I think there can be too much white, and if I remember, the cabinets in the kitchen are already white. So a contrasting counter would be best.

At $38 sq ft, are you sure you were not pricing out a solid surface counter like Corian or stone? Laminate should not be that expensive.

Oh, and terra cotta grout on a white tile counter would be sooo DIY-1980s looking.

My grout color will help me chose also?

You would think! But i am going to re visit that just in case i am mistaken, hopefully i am wrong.

Yea i don’t want that look, lol, like honky, Lmao, wonky. Trying to be simple, She’s a 24/7 in the kitchen person. Not sure about her faculties when she finally gets to come stay with us, but want her to like it. I asked her when she gets here, coming from far far away, cannot go back, what the first thing when she walks in would be her ‘uh oh’ moment and she just said for it to be light and bright :) she loves white with copper terra cotta no tile floor or countertop, smart, bc if she drops anything it will shatter. Does not want drawer or cabinet pulls, might get caught on her clothes. Mostly thank you for your time and effort here. It’s hard to make these decisions on my own without experience.

Nevamar AL2003 Earthen Allusion II was just the right color but it is discontinued. I wonder if there are any sheets left over in inventory? Click here to see it.

Wilsonart Peach Sorbet is close to the same color as you posted above.

Formica Cherry birch wood-look laminate is close to your terra cotta color. So is their Auburn Maple.

Arborite has a textured-looking one called Cinnamon Twill That closely matches your paint color.

Pionite laminate has Chili Fiber and Summer Heat Wave. Or Morrocan Fresco or Sunset, which is a wood grain. Plus there are other woodgrains with similar colors. You could even find the right blue in their line, I bet.

I think there are four more brands to look through on the link I made on my earlier post. You can go with a terra cotta color, a blue, or a woodgrain that tones with the terra cotta or any other color. Lots of choices. Even copper-look metallics. Peruse through all the options in those links and you will know just how many options you have.

If you use a counter top that has the color of the paint you found, then go with a warm off-white for the walls, maybe. Just my opinions, and I am not a designer. I like the terra cotta look for a counter because it seems a cottage-y look, a rosy, feminine color. It would really warm up the cold white kitchen cabinets.

Yes, your mother sounds like she likes the pretty look that you have going on. These darker counters that I am pointing out will give her contrast. You would have to send for samples of the colors you are most interested in to see if any of them work. The blues will also give contrast, and a light-to-mid blue will feel really friendly. Best of luck with your project! Come back and show pictures!

I will definitely look at those, thanks

I can’t wait to show all pictures, this has been in work for a while and will be seems forever to finish. Just getting started on build and floor plan but i can’t help but pick colors and such. She’s not sure when she wants to come stay here but definitely knows she will need our help in near future. Laying out floor plan like her condo for she is very comfortable with that floor plan. City is allowing a conditional use permit for our 400 sq ft garage. Our house is too small with one bathroom and not room to add on to existing house. I think i have allowed for all aspects of a tiny cottage like dwelling for her, although we joked, i said ok sink or toilet or laundry is in back yard, you chose :)

I think your choices are wise for an older person - no granite hard counters or tile floors! when I moved about 7 yrs ago I used vinyl plank for the floor and it had white Formica counter. I had planned to change the counter but was going to stay with Formica. I never did change it and I'm fine with the old counter top. I have problems with my hands and easily drop things and didn't want them landing on such hard surfaces and shattering and possibly sending bits of glass everywhere. I seldom use glass anymore tho. my older sister has tile floors and hates them. I hate them too when I go to visit her! my legs and back are always worse after being to her house.

I like the tile choice and do think a bit of color in the counter top would be good if the cabinets will be white.

hi Nancy in mich! good to see you on here.

Whether you use Formica or Wilsonart, the product does last, and they are pretty much equivalent. I moved from a home built in the late 60s, and when I left, the Formica there was in nearly perfect condition. Despite my putting hot pots on the kitchen surface and all. I did have ONE unremovable stain - which predated me - and one area where the stuff was slowly trying to peel off from the bathroom countertop.

While the old style could be kind of ugly, they now have REAL edging they lacked back then, so you can have professional style edging without all those dark creases. That was the only thing I disliked about mine (other than the pattern the original owners chose for the bathroom.)

Hi there, good conversation, appreciated the help and it’s fun to me to get to discuss choices. I agree with the hard floors hurting your knees and back and yes the black edging on the ‘handy man’ way of gluing countertop vs factory made does look better bc of edging. I am going to check pricing again. With this small kitchen, i will find a way to get custom made. The no drip edge comes with regardless too, i think? I chose some colors last night and i’ll post choices, but all same pic so there are not so many pictures, see what direction. Even though the tile has blue gray, i want to stay away from grays as such on flooring and walls and counters. I do have a few grays in the collage but now that i look, isn’t cheerful to me. She actually likes a bit of industrial i think, but might can do some copper accents vs a stainless feel?

