Need to find out how much it would cost to run our soapstone counter up instead, so can compare prices. I suspect the tile is more, by a factor of at least ten. SIGH.
We need to finalize our…
We need to finalize our tile decisions in the next few weeks and put in an order. I'm almost certain I can't afford this for my kitchen backsplash, but oh, isn't this Ann Sacks rose window tile lovely?
You decided on a soapstone counter? I missed that.
I like the counter running up the wall myself. I did that (I have Corian – it’s not an old house). There’s no seam for food to get stuck in.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/business/economy/03illinois.html?src=me&ref=general
Mary Ann,
Judging from the current “featured” kitchens I’ve seen lately, tile is still the preferred backsplash material if it starts at the countertop and runs up to the cabinets above. The tile you show is premium stuff. I would hope you chose it to complement the overall scheme for your kitchen. Remember I mentioned the use of a color board to view all finishes together as a design concept?
From a budget standpoint, is this something that could be installed later to complete the scheme? Talk to your designer.
Let us know when you break ground. :^)
Thanks for all the comments, everyone. If we don’t put it in right now, do you think we should just not have a backsplash initially? Or put in one of a less expensive material and plan to replace? That seems wasteful.
We still have to do final pricing on the counters, but the tentative plan is soapstone for the counters around the edge of the kitchen (30 linear feet), and zinc for the island. They should both start a light grey and then darken to dark grey within a few years.
The color scheme is probably going to be the original medium wood floors, rubbed with tung oil, then painted wood lower cabinets and stained wood upper cabinets. The lower will probably be Benjamin Moore Buckland Blue (http://www.paint-colors.net/store/images/bm-hc-151.jpg). Not sure of the stain yet on the uppers, but possibly on the darker side. It should all go together pretty well. But yes, I need a tile sample to hold up against the paint sample I did.
Mary Anne,
It’s all about budget and priorities. Obviously you will need the countertop. The backsplash can be as simple as nice coat of semigloss paint on a well finished drywall. A bead of sealant where the countertop meets the wall should suffice to seal the joint until you can afford the tile. But if you can juggle some other item out of budget for the sake of the tile, then that would be the best.
You choice of finishes sounds well thought out. I like the oil rubbed wood floor, but you’ll have to keep after it to maintain the look in such a high traffic area with possible spillages from the stove and water from the sink.
Just remember the phrase “Yes we can.”
Painted walls with no tile backsplash are fairly impossible. It’s hard to keep the wall clean without ruining the paint in fairly short order. But if you can’t afford the tile you want now but think you can in a couple years, then it might be the best option. Switching out tile is expensive.
Still, I’d ask your contractor to find out how much it would cost her to get the tile you like or something similar. We found our contractor could get some things much cheaper than we ever could.
I’m with Lenore, however, that the seamless Corian backsplashes are terrific. They just don’t fit with what you want to do.
On a related note, I found gorgeous tile mosaics to go behind stoves online. I can’t remember the websites but I’m sure you wouldn’t have trouble finding them. I was surprised at how reasonably priced they were. I can hardly wait to redo our kitchen and put one in!