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You have done so well with the project so far. I'd hate to see bad advice ruin it.
The guys who install tile, pushed for the darker tile because they were not looking at the overall effect. They are only looking at the granite and dark tile up close and they like it. But if you back away and look at the overall picture, that dark tile will create a busy narrow strip of darkness around the kitchen. It won't relate to anything and will look like an amateur did it.
Typically, if you choose a back splash to be the eye-catching element, it works best when there are few upper cabinets and the back splash takes up a lot of wall space. With lots of uppers, a dramatic back splash looks like a disruptive stripe.
Any designer will advise to only have one eye-catching element per kitchen. The dark tiles will compete for attention because they will be sandwiched in between light upper cabinets and patterned granite. That would give the eye THREE very different things to look at all bunched together.
Not to mention that kitchens already look busy by nature with all the appliances and stuff on counters.
Thanks for articulating it so well. It is something that I "felt" inside but couldn't quite describe. Then the granite people threw me for a loop when I mentioned doing some sort of soft white tile. Unfortunately, they said this in front of my husband who normally never has an opinion...and now he wants to have one over the tile after listening to them.
But I am going to show him your thoughts on this. I think you may be spot on. That just leaves me with going back to the tile store. I want to find a soft "tumbled" white that doesn't have any pattern. Didn't see much of that at the tile store.
Great job on your cabinets and your floor looks really nice. Personally I'm not a granite fan....My daughter has had granite many times....I think it is too picky for everyday use....I prefer the counter tops that you have....they go well....if you are looking for some color and/or pizazz why not do a back splash in the new glass tiles....and leave the counter tops alone. Links below.
If you are set on choosing one of the samples in your pic....I'd go with the off white, 3rd in from the frig. Or the similar one stacked on counter, under the grey, near the toaster. I personally would stay with warm tones and never choose stark tones or black for that kitchen....You could do white which would make your cabinets and floor pop.
I also am not sure why you left the doors off your cupboards? If intentional? I would not like that look.
Another idea. Spend a little more on a top on the island/breakfast bar counter....And leave the rest alone, or go with a less expensive complementary match.....and emphasize the breakfast counter top.
Not sure if you'll like this, but I'm building a house now, and for the budget options, for my white kitchen, I went with Shaw Contempo Gulf 6x6 in a brick subway pattern. I would have went with a lighter gray if it was a free option.
It seems like the builder's warm whites are saturating out the cabinets and backsplash, but I intend on swapping it out for whiter bulbs
Great job on your cabinets and your floor looks really nice. Personally I'm not a granite fan....My daughter has had granite many times....I think it is too picky for everyday use....I prefer the counter tops that you have....they go well....if you are looking for some color and/or pizazz why not do a back splash in the new glass tiles....and leave the counter tops alone. Links below.
If you are set on choosing one of the samples in your pic....I'd go with the off white, 3rd in from the frig. Or the similar one stacked on counter, under the grey, near the toaster. I personally would stay with warm tones and never choose stark tones or black for that kitchen....You could do white which would make your cabinets and floor pop.
I also am not sure why you left the doors off your cupboards? If intentional? I would not like that look.
Another idea. Spend a little more on a top on the island/breakfast bar counter....And leave the rest alone, or go with a less expensive complementary match.....and emphasize the breakfast counter top.
jhtrico1850: is that tile a light gray? It looks like it in the photo.
Just curious on your colors: you walls look an awful lot like mine. What color are you using? Are the countertop Luna Pearl or Cotton White?
Paint is Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray. It looks gray with natural sunlight, and yellowy beige with the builder's supplied bulbs. Kind of wish I went for a lighter color now, like a creamy white.
Thanks for articulating it so well. It is something that I "felt" inside but couldn't quite describe. Then the granite people threw me for a loop when I mentioned doing some sort of soft white tile. Unfortunately, they said this in front of my husband who normally never has an opinion...and now he wants to have one over the tile after listening to them.
The lighter tile on the right in your photo seems to work great. A tile that's the lightest color in the granite would be the only other good choice.
Never listen to anyone just because they install granite for a living!!! You have no idea if this person has any design sense or not.
The tile installer told the owner of this kitchen that she should not tear out the expensive stone back splash and put up less expensive plain cream subway tiles.
She told him to just do it and now it looks like this. Should she have listened to his advice? NO!
Also, the tile is Shaw Contempo Gulf. Not sure if anyone besides a builder can get it, but I bet you can find something similar at the home improvement store.
Two more photos of the kitchen where the tile installer didn't want to change the back splash.
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