This kitchen project has been like RuPaul…dragging on and on. Seriously Glamazons…I need to get it wrapped up (I also need to actually finish the space – gah!) but getting you up to speed is priority number one. I have to apologize to ya for the lateness. I didn’t pre-write a single post before having Weston, so I’m really trying hard to keep up with being really far behind.
If you are new to this scene, our kitchen started off as a brownish and tannish box. After a little bit of paint and sweat, we turned our box-o-chocolate into…
a crisp and and contrasting black-n-white cookie 🙂
Our tiling was only partially complete…we had the backsplash up but there was some finishing that had to take place.
We planned on open shelving on the one side of the kitchen window and that meant there was no real ‘end point’ created by a cabinet, wall, or true corner. Our plan was to just create a border by using a pencil tile. We picked a matching marble 12″ tile at The Tile Shop….it’s simple and clean….keeping the focus on the hex (exactly where I think the focus should be!)
Ignore the fact that I am huge here. Can you even believe that I was still two weeks from my due date? And I went two more months after this? Holy weight gain moley?!
Okay – back to the pencil tile. The real issue was how we were going to install it. Were we gonna do it on its side like this…
I liked the fact that on the side it had less lip from the hex…but I didn’t really like the curved edge being on the outside…
And then there was the traditional way to install it…on it’s rear end (awkward tile moment). The only problem with this was that it stuck out really far from the hex and I didn’t like that either.
Enter the tile saw. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…DIYers need this in their arsenal of tools. Tool junkies like us would not live without it….or at least tile without it. It’s worth its weight in diamond tipped blades 🙂
Okay…so we decided to go with the more traditional route but to cut some off the rear end of the tile…a De-J-Lo-ification if you will. We used the hex tile to give us an idea of how far out we wanted the edge lip and then lined up the tile blade to cut the rest off.
Jeremy was the tile saw operator for the kitchen. I can’t imagine trying to squat over that thing while being 38 weeks pregnant. Well…revise that….I can imagine squatting….I can’t imagine getting back up.
So the important part about doing this is to go really really slow. You don’t want to split that pencil tile.
After all the pieces were cut, it took literally five minutes to install them. I just back buttered each one with adhesive and stuck them on. Of course I did make one really annoying mistake. Can you spot it?
The corner.
I wish wish wish I had requested Jeremy to miter the corner pieces to make it cleaner. It’s a small thing but seriously…I know better. I sat there the following evening looking at it thinking ‘why does that look funny?’ and then had an open-palm-to-the-forehead moment. Can I blame pregnancy brain? It’s like when you forget your social security number (did that) or your child’s middle name (also did that) or your parents address…where you lived for eleven years (the shame). So if you tackle this at home…learn from my mistake, mmkay?!
We also had to install a tiny teeny shmidgling of a tile above the other side of the window…
Okay…so then we ran into a different problem. The bottom full pencil tile and the one that connects the side to under the counter…those two…they were on shaky ground. You can’t build a house on sand….and you can’t put tile on shaky drywall paper.
So I pulled the bottom two off right away and glued the drywall tape back down. Yes, I used Elmers. They sell it at Lowe’s…it totally counts as a builders tool 🙂 After it was dry, I used joint compound to fill in the hole. It didn’t need to be perfect…it just had to be solid and fairly even with the other pencil tile’s foundation.
Oh and yes, I got this bucket of joint compound and so far, it’s been pretty awesome. It creates a lot of dust if you sand dry…and it does average with wet wiping….but the drying time is what got me…its FAST.
Okay – so now time for GROUT! SHOUT FOR GROUT! Seriously…do it…this kitchen remodel is getting boring and shouting at anything makes it exciting. trust me…it works. We do it anytime someone opens a shirt or clothing item at Christmas…you’d be surprised at how exciting everyone gets to receive clothes now. Cheering goes a long way my friends. Plus, I would love to imagine you shouting for grout at work 🙂
Tease! Where is Weston’s Birth Story Part II?
You know you’ve been watching too much Dora and Diego when you read “shout grout!” to the tune of “say click…take a pic!”. Aye.