I do know i want to do the trim throughout true white and probably cabinets the same true white and flooring something light all the same throughout. She has a lot of copper cookware and reds for accents that she loves and BOOKS! Only added a few uppers really just to frame the oven vent bc she can’t reach up there. Oh and plates, she counted them, lol, building ideas i found room for in the plans

The blue edge tile in the picture i learned is a edging for like a chair rail, i think, so i bought a whole boat load of pencil (?) tile to use, may use the style in picture below in the bathroom just a smidge, it might not show but is same blue gray as other

If she is keeping her red accents, I would not do a peachy/terra cotta. Those clash with red, in my mind. Just go with some read accents in the tile pattern. Red and blue are a natural together.

Hi Steph!

Here is Huntington Maple, too dark?

This is where you send for the samples. I was always shocked to see how it differs from what I thought I saw on my screen. Get the number of different samples that the company allows, in case the color does differ a lot.

i agree, get the samples so you can see the colors in real. I also don't think the terra cotta would be the color if her accents are red. maybe a blue counter to pick up the blue in the tile?

I agree, get the samples so you can see the colors in real. I also don't think the terra cotta would be the color if her accents are red. maybe a blue counter to pick up the blue in the tile?

I had a formica counter top (in a house we built) for 14 yrs while raising 4 kids (and plenty of other kids in and out of the house). when I moved out the only damage to the counter top was 1 knife cut in it and that was made by my X. can't blame regular kitchen / cooking use or the kids for that! I cooked a lot back then. we lived in the country and seldom went out to eat or brought home take out (no place around us to get it back then). my kids thought a Banquet pot pie was a treat.

Nancy in Mich and desertsteph to you both are so very right, of course, lol, i agree the redish browns which is how these will look, will not let the terra cotta and reds look cohesive, and may be too dark of a counter, i am going to get samples ordered and also i have looked at some light gray blues that i am going to order also, saw a natural bamboo too, you know my cabinets don’t have to be white? I looked at all this a different way last night. Would be nice to find a light counter with gray or gray blue movement or natural (she loves bamboo) as mentioned and do the cabinets in a gray blue paint color? My concern with that is i prefer not to have a gray toned flooring but a light tan brown flooring. If i have a gray blue counter, would a light tan brown flooring go? I am getting obsessed, i feel. Ordering samples of several ways to go today. Also checking into pre made formica counter, i think they all come with the 4” back and had noticed that is not becoming if i have the tile backsplash. Rambling now, i’m afraid, sorry.

I am not so sure that a dark counter is a bad thing - LOL!

This is my current kitchen. Very Dark Taupey Brown Wilsonart Counters. When they went in, it occurred to me that the kitchen was now coffee and cream!

This was before the backsplash was in. I never did get photos with the backsplash!

When it comes to deciding on colors, seeing other kitchens can help. Have you been to the Kitchen forum? Do they still have a link to the finished Kitchens Blog there? You can see every kitchen done by Garden Webbers going back to the early 2000s. You can also go to the top of this page and do a search on Houzz using some words like "Kitchen blue cabinets" or "Kitchen terracotta" or any other ideas you have, just choose the "in Photos" option when the options pop up.

you know it’s $38 or so drip or no drip a square foot

Is that an 'installed price'?

You can order custom laminate counters from Menard's much cheaper...if you have Menard's in your area.

I was wrong about the cost of the formica i was pricing, depending on the quality level it ranges from $11.50 to $17.50 square foot and basic installation is $7.50 per sq ft. Really? Where did i get that $38 from, who the heck knows. That’s at the big box, but too they did not have what i liked. Have been researching some more kitchen designs and compiled some thoughts and ideas. Looking at a natural bamboo formica with the tile and cabinet color of something like Martha Stuart shale. Have to go back to find the natural bamboo that i saw and check the price, and get samples. May have to get sample paint -50% formula and lighten it up a bit. Looked like a good color. I don’t want it to look like i tried to match it perfectly and it won’t bc we know that never happens, but a lighter hue of the same gray blue, will see, these cabinets are along a west wall with several windows and hope it doesn’t go baby blue. Any thoughts? I am such an amature , lol. I think she’ll appreciate a lighter countertop. And the terra cotta in next room open concept might go as well. Of course then there is wall color, making a perplexed face right now :)

I didn’t mention will have white appliances and stainless sink, yea pretty basic, but that’s all i can afford, it will all be new and clean!

Thank you Nancy in Mich, i found the bamboo! Ordered sample

Ci_lantro, looked for a Menard’s near me, not one local, very grateful for the info, i may can still order from them though, i am checking it out, thank you very much!

Mom will jump for joy if i can get something bamboo in there! Well she’ll squeal for sure, lol. She wanted bamboo flooring, after we checked prices we just decided to settle for her cutting board...

I liked this look of the countertop and cabinets

With white walls and hopefully my tile selection, cabinets a bit lighter

Nancy in mich, i think if i lighten that shale it will be good for cabinets to match lighter color in tile? Started with white cabinets but afraid of white walls with white cabinets white trim and white in tile unless there is a good white (s) combo for that? Off whites of course maybe on walls, will be same wall color throughout.

On walls

I like for the cupboards to match the blue in the tile, or be like your photo of the blue cabinets. The shale seems too gray, to me. But then, I have a thing against too much gray and I love blue. Ask your mom if she would prefer the cupboard color to tilt toward blue or gray.

