Choosing Kitchen and Bathroom Tile

Shower display at Floor & Decor

Choosing tile for the kitchen and bathrooms at the farmhouse has proven to be one of the easiest selections that I've made to date.  For me, the wide range of materials that's out there has made the job easier rather than more difficult. Like I did last week, today I'm sharing my choices and showing you what I found at Floor & Decor. 

When I began designing the farmhouse, I chose to make the color palette for the floors, tile, counter tops and cabinets completely neutral. Since I tend to like redecorate about every fifteen minutes often, keeping the more permanent parts of my home neutral allows me to introduce color through paint and fabric.

I know myself well enough to know that this is the best way for me to decorate. I also know that I like to use natural materials whenever possible but if the price is right and the quality is good, porcelain that looks like natural stone is a cost effective alternative for some areas of my home.

Since I'll be using hexagonal terracotta tile in the stable hall and the hall to my studio,  I feel that it's a good idea to use that same hexagonal shape on the floor of the master bath or in the shower,  for continuity. I've found that using larger tiles with just a few accent pieces saves on installation as well as tile cost.

First, let's talk about my new kitchen. It will be a combination of shades of gray and white with dark wood flooring, a natural wood island and open shelves. The the style of my new kitchen is French country farmhouse (with the emphasis on farmhouse, of course!)  I'll be using rustic finishes like painted cabinets and honed counter tops. I'm considering poured concrete or soapstone for part of the counter tops but will have Vermont Imperial marble on the island.  My kitchen cabinets and shelves will be similar in color and feel to the fabulous kitchen above from Our Vintage Home.

Source: Kvanum Kitchens

The only area that will have back splash tile is the space between the cook top and the exhaust hood.  This is because the wall where the sink is located has four windows that extend to just above the counter top and those windows are flanked by cabinets with glass doors that sit on the counter top. Similar in layout to the photo above but, with four windows instead of two:

Photo: Home of Colette of La Brocanteuse

I've chosen over-sized subway tile in white for my kitchen. I think that it will blend well with my gray cabinets and  gray and white counter tops. Installing oversized the tile will provide a updated feel and proper scale while giving me the traditional feel that I'm trying to achieve. 

I think that the tile on the bottom of the display below would work nicely as a kitchen back splash, don't you?   Of course, it would be pretty spectacular in the shower i the upstairs bath, too!

There are two and one half baths in our home. The half bath is tiny and  is located on the main floor near the family room. The floor in this room will probably be a natural stone like travertine because it's rustic enough to blend well with the dark hardwood that will be in the rooms around it and still sturdy enough to hold up to traffic. I'm adding character to my little bathroom by using a vintage chest as a sink base with a vessel sink and wall mounted faucet similar to this one: 

Source: Decorpad.com

There are so many elements of this bathroom that I love; from the wall mounted faucet to the mirror ad the architectural salvage above the shower curtain...but I digress....

                                                                                                 Where was I?  Oh yeah, vessel sinks.

I was really pleased to find that Floor & Decor carries what I consider to be a pretty substantial selection of vessel sinks. I'm sure that I'll be find something that will be perfect.

There are two full bathrooms in our home, one in the hall of the second floor and one is a master ensuite. Both will have gray and white tile, both will likely have gray cabinets, both will have white fixtures. Color wise, that may seem boring, but using an interesting tile layout and things like mosaic accents or carved pieces like this one that I found will help to make them simple but beautiful.

I haven't made final selections yet... but I'm close. I've still got to find a cabinet for the powder room but then, I'm going to sit down with a F&D designer to choose a sink for the powder room and lay out the patterns for the tile in the bathrooms.  I'm still drawn to the mosaic border in this photo...
                                                                               
                                                                                             and that harlequin....maybe just a little?!

However, before I do any of that, either today or tomorrow (September 12th and 13th), I'm going to the Grand opening of the new Floor & Decor at 3300 Oakton in Skokie, IL to check them out! You know that I love to shop and I want to make sure to check out all of the latest options before I purchase.

If you're in the area, here's what's going on at the store this weekend. Maybe I'll see you there.

Friday, Sept 12

9:00 – 11:00    Ribbon cutting

10:00 – 6:00    NASCAR Simulator

11:00 – 2:00    Ice Cream Truck – free to the first 200 customers

  Chicago Mix popcorn available

Saturday, Sept 13

Chicago Mix popcorn available

10:00 – 6:00    NASCAR Simulator

11:00 – 2:00    Hot Dog Cart – free to the first 200 customers

11:00 – 3:00    Face Painter/ Balloon Artist

11:00 – 3:00    Inflatable Sports Challenge

12:00 – 2:00    $250,000 Dice Roll Challenge

Yeah...that $250,000 dice roll got my attention. But to be honest, so did the Chicago Mix Popcorn (for those of you who don't know what that is, it's a 50/50 mix of caramel corn and cheese popcorn...I know, it sounds odd but trust me, it's amazing!) 

Disclosure: I was compensated for writing this post. However, my account of my experience with Floor and Decor as well as my opinion of them  is my own.  I only write about products and services that I use personally in my own home and it is my policy and promise to you, the reader, that all reviews are genuine, 100% honest, and reflect my experience with the product or service being reviewed.

