Can I get your views on kitchen wall tiles please?

zebidee1

We're having a really hard time deciding which way to go here and I wondered if outside opinons might help sway us one way or another.

Background: We're pretty traditional (boring!) types. Our taste is more for the classic wont date kind of look rather than the very modern fashionable look, although we do like modern twists iyswim. We also need things to be as family and dog proof as possible, my eldest boys are not the most careful of people especially when they are making the traditional late night snack after a night out in the pub!

After faffing about for months, we have finally ordered an oak shaker style kitchen with a matt black laminate worktop (liked the gloss better but I couldn't live with the inevitable scratches and our budget wouldn't stretch to anything of better quality.)

We had also ordered matching black splashback panels for all round the kitchen - 3 walls, the main area is 'u' shaped. I've since seen a kitchen with black worktop and panels and although it looked really good, I know it would be too much for our kitchen and would make it too dark. I really wanted a lighter brighter kitchen, or at least as light as you can with wood doors and a black worktop. :rolleyes:

Splashbacks have now been cancelled and it looks like we're back to tiles again. Would it be naff to have the same tiles on the wall and the floor? We were originally having black floor tiles, but I saw some mottled wall and floor tiles in B&Q that looked like they would disguise the dirt on the floor and marry in the units and worktops but I'm not sure about having matching walls. They were mainly beige with dark grey mottled bits.

Are there any other (affordable) alternatives to tiles that we haven't thought of?

Will it look naff if the worktop is matt but wall tiles are shiny? I'm really bad at visualising.

We'd be greatful for any suggestions.....style/type/colour/anything! (But remember we're boring :rotfl: )

zebidee1

Lol...have I bored you all into silence with my countless kitchen queries? Not to worry.....:rotfl:

Emmalou

I'm not bored - although I think my friends and other half are (of my constant kitchen chatter)!
I personally am not going for tiles. A kitchen designer told me that tiles can make a kitchen date faster.
I am therefore going for a splashback behind the stove (probably stainless steel) and upstands to match my kitchen surfaces. I will be going for black granite if the budget allows, or matt black laminate.
Yes, there will be a join (unless you are going for corian), but I think they look very smart.
If the paint gets dirty, then you just repaint.

Also I am having such a tough time chosing units, worksurfaces and flooring, I couldn't possibly cope with having to chose wall tiles as well!:rotfl:

mary43

You could have a look at this site www.stickandgo.com
They're easy to do and certainly affordable. Not yet had them myself but thought the link might help

vansboy

OK - here goes...........

Assuming you mean to TOTALLY tile the kitchen walls, I'd forget that! Apart from cost, the dating coment I'd certainly agree with! Plus it's a taste thing, as well as EASYU to get wrong. To see some effect of what they'd look like, check out Tile Depot or similar & see what the look like on their BIG upstanding displays. Enough to put you off tiling forever!

So use paint instead!!

& as for the splashback area, check out Homebase mosaic glass tile sheets, in white. They're around £10 pack of 10 I think, currewntly. This is what we did at last house & here. They come on 30cm sheet, easy to cut with scissors & easy to fix, top off with the 10mm pencil strip, either the ceramic ones, or the long plastic type. Then it's done!!

Both times were above dark grey or black matt worktops & look good. Msg me if you'd like pics of what it looks like, here!

The new house will also have matt black worktops, no tiles, but the glass mosaic red & mauve & purple sheets in B&Q. We'll set these at just 25mm, with a black pencil strip.

The floor doesn't need to be black, from the way you describe it's use - think of laminate instead maybe - then you'll confuse yourself even more!!

VB

rl1

Emmalou wrote: »

I'm not bored - although I think my friends and other half are (of my constant kitchen chatter)!
I personally am not going for tiles. A kitchen designer told me that tiles can make a kitchen date faster.
I am therefore going for a splashback behind the stove (probably stainless steel) and upstands to match my kitchen surfaces. I will be going for black granite if the budget allows, or matt black laminate.
Yes, there will be a join (unless you are going for corian), but I think they look very smart.
If the paint gets dirty, then you just repaint.