Are you still keeping the tile in the first post, with blue, yellow, and a touch of terracotta on white? If your mom's red accents are true red, you might want to try a picture of something red next to a picture of that tile laid out like in your first comment. I worry that it is still going to clash with red, even with just a little terracotta. Peachy and red just clash, to me.

I like the blues much netter than the grays myself. Ok, when i get the bamboo sample i will get a true red, which is her accent few pieces and a sample if the shale lightened on a show board type for us too look at, good idea, and i have some copper too to try to get a feel. Yes the first pick of the tile with blue and tetra cotta is what i would like to back splash with. The little yellow flowers with the blue tile hopefully can be used in her bathroom. The blues are the same in both tiles but the pictures didn’t show that, and, lol, the large solid tile i had underneath the backsplash tile is a chair rail type tile so i probably can’t use it in kitchen? I thought it was like for a edge, shows how much i know, just had to have it though, clearance. I have a tile problem if i think it’s pretty, have more!

Shale may be too gray, i’ll get the sample though and we can look together :)

Any other suggestions of blues that could maybe match this tile, the light part or dark part? I’ll get a few samples. Am i calling it right in that tile? Or is it seeming to be a gray? Prefer a blue.

I am the same way about liking tile. Chair rail tile is used most often to top a portion of tile that goes only partway up a wall. So, if you are going to have upper cabinets in your kitchen, and the backsplash is just going to be between the counter and the bottom of the upper cabinets, then you may not need any chair rail at all. If you are not going to have upper cabinets, you can use the chair rail to end the backsplash.

Another use for chair rail in a kitchen is to make a picture frame around an area of special tile. You can also use it to frame a niche in the wall. In a kitchen, you can use a niche next to a cooktop, to hold oil, salt, pepper, and other cooking items. It is an old-fashioned look to use the chair rail in these ways, but if you already bought it and cannot return it, you may want to look at this link and see some ideas of how to use it. Use of chair rail. If you have a breakfast nook, you could carry the tile over to that area and use the chair rail in the seating area, too.

I will look at that, thank you, i could put a cute niche in couldn’t i! And i have drawn in a small eat in with a window looking out at garden area for her. When i bought that chair rail i had intention of white tile for counter and i thought it was used for the front edge of tiled counter top but found out it was not and we discussed not using tile for her counter surface. You think it’s gray don’t you? Me too, could it fall into a blue or am i kidding myself now? That reminded me too that i need to widen her eat in a little bit to fit a wheel chair under if need be. I’ll get on a different post when i show layout for suggestions, working on plumbing situation right now on a separate post for that.

Looked at the chair rail designs, yes that does add some character doesn’t it! I like it, might catch a little extra dust, but no worries, i’ll take care of all that for her. We are not white glove cleaners but a quick swipe is doable for me, lol. I like the little shelf around also, she will too! She is nothing close to junky but has her little special things to put there.

The chair rail looks blue to me.

Great! Me too, lol

Nancy - it's so good to see your dw again! I so loved how you put it up higher so it'd be easier to load and unload it. boy, that was a few years ago now wasn't it!

Yeah Steph, it will be ten years this summer!

Nancy; i received a sample of bamboo laminate countertop today. I am going to compile a tile and laminate with red accent ‘something’ together so we can look at the combination this evening!

Ok, i have researched a lot of blue/grays and have snap shot a few beside the tile, trying to minimize the samples i get and some of these may work at a 50-75% reduction for cabinets. And then I considered keeping with the white cabinets, please help with a good white cabinet color if i go that route. The whole house walls will be some color of white and trim will be true white unless you all can help me with a good combo. Flooring will be a med to light brown/tan (no gray) vinyl plank flooring. Any suggestions are so so welcomed at this point. Really like the bamboo sample laminate.

With border tile or have pencil for outline if needed

Have to open pic to see the border

Hi Alice, when I open the pic I still see just the side of the border tile that is adjoining the field tile and do not see anything indicating that it is a chair rail. Since I can's see where that blue border tile ends, can you just take a picture of that tile and show the whole thing? It looks like a simple border to me, not a chair rail.

The counter top really brings out the yellow in the flowers and looks bright and cheery. I would stick with a blue on the cupboards to offset the brightness. Cannot tell from here which blue is best, you are on you own on that!

Hi Nancy, i have more of these pieces that should be allowed

One sample for sure i’m trying at -50 to -75% lighter formula is the bm blue sprue for cabinets

On my computer, there is too much green in the Blue Spruce. But computers do not see as well as eyes on the spot, so you will have to look for help that can actually see the paint sample and the tile together. Ask at the paint store for help, take the tile there.

Try putting the large tile liner (chair rail) with the smaller part against the other tiles. It probably is supposed to go that way.

Yes i see green also : ( lol, my hours have been cut at work bc it has rained rained rained, slow business and then i caught the crud, been pretty ill, but i am going take this tile up there and have some fun with it when i get better.

Oh i will try that with the tile. The gentlemen that will lay this tile for me is really good and he always asks me ‘Alice are you happy?’lmao