Decorating advice please!

[The Mystery Machine]

Personally your kitchen would look so much better if you remove the wallpaper first. I know you like it but if you plan on staying 15 more years, the wallpaper will have to go eventually.

You are going to find that the NEW tile will make your wallpaper look shabby.

It is one of the hazards of decorating, fyi. You put the floor in and then you go, we have to change this and that.
Just a warning for you.

 

[TeresaNJ]

I'd rather have the contrast of the dark tile and the ivory carpet.

 

[mouseears4life]

Personally your kitchen would look so much better if you remove the wallpaper first. I know you like it but if you plan on staying 15 more years, the wallpaper will have to go eventually.

You are going to find that the NEW tile will make your wallpaper look shabby.

It is one of the hazards of decorating, fyi. You put the floor in and then you go, we have to change this and that.
Just a warning for you.

I don't totally agree. Unless the wallpaper is in bad shape, it isnt bad. It is fairly timeless, meaning it doesn't pigeonhole them into a time warp like some prints do. They could get several more years out of it from a design perspective, but wallpaper in a kitchen setting deteriorates faster than anywhere else aside from a bathroom because of the humidity and grease that eventually permeates it.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I don't totally agree. Unless the wallpaper is in bad shape, it isnt bad. It is fairly timeless, meaning it doesn't pigeonhole them into a time warp like some prints do. They could get several more years out of it from a design perspective, but wallpaper in a kitchen setting deteriorates faster than anywhere else aside from a bathroom because of the humidity and grease that eventually permeates it.

I just think that the black tile and some rich color on the wall will make the room very "new".

Black tile is very cool and begs for a contemporary look.

I don't like wallpaper at all so I am biased there.

 

[mouseears4life]

I just think that the black tile and some rich color on the wall will make the room very "new".

Black tile is very cool and begs for a contemporary look.

I don't like wallpaper at all so I am biased there.

I'm not a huge wallpaper fan either, mainly because of the royal PITA removing it is....but, since OP really likes it, and she's the one that has to live with it and look at it on a daily basis, it's always best to work around those types of things. Plus, it is something that isn't too terribly expensive to change later on if they do change their mind. Paint holds up much better in a kitchen area, and you can do some neat design stuff with black and white paint on walls.

But it will work fine at least for now for what she is redoing in there.

OP, I'd love to see pics of the finished work!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I'm not a huge wallpaper fan either, mainly because of the royal PITA removing it is....but, since OP really likes it, and she's the one that has to live with it and look at it on a daily basis, it's always best to work around those types of things. Plus, it is something that isn't too terribly expensive to change later on if they do change their mind. Paint holds up much better in a kitchen area, and you can do some neat design stuff with black and white paint on walls.

But it will work fine at least for now for what she is redoing in there.

OP, I'd love to see pics of the finished work!

OK, you know when she puts in that floor the wallpaper is going to stand out.

It is the decorating dilemma. I was just warning her.

You do agree however she should go with the black. You can do alot with that. Very flexible.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I actually hate wallpaper in general --but we've already taken down wallpaper in the foyer and in one bathroom and had to get the bathroom plastered. We're not up for that in the kitchen yet. Luckily we think this particular wallpaper is cool (although a former friend told me it was the ugliest wallpaper she'd ever seen so I know it's not to everybody's taste, but it's much better than the gold and silver metallic butterfly wallpaper that was in the bathroom ).

I know what you mean about new tile making the rest of the kitchen look shabby though--it was actually my ***husband*** who said "Maybe we should get new countertops!" yesterday when we were contemplating the different tiles in our kitchen! Our countertops are white formica and are pretty worn. The wallpaper is in decent shape so I would consider countertops before I would pull off the wallpaper.

The house is old and could use a fair amount of work (we have a leaky shower we need to re-do next) so we can't go too crazy on our fixes. And we just spent a couple thousand on getting trees taken out of the yard (big pines, major hurricane hazards for the house) AND we are doing everything with cash, so we need to balance aesthetics with a skimpy cash budget.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Your money is well spent when you redo a kitchen. Don't fret over that.

However are you doing black tile because you like it or because it matches?

Black tile is setting yourself up for major expenses when you do the kitchen. It is a very contemporary classy look.

You will need granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, etc. for the full effect.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I hate wallpaper, but I really like yours. I think it's pretty and fresh looking. I would add bursts of bright yellow to that room. I think it would be gorgeous. Of the two tiles you have out, I'd use the black, but I think a plain black tile would look better since your wallpaper is so busy.

 

[RUDisney]

I wanted to add my $.02 about the shiny tile. It will look unbelievably beautiful. It WILL become a skating rink every time water gets on it. You think you don't get water on the floor now. You'll know whether that's true or not when you have shiny flooring.

We put down beautiful porcelain tile in our foyer in 1997. It still looks new. It has a creamy marble look to it. We inserted black, granite diamonds into some of the corners of the tile. It is really beautiful.... until it rains or snows.