When Common Sense Takes a Holiday: Purchasing A Soaking Tub on Craigslist

Today, we're going on a little trip down memory lane because several of you have asked about the tub that I purchased on Craigslist but first, a little background. A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of telling my oldest son that I consider myself  frugal.  He quickly reminded me that frugal was probably a stretch but we could both agree that I am (at least most of the time), thrifty. So, when a thrifty girl like me who has a "day job"in corporate finance, a passion for all things vintage, and a degree in design decides to renovate a 1950's ranch house, finding the best possible price on things involves shopping..and often, the Internet.

Contemporary Apartment Small Bath Makeover

When I began the renovation at the apartment, I knew that the bathroom needed some help, I just didn't know how much help! The decorating and fixtures were 30 years old...which may not sound like much...until you consider the fact that it's a rental.  One of the things that intrigued me most about this project is that it gave me a chance to stretch my design imagination. You see, my son's style is very different from mine. He likes clean lines and what I call the "3 M's" of Contemporary Loft Style Apartment Design: Modern, Masculine and Minimalist

                                            Yeah, I know...my son....a minimalist...how in the world did that happen?!

Pot Filler and Bath Accessories from Craigslist: Starting Small

I've found that Craigslist is the answer...even when I'm not sure what the question is.

When I set out on the journey to transform our 1950's red brick ranch into the French farmhouse last summer, I made a conscious decision to make this project as environmentally and budget  friendly as possible. This means re-using what we can, purchasing used elements when possible and selling or donating the things that will be removed from our home so that they don't end up in the landfill. It's what I'm calling,

                                             "Caviar decor on a scrambled eggs budget."
 
Given that I live within reasonable driving distance of Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison and that I have two sons who attend college in southern Illinois, my search area is pretty rife with potential.  Over the last month, I've made weekend trips to salvage yards and resale shops in my area to get an idea of what types of things they have and to discuss the list of things that I'm looking for with the owners of the various shops so that they can let me know if something on my list comes into their store.

I've also had wonderful support from my network of vintage junk loving girlfriends who know what I'm looking for and are helping me "shop" while they're picking and stocking their stores and booths.

Of course given my budget, I've also turned to Craigslist.  I'll be sharing what I find (as well as tips and tricks for finding and purchasing items on Craigslist) in the coming months. Today, I'm sharing the two bronze toilet tissue holders, two robe hooks and pot filler that I purchased last week for a total of $225.00. The original "asking price" was $325, but I made a package deal with the guy who was selling them.

Lessons Learned:

• Know what you're looking for. I have a spreadsheet where I'm keeping track of what I need for the various rooms in our home. This helps me to remember what I have already purchased, what I still need and how much remains in my budget.
• Know how to search. Manufacturer name, type of item (I found the pot filler under "faucet"), finish and room that it will be located in are all search possibilities. (Correct spelling doesn't always count...more on this later.)
• Tell your friends who are in the "business" (vendors at flea markets, thrift store owners, contractors, plumbers, electricians) what you're looking for. They may be willing and able to assist.
• Understand what you're looking at. For example: Each of the robe hooks and the toilet tissue holders has a brass mounting plate which gets attached to the wall and to which the hooks and holders are attached via a set screw (the little screws in the bottoms of the pieces).  Replacement set screws can be purchased from most hardware stores for a few cents. Replacement mounting plates, however would add incremental cost to the items so it's important to know that all of the necessary parts are included to avoid having to purchase parts in order to make items functional.

The "pot filler" is attached to the wall above the cooktop at the end of the water supply line with a simple connector. These are readily available and are a part of normal plumbing supplies so it's not an issue that it's not included.

When purchasing the pot filler, I checked the water filter, the threads on the part where the filler will be attached to the wall (to make sure that they weren't damaged or stripped) as well as the junctions where the spout swivels and the faucet knob turns on and off. All appear to be sound and didn't leak when I filled the faucet with water.

The robe hooks and toilet tissue holders are made by Perrin & Rowe and are solid brass construction. If purchased new, the robe hooks retail for $104 each and the toilet tissue holders retail for $304 each. The pot filler is made by Rohl. It's also solid brass and has a "Tuscan Brass" finish. It retails for $275.

Sure, I could have probably purchased other tissue holders and robe hooks brand new for less than the $125 that I spent for those four items but they wouldn't have been solid brass and they wouldn't have kept metal out of the scrap yard. The pot filler was the item that sealed the deal for me. The finish is pre-aged and it's exactly what I would have chosen if I had to purchase it new.

Lessons learned:

• Always negotiate. Many sellers will offer better pricing if you purchase more than one item.
• Don't expect finishes to be "perfect". Most items have been installed and in use in some one's home.
• Have cash and get receipts for larger items.
•  Know where you're going and who you're meeting and if you're unsure, bring a friend along.

Purchased new (not on my budget), these bath accessories and pot filler would have cost $1,141. By using Craigslist, I saved $866. If you follow along on Facebook, you know that I've purchased a couple of  big plumbing fixtures in the last few weeks as well. I'll be sharing posts soon.