Katie!! Weston’s Birth Story Part II logically comes after Weston’s Birth Story Part I! Killing me Smalls!
We currently rent the home we live in but we own two houses in other states. We were in the middle of renovating our Oklahoma house when we received surprise orders to Washington DC…I envisioned a new backsplash almost exactly like yours. I absolutely adore the hex pattern. Swoon. I hate the kitchen in our current rental and dream of making it over every single morning while drinking my coffee.
WOW! It is looking so fresh and I ADORE that marble tile! I hear ya about kitchen remodels taking forever! I am hoping we get ours done this year if that tells you anything. Great work you two! xo Kristin
Love love love the hex tile Katie! It looks so good! And my boss would love if I shouted for grout at work considering I work at a place that manufactures grout 😉
It really is coming together. I totally understand how you feel though, when a project goes from every element being exciting to just needing to get it done!! It is crazy to see the before and after difference. Good changes!
The fact that you have any time to write posts at all with a newborn and toddler is astonishing! I feel exhausted just thinking about your situation. Oh, and if you hadn’t pointed out the non-mitered corner, I would never have noticed, if that’s any consolation. The marble hex tile looks absolutely amazing!
Loving the hex tile, that looks awesome.
That tile makes me drool. It’s just amazing.
GROUT! GROUT! GROUT!
Off to price out tile saws…
EEEKKK!! I just love seeing the before and after picture of the kitchen. The after is amazeballs!!! Seriously I love everything about the white and black and gray. :))) xoxoxo
I seriously can’t WAIT to see it with the grout! Whooty whoooo
LOL Shout for Grout! Your kitchen looks great. Tiling can be a challenge if you’ve never done it before. I remember the first time I created a tile backsplash. Ah, memories. Very Well Done.
I’m totally stealing this idea for our bathroom re-tile. Just gotta let The Hubs know. 😉 Love ya, mama!
Not going to lie. After reading your post this morning it didn’t just make me want to shout for grout, it made me want to jump around dancing and singing the the Isley Brothers “Shout” but using “Grout” instead…. here’s a little preview:
Grout! a little bit softer now
Grout! a little bit softer now
Hey-Hey-A-Hey
Hey-A-A-Hey
Grout! a little bit louder now
Grout! a little bit louder now
Jump up and Grout now
Everybody Grout now!
Okay, I feel better now. Whew!
PS – want to come do my kitchen next? I’ll even do the full version of the song for you, EVERYDAY! 🙂
I know its just a typo but for a second I literally imagined you having Weston 2 MONTHS after your due date, rather than 2 weeks!! Ahhhh!!!! 🙂
Shannon
Been waiting for this! Didn’t want to push a pregnant lady/new (again!) mom, though, and start begging … : ) It is BEAUTIFUL! Such a stunning transformation!
Kitchen is looking great! One of my favourite things about blogs like yours and Young House Love is that it makes me feel more confident in tackling home improvement projects, haven’t yet done any tiling, but posts like this make me feel more ready to try.
Man alive – that kitchen is looking so. much. better!! Talk about a transformation. The back splash is so lovely – seriously considering that same pattern for our bathroom flooring.
I can’t believe how much bigger your kitchen looks now. I absolutely love it and can’t wait to see it when it’s finished!
Ok, lady. We love these kitchen updates and tiling posts, but you can’t tease us with part I of your boy’s birth story and not give us a part II right after. Not fair.
Oh, and I know it probably FELT like you went 2 months past your due date, but you wrote “….I was still two weeks from my due date? And I went two more months after this? ” So you like 120% pregnant when you finally delivered? 😉
Wow you were pregnant a long time time – two more months after the pictures at 38 weeks! 🙂
Seriously tho, I love reading your blog and I think you are pretty amazing!
Then you know your readers too well to know that I am reading your blog while I am at work! heeheehee
Tile looks great!
Great post, really but seriously – how could you come back with a tile post before the rest of Weston’s birth story. You had me in tears yesterday with Part I and I need more!!!
Edging does look great though!
