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Backsplash design options – chime in

All Posts, Kitchen, My Home, Tennessee House

I’m going with a classic, white, subway tile for my kitchen backsplash but I’m going to install it in a cool pattern, instead of  simple staggered horizontal lines.  It’s a large area, about 7′ x 5 1/2′ and I’m tiling the whole thing.  I love the openness here so I’m not putting upper cabinets in but I will add a couple floating shelves.  The electrical cable sticking out of the wall is for under shelf lighting –in case you were wondering. 😉

cooktop-vent-hood

I’ve sketched out four different pattern and thought it would be fun to let you all weigh in on the decision.

tile options

Here’s a larger picture of each design option to look at before you make up your mind.

herringbone 1

Basketweave

Herringbone 2

Herringbone 3

Won’t this be fun?

Yes —  Of course it will!

Tell me which option you like best and then let’s see what happens!

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Comments

  1. I’m not a fan of white subway tiles, I think it will be a short fad and that many people will be unsatisfied with them sooner than other materials. That all said If I had to have them in my kitchen, I would choose Herringbone 1 or 2

    • Seriously? White subway tiles are classic. They certainly aren’t a new fad; they’ve been in style for a century.

  3. I third the basketweave! Something about it just feels balanced to me since all the others draw my eye in a particular direction.

  4. I love the basket weave pattern. It is a classic look that will never go out of style. It also looks like it will take the most work. Probably why it also has a very expensive look to it 🙂

  5. I like the basket weave best, although I realize that could be more work if the matching square tiles aren’t available and you need to cut tiles. My second choice would be herringbone 3.

  8. White subway tile is about as timeless as you can get. They date back to the early 1900’s. If its a fad then its a really long one! 😉 That being said I love herringbone 3 the most but basketweave is a very close second.

  16. You have such a great eye – that whatever you choose will, I am sure, look fantastic. I personally love the Herringbone 1, and that would be my choice! Good Luck deciding.

    • I would like to amend my comment to say that I love the traditional brick pattern, but with a tile frame under the range hood, the basket weave would be a beautiful focal point and you wouldn’t get so much eye movement. Some of the herringbone patterns make me dizzy!

  24. Herringbone 3. The vertical Herringbone would drive me nuts – I would constantly want to “straighten” it (put it horizontal), which is silly, because the one on an angle doesn’t bother my brain near as much. Whatever you choose, I know it will be spectacular.

  25. Basketweave because so many are doing herringbone, although I do love herringbone three as well.

  28. I love the basketweave. I also feel like it is really balanced and is a little more timeless than the herringbone. I also think that with the amount if wall you are covering it will be beautiful. Good Luck. I love following this remodel and hope your feeling better everyday.

  29. Herringbone 1. Although I think it is funny that you numbered them differently in the two different pics. The Large Herringbone 1.

  31. I am a sucker for the simple horizontal, staggered lines. But, if that does not appeal to you, I like 3 second best. Your kitchen is looking so great!

  33. My two cents. I like the basketweave the best because herringbone 2 looks too busy and herringbone 1 and 3, while lovely, might be too trendy. I haven’t noticed anyone doing basketweave so while it’s classic, you’d be ahead of a resurgence. Thanks for asking!

  34. Definitely the basket weave because it provides texture, but in a controlled way. A symbol of our naturally chaotic world, with a little illusion of order thrown in. BTW, I love your granite.

  36. Herringbone 3. It looks great esp from across the room. Can’t wait to see. Are you using a white grout or a light gray?

  40. basket weave … it says “I am calming yet interesting, I am classic without being boring. You will never tire of me .” That is what it told me anyway. What do you hear it say?

  48. #2 basket weave seems not as busy to me, and with that big of a wall busy could become overwhelming. Will be anxious to see the finished product, whichever one you choose.

  50. sorry the basketweave kinda hurts my head… in this space I’m thinking Herringbone 3 … number three… but putting an accent strip high wouldn’t give it the feeling of more height. digging the counters btw. cheers.

  52. I like the #2 – basket weave but it would be a pain to install. To much cutting & trimming.

  53. I like #3 Herringbone. Looks like there would be less cutting with the herringbone than the basketweave. Good luck with whatever you choose! I’m sure it will be beautiful!

