A Tile Improvement

There were several things we did with the tile that were due to inexperience. Nothing was major and I still love it but . .

First, we had only planned to tile the area behind the stove. I wanted to do the backsplash all the way around but Vince said no. So, we started at the top – just where the vent hood ended, and worked down. Once Vince had about 3/4 of that spot done, I kept saying how much I loved it and I think he did too so we (Vince!) decided to go ahead and tile the whole backsplash area. In hindsight, if we were doing that, we would have started at the countertop and worked our way up. Not a big deal.

Second, there’s about a 3 or 4″ laminate backsplash with a piece of oak showing. Actually, it’s about a 3/4″ oak board with laminate on it and then it has a routered edge at the top – where the oak and laminate are routered together. I wanted to cut that off and have the white tile sit right on the countertop but everyone thought trying to remove that piece would ruin the countertop . . which isn’t the end of the world but . . it wasn’t my decision to make.

Third, since the old electric stove had the thing in the back that stuck up with all the controls, etc., the backsplash ended on the sides so it looked like . . the old stove was gone and the new one isn’t a good match. You can see the oak trim around the backsplash on the left side.

It really bugged me that the laminate backsplash didn’t go all the way across but there wasn’t an easy fix. I figured I’d just keep a pot or two sitting on the stove stop, there almost always is anway . . and I wouldn’t notice it.

The stove is still pulled out because . . the never ending tile job isn’t quite finished. We were at Lowe’s when we were just fixing to start the tile project and I saw these little glass strips. I think they call them pencil tile. They match the subway tile so I thought . . maybe I can use that to help cover up the wood. We bought them and today Vince put them on.

It’s not a perfect camouflage but it helps a lot. I think just the smidgen of oak that shows looks so much better and it makes the edges of that cutout part not nearly so noticeable.

We may some day replace the countertop . . I don’t know. But, with the gas stove and the subway tile . . I had wanted both so badly, I’m 100% happy with the way it all looks.

Vince still has to add some grout around the pencil tiles, let that dry, then we’ll clean all the tile really good, seal it, push the stove back in and we can call this project FINISHED! I’m hoping at least by early next week we’ll be done.