here's a picture of a smaller tile but it is used in a bathroom

we just totally remodeled our kitchen and did all of the work (excluding the custom cabinets) ourselves. The key to a backsplash is keeping a straight line. Take your time and you can do it!

and you can buy glass tile in a herringbone pattern in sheets. so it shouldn't be any harder to hang.

I didn't know that. That makes me happy! Thank you!

Go to houzz.com -- hit the "products" button and type in backsplash herringbone tile and you will get many choices.

I did that. I really like this idea so now wondering if anyone else thinks that's not the right direction and/or had another idea.

Do you have your heart set on the glass tiles (in some fashion)?

Not sure. But from what I have seen, I really like the look the most. Open to other suggestions because if I really don't like it, I won't be convinced to change my mind but houzz has helped me get some inspiration in rooms I otherwise would not have had.

I need to try out those programs to see some of these ideas in the room. Haven't had a chance.

That would be great! I'd love to see some of your ideas in the room, using one of these programs. Wonder way to see what will work and what won't. Sometimes we can get surprised when we actually see the photos.

Yes so I will just need to find time. I could tomorrow but I feel a little guilty letting him do the work alone, which I don't think he could, and sitting here figuring out the free programs.

Yes -- You have to help hubby! He must be an angel - to work so hard then come home and do all these little "honey-do" projects. I'm blessed too.....my poor husband has nearly killed himself (we both have) working on "this old house". I fear it may kill us yet as we are not through with the remodeling. Ha! Ha!

Yes we both are always working on something and he is an amazing husband. He always gets this stuff done for us.

We are both so blessed.....

We are ready to "help" when/if needed once you figure out your picture situation. :) Although, I'm not sure how much help I will be. I still can't figure out what to put on that small dining table. Sigh.

Where did those bar stools come from? They are great!

A nice bowl of orchids.....check out that soto13 book. I put you some photos in there just for ideas. Their prices are too high though -- you can get them cheaper. But I do think they would be lovely. So you still don't know if you like the curtains or not?

All furniture in this room is from Restoration Hardware.

I saw them and I agree it would look nice but not sure where to find them and keeping real would get expensive. If I did flowers, I think I would do some low, white or light flowers but for now, it's so bare. As for the curtains, I do think I like them but I will get the real look once they are not folded in a pile.

So far, this is my favorite. I'll just need to see if it clashes with the counters.
http://houzz.com/photos/1438782

I Looove the gray paint!! please share brand and name! Also love cabinet colors please share those too!! great job so far!

You are soooo good Stefanie! My first thought was the mother of pearl tiles like you showed, but I also love the herringbone in the plainer glass. Some slight accents of a metallic gold or silver tile used randomly and sparingly could be luxe and fun. Like a little cross of 5 tiles repeated five or six times could look Roman or Greek.

Thanks, Craig. Not sure how good I'm doing but I'm sure trying! I do really want to do a herringbone pattern because at least that's a little interest if I stay neutral. It's hard for me to move away from a variance of neutral. :)

Walls are Sherwin Williams Tony Taupe. Still need to re-paint ceiling a lighter taupe. Not sure of cabinets off the top of my head so will have to look at paperwork and let you know.

Not sure how much help this will be but the kitchen perimeter cabinet color is Durham Toasted Antique and the island is Briarcliff Maple Square Sarsparilla.

I think our 'smoke' glass Subway tile would look incredible in this space. We have lots of colors to choose from so we would love to send you a few samples for comparison. Please feel free to contact us if we can help you in any way with getting the right tile for your project.

Go well with yellow illuminating lite....

You obviously need to add some tall plants - for example palm trees. One in the corner near the table and one between balcony doors (to divide sitting area from dining). To place some art work on the wall next to the armchair.

Kitchen wall: Bricks will give Mediterranean cozy but same time classical look to kitchen. It also goes with wooden floors. It will make it look warm if you add yellow lighting under shelves (so to illuminate wall at night)

These tiles are in warm colors - will add colour and reflect all colors you have in the room. It also gives you opportunity to vary colors of the room, if/when you decide to switch to new look.

Here some more visual ideas

...

I will check them out with your feedback. I love herringbone but I think I understand your thought. I am not sure I saw my style as classic though?

Thanks!

Add a area rug to table make it big enough so chairs are on it when sitting. I would have done different bar stools. Everything is matchy. Use a bold backsplash in color. Like peacock, red, orange or yellow. You have a formal look. So the glass tiles will work. Add accent color to counters and island in form of a big wood tray fill with white orchid can be faux. On counter add color canisters or glass containers and fill with candy, or other bright items. You have done a good job.

Add roman shades to windows and door. For a finish look.

