Following... that is gorgeous! We are also putting in marble tiles as our backsplash so... we were thinking of using a graying grout (alabaster?). Curious what the pros would say.

We had a grout mishap when we built our house years ago, and I discovered grout colorant. Its an easy way to change the color without removing grout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTTACiYi5b8

I think it looks great ...I would paint the shelves a light ( off white gray ) and those pocket X on top ...hmm, I would finish it off like the rest ...AND then the focus is on the light beautiful kitchen and backsplash ...all looks great ...!!

Applying new grout over the existing is not an easy task and results are often less than satisfactory. New grout layer would probably be thinner than the first and would inevitably vary in thickness so may not adhere well, so old grout could show from underneath. It's better to remove this grout and apply a lighter option if you really don't like what you have right now. There are tools for this but your contractor could probably help you.

I can't offer any technical opinion but it looks gorgeous.

I just finished a gut remodel and my experience has been that I am SHOCKED and second guessed a lot of my design choices when they were installed. After a week or so my eye adjusts and I remember why I chose them :-). I have discussed this phenomenon with my friends who also agree that it is just a part of the remodeling process for lay people. I remodeled with the help of a designer and so I am thankful for being able to collaborate with her - sometimes I just trusted in her vision because I knew I liked style decisions she had helped me make (by help I mean explained why the choice made sense and why other choices weren't as good).

How long ago was the grout completed? I've seen others here commenting about similar issues but once the tiles and grout had dried completely the look was more in line with what they were hoping for.

That is a really beautiful kitchen. I don't know if I think it is too dark or not. Before taking any drastic measures why not complete the job and get your undercabinet lights on and some accessories on the counters and then decide if it still feels not quite right to you. A lighter colour grout might do the trick or it might just need some time for it to settle in.

So often at this point in projects we really begin to doubt our choices and lose confidence. I think everything so far looks really lovely and I think it will make you happy (it would make me happy!).

People often second guess their decisions when they are on the middle of a project. The backsplash looks wonderful. I get what you like about the non grouted look, but that is simply not a thing. What you have looks wonderful. You are looking at things in isolation and doubting yourself because you haven't seen this work out beautifully a million times before.

Thanks for all the feedback. The grout was placed 1 week ago, and the tiles just look much more dull to us. We tried to clean the tile really well today to see if that would remove any remnant grout, and I think it maybe looks slightly better. Going to probably sit on it for the next week or so until we can completely finish the kitchen and expose the floors, etc. Is white grout a terrible idea for a kitchen backsplash? My partner really doesn’t like the dark looking grout lines. Thank you again for the help!

Look into coloring the grout ...do not remove it, that would be a mess. Someone above suggest coloring the grout. I don't know that white would be less visible, I rather think it needs to be a medium color like the softest gray. It really is not dark, it matches the darker tone in the tile perfectly. It looks orderly and neat as a pin. It may need a silver or an ash tone placed over it? Check with your contractor that did the work or with a retail tile store to find the easiest solution. Putting a bit of make up on, is alot easier than plastic surgery! LOL :D Funny your partner feels the grout is dark, when I think the island and the light fixtures are the darkness in the area. Maybe trying some frosted or clear or perhaps some chrome and clear glass tone light pendants would help, as they look very heavy, hanging from that single strand, and too industrial for your airy kitchen........... and than see if the island finish can be blended lighter a bit and than..is the grout less bothersome?? Just a different perspective.

Is white grout a terrible idea for a kitchen backsplash?

No. Why would it be?

I just don't understand how you can get from photo 1 to photo 4 -- it's like the grout lines tripled in size! all I can think is that moisture from the grout has discolored the edges of the marble tile, and it may lighten over time as everything dries. But really, I can see why you are shocked! it's a much more rustic look.

acm? The tile in 1 and 2 has not any grout at all. Than 3 and 4, have the grout. You have to install the same amount of grout for each tile, you dont want to have a thicker line where the tile is a less defined edge and a thinner line where the hand made and installed, tile is more defined. An expert installed the grout, and did an amazing job. Just was not communicated with regarding the desire for a lighter grout to match the tile rather than the richer hue he saw there.

No doubt...you have a GORGEOUS 'dream' kitchen many would want (dark grout or not).

Having said that, like yourself I personally MUCH prefer the un-grouted tiles. It's very subtle. The kitchen looks like a completely different kitchen with the dark grout, where the eye is drawn to the backsplash as opposed to many other beautiful things in your kitchen.

If you are like me, time won't change your mind about what you love/don't love.

I'm no a pro., but I'm sure there must be a way to lighten your existing grout BEFORE it's sealed. :)

@Sammy - in general white grout is not recommended because it is more difficult to keep "white" and any slight discoloration will be more evident.

I have marble tile floors and the grout is a very light gray - it pretty much blends in with the tile itself and it doesn't show every bit of dirt or discoloration since the grout itself just fades into the rest of the tile. My designer brought grout samples and we deliberately picked grout color that wasn't white but didn't make its own design statement - e.g. some of my bathroom wall tiles are Encore which are handprinted and so have somewhat of a irregular beige rim and the grout matches the tile edge so that one doesn't see the grout as a separate design element - same as the accent rose gold penny tiles for which I used a rose grout.

What I found when using a few onyx tiles as an accent--without grout the light enters the stone from the side, making it look translucent and 'glow-y'. Block the light by filling the gaps--with any color grout--and the tiles look much duller and flatter. I think very pale gray grout would look better than the darker gray that you now have, but any grout will block some of the translucency.