Also I am having such a tough time chosing units, worksurfaces and flooring, I couldn't possibly cope with having to chose wall tiles as well!:rotfl:

:rotfl: I thought it was just me, I'm driving my OH mad I've changed my mind so many times on the kitchen. I'm trying to sort out a new bathroom at the same time, not to mention new floor covering and redecorating all of the downstairs.

Never thought about not having wall tiles in the kitchen, it would cerainly be one less thing to think about.

point3

Paint the walls a neutral cream colour and go for cream tiles for the splashback areas. Don't go for high-gloss tiles, but find a satin/matt finish tile to tie in with the Shaker theme.

It won't make a design statement, but it will tie in quite nicely the pieces you already have...a classic, clean and understated (not boring ) look.

zebidee1

Thanks everyone.

vansboy, I probably wasn't clear when I was talking about tiling the kitchen.....it was only going to be the area between the worktop and wall units that was to be tiled, the rest of the wall area was just getting painted, probably some sort of cream colour.

We did originally want laminate on the floor but very quickly went off it when we saw a friend's kitchen laminate floor after a years use. She bought the highest quality Quickstep and the area around the sink was noticeably different to the rest of the floor due to water spills etc. She has no pets and only 2 grown up children so her family is less 'hashy' than mine are. I just dont think it's practical for us unfortunately, I like it and it's sooooo easy to fit so it would save loads of hassle but it just wouldn't last.

As for the wall tiles, we saw some long oblong strip ones in Wickes, I didn't note exact size but they were around 300mm x 100mm roughly which seemed a bit unusual (lol, to me anyway). I thought they might help the worktop area look longer?

I would like to see your pics btw, like I said earlier, I am really bad at visualising things.

If the area between wall unit and worktop (not just cooker area) doesn't get tiled and just painted, doesn't it get really dirty or worn quickly? I've never had a kitchen with bare wall here, are food/drink splashes really not a problem in this area with no tiles?

I'm wondering if I should have left one piece of the matching splashback on order and used it only behind the hob/hood area and used upstands everywhere else and painted the rest of the wall cream.

As said by point3, I'm happy with classic, clean and understated.

I'm a bit worried we're going to make a few costly mistakes before I get that though.

vansboy

zebidee1 wrote: »

Thanks everyone.



I would like to see your pics btw, like I said earlier, I am really bad at visualising things.

Sent!

VB

Mikeyorks

zebidee1 wrote: »

After faffing about for months, we have finally ordered an oak shaker style kitchen with a matt black laminate worktop (liked the gloss better but I couldn't live with the inevitable scratches and our budget wouldn't stretch to anything of better quality.)
)

We fitted a light oak shaker kitchen with matt black worktops (matching matt black sink), about 3 years ago. Tiles (splash areas and between lower and upper units ie two walls above worktop) were a difficult choice - but a plain grey (4x4) with white grout and brushed stainless plugs / switches ..... has been a bit inspirational, according to all our visitors.

Other walls are emulsioned 'heather' (a mixed Dulux paint and an absolute sod to put on .. 5 coats on one wall as flecks of unmixed colour kept appearing) ..... but the floor is a major choice problem. Had several attempts with darkish tiles / click floors etc, as something picking up the worktop colour seemed right. Fortunately gave that up and found a local supplier with a click floor that's a slightly rough marbled appearance and picks up both the oak and the darker colour of the worktop. Tough as rock, simply wipes over with a cloth once a week ..... but not at all good for a dog trying to navigate it, as the paws slip a bit at speed!

zebidee1

Mikeyorks wrote: »

. but the floor is a major choice problem. Had several attempts with darkish tiles / click floors etc, as something picking up the worktop colour seemed right. Fortunately gave that up and found a local supplier with a click floor that's a slightly rough marbled appearance and picks up both the oak and the darker colour of the worktop. Tough as rock, simply wipes over with a cloth once a week ..... but not at all good for a dog trying to navigate it, as the paws slip a bit at speed!

That's what I was thinking of...something that picked up both the oak and the worktop. The dog will have to take his chances....;)

Can you remember what the flooring was called or a model number or anything? Maybe I could google it to see if it's along the same lines? I've yet to see a kitchen and floor anywhere that's this kind of colour combination. I'm still not sure about laminate but if the look is right I might rconsider tbh.

Of course, a pic would always be warmly welcomed........:D