Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Tiling, Vol. 2 and Cabinet Hardware


Last weekend, I conquered the tile cut around the outlets.

This past weekend, I had the supports for the floating shelves to deal with.


I wish I could say I planned it--(I'm just having good DIY
karma right now--but the support rods almost all fell perfectly
on the edges of tile so I could just cut around them.

You'll notice the little stripes on the ends
of the tile.  That's some kind of plastic or hot glue that gets
added to prevent the tile from scratching in shipping.
They pop off really easily with the putty knife.


These half circles were fairly easily to clean out with the wet saw.




Not perfect but the shelves will cover my errors.


There was only one place where the rod fell right in the
middle of a tile.  They do make diamond-edge hole cutters
that fit on your drill but for $27 I thought I'd try this.

I cut the tile horizontally and then cut the hole in the center
of the cut.  It's not pretty the shelf covers it so who will know?
And I saved $27!


Another thing I found really helpful was drawing two
vertical lines that marked the placement of my first
whole tile in each row.  Such a time saver.



I'm really loving the reflection of light off the tile.
It really makes the kitchen feel brighter and larger.


As I got close to the ceiling, I decided to put in another
row of the cigar/pencil tile almost like a picture rail.
It was a spur of the moment decision but I think it
makes everything look very well planned.

For those of you that said I should leave the shelves
unpainted, I also see that possibility...but not this wood.
If I wanted to go that route, I'd look for some boards that
were a little more rustic.  Maybe I can have two sets
of shelves:  Spring/summer and fall/winter shelves.



 

I can't remember if I showed you the hardware I picked
out for the cabinets.  It's all from Restoration Hardware.
The pulls on the left are the Bistro Pulls, the round knob
is the Season Knob and the bin pull is called the
Ornate Square Pull, all in oil rubbed bronze.


The Bistro Pulls are used on the top drawers above
cabinets, and the knobs are on the cabinet doors.


The bin pulls were added to the old bin drawers.

I haven't yet painted the old bin drawers.  Once the new
hardware was added, it transformed them.  I'm kind
of liking them unpainted.  It's a little quirkier which is very me.

I do wish the two sets of bin drawers were a little farther apart
so the unpainted wood was better distributed around the room.
But I have to live with them like this for now.

62 comments:

  1. The higher row of cigar tile looks to be a perfect fit based on the photo and the ceiling line! Good DIY karma, indeed!!!

    I melted when I saw the old bin drawers. Swoon.

    Have a great week!
    Karla in CA.

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    Replies
    1. I know, everything is really level so I was lucky there.

      Glad you like the drawers!

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  2. Steve, all of this is coming together so beautifully!

    If you have a Dremel, the tile cutting bit for it isn't expensive and it does a great job when you have to cut a circle in the center of a tile. I got my first one when I was tiling a bathroom and had to make holes for the plumbing.

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    1. OMG! I DO have a Dremel and it never even crossed my mind. I almost want to chip that tile out now.

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  3. What is your decision on the grout. Seeing this I am hoping you will do grey. Not my business of course!

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    1. Chania,
      It's a REALLY tough decision. I do love the look of it but I think it's pretty busy with the ceiling. And although it looks great with the dark gray cabinets, it detracts from their details at the same time. So I'm going to do white....I think.

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  4. I agree...the light reflecting off the shiny vertical surface makes a room feel so fresh and bright...it's a good thing...please don't paint the drawers...they add so much depth and keeps some of the history in the kitchen...it's looking sooo good, I'm sure you must be enjoying it too :)

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    Replies
    1. I really am enjoying the kitchen but the floor guy who needs to the final coat on the floors is MIA. I need to finish the floors before I can get my armoire and really settle in.

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  5. This is becoming one of my favorite kitchens! I love the unpainted wood additions, love the color gray, your hardware is perfect! What a labor of love and it shows! Enjoy every minute in there. Xo Nancy

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    1. Thanks so much, Nancy. That's a huge compliment especially since I think I've included everything Bethany hates.

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  6. I am getting a vicarious thrill from watching you tile the backsplash... always wanted to try it. You've done a very professional looking job. Bins are perfect as is! Handsome hardware, too.

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    1. Thanks so much, Merlyn. Glad you like the bins too!

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  7. Looking awesome. Great job. Love the reflection and how it brightens and expands the whole room. Didn't think about that. I like the idea of different shelves for different seasons! The way they slide on, it would be so easy! So excited to see the final reveal!

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    Replies
    1. I know, I never thought about it either. I might just tile the whole house so I can just hose it down to clean it. The reflections are great at night too.