It looks gorgeous!! Yall are doing a great job! Congrats on the new baby, he is so cute!
haha…I meant weeks! WEEKS!
xo – kb
HAA! Not months…weeks. I meant weeks…oops…late night blogging brain 🙂
xo – kb
ahh typo! Note to self – don’t blog after 1 am.
xo – kb
Haha, ok so glad this was cleared up! I don’t have kids, so I was thinking I must just not know enough about how inductions work, but I thought it seemed crazy that they would waiIt to induce you til 6 weeks after your due date!
I think you actually meant “one more month after this”… so you were on the right track with the month thing. Because it wasn’t two weeks after the picture either, because then that would just be to your due date. 🙂 Love the hex tile too, it’s beautiful!
I love how we have seen both your kitchen and YOU go full circle… the old kitchen where you told your family you were pregnant again… transformed into your new kitchen where you’re holding your newborn baby 🙂 That would make a fun collage… the many belly shots of you while working feverishly on your kitchen!! It looks amazing! And i’m slowly getting my hubby to agree to painting our cabinets! wahoo!
i really don’t like your kitchen make over so far…. i am really hoping that once its finished i will change my mind..but at this stage its just all sorts of wrong… i like your blog katie so i really want to like your kitchen too.
I love how we’ve seen the kitchen and you go full circle… the video of your family in the “old” kitchen when you first told them you were pregnant, and now the finished product when you have your new baby… and of course all the adorable belly shots while working pics in between 🙂
Katie if I may, I want to tell you that you are absolutely beautiful, pregnant or not. Having had two children 2.5 years apart I know you didn’t feel the best, but you sure looked good carrying Weston around.
Well that’s cool. I don’t like every kitchen out there either. I figure I could pick out things in anyone’s house that aren’t exactly my cup of tea…but that is what makes us all different and special. Slap that on a hallmark card 🙂
xo – kb
haha…that would be nuts. Can’t even imagine how big he would be…eighteen pounder 🙂
xo – kb
I LOVE your kitchen makeover so far!! It looks like an entirely new kitchen and so nice and airy.
I don’t understand why people feel the need to make a negative comment like that?? Why not just leave it. :/
As a fairly new reader I am glad to know that Weston didn’t actually come two months after his due date. I was trying to imagine what doctor would actually let you go that long! The kitchen is looking great though and I love the pencil tile for the border. We are getting ready to tile our back splash and this is great inspiration. Thanks!
lol; you are so funny and to be doing so much with a toddler and a newborn. JEEZ!
Be good to you, and the little family.
Love your blog, and your tile work ? Well, it looks amazing, dahling!
Geneva
I am new to your blog and I love it! It’s amazing how talking about tile and grout mixed in with pregnancy had me laughing out loud. You are witty and original. Thanks for brightening my morning, (while I am being used as a human tissue by my two year old).
I completely agree! I LOVED the ” old ” kitchen, it seemed so warm and inviting, I wanted to come over and bake cookies in it. It probably looks great, I am just not a white kitchen fan, they seem too severe to me. But you guys are the ones who need to love it, so best of luck finishing soon!
Oh yes, I completely understand…it photographed really well before and seemed much nicer in photos than real life. My mom’s kitchen has wood cabinets and they give off that warm and inviting feeling so I totally know what you mean. I am grateful that y’all are supportive even though it’s not your thang 🙂
xo – kb
What is that paint color in your kitchen called?!!! I LOVE it! 🙂
Metropolitan by Benjamin Moore.
Here is the post about it.
xo – kb
Can you tell me what size hexagon tile you used for the kitchen backsplash? Thank you, KK
It was the 1″.
xo – kb
Look great, love the hex tile! Could you tell me the brand /details? It looks warmer and more varied than carrera.
Thanks
Here is the post all about it!
xo – kb
Those tiles are amazing! I would love to have them on my walls too. That blue paint also brightened up the kitchen somehow. I am so inspired to do a makeover. Great blog!
I really love the hexagon backsplash. Can you tell me the name of it?
Thanks!
It’s just polished marble hex – here is the post about it.
xo – kb