Help me with my backsplash

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

For those of you not following my saga in the "How much to reside a house thread":

When I had the guys remove an unused vent on the side of our house, it turned out that whoever the previous owners' used as a kitchen remodeler did NOT remove the old wall mounted fan over the cooktop area. Just covered the fan in a plastic cap! ( and my house is drafty why?)

So I have a 10 to 12 inch circular HOLE in the wall over the stovetop. The area is wallpapered and of course I don't have any of it. It already has the insulation and siding over the exterior hole. The easiest way to solve this from the inside is to put up a backsplash.

The area is only 18 inches tall and 37.5 inches wide.

Since the kitchen was remodeled in the late 80s it is not high up on the priority list, so whatever I put up will be with us for another 5 to 10 years. ( or the new owners, whichever comes first ) I need to do something not outrageously expensive, that I won't tire of and that will draw on the existing color scheme.

Last go back 20 years... The cabinets are pickled oak in color ( not very pink taupe see this link item 260 http://www.minwax.com/products/woods...nish-color.cfm) as are my table and chairs. Cabinet pulls are brass ( that can be changed but I have a LOT of them ) Counter is a faux black granite with silver flecks. Cooktop and hood are black. Oven directly across from the stovetop area is black. Wallpaper is predominantly seafoam with accent areas in a basketweave beige. Floor tiles are also pinky-beige. Door into kitchen is ivory.

My husband suggested a metal sheeting but I think glazed tile would be a LOT easier to keep clean and grease-free. I also installed one before so I know tile backsplashes are NOT rocket science. I'm not into those mural things at all. I would like a pattern, maybe using different size tiles and thin rectangular border tiles (?) but am having trouble visualizing one.

I haven't had much luck looking on the internet.

HELP!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Go with the tile......picking up the color of the countertop and hood....you are more likely to change the wallpaper then those items....go to a tile store, they have GREAT displays to inspire you.....

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Go with the tile......picking up the color of the countertop and hood....you are more likely to change the wallpaper then those items....go to a tile store, they have GREAT displays to inspire you.....

ummm that's a lot of black. Thanks for the tile store idea Pat! Lowe's had nothing set up just lots of individual tiles.

How are YOUR projects going?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

ummm that's a lot of black. Thanks for the tile store idea Pat! Lowe's had nothing set up just lots of individual tiles.

How are YOUR projects going?

Notall black but tied to that color group.....could be black as accent tiles with silvery grays and some neutrals.....go look!

My project is STILL slowly moving along...we will be able to move out of the kitchen into the family room this weekend!

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

My project is STILL slowly moving along...we will be able to move out of the kitchen into the family room this weekend!

I think if we had to give up our family room for that long we'd have killed each other by now.

Glad you finally get to move out of the kitchen!

I am not happy with a one week project stretching into 2 ( with weather and holidays ) You have so much being done. I feel for you.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

If you need tiles I will send you to a good friend who has a shop a few blocks from your sister. Tiles unlimited which used to be Glendale tile. I know Joe for over 20 years and we are close friends. Let me know if you want me to reach out to him. BTW If you need Granite or Marble I am also good friends with his bother who owns Renaissance Marble.

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

My husband suggested a metal sheeting but I think glazed tile would be a LOT easier to keep clean and grease-free. I also installed one before so I know tile backsplashes are NOT rocket science. I'm not into those mural things at all. I would like a pattern, maybe using different size tiles and thin rectangular border tiles (?) but am having trouble visualizing one.

I haven't had much luck looking on the internet.

HELP!

I agree with your husband to have a very nice polished stainless steel backing there as that is easy to clean and looks nice. Do you have other stainless steel in the kitchen like appliances?

We are faced with the same problem when we replace our double oven next as I don't want it again and we do not have the matching paper either so I want a stainless steel plate behind the stove. It will look nice with the other black and stainless steel appliances.

I never want tile again anywhere! Our first tile was still perfect after 25 years but I wanted a new color. The second non-glazed tile looked pretty bad after only a few years and the new bathroom tiles all cracked after one of our earthquakes. The old tiles never cracked even after the big one. Tile is no longer made like it used to be made.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Lawren,

I agree with Pat, go to a good tile store. They have many choices available. If you don't like murals, you can possible do a geometric pattern. They have beautiful border tiles, glass tiles, and a huge assortment of accent tiles.

If you go to a decent store, they will help you put something together.....

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Lawren,

If you want to keep things simple, you can border the space with a raised border tile, and use tiles in a similar color with just a slight color variation to them. You may want to then add a few raised tiles to match the border in the center of the back splash. This can all be done in a tone on tone look.

Don't worry...tile stores are fun......

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I seem to be leaning toward glass brick tile for my backsplash, they are very fresh looking and come in every color imaginable. A trip to Cancos, a local 'chain' tile store, helped me decide (though I'm not exactly decided yet... I was all set until I found fabulous small brushed stainless tiles at the Manhattan Kitchen and Bath Center yesterday.. I MUST STOP SHOPPING).

Here is an example of some of the glass brick, I like the 3 x 6 size:

https://www.glasstilestore.com/splashPage.hg

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Avery,

The glass tiles are pretty, and the green ones are a good example of a tone on tone. I also love the stainless steel tiles....but more as an accent tile.

Lawren,

If you have a more traditional home, you can do something similar with limestone or faux ceramic tile.