big thank you for fast response .. i'm leaning that way too .. need to decide soon (going too crazy).

big thank you for fast response .. i'm leaning that way too .. need to decide soon (going too crazy).

I can see why you love the tiles, I think they give your kitchen such a cozy, homey vibe. It sounds like you should just just re-grout the tile and replace the blue bullnose tiles. I don't think anything else will go as good with your backsplash.

I love your backsplash accent tiles! They are extremely similar to my dear daughter’s backsplash tiles right down to the color way. Her counter top is a formica type material in a medium blue. I agree with Tangerine that you should redo the grout and keep the original tiles if possible. Maybe a Corian or other resin based countertop would work.

I understand the drawbacks of a tile counter, but they are really charming in these historic homes. If some of the grout can be scraped out and replaced with some of the new and better grout and then sealed, I think you might be happy with the overall appearance.

Totally agree -- do keep the tiles you have and re-grout.

Do also ask about options to seal the new grout against stain/moisture/mold .

Just have a tile guy come out and redo the countertop w/similar tiles. If those are vintage, RetroRenovation may be able to match the color for you.

The cobalt tiles and chair molding are still avail in that color.

The tile guy can do the same countertop but w/a better grout that won't stain as much.

He may be able to scrape out the old grout and salvage those tiles for you, but give you a new edge.

or, look into a blue quartz

They even make yellow. all diff shades

GS Quartz, in Spring Yellow seems to match

I sure do love that blue quartz ... but I think, in the long run, that the tiles are better for us. My husband is an amazing cook and I love to cook as well -- but we are not all that meticulous re setting hot pans on the counters. And there are a lot of folks who have damaged their quartz due to setting hot pans down on top of it. That would upset me . ... Thank you all so much for your input. It helps me tremendously. Time to contact the grout master!

I’m so glad you decided to keep your tile. It’s so very charming.

I love vintage kitchens, and your tiles are beautiful. Possibly you could fix the chips:

Speaking of visual effects, it’s often possible to hide small wear spots and chips with a patch. If a glazed tile is chipped in a place that won’t get wet or walked on, try this tip from restoration expert Cheryl Campbell of Hebell LLC. Cover the chip with model airplane paint followed by a coat of clear epoxy. The combination holds up well, and mimics the sheen on glossy tiles.

From: https://www.oldhouseonline.com/kitchens-and-baths-articles/how-to-match-new-tile-to-old/

Are you sure all the cabinets are thermofoil? The uppers look like they are, but the lowers look like solid wood.

with the exception of the open lower cabinet, which my husband built, all other cabs are thermofoil. But they have worn a lot better than I thought they would have when we first installed them 15+ years ago. Thank you for the tip re the chipped tiles -- alas, the bullnose tiles are too far gone. Thank you for your post and help.!

Oh my goodness, it’s back to square one. The tile guy cannot re-grout my existing tiles because they are not straight edged tiles. So I am back to considering a solid surface countertop. Of course, the one that I love or the ones that I love that is, are the most expensive. Thankfully I have a rather small kitchen. I am worried about the blue granite being susceptible to edging t etching azul bochira is one and these photos don’t show ou the intensity of the blue. Please help! Many thanks!

Before you give up, try another tile guy.

Azul macabaus and retain backsplash?