Backsplash to the Future II: Return to Never Bland

Okay, everyone, you're right! I need to keep it simple and clean and white. I'm saving those bright colors for another place, I guess. Don't be surprised if I tile my bedroom! ("Wow, Courtney, your bedroom is very...Moroccan bathhouse?!")

After reading your comments, your very correct comments, I started on my next step, which is installing the countertop. I was looking for a video of someone installing an apron sink with a wood countertop and all the precautions one needs to take. We're installing it ourselves and it seems tricky even for carpenters!

I learned that I will have to dry fit the countertop with the cut-outs and then paint six coats of varnish on the top and bottom of the countertop. And each coat must dry 24 hours before the next coat can be applied.
So I will be countertopless for about a week.

John and I talked through all the steps:

remove sink and counter
install new sink
dry fit and cut countertop
use plywood in place of counter while we:
varnish countertop

right before countertop install:
remove backsplash tiles and faucet
install counter top
install backsplash
weep into pillow

Have I mentioned that John works all the time? He works on a TV show and his hours are crazy! He may be getting a hiatus week coming up, but usually everything has to be done on a weekend.
See the sad original tile? I've bleached and bleached and it still looks like this. But look at the soap nook! And the awesome jalousie window you can kind of make out!

So, after all that, I decided on the simplest, easiest to install tile.  I need to be able to do it myself!
Mini porcelain subway tiles! Clean, white, vintage-ish, but also modern! And cheap!

You deserve something for reading all of that, so I thought I'd show you a sink of dirty dishes! In a web-world of perfect projects and lovely homes, I thought I'd tell the truth. Which is that I'm too lazy to clean out the sink before I take a picture.

7 comments

my honest answer said...

Oooh mini subway! Love it. A classic, but a modern take. Perfect.

Anonymous said...

Your new tile will look great! Thanks for your sweet comment on my backsplash and good luck with yours! Tabitha@ simplyhomecents.blogspot.com

*Shabby LOCO!* said...

Your MY kinda' Gurll..Lurv your bungalow..Doesn't L.A have the best!
I am in a cookie cutter in the OC but Man on man..I would swap with you in a heartbeat!
New Enabler..oops! "Follower" ;)
~Melissa

Rachael said...

Minis subway will be perfect. I'm glad that your staying with white.

Inspired By Felicity said...

I was checking back to see if you decided on one.... my husband and I went this evening to Lowes to check out countertops and backsplashes - we are about to start working on our kitchen. I'm leaning toward one of those fasade backsplashes that looks like tin ceiling tiles. Looks cute, not too expensive and sounds easy to do but I'll probably change my mind back and forth a dozen times before we buy anything next week.

-Pamela, InspiredByFelicity.blogspot.com

Renonda said...

I cant's wait to see how the backsplash turns out!

Peggy said...

Wow we are so in the same place right now. I am installing wood counter tops and a farm sink also. One thing I am doing different is the poly on top. There is a poly resin you can by in gloss or matte that you pour on and it evens itself out and Viola! Once you let it dry you have a super hard clear finish. You do have to incorporate a small lip around your counter top to hold the poly. Hope this helps and thanks for coming by my blog and good luck. I'm a new follower.