I am buying a house and I need help with my kitchen I was thinking of painting my backspash for now, as I hate the tiles, then replacing the tiles later. What colors would work and should I change the color of my cabinets. I'm open to any suggestions, (this is how it looks now and this is not my stuff in the picture). Thanks
my kitchen
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I agree that the tile has got to go! There are numerous options you can take once the tile is gone. You could retile, using something you like, you could use a solid surface like granite, or you could actually paint just the backsplash a slightly different color or complimentary color to the rest of the kitchen. I've seen this in some of the homes we've built and it actually looks really good (and is the cheapest of the three). Good luck!
Beadboard makes a nice backsplash and you could probably attach it right over the tile if you used the wood variety and the right adhesive. Your only issue doing it that way is making sure you can move the electrical boxes out a little so they are flush after.
There is a wallpaper type of beadboard that is very believable and paintable but I am not sure if it would adhere properly to tile or that the grout lines wouldn't show through eventually...you can see the paper at stores like Home Depot. It runs around $25 for a large roll so very cost effective too.
If you did knock the tiles out, that paper forgives a lot of sins so it makes for an easy job...no saws or nails required except if you add trim pieces to make it really authentic. It doesn't soak up paint the way wood beadboard does either...which took 4 coats when I did wood beadboard in my last house (and that included primer). I can tell you the real wood beadboard is a bit of a pain to install (compared to a paper unless you are good with a saw) and it usually has lots of knots and flaws which really need a lot of paint and filler to fix.
One thing to be aware of especially in a place like a backsplash is where the beadboard grooves meet places like at the bottom by the counter (or trim piece), it's toothbrush time to clean them out as everything seems to get jammed in those groove bottoms. If you were crafty with some silicone you could fill those spots to make clean out easier (by making them more smooth or grooved outwards).
So I'm thinking of doing a beadboard backsplash now and wondering if that is a good idea? I have other beadboard in the house and thought it might tie it together.
Once the clutter is gone from the kitchen I'm thinking you are going to like it a lot more. I agree with the others that you at least need to try it out.
If it was a plain white kitchen people would likely be suggesting exactly what you have. It's classy and classic and would make most folks envious.
Thanks,
I was thinking of the dark grey, but I love the look of when the kitchen colors are almost edible. I hope that makes sense? But when it can be warm and I am afraid the grey might be uninviting? Any thoughts?
Hello froelich,
I think a dark grey would look sharp against the white cabinets. For more kitchen decorating ideas, check out these galleries:
http://houseandhome.com/design/photo-gallery-suzanne-dimmas-favourite-ki...
http://houseandhome.com/design/photo-gallery-colourful-kitchens
Good luck with the new house!
Gwen McAuley (gmcauley at hhmedia.com)
I think dustbunnydiva nailed it when she said "those tiles make that kitchen". I know this doesn't help but I really like the tiles and agree that painting over them would be a waste of your time and money. I would suggest you live with it for a while too. It may not be as bad as you think.
Once the kitchen is empty of all this small stuff, you may surprise yourself with what you can do with it. It's not the kind of kitchen that I would associate with 'minimalist loft living' but it could easily be a charming 'french bistro'. I like the wood floor and the wood edge on the black counters a lot.
Fewer and carefully selected display items could totally change how you feel about this kitchen. The spot the tv occupies over the sink (yikes!) and the open cabinets above the stove are eyecatching spots where you can set the mood for the space. Maybe the microwave could go on the counter? What you choose could suggest your passion: a love of cooking, a passion for baking, or coffee house style. A new ceiling light will really change the feel of the room too. Done well, I guarantee you will get a lot of complements on this kitchen while saving your money for what you have planned for later.
Good luck, and have fun with it.
Call me quirky but I think those tiles make that kitchen. Otherwise it's a standard white cupboard kitchen instead of having some fun and character. A plain tile backsplash will just make like zillions of other kitchens.
If you aren't in the house yet, you might want to live with it for a while before you make any changes. The reason is painting cabinets is a huge job and painting tiles will just look like painted tiles and in a kitchen you will have to be very careful with them when it comes to cleansers etc. because they can look like crap pretty quickly in a high water, heavy cleaning area like that. To go to the trouble and expense of replacing something like that backsplash before you are really sure what look you want is usually a waste of time until you've lived in a new house a while and really figure out what you like (and can afford in time and effort especially).
If they are really driving you batty and you want a quick fix without a lot of work, take a look at Rona or Home Depot (HD for sure has them in their tile/special order section) for the fake tin tiles. They come in various colours and patterns (check the brochure or site on the brochure because some are contemporary and some classic and I think HD will order the one you want if it's not in stock), you can cut them with scissors and then attach them over those tiles with very little effort and no one will ever know there are tiles under there. When I did my last house I used them and they actually are pretty decent. For sure watch prices as some of the Benjamin Moore stores also carry them but when I bought them they were higher prices than HD. I wish I still had the web site but just have none of that info any more. When I got them about 3 years ago they were about $22 each (so $7/sq ft basically).
Another option is to check out Ikea. They have stainless steel backsplash panels you could install over the tiles as well. You'd have to check the height to make sure it would fit but that would go over the tiles as well.