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  8. Gobsmacked!!!! I am still in the "thinking" phase of a new kitchen and YOU are such an inspiration. Those two lines of thin tile---genius. The unpainted wood bins! Love. I went back and read the first year of your blog posts. Such a change. !!!!!

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    1. Joanne,
      The fact I can inspire you is a great reward to me. Thank you for going back and reading my old posts too!

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  9. I have to tell you something. I have like 50 blogs on my blogroll, but yours is the only one that makes me squeal (inside my head) like a little girl when I see you have a new post. OK now you know I'm a little weird, but there you go. Seriously though, I am beyond excited to see the final finished kitchen, and I want to add my vote for the unpainted drawers. Great work!

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  10. This isn't the first time you've tiled anything, is it? Cuz it looks perfect.
    I could have used your help when we laid Penny tile in the guest bath. What a mess. I cry a little bit every time I walk into that room.
    You are very talented.

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    Replies
    1. This is my third tiling job. I started with slate tile in a bathroom. I'm glad it was cheap because I ruined a lot of it. Penny tile sounds like it would be difficult. How do you cut it?

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  11. I love your floating shelves AND the hardware. Very creative and I love that you are flexible enough to add things at the spur of the moment. Sometimes I think the best ideas come that way!

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    1. Thanks, Kim. I picked hardware that I thought worked the best with the bin drawers and the others just fell into place.

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  12. The minute I saw those drawers in wood I LOVED IT!!!! If you leave them like that, all the more reason to do white grout. Just my two cents. And agree with others, the pencil tile was genius at the top, too. Oh, and killer pulls and knobs. Like you didn't know that ;-)

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  13. This is SO fabulous! I cannot even believe the transformation. I'm guessing once it is all finished, you'll defiantly be getting some calls about publishing. Kudos to all your hard work!

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  14. I love the unpainted drawers too. And the tile is beautiful, luminous. What color are you going to paint the shelves?

    It's looking amazing!

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    Replies
    1. Another decision not yet made, Jen. They're either match the tile, or the cabinets, or somewhere in between.

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    2. Or black like your cabinet or red like the stove knobs...

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  15. It looks gorgeous! So simple and so effective!
    http://balearaitzart.blogspot.com.au/

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  16. It’s looking fantastic. The hardware is classic and a perfect match. I can sympathize with your frustration about MIA contractors. I’m sure your floor guy will return soon.

    I’m curious about the vent (besides the type). Are you going to grout around it or use silicon caulking? I’m thinking about the vibrations and was wondering what works best with that sort of thing. Or am I just over thinking?

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    Replies
    1. Larry,
      The range hood is Wolf. That's a good question about grout vs. caulk. I was planning to use grout but I hadn't considered vibrations. I'm hoping the hood and the wall will vibrate in unison and the grout will remain in harmony. But if it all falls out, I'll caulk it. Another reason I prefer grout is because it's right at eye level and I think the caulk would really stand out.

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  17. Glad you are still doing the grout white...it looks beautiful. I do like those bins in their rustic-rawness.

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  18. Love the draws not painted. My first thought is that I could walk in, pull the drawer open and run my hands though rice or grains or something. i know, weird thought, but it is so old world feeling.

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    Replies
    1. It's funny you say that because I got a similar vision but mine was shoe polish and old brushes. Yours sounds much more romantic.

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  19. Looking good!!! I like the drawers unpainted also.

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  20. It's looking gorgeous Steve. I love the addition of the cigar tile before the ceiling, too. Now, am I just having issues with my monitor or do you have two colors of gray on your kitchen cabinets? Perhaps it's the light. The cabinet to the right of your dishwasher looks lighter than the sink base and the cabinet with the original wood bins. I looked back at it three times, thinking, no - but I had to ask. Also ... speaking of paint, what finish did you use, and is it enamel, oil, or latex?

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    1. That's a good question, Artie. It's not your monitor. It's all Ben Moore Chelsea Gray, Aura, satin finish. But, you're right, it's such a complex color it can look totally different from one side of the sink to the other. The light does shine more directly on the cabinets to the right of the dishwasher and that difference tends to be exaggerated in the photos for some reason. When I finish I'll try to take a photo of that entire run of cabinets so you can see that better.

      Aura is a little tricky to paint with because it dries so quickly but I've gotten used to it. I could see some people hating it. Ben Moore does makes its own own extender for Aura but I've found that extenders also make the paint more runny and you really have to watch for drips and runs. Because these cabinets are old, I actually think seeing some brush strokes makes them look a little more authentic.

      If you can find a color you love in Farrow & Ball though, I'd much prefer to use it for newer cabinets just because it handles so much nicer and gives a smoother surface.

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  21. Loving it all. Another vote for leaving the bins natural. Love the hardware too. Love, love, love it all.