When you walk into our house with wet feet, you have to be very careful because it is the most slippery surface you can imagine. We've thought about throw rugs, but the door won't open over them and putting them off to the side defeats the purpose of setting them to prevent sliding.

BTW, I love your wallpaper in the kitchen. I think it looks like a timeless and classic print.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Your money is well spent when you redo a kitchen. Don't fret over that.

However are you doing black tile because you like it or because it matches?

Black tile is setting yourself up for major expenses when you do the kitchen. It is a very contemporary classy look.

You will need granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, etc. for the full effect.

Girl, you are one wicked, wicked woman for bringing all this up.

We are going to have to settle for LESS than the full effect, but I hear what you're sayin'.

But if we go TOO contemporary/classy, we're going to have to redo the entire house to go for the full effect!

Edited to add: DH and I both really, really liked the look of the tile when we laid it down on the floor next to our cabinets and wall paper. It looked TERRIFIC. We would be using black grout (or charcoal gray, I'll talk to the tile folks when we schedule the install. My friend who just had her first floor tiled HATED the grout she had chosen when the installers started putting it in and made them take it all out.)

I'm still thinking about everybody's advice re: shiny tile. Problem is, there is almost no black tile in the stores and what we did see was ugly. Maybe I need to go back and look again. Vent: the only time tile stores are open that I can go is on Saturdays! I know they have to be open weekdays for the contractors, but none of them are open on weeknights.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Girl, you are one wicked, wicked woman for bringing all this up.

We are going to have to settle for LESS than the full effect, but I hear what you're sayin'.

But if we go TOO contemporary/classy, we're going to have to redo the entire house to go for the full effect!

I am just letting you know. I have the black granite in this house and I am more of a "earthy" person.

We have the hardwood floors and I have to say that the hardwood can go with anything as well. You can do country, contemporary, anything with a hardwood floor.
Black marble tile will limit your decorating. I have to tell you that up front before you do it.

You do sound like you are well suited for hardwood in your kitchen. We are abusing the heck out of it.

I am in house #4 now, moved in in Sept.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I am just letting you know. I have the black granite in this house and I am more of a "earthy" person.

We have the hardwood floors and I have to say that the hardwood can go with anything as well. You can do country, contemporary, anything with a hardwood floor.
Black marble tile will limit your decorating. I have to tell you that up front before you do it.

You do sound like you are well suited for hardwood in your kitchen. We are abusing the heck out of it.

I am in house #4 now, moved in in Sept.

I've posted a thread about hardwood floors with dogs before, and the responses ranged from "No problem" to "They'll get all scratched up." I would LOVE hardwood, but I don't think it's practical. Seriously, one of the reasons we're getting new carpet in the living room, dining room, hallway, and landing instead of going with tile or wood is that our dog LOVES to race from one end of the house to the other, back and forth, and I don't want it to be slippery for her--tile--or get scratched up--wood. The kitchen is not part of her running loop, but she goes in the kitchen enough that I think she would scratch up wood floors.

 

[Disney Doll]

We have hardwood in our kitchen and love it. It takes a lot of abuse and still looks good. Ours is a natural maple, which gives it a "yellowish oak" color, which goes nice with our cabinets, which are oak.

My neighbir has hardwood in her house and she has it sort of a whitewashed pickled look, which makes it look whiter in color. She too has a black and white kitchen, and it looks good with that.

I don't necessarily agree that a black floor will need to commence to a contemporary look....I do agree that it can be very contemporary when necessary, but I have seen kitchens with black floos and black countertops and the look is still more classic...it really all depends on how you accessorize. Since your wallpaper is, to my eye, a bit more casual or country, you could probably pull off the "French Country" look by adding accent colors and some striped curtains that a PP suggested.

Right now my kitchen is oak cabinets, stainless appliances and dark granite countertop...a designer would probably call it gunmetal gray...and the kitchen does not give a contemporary vibe at all, even with the stainless and bark counter.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I understand. I have 2 mutts myself on the hardwood. So far so good. It is slippery for them. The big dog looks like "Scooby Doo" when he tries to run on it.

We have the hardwood in the kitchen, entry, and down the hall.

 

[mouseears4life]

I've posted a thread about hardwood floors with dogs before, and the responses ranged from "No problem" to "They'll get all scratched up." I would LOVE hardwood, but I don't think it's practical. Seriously, one of the reasons we're getting new carpet in the living room, dining room, hallway, and landing instead of going with tile or wood is that our dog LOVES to race from one end of the house to the other, back and forth, and I don't want it to be slippery for her--tile--or get scratched up--wood. The kitchen is not part of her running loop, but she goes in the kitchen enough that I think she would scratch up wood floors.

Both our dogs and cats could walk on the tile without an issue. Running was a tad more difficult, if not entertaining though

I'm like you, I decorate a little at a time and in cash. That is how I started doing other people's houses, because I can sew and I refused to pay for what I could make cheaper. One house I did, I made window treatments for 46, yes 46 windows....*sigh* and I didn't even do them all. But...it was nice cash. I started with a flower arrangement she wanted in one room and worked from there to get my colors/textures, etc.