I would do a very tall 5 ft and wide colorful picture instead of mirror. You nerd to warm it up and color and art will do that. Z Galleries sells nice things. Even TJMax. West a Elm. Ck them for rugs.

Yes, I still need an area rug. I really like my counter stools and they are also very comfortable. I am a very neutral person. I plan to do some type of flower arrangement this spring for the table. I do not think I could do a bold backsplash. It's too much of a commitment and I would rather stay neutral. I have thought about the candy on counter though but I am afraid everyone would eat them until their teeth rotted ;)

I like the idea of the herringbone pattern on the backsplash. Have you thought about maybe just doing the herringbone pattern over the stove, and a regular brick pattern in subway tile everywhere else? Similar to this (design, not colors necessarily):

Yes, thought about it. Someone else said that pattern would be too formal.

Elizabeth, wish you were around to help me with all these projects. HAHA, JK.

Haha--I'm sure your husband would just love you and I expanding his honey-do list :)

I don't think it is too formal--certainly no more formal than the dining table, chairs and bar stools you went with (which I really like btw). I think the herringbone is a refined look and mixing it with the more simple offset brick pattern, IMHO, makes it seem less formal. I think this is especially the case if you are thinking about doing a glass subway tile. Now if you go with the mother-of-pearl tile, then it may come across as more formal if you do the herringbone.

All this is not to push you into doing the herringbone pattern (I do happen to like it and am strongly considering it for my own kitchen). I also think that a simple offset brick pattern subway tile looks great :)

Also, I think that you'll probably want to add drapes to the kitchen windows--possibly the same ones you have in the living room. And then maybe pull in some accessories that are similar in color scheme to the accent pillows in your living room. I'm thinking just a few pops of the yellow in the form of some vases, bowls, canisters, or even just flowers (I know you've talked about adding orchids) would really tie the rooms together. Basically you could leave all of the larger ticket items neutral--rug, curtains, backsplash, furniture--and then have some fun with the accessories as those can usually be replaced more inexpensively. Maybe next time you go to Homegoods they'll have some options.

personally love the herringbone -- think it would look fabulous in your room!

As for the eating area, I think a rug would look nice. As soto said in your living room thread, you'll need to make sure that the kitchen rug goes with the living room rug since it is all one big space (doesn't have to match, just coordinate). You mentioned something about sisal in here, but I think if you are going to go with the sisal in the dining room you may want to go with something different in this room (also, keep in mind the comments about being able to keep the sisal clean from the dining room thread). You could see whether you like a flat weave rug like the one you currently have in your dining room in the kitchen. I know it will be the wrong color and size, but it may give you an idea of whether that type of rug will work, or whether you need to go a different direction.

Yes you are correct. I will just put the rug on the back burner because I can't even begin to think about that. I was going to have a blind place out for the windows and door. Someone recommended roman shades?

We used a glass and stainless steel tile on one of our kitchen projects. It turned out great!

I think waiting on the kitchen rug might be a good idea. I know the feeling of wanting to get everything done right now (I'm living it), but sometimes that also leads to making decisions too quickly and not being happy with the end result.

As for the roman shade on the doors, I think this kind of depends on what you do for curtains in the kitchen. I would only do roman shades if you can get the same fabric for both the curtains and the roman shades in the kitchen, or at least a solid fabric that coordinates with the curtain fabric. Alternatively, I suppose you could do roman shades on all of the windows in the kitchen--just make sure the fabric goes with the curtains in the living room. The blinds will be a cleaner look.

Here are some pictures of french doors with roman shades so you can get a feeling for what that could look like...

Ooh, not sure on that. But I don't think a curtain would look right?

Curtains on the door? No--I wouldn't do curtains on the doors. I was thinking curtains on the windows--one panel on the left side of the window to the left of the door and one panel to the right of the window on the right. I can see that you have a relatively small amount of wall on either side of the windows, so I can see why you have doubts about hanging curtains there. I just seems like your windows are missing something...

Also, I know you weren't a fan of the roman shades, but this room has a similar set up to your windows/door (just for your reference, not implying that this is the way to go): http://www.houzz.com/photos/kitchen/bay-window-curtain-with-french-door-

What color are your floors? Are they stained oak?

It's hand carved hardwood so it has a lot of variation. It's Mayan Pecan (Color is Exotics, Mayan Pecan, Clove).

I have white quartz counters and went with a calacatta marble in a subway tile. I love the herringbone look but was able to get better quality with the subway tile, I like a lot of swirls and pattern in my marble. Some of the other tiles we looked at were sort of plain looking even though they were also calacatta gold. We almost did a custom herringbone but felt that it might look too busy in our space. The smaller tiles of marble won't show as much pattern so it depends on the look you want.