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  22. You made me laugh...changing out for spring/summer, fall/winter...I do that with pillows, curtains, rugs, etc. franki

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  23. Love the hardware...you must be giddy cause it is so close to being finished!

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  24. I love that your kitchen is so unique. I've gone back and squinted at all the photos 3 times!
    Every step seems to have a story and you are creating a such magical home.
    I can only imagine the first time that you come home after it's completely finished and perfect.
    What a grand feeling that will be!

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  25. Hi Steve, Rubbing my eyes...reading for three days about you and your amazing gift !! Such a talent , you are.
    Wondering about the spiralize..do you still love this or has it gone to the under used shelf? I have never seen this gadget and I am intrigued. Thanks, karen

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    Replies
    1. Karen,
      Oh my god, what a trooper! That's a huge job reading from the beginning. There was quite a lot of filler posts during the periods when I was broke (more of those coming very soon!) but that's always a huge compliment when people go back and read from the beginning.

      The spiralizer. I use it quite heavily in the summer when vegetables are fresh. My favorite is still zucchini both raw and sauteed something just plain with some onion, or with tomato sauce, or pesto and fresh tomatoes, or peanut sauce. I also loved the sauteed beets. I'll use it almost every day and I'll tell you, eating zucchini pasta almost everyday is a great way to shed some pounds.

      Thanks again for reading!
      Steve

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  26. I stand in awe - not perfect? It looks so to me!

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  27. Hi, Steve,

    I will store away in my mind the trick of the vertical lines for the first full tiles — a very clever thought, and I'm sure it not only saved time up front, but possibly some dredded redos. I like your second cigar line, too. It gives the visual feel of a crown moulding.

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  28. Hi Steve.....Loving it, its all coming together nicely, I like to have a bit of quirky too, and agree totally about the unpainted drawers. Cant wait to see it all finished.
    Annie

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  29. Oh that tile! It's beautiful. Love how everything is looking. You must be so pleased.
    Claudia

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  30. I can't wait for the grout to go in! It will be so pretty then. I just don't like seeing all the lines. I like the idea of two sets of shelves! ha! well at least you can change them out if you decide you wish too. I love the drawers unpainted. I have a vintage jelly cupboard that when I bought it someone has stripped the drawers and the top but never got around to the rest of it. The seller sold it cheap because of that because she thought I'd have lots of work to do on it. Nope! That is what I loved about it! I love getting to watch your journey on this. Of course I really liked your make do kitchen that you had before.

    I saw your article in Cottage Style! Wow! so great. You are famous!

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  31. Nita,
    Someone told me the Cottage Style article was republished in the latest issue. I'm not sure why they did that. Glad you like the unpainted drawers too!

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  32. So many things to say. First, I also love the unpainted drawers. Hope you'll keep them. Second, you'll be the first person on the face of this earth to have summer and winter shelves, if you go that route. I'm curious how the hole was drilled in the shelves. Was a drill press used to keep the holes perfectly parallel to the surface of the shelf? Your tiling job looks absolutely professional. I am seriously impressed. How much practice does it take to get to the point where you can do a job like this? Last, I am absolutely fascinated to hear you say that tiles make the space feel bigger and lighter. That is the first time I've ever heard that. It makes so much sense, but I can't believe I've never heard it.
    Camille

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    1. You mean everyone doesn't have summer and winter shelves. If I were going to drill the holes, yes, I think I would want to use a drill press but I don't believe Sam did. I think he just used the level on his drill to keep them straight. If I buy new/old wood, I'll try to find someone to drill the holes because old wood is really expensive.

      Thank you for the compliment on the tile. This is my third tile job and it's not really that hard. Just takes some good planning, careful measuring and measuring again, and pretty good cutting. Oh, and tile spacers.

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  33. love the unpainted bin drawers

    john in nc

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  34. I would paint the drawers. Haha but what the hell do I know? The more I read other people's design blogs, I realize I am extraordinarily out of touch with what most people like.
    Your cabinetry is exquisite and I just love the color. It'll look great with grey grout and when you paint the shelves blue :)

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  35. I love the unpainted drawers! I think they look very nice in this space. Good luck with the continued DIY.

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  36. What progress!! I love all the charming warm wood elements that add the perfect counterbalance to the crisp and clean surroundings. Lovely!
    Hope you are otherwise well. Cold as heck here.
    xo Terri

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  37. Really impressive work with your tile. I know people have said it's not that difficult but it does take time and patience I'm sure. You've done such a great job and I love that you have such a casual disposition to your writing too - very refreshing. I love to live vicariously through those who are going through kitchen remodels right now - someday we will get to ours.

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  38. I love that the old drawers are left unpainted! They looks so great....all of it does! Beautiful!!

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