jlo Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 OK clever Omleteers. I am hopeless at interior design and would appreciate any input from you lot. We are in the process of having our kitchen replaced. Those of you who know me on FB will see today's pic. I am having an extra bit of worktop as an "upstand" about 10cm high around the wall. I was going to get some cream ceramic rectangular tiles but am now wondering whether I need any tiles - other than behind the cooker. I just wondered whether anyone had any experiences that they could share??? Many thanks !! Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 We have an oak worktop with small matching upstands, we didn't put anything on the walls, just painted the plaster..... it looks lovely and tidy and neat. We also opted for open shelving made out of the same wood rather than wall cupboards. Our ceiling are low with beams and the walls are too wonky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Marple Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 I'm a messy cook so I went for tiles!! We have granite worktops with an upstand. We also have low ceilings in our kitchen so went for tiles on the two walls where the wall cupboards are and around the aga. Ease of cleaning was my primary issue. I've got my phone on charge so I could take some photos later if you want a look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 No upstands here but I have dark oak work surfaces; I have rectangular white 'Metro' tiles, pictures below of work in progress. I chose the black edging tiles as they look 'right' in my Victorian house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majuka Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 We are considering getting our kitchen done and the man that came out suggested quite a popular choice now was having a splash back behind the cooker and doing away with the tiles. We haven't made a choice yet but tiling is such a boring and time consuming job so I may go with his suggestion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 Metro tiles were what I was looking at so thanks for the pictures - they gave me some idea. I suppose that if I go with no tiles - and then I don't like it - I could always tile later. More difficult to change round the other way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted September 27, 2011 Author Share Posted September 27, 2011 I'm a messy cook so I went for tiles!! We have granite worktops with an upstand. We also have low ceilings in our kitchen so went for tiles on the two walls where the wall cupboards are and around the aga. Ease of cleaning was my primary issue. I've got my phone on charge so I could take some photos later if you want a look? Don't go to hassle on my behalf! Thanks for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 I opted for stainless steel behind cooker and no tiles when my kitchen was redone. The only bit of wall that gets a little grubby is beside the peely bin I'm pondering to tile or not in our bathroom. This will be a grownup bathroom and the shower is fully enclosed so no tiling needed their. I'll have a few tiles as a sink splashback but it's a free standing bath and I'd prefer not to have any tiles but my OH isn't convinced. Has anyone else gone without tiles around a bath ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 We opted for glass in our kitchen because didn't want the "busyness" of tiles.... We got ours from here.. http://www.parhambros.co.uk/tops_splashbacks.html In fact our kitchen is the first two photos you see on this site....which is quite amusing because the photos were taken seven years ago..but I have to say, the glass is still looking great, and best of all no grouting to discolour or replace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Re the bath - I have tongue and groove wood, no tiles at all and in the shower I have large panels on the wall that match the floor tiles. In the main bathroom I have tiles around the bath because the shower is over the bath - otherwise it's wood everywhere else. Cloakroom is wood again. Kitchen is granite worksurfaces. Behind the cooker is a large tile scene with harvest mice, poppies and corn. And around the kitchen which is only part tiled has the odd little tiles with my ickle meeces with poppies or the corn. Love my tiles I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I had my kitchen refitted earlier this year, oak units and granite worktops with upstands and granite windowsills. We had all the walls replastered and have painted them with a washable kitchen painted. Not a tile in sight and I love it. Splashes from cooking have washed down really well and so far I've no wish/need to put tiles up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I debated a brushed steel splashback behind the cooker, but folks who have them have warned that they show up any mark and are difficult to keep looking nice. I liked the metro tiles so much that I had them in the bathroom too; that is tiled all round up to about 4 feet and completely tiled in the shower cubicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Interesting thread, we are looking into a new bathroom at the moment and have thought about having tongue and groove wood rather than tiles. Tiles can be lovely but they can also crack and the grouting gets grubby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I have to say that I've not had any cracked tiles in the past - the last set of tiles in the bathroom were up for 15 years and didn't crack, I had them re-grouted once though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 We live in a 25 year old ex show house where I think the tiles were put up by a work experience person, they are wonky and too close together in the bathroom and are covered in glazial cracks and a couple have cracked right through by the window recently. I think it must have been finished in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Unfortunately that often happens in show houses - it's usually all a bit 'cosmetic' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 We have white stone surfaces and up stands with a glass splash back behind the hob but just replastered walls painted with kitchen paint, it's given a very neat finish and is easy to clean even after two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 I would hesitate to use Tongue and groove wood in a bathroom. We inherited it in this house and it is a nightmare to keep clean with 2 boys using it. there is also tiling and the grout discolours very quickly. I would be thrilled to be rid of both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I have white painted tongue and groove (old cottage) in the kitchen above the worktops and it looks perfectly in keeping but if you get grease marks on it they are difficult to shift. If I was starting over I'd go for a glass splashback (Is that the same as an upstand? I obviously need to get up to date a bit more!) as I like the idea of a smooth surface with no recesses and hiding places for nastinesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 My ED asked me this three months ago and i said splash backs , her kitchen is now done and the end result is just fab, so easy to wipe down and no grouting to keep clean, stainless backsplash for behind cooker and the rest matches her work surfaces , very very nice . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 No tiles in my kitchen. We have laminate worktop with upstands and a stainless steel splashback behind the cooker. It looks fab and keeps pretty clean. There is the odd splosh on the paintwork, but considering we have been in the house a little over two years now (it was a new build) there is surprisingly little. I think the stainless steel splashback is easy to keep clean and looking good, I just use a squirt of Method all-purpose spray and a microfibre cloth, so it doesn't scratch, and it looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