I can totally see your kitchen with some tab-topped simple curtains (actually I have a specific style in my mind's eye), small pulls added to your cabinets, and touches of bright yellow accents throughout the room, from canisters, dishtowels, and throw rugs, etc.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

We have hardwood in our kitchen and love it. It takes a lot of abuse and still looks good. Ours is a natural maple, which gives it a "yellowish oak" color, which goes nice with our cabinets, which are oak.

My neighbir has hardwood in her house and she has it sort of a whitewashed pickled look, which makes it look whiter in color. She too has a black and white kitchen, and it looks good with that.

I don't necessarily agree that a black floor will need to commence to a contemporary look....I do agree that it can be very contemporary when necessary, but I have seen kitchens with black floos and black countertops and the look is still more classic...it really all depends on how you accessorize. Since your wallpaper is, to my eye, a bit more casual or country, you could probably pull off the "French Country" look by adding accent colors and some striped curtains that a PP suggested.

Right now my kitchen is oak cabinets, stainless appliances and dark granite countertop...a designer would probably call it gunmetal gray...and the kitchen does not give a contemporary vibe at all, even with the stainless and bark counter.

That's really interesting that your kitchen does not give off a contemporary vibe! I have a hard time picturing your description without thinking "contemporary." Would love to see photos if you're up for it!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

Both our dogs and cats could walk on the tile without an issue. Running was a tad more difficult, if not entertaining though

I'm like you, I decorate a little at a time and in cash. That is how I started doing other people's houses, because I can sew and I refused to pay for what I could make cheaper. One house I did, I made window treatments for 46, yes 46 windows....*sigh* and I didn't even do them all. But...it was nice cash. I started with a flower arrangement she wanted in one room and worked from there to get my colors/textures, etc.

I can totally see your kitchen with some tab-topped simple curtains (actually I have a specific style in my mind's eye), small pulls added to your cabinets, and touches of bright yellow accents throughout the room, from canisters, dishtowels, and throw rugs, etc.

Love hearing how you got into your profession! That's very cool. I love to look at design magazines, but I, personally, am clueless.

My kitchen is actually in the middle of the house with no windows, unless you count the "windows" to the living room and dining room. It has what we used to call "passthrough windows." They're cut out between the countertops and the cabinets, so you can look into the kitchen and living room, which both have huge windows. (Actual architecture of this house is 1970s modern--it was built by an architect for himself and his family--I think it was his first house and that he did most of the work himself because you can see where he didn't do a great job of covering the tape of some of the wallboard, for instance.)

I appreciate your suggestions because I really can't go too modern with the kitchen look, as the rest of the house is cottage-comfy. A super-contemporary kitchen would look odd. I like the idea of some yellow accents as I could carry them into the living room and dining room (since both rooms are visible from the kitchen and the kitchen is visible from both rooms but especially the dining room).

My living room and dining room currently are in shades of mostly greens with some blue/aqua and burgundy accents and lots of warm woods--we mix wood colors and really like the look.

 

[lucyanna girl]

OP, my kitchen sounds very similar to yours. We live in an older home. Someday I would love to blow it out but with our last daughter a high school senior next year with collage to pay for that's not something that will happen anytime soon.

My kitchen is also black and white, white cabinets, white walls, mostly white appliances except for my stove which is stainless, dark "fake granite" counter-tops that actually don't look too bad for now, and hardwood floor. One end of the kitchen is a set of three single french doors that lead to a deck. The sun sets on this side of the house so in Louisiana the heat requires a way to cover the doors in late afternoon. I made black and white toile lined curtains. I use a few red accents here and there. I am thinking of painting the walls but am not yet sure what color I want.

I really like my hardwood floor but I also like the tile you picked. I just feel the hardwood is a little more versatile when remodel day arrives.

Penny

 

[PrincessKitty1]

OP, my kitchen sounds very similar to yours. We live in an older home. Someday I would love to blow it out but with our last daughter a high school senior next year with collage to pay for that's not something that will happen anytime soon.

My kitchen is also black and white, white cabinets, white walls, mostly white appliances except for my stove which is stainless, dark "fake granite" counter-tops that actually don't look too bad for now, and hardwood floor. One end of the kitchen is a set of three single french doors that lead to a deck. The sun sets on this side of the house so in Louisiana the heat requires a way to cover the doors in late afternoon. I made black and white toile lined curtains. I use a few red accents here and there. I am thinking of painting the walls but am not yet sure what color I want.

I really like my hardwood floor but I also like the tile you picked. I just feel the hardwood is a little more versatile when remodel day arrives.

Penny

I like the description of your kitchen. Is your kitchen visible from other rooms in your house, and if so, how do you tie the rooms together, colorwise?

Black and white, being so neutral, is fairly safe in my kitchen colorwise, but I do wonder if accent colors need to be carried into other visible rooms. My kitchen is not really open to the other rooms as much as many current-era kitchens are, though.

This is fun--we need a permanent decorating thread on the DIS where people post photos and advice/recommendations.