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grethell1231

Kitchen Backsplash subway tile

7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

Need help deciding on kitchen backsplash. I had originally thought of going with a dark gray tile (basalt or slate color), but I don't think I like the way it will look behind the range and hood (which is where most of the backsplash is).

Now I am thinking white subway tiles with dark grout.

Questions: herringbone or brick pattern? Glossy or matte? 3"x8" or 3"x12"?

Countertops are Cambria Weybourne





Comments (36)

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I gotta say I like the dark tile you had picked out (assuming its the one on the counter). I would do that one and add under cabinet lighting.

    I wouldn't do dark grout with white subway tile. Your kitchen is so clean and sleek that it seems like it might be too much of a different style/feel. If you are absolutely set against the dark tile I envision a high gloss white 3x12 tile with matching, thin grout.

    Hope this helps and your kitchen is gorgeous!

    grethell1231 thanked User
  • 7 years ago
    I say dark too. I love herring bone so that is my vote. I also like the honeycomb look too!

    PS- your kitchen is beautiful!
    grethell1231 thanked Sonya Oden
  • 7 years ago

    Thank you for these comments. I was chickening out of the dark tile, but now I think I should go back to my initial instinct. I just can't find the right color in subway tiles. I can go with the chevron (too busy?) or I can get the solid tiles cut in 2" x 3" but they won't cut any larger.


  • 7 years ago

    Karen Rose - your kitchen is gorgeous!

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Your kitchen feels like the perfect situation for that herringbone tile. I say go for it! (...and I normally am not a fan of herringbone when people want it cause the kitchens never seem to be the right style in order to pull it off but yours totally is!)

    grethell1231 thanked User
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Grethell, you have a beautiful kitchen! I think the darker herringbone would be perfect. Karen Rose, lovely kitchen! Where did you get your runner?

    grethell1231 thanked drsaj
  • 7 years ago
    Herringbone! It’s so pretty! Thanks all, runners are from Overstock.
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I’m doing a kitchen remodel and couldn’t decide on a countertop with my white shaker. I love your counter with your cabinets and I vote for the darker herringbone.

    grethell1231 thanked Cindy Zee
  • 7 years ago

    I'm not feeling the dark tile at all. I like the tile, but it will create a black hole in your kitchen. To me this kitchen screams a variation crackle tile. Encore or Fireclay would look great! Right now it looks a bit clinical & needs something to bring it to life.





    grethell1231 thanked mark_rachel
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    First of all, your kitchen is beautiful. You've made amazing choices so far, so you should definitely trust your own instincts.

    Having said that, the second-guessing of the dark is also an instinct, so don't ignore it. Personally, I don't love a dark backsplash with white cabinetry/counters... I find the strong horizontal line to be hard and disparate. Where you have such light floors, I think it will be even more harsh. I think it's smart to look at other options before you decide for sure.

    There are a lot of options between dark grey and white... have you considered something in a softer color palette, or a patterned tile? Here are a few ideas:


    Eagle Island Lake House · More Info



    Bohemian Elegance Kitchen Remodel · More Info


    grethell1231 thanked Hillside House
  • PRO
    7 years ago

    We like the idea of white glossy subway tiles. We think it will make your kitchen bright and shine.

    Issaquah Kitchen · More Info


    grethell1231 thanked Michelle Yorke Interior Design LLC
  • 7 years ago

    Your kitchen is beautiful. Where are the floors from and do you have its name? Thanks!

    grethell1231 thanked Eli Mo
  • 7 years ago

    I too love your kitchen! I would go for a medium gray herringbone, not really dark. Is your floor tile? Luxury vinyl plank? Please tell us what it is, as I am considering something similar. I have dark cabinets now and a VERY old whitish sheet vinyl floor. I love my light floor, but was afraid it would be too stark with the white cabinets I plan to get. (Floor will be new too) You have convinced me that it could be beautiful! Again, please identify the floor. Thanks!

    grethell1231 thanked Connie Stackhouse
  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Nice work! We would go with darker backsplash to add dimension and depths. Since the area isn't that big it will not overpower the room, or become too busy.

    grethell1231 thanked RL Remodeling
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Thank you everyone. I am still wrestling with the decision. So much so I grabbed a paint brush over the weekend and painted on the "faux" backsplashes. (My family thinks I need an intervention Lol!) I think I am eliminating the brick pattern and I may be chickening out of the dark chevron tile. But still very much on the fence.


  • 7 years ago

    As for the floors, I had these put in when I moved into my house 5 years ago. Can't remember the name, but they are porcelain 18" x 36". Here is a picture from the store with their reference number. If you are near Miami, they still carry them in USA tile (I just bought a few extras for the kitchen reno).


  • 7 years ago

    Maybe just leave it painted.. it really mad me laugh

  • 7 years ago
    Painting was a great idea!! I think the black looks good. I found an image similar to what u painted. It compliments the white cabinets and countertops.
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    oh please, not another white subway tile backsplash! Your kitchen is lovely. With all the beautiful tiles available, why settle on white subway? because it's safe?? While I like your original pick, you could do something just a tad lighter, or something with a bit of color.

    You like this one? comes in many other glaze colors, but this is Encore Ceramics, chevron, in one of the metallic glazes.


    are you willing to spend a little? Encore will run you in the $35 range and takes about 4 weeks. They do have beautiful choices. Luckily you don't have a large area to do, so spending a bit more won't break the bank for your space.

