Behind the countertop is going to be a tile backsplash that will extend its entire length. Going to the tile store was like going to the fabric shop - so many wonderful things to choose from! However, unlike the fabric shop, the prices ranged from reasonable to the-sky's-the-limit. It would have been quite easy to add several thousand dollars to the price of the remodel just by choosing one of those beautiful tiles. So before I got myself in love with something that would break my already overburdened wallet, I asked to see the tiles that fit into the allowance in our contract. Hmmm - had to go in the back to get those. I chose plain white tiles, 4 inch to go directly above the counter top, then a 1/2" grey liner that picks up the grey/black speckle in the counter top, then 6 inch tiles set on point to extend up to the cabinets. Behind the stove there will be more space since the backsplash will go up to the exhaust fan and I thought it would be interesting to have some tiles with design there.
There is a little shop nearby that has pottery that you can paint and then they fire it for you. Lots of fun things in there and it seems that anybody can do it. While I was there I saw people with their young children who couldn't have been more than 4 years old. The really good stuff takes a lot of practice, but I wanted a more folksy look. Much easier when things don't have to be exact. These are the three tiles I painted. This is not going to be a new hobby - it takes a steady hand and lots of patience. Each color needs 3 layers of paint in order to show up well, and that is tedious. It took me about 3 hours to paint these tiles. I had worked out the design ahead of time and created a template so I could easily transfer the design to the tiles. I like how they turned out and sure do hope they will fit on the wall!
