backsplash clash?

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/4f8785159189e-.jpg

My contractor just put in the tumbled marble backsplash tile that I picked out. However, I have the nagging feeling that something is wrong with my choice. Do you think this is a good match? Thanks.

pswannabe

in Bath & Kitchen 13 years and 1 month ago

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pswannabe | 13 years and 1 month ago

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Thank you all for all the wonderful suggestions! (And Brownstoner: please fix your login problem)

brokelin | 13 years and 1 month ago

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My thought are similar to williamsburg, including my annoyance that this site lets you type in a comment unlogged in, then prompts for a login, then always dumps your text.  Bet this site loses a lot of comments that way…I know I am often too irked to go back and type a comment all over again.  anyway, I agree that this looks stark beecause it is not lived in yet.  I think you would have the same questions about the look no matter what you had done.  put a kettle on that stove, a colorful one if you like that.  The look of the counter without four inches going up the wall is also fine.  Once you put some things on that counter, and you will put some things on the counter, you will not see the line where counter and backsplash meet anymore, truly. I also spotted a problem with the white wall to the right of the sink.  you can add tile as suggested, as this will certainly help maintain the paint on the wall with inevitable splashes from the sink…or not add tile and just be sure to paint with a wipeable semigloss paint.  you should paint the wall that remains even if you add tile.  But I would not go with an orange/red/pink color to pick up the tile, I would paint instead in the complementary color of a soft olivey green…this will look great with the red tones in both the backsplash and will also pick up the red tomes in the beautiful oak floor.   the idea is to go with the color opposite the reddish/pinkish color on the color wheel, as these colors look good together.  I saw this done in a the kitchen of a friend with similar backsplash marble tiles and a granite counter will tones from beige to black, with pinkish floor.  The paint color name was putty, might have been benjamin Moore, and was basically a soft olivey green, in the same shade of darkness as the backsplash.  then add some color in accessories, not in one color, but any common kitchen accessory colors…I am partial to the bright yellows, lime greens, oranges, reds and blues in somewhat mediteranean colors, found at crate and barrel and other places, with the backsplash tile and stainless steel you have here.

pswannabe | 13 years and 1 month ago

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guysonstuy: I agree about the tile being too pink. It appears more or less pink depending on the type of light. Even with the dark floor photo you posted, I still see a clash. Would it help to add a metal shelf above the range to help break up the backsplash a bit?

BKsearch | 13 years and 1 month ago

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First off, this is one of those nitpicky things. I don’t think the tile is wrong. Your kitchen is far nicer than most as-is and I don’t mean to open any crazy worm cans. Having said that: IMO tile appears too pink/desaturated with the orangey floor. I feel the counter, tile, cabinet combo is working, but your floors are throwing you. It would be very hard to choose a tile that will tie them together as they are. I think you would be better off staining your floors a super rich dark warm brown to pull in the tile and countertops OR going ebony with a hint of brown to really tie the countertop and let the backsplash be its own thing. Of course, your current floors will hide dirt far better than a dark floor, and you’ve installed the entire kitchen already, so this isn’t the easiest or cheapest solution to pull off.  

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/4f883e1bc532a-processed-DarkFloors.jpg

ejalbk | 13 years and 1 month ago

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It’s fine as is….

curated | 13 years and 1 month ago

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I too disagree with the 4 inch stone backsplash comment. A full backsplash down to the counter is always the best option. To me it should either be a 4 inch stone backsplash with no backsplash tile above or backsplash tile to the counter with no 4 inch stone piece. Mixing the two always looks DIY to me but different strokes for different folks I guess. The tile goes well with the cabinets and counter but could have been darker. From the picture it looks like the counter is a dark brown or almost black and if that is so then a darker brown backsplash with some shades of beige may have worked better. At this point changing the backsplash would not be enjoyable though and I’m sure would mean a hefty change order with your contractor. Overall it looks good. Don’t stress too much about it. Enjoy your new kitchen. It’s way nicer than most kitchens out there.

rcltrh | 13 years and 1 month ago

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I really hate this site when you type a nice reply and forget to login, and then after it prompts you to login to post it loses everything you typed.  Grr. Anyway, I am the opposite of Slopemope in the opinion of the granite/marble riser.  To me that riser always make me think of a DIY Lowes “kit” that is designed to hide imperfect cuts, crooked walls, imperfect backsplash, etc.  I like the look all the way to the countertop.  To each his own I guess.  I also would tile up to the right of the sink to the level of the cabinet bottoms and then finish with a 2″ bullnose of the same tile.  Add some nice colorful accessories to the countertop and finish the cabinets with nice stainless hardware that will make a big difference.  To me the real clash is the two different whites – the cabinets with the walls.  You should add some color to the painted walls (I would go with a nice red or an orangish-red in a matte or eggshell finish or some other warm color) to bring out and enrich the color of the tile rather than the two whites washing it out.  I like the tile though.

slopemope | 13 years and 1 month ago

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First, it makes a tremendous difference to me when the marble counter is carried up the backsplash about 4 inches.  Taking the tile all the way down to the counter is going to give an rental-grade kind of feel.  So right there that is killing your look.  It accentuates the miss on the backsplash tile.   Also, yes, for my taste they are the wrong kind / color and size.  what might complement that color better, in the subtle earthy way it seems you were going for, would be a medium grey matte rectangular tile – 4×13 are the ones i’m thinking of – with white grout.  If your counters are as dark as they look in the pic it would look nice.     Having said that, just going back and extending those marble counters 4″ up the backsplash – or even whatever the height of your window sill is –  will make the backsplash issue much less of a problem than you think it is.  Its always going to have that DIY unfinished look without it.

brooklynhome | 13 years and 1 month ago

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What a nice looking kitchen.  I think it looks fine.  At first, the cabinets seems too light or vanilla-y but I think it actually looks fine.  The right hardware on the cabinets may pull it together.

sasquatch_steve | 13 years and 1 month ago

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I wouldnt say it clashes, though I would raise the height of the tile to the right of the sink. Bring it up to the height of the underside of the upper cabinets.