  54. I like the herringbone 3 pattern as well. Since it’s vertical, it will make the wall look taller, theoretically. I too like the basket weave, but it doesn’t have as much movement as the herringbone 3, so it’s my second choice. Plus it has a ton of cuts! 🙂 Maybe purple grout? (j/k)

  56. They’re all so lovely. The basket weave seems more interesting with less pieces to cut, but the movement in each herringbone is so interesting!
    Can’t wait to see it done – whichever one it is.

  58. I like the basketweave, not predictable, and for many years to come will show off the work you did… by not taking the easy way out. Why not give yourself what YOU can do, what you are capable of? 🙂

  63. I too prefer the basket weave pattern. The 3 herring bones have movement, carrying the eye diagonally or up and down.
    Love seeing all of your projects!

  65. I love the Herringbone 3 the best!!! I also like Herringbone 2 but feel it might be too busy of a pattern. I feel the stove and the exhaust are the main attraction here and that the tile should compliment it, not take away from it. I’m sure no matter what pattern you pick it will all look beautiful. Good luck!!!

  67. I’m loving the first Herringbone option. The basketweave reminds me too much of the 60’s bathroom floor tiles.

  71. I would say the basketweave but it looks like there would be a lot of cutting so I would pick the herringbone #3. Reminds me of a chevron pattern that’s so popular now.

  77. Herringbone 1 or 3! To determine which, between the two, you need to decide whether you want to lengthen the space (Herringbone 1) or widen it (Herringbone 3). Both are lovely.

  82. I guess I’m the only one who likes Herringbone #2 (or square #1. It’s kind of wigging me out they aren’t in the same order! I’ll get over it I’m sure). I think herringbone is a great pattern that is visually interesting, and I think the way it is oriented in #2 gives it a little extra spunk while keeping to a classic pattern. Great ideas all of them though!

  83. I think Herringbone #2 has depth drawing your eye upward on a diagonal. Looks sharp!

  85. I would say herringbone #3–nice and traditional–you won’t look back and regret it. I like the basket weave but it looks like alot of work and something is telling me 80’s and blue and mauve, and baskets. Sometimes simplicity is better, and since you are already switching up the traditional horizontal subway, herringbone #3 is just different enough. H #2 is just plain BUGGY on the eyes!

  89. I like both Herringbone #3 and the basket weave. If it were me, I think I would go with the basket weave because I think herringbone might be trendy enough to make the kitchen look dated once it is out of style.

  103. Basket weave is timeless and high fashion, yet simplistic. (Can’t think of the word I want meaning high fashion). hum…..

  108. Basketweave. I think the herringbone is going to be ‘chevron’ outdated in a couple of years.

  110. Basketweave with out a doubt. It will still allow the flow of the horizontal floating shelves to the eye.

  114. I am living vicariously through your gorgeous kitchen and your insane ablility! I love herringbone 3. the pattern leads the eye upward, toward that gorgeous ceiling!

  115. I also really like Herringbone 3. I think it is oriented well for the space, up/down to accent the height and draw your eyes up to the hood. I like the basket weave, too, but the herringbone has a little extra edge (to me).

  116. I like the basket weave but it looks like a lot of work. So I would go with the Herringbone 2

  118. Herringbone 1 is my favorite with Herringbone 3 being the close second.

    I am LOVING watching you walk us through your kitchen renovation. 🙂

  119. I prefer the 2 patterns that run vertically (Basketweave and Herringbone 3), as opposed to diagonally. Of the two vertical options, I prefer the Basketweave, but it looks like a real bear to do. It also seems more textural, less flat. looking forward to seeing what you do. I imagine it will be easier to do the wall tiling than floor tiling, which I found really hard on the back.

  121. Though looking a pictures on-line, the diagonal nature of the herringbone patterns seems to depend largely on how much contrast there is between the grout color and tile color. Ones that have a grout color similar to the tile color seem to draw the eye a lot less, i.e. the diagonal nature of the pattern is a lot less apparent; it becomes more of a textural element. Interested in hearing what you decide.