As others advised, I'd suggest living with it for a while. Even with the dark grout, it's beautiful, as is the whole kitchen!

Well this is a really beautiful kitchen. I can see why you might prefer the pre-grout look and some tile can be installed and never grouted. So since it is now grouted it will never look like the "before" pictures but you can lighten the grout lines by painting them with a grout pen. It very easy but time consuming. They sell the pens at Home Depot in a few colors. You can also get custom grout sealer in any paint color but you would have to apply that with a very small brush. So its basically like applying nail polish to your grout. I think with time you will adjust and the existing grout color may lighten up a bit so hopefully you won't do this.

It just looks a bit choppier with the grout since you chose a darker color. Choosing one that is more like the majority of your tiles would have kept it a bit more unified looking. But the trouble with natural marble tiles (we have them too) is that there are dark ones and light ones. So whatever grout you choose is going to show up more on some tiles. If you get a lighter grout, it will be more obvious with the dark tiles. I had pure white tiles and grout previously and 30 years later is was still white and clean, because I sealed it. But it would be better to choose a pale off white that matches some color in the tiles. Stark white will look as distinct as this dark grout. I would live with it and if it still makes you unhappy, try coloring it. But I think once you move onto other things and once you are finished with everything back to being usable, you might learn to love it. It is a gorgeous kitchen, including the backsplash. I would also use a good sealer on the marble tiles and grout once it is all finished.

It’s beautiful with the darker grout it gives it Tuscan look and makes it stand out more. You can use bleach but it’s a process. I used to use bleach or bath cleaner with arm and hammer baking powder to do the bathroom floor but I would use the bleach.

I do have to say I agree with someone else who said the grout lines look bigger than what the spacing was before it was grouted... was all the grout wiped away properly? Were the tiles sealed prior to grouting? Maybe there is a bleed through?

Personally I really like it - you have a large space and it really makes it stand out beautifully... the other way was a bit boring...

Also - I happen to like the X doors!

What sort of edge did those marble tiles have? Tumbled/beveled?

Your kitchen looks great.

I would NOT paint the shelves, it would make the kitchen look bland and uninteresting.

When your things are in the kitchen and on the shelves, no one including you will even notice the grout which looks fine anyway.

I think it looks beautiful.

Thanks for all the comments. Here is the latest pic of the kitchen. My partner still sees some areas of the grout being darker than others (herringbone area) so we may try to lighten those a bit if possible, but otherwise we may be stuck with what we have. Given how fragile this tiles are, it would be impossible to remove all the grout and replace with another color, so we’d have to complete tear it down and start over. Don’t really want to do that at this point. Thanks again and appreciate any comments!

I used honed marble for my backsplash 3 years ago. I was very lucky that the white marble had such an even color. Tile guy made grout lines as thin as possible, and used a non-yellowing whit grout. Heres what mine looks like.

Once you put all your stuff out, it will also change how everything looks...

I think your lighting makes a difference. I notice the grout the least in those sections that are the most lit by your under cabinet lighting (right under the lights.) Maybe when you have your hood light on over the range, the grout in your herringbone design will also be less noticeable. Lovely kitchen!

I agreed with you at first and much preferred the look of the ungrouted tiles but after looking at your pics a few times, it’s really growing on me (for the most part I do not like contrasting grout). I actually think it goes well with the rest of your kitchen design. That being said, there are tile/marble restoration companies that will change (paint/stain) the color of your existing grout. You can always give one a call and get an estimate and have them show you samples of what they do.

About 7 years ago, we redid our bathrooms. I used the same marble tile in both, but changed the grout color in one. So one has a darker grey grout and the other has a much lighter grey. Dramatically different looks, but I love them both. I would recommend you stay the course for now and see how you feel when it’s all done.

I feel your pain. I've decided to stop looking at the original tile and photos of it pre-grout because it is driving me a little crazy. I had this very same experience two days ago with a 2 inch honed marble hexagon tile that was mostly white with some gray variations that we are using as a shower floor. It was bright and light until we added a light to mid-tone gray grout, and now it's more dreary and muddy. When I asked our contractor about it he said the translucence allows the grout color to give a darker appearance to the tile. I wish he had suggested that when I asked him if the grout color seemed like a good choice. Ah well. Your kitchen is beautiful and I find that the less I bring it up and focus on it (like not telling people what was hoped for when they first see it) the less I am bothered by it. Like someone suggested in an earlier comment, once you load everything into the kitchen it will become less glaring to you. Maybe play with darker accents on the counters and the tile will brighten up to the eye.

Hi Jeremy Manchado, How did your tile come out?

Is the tile beveled? The grout will appear thicker because it falls over the bevel. I think it looks great, but yes, it's difficult to adjust at first.

I see the beautiful beams and gorgeous floors! The overall design is stunning, don’t get stuck on the grout lines. Once you’ve got your rugs and stools and decor you won’t focus on that anymore. Perfectionism can make you crazy (i know)

Can I ask what the tile is called? Your kitchen is beautiful!

@Jeremy Manchado - I ran across this post from last year. First - your kitchen is amazing! Would you mind sharing your paint colors/countertop selections? I am trying to finalize my selections for my kitchen remodel - and need to make a decision re: island color. I am having a difficult time deciding between a dark blue/dark charcoal or soft black/using a stain.

Also, I hope that you didn’t listen to the above comment about painting your shelves - they look beautiful with your floors! Thanks!

I would love to use a herringbone marble with a white grout but I have concerns about keeping it clean. Does anybody have any experience with a marble backsplash and how it will stands the test of time? Thank you