    They have this other Chevron where you can pick a variety of glaze colors. this one is Rain


    1x3 blend (3 diff glaze colors) I like these warm tones w/your stools and hardware


    Hex in the bronze metallic (this bronze could be done in that first chevron picture I posted)


    Right now you have mostly white, with a tad of gray and your gold hardware. nothing about your countertop or flooring is busy, so don't be afraid to pick a tile w/some personality. It will only enhance your kitchen. (kind of like wearing some killer jewelry, heels and a bag w/a little black dress)


    gold/bronze glass tile left (tiler) and the smaller hex is the Martini Mix from Encore

    if you feel like you must do a white subway, at least do a calacatta marble subway.


    Or, here's something a bit diff. Glass tile subway. This is DalTile Horizons in Driftwood. The subway tile is a 2x8. they aren't cheap (about 7 bucks a tile), but again, you don't have a large area to do.

    I posted the mosaic linear bar with it so you can see the colors. It has a slight iridescence. You could lay this in a herringbone and I think it would look stunning w/your other elements.


    another glass option is the Lunanda Bay Agate collection. You'll have to look on their site because they have about 50 options w/colors. I like this one because of the gold and silver tones (and you can get this in a subway tile or other shapes. you don't have to do this wave shape)

    It's the one in the middle (and how it looks in a chevron is below it) the white one on top is Nabi Harlequin from Tilebar.com


    This would also look amazing.

    https://tilebar.com/matrix-trapezoid-marble-and-brass-tile.html


    Tilebar.com Komorabi-Honey take a look on their site. you can order 5 samples for $5


    Don't like any of these? I have hundreds more. please, no plain white subway. your kitchen deserves something better.

  • 7 years ago
    I don’t mind the white tile but I don’t care for the dark grout. Totally changes the sleek modern, crisp feel of your beautiful kitchen.
    Grout same color as tile. Love the cabinet hardware, Stunning!
  • 7 years ago
    I love all these suggestions! Beth I’m really liking the metallic glaze on the encore!!! Searching for this right now. Just wish it was a bit faster. Have a small event at the house in early June. Would have loved to have the kitchen ready by then.
    But may be worth the wait to get it right...
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    yes, it's worth the wait. if you order it soon, you may be able to get it by then.

    I really like the Matrix marble/brass from Tilebar too. I think it would look beautiful.

    look at some of their other water jet options

    https://tilebar.com/catalog/category/view/s/waterjet/id/211/?hero=home



    and you don't want this plain old white, even in the herringbone. and certainly not w/the dark grout

    while this is pretty, it's also yawnsville. compared to what else is out there, don't settle.


    that Horizons glass tile also comes in an iridescent black glass. It's called Black Sand

    same company as that Driftwood I posted above. I like the moonlight too


    this kitchen is similar to yours. I think black w/white and gold look beautiful

    scallop tile

    Chevron in the marble (both dark and light)


    and the marble tile w/the brass inlay would look great w/your kitchen too. I posted that other one from tilebar. I really like it.

  • 7 years ago
    Ok I went back to the drawing board and I have narrowed it down the following two.
    I must decide by tomorrow. My installer is going to kill me if I keep delaying.
  • 7 years ago
    “V” one is gorgeous!
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    oh I love the Vzag! those are larger (the V-shapes) than what they seem in pictures. Which is good. It won't look like a busy mosaic.

    make sure to order the Schluter brass Jolly edging pieces for all your borders.

  • 7 years ago

    That second one is stunning.

  • 7 years ago
    Use the palest grey.
  • 6 years ago

    How did it turn out? Can you post photos Grethell1231? I'm stuck in the backsplash tile current going around and around, not wanting to do white subway but looking for something to go with Cambria Weybourne and my white flat panel cabinets! Spending hours and hours on line and returning samples - need to make decision this week, yikes!

    grethell1231 thanked Kari Nielsen
  • PRO
    6 years ago

    white and gold!

  • 6 years ago

    I actually went in a completely different direction, but I'm happy with how it turned out.. It's a white and gray thasos marble mosaic.




  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Looks great!

    grethell1231 thanked User
  • 6 years ago

    Beautiful!!! Thank you so much for posting the photo really helps me with making a decision and I will now look for something like that, it’s stunning and a nice change from the usual subway, which I just can bring myself to doing! By the way, after seeing the entire slab of Weybourne at Cambria I decided against it! I am now going with Eternal Statuario OR Cosmopolitian White. I’m trying to decide then will tackle the backsplash. What countertop is that is your kitchen? It’s lovely.

  • 6 years ago

    Thank you Kari. My countertop is Waybourne.

  • 6 years ago

    Wow! I didn’t realize it. You know, it’s so difficult to see and in the slab yard (at Cambria) they show it on a rack (vertical) so it’s impossible to imagine horizontal! It looks so pretty in your kitchen. 👍🏻

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Kari,,,have you looked at Tilebar Matrix w/the marble/gold? I'm considering it for mine, along w/their newer one called Fitz Blanco


    Matrix trapezoid


    I have the Eternal Serena and still can't make up my mind on the splash. I also want something out of the 'white subway' realm.