After taking out our foe brick back splash, when we took out our old counters, we decided that we would go ahead and splurge on a proper back splash. We didn't want a brand new kitchen and have a nasty looking wall behind everything.
So, I went searching for a tile that was neutral, that wouldn't clash with my counter tops, and looked like kitchen tile and not bathroom tile.
I went to Lowes and started searching. After looking a while, I called up my sister-in-law, Megann, and asked if she could come and give her opinion. I trust her decorating sense. She happily obliged me and once she showed up, we set to work finding the perfect tile. I initially thought that I wanted white subway tile but once I held it up to my counter/cabinet/floor samples it was too bright, too shiny, and too white. With that idea nixed, we thought glass tile...but it was too expensive. REALLY expensive. I said splurge on tile, not go bankrupt with tile!
We found some other tile that worked but I wasn't sure I loved it. Then...we found it. It was an 18x18inch tile for $1.50. An associate was walking by and so I started to ask him about possibly cutting the tile into 4x18 strips. He said that it would cost 25 cents per cut which meant that it was going to cost me a lot of money. I mentioned that my tile saw at home wouldn't be able to handle that long of a cut compared to their industrial tile saw but having to pay for that many cuts would be to much for my budget. After a little bit more talk, the associate all of a sudden says, "You know what, we'll cut them for free." I was so happy!
(Now...depending on who you talk to, Me or Megann, you'll get a completely different story. Megann says that I flirted really bad with the guy. She said I was shameless. I don't know what in the world she is talking about! I was completely surprised that she said that. I was truly just being friendly! So, I may or may not have flirted with the guy to get him to cut all my tiles for free. It took him 3 hours...What? It's his job!)
Here is my beautiful tile.
We borrowed our friend, Kaly Shippin's, tile saw and so here I am making some little cuts for around the light sockets.
And here I am putting the tile in place. (See how nasty the wall is behind and how horrible it would have looked if we left it like that?)
All finished. Pretty isn't it!
I have finished pictures of the whole kitchen but they are grainy so I am going to try and get some really good pictures for you to see....soon...ish.
Or you can just come to our house and see it in person!
1 comment:
I can totally see you flirting! However, unless you have changed over the years, you are oblivious when you do it. ;-) I like the subway tile look you ended up with. I hear ya about the glass tile. It is beautiful but costly. Due to cost, if I had to do it, I would first search clearance(have to at least look) and then maybe an accent, but never afford an entire job of glass tile. I can't wait for the finished picture.
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