same carrara for the subway. This is a better idea then to do a different color and tile altogether.

    Between the diff color cabs, wall countertop, the two different tiles you want, and your flooring, there will be too many people at the party. Ya know?

  • 9 years ago

    I had a similar problem with paint and rugs: LED and light makes most grey look blue, so I've had to pick out grey with almost too much pink/red hues in the store to see them as "normal grey" in my house! Hope that helps!

  • 5 years ago

    I’m wondering where you came out on this project and if you’re happy with it. I’m facing the same issue with my bathroom with already purchased tiles. I’m thinking my only hope to pull this together is the wall color. What did you finally do?