    • Agreed on the Herringbone #3. I’m a sucker for anything that reminds me of tweed and Mid-Century Modern styles.

  126. #3 would be my suggestion of the choices provided, but I honestly think that a traditional horizontal layout would look best here, providing a sort of crisp/classic feel that would go well with the black surfaces and stainless steel appliances. I think that a herringbone pattern has the potential for being too busy, and runs the risk of generating a sort of “country” feel that is inconsistent with that beautiful modern-looking black countertop. If you were worried about a horizontal layout of subway tile looking too “plain” (I personally don’t think it would), you could consider incorporating a darker (smokey grey?) colored tile here and there, or even some sparsely-incorporated glass tile randomly inserted here and there would look great.

  128. I like the Herringbone 3 the best, and I like the Basketweave. I like all the Herringbone patterns but in this case I like the Herringbone 3 because I think the vertical pattern will draw the eyes up and add to the openness of the space. The Basketweave will add to a modern feel though, and in white will look great.

  133. Herringbone 3 hands down! 1 and 2 look sideways to me and the basket weave looks busy. Have fun!

  134. I like Herringbone 2. How would you do the basket weave – by cutting tiles to put in the small square areas? Interesting and unique pattern to be sure!

  137. Hi, I am just a guy and I know nothing about decorating stuff. I am also in the process of a total all the way to the walls kitchen remodel that has turned into a whole house inside and out remodel project. This is being done by myself parts ad labor. No wife, girl friend, sister or other females involved for design and color decisions not a single luxury. I have to do all of it. The only thing I ‘ll have outside help with is the granite counter and the dry wall for the ceiling I couldn’t do it by myself everything else is me, myself, and I. If I was married or had a girlfriend they could say build this or paint it that color and I would be able to just build it and forget it. My question is this: With all the computer programs and stuff, wouldn’t it be more effective to take the picture of the intended tile area and insert the diferent backsplashes in various colors and then choose the pattern you like or in this case what the popular opion would be? I don’t really like any of them they make me dizzy looking at them and give me a headace to boot. Are they suppose to do that? Some kind of subliminal way of female torture for the unsupecting husband or male that cooks?Maybe to make the husband / male stay out of the kitchen and out from under foot? I am JUST KIDDING! I have never been married so I really don’t know. I have never had a live in girlfriend either, code of honor thing. I’ll be 65yrs soon. Being a bachalor and a hetrosexual male trying to do interior design is a major challenge. Choosing paint color is a good example the kitchen goes right to the dinnig room same wall,and that goes to the livgrm and that conects to the hall what goes with what ect. too much work and effort is going into all of this not to have it come out right I want it to look like something out of a architecual or design mag when I am through, not just ok I want it to scream that a masculine male lives here. I redid the baths granite tile counters lamiante floors (saw in a mag and liked it so I sorta reproduced it) vessel sinks just did finished them 2 days before and then….. I had a MAJOR FLOOD. It ruined the floor insurance had the recovery people and plumber and they put giant holes in the walls and tore up the floor ect. Now, I will have to start over again, with the walls and floor, as long as I wiped up any water right away the laminate worked great. Until it went under water, then,that didn’t work so well. Lamitate wouldn’t work for a family situation. I am not sure about putting in laminate floor in the kitchen and just continuing through out the whole house. or lamitate in the kitchen and rest carpet but with that idea the end part for the lamiante is short by a few inches and would show a noticable short part I have been at this for about 3yrsI was told lowes cream in my coffee with darkest I could find laminate and cabinets then use choc leather couches ect what do you guys think? is that a good idea? or not? I have no clue as to what I am doing as far as the interior design stuff goes. The building part I am ok with. It is the female end of this stuff that has got me stuck any ideas? Good luck with your kitchen project. I know the frustration your talking about when your hurt and can’t work. I had the shingles last year at this time and have just now recovered enough to work again. I can’t afford to hire someone to do it for me. There isn’t any satisfaction in that either. bye River

  139. Herringbone 1. It has just a touch of a horizontal pattern….and we all know horizontal patterns makes things look wider.

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