Would you update this? UPDATED: we did and it’s great.

[k3am]

This is our current kitchen. (Well, immediately after the prior owners remodeled it. It's seen some wear and tear 5 years later.) At this point, it's not in our budget for the whole kitchen to be updated, but our guess is it will be in 5-7 years at the earliest. Maybe more, maybe less. (It looks like a nice kitchen, but it's deceivingly small and not laid out functionally. We have some really good options for expanding it, but if/when we update it, it's going to be a big task.)

Our designer has suggested that while they're out doing demo and tiling for the bath, that they can update the back splash(that we all hate) and (a) eliminate the weird cutout by the hood, and (b) use a tile that's not quite so busy.

It's definitely not going to be adding any function, and it likely wouldn't be a tile that we love since it has to match with what's already in there. 

I think the price on it, including materials is ~$1500. 

PDQ the photo. 

(deleted photo)

[dottyblue]

I would not spend $1,500 on something that will be ripped out in 5-7 years. But I'm cheap.

I agree that backsplash isn't doing the kitchen any favors, but if you save $1,500 now, can you bump up your remodel timeline a bit? Could you replace it with a much cheaper adhesive backsplash if you really can't stand the current?

[Deleted]

If you can afford it, I'd update it.

[bullygirl979]

Realistically, what are the odds you are updating in 5-7 years? If it were me and I knew for a fact I was doing it (and it'd be sooner than 7 years) I would wait and bankroll that cash for the real remodel. If you think updating the tile will tide you over for a while, (i.e. it'd be longer than 7 years until you remodel), I would do it now.

[k3am]

DH is convinced it will be updated within that time frame. I'm not so sure.

[laterz]

I'm torn. On one hand, that is really busy tile, and just having a solid color would likely make a big difference - especially if the space is small. I'd look at adhesive backsplashes first and see if there's something that could work until you go full on remodel.

On the other hand - 7 years is a long time and alot could change. A $1500 investment now doesn't seem terribly insane.

Our first condo had builder grade counters in the master bath. We upgraded it before we sold - and I still kick myself for waiting so long, because if we had done it sooner, i could've enjoyed it way more. YMMV.

[dr.girlfriend]

Is that a particularly good deal? I haven't priced it out recently, but that doesn't seem like a bargain for replacing tile in a relatively small area. In which case there's not particular impetus to do it now, and in fact might be kind of a pain to have it done while other areas of your house are under construction. I would look into the stick-on options as well. If you *do* redo it, I would just do plain white or something, in a very cheap porcelain subway tile.

[bhnumbers]

that tile would give me a headache. yes, I'd spend $1500 to not have that headache for 5-7 years

[simpsongal]

We gave our kitchen a facelift when we moved in bc we knew we couldn’t afford a big Reno for 10 more years. I did a backsplash with tin ceiling tiles. Just cut with tin snips and glued with liquid nails. It still looks great after 7 years, cleans easily too. I bet you could do it for $200.

[k3am]

Oct 15, 2019 12:43:22 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

Is that a particularly good deal? I haven't priced it out recently, but that doesn't seem like a bargain for replacing tile in a relatively small area. In which case there's not particular impetus to do it now, and in fact might be kind of a pain to have it done while other areas of your house are under construction. I would look into the stick-on options as well. If you *do* redo it, I would just do plain white or something, in a very cheap porcelain subway tile.

We haven't piecemeal gotten quotes for anything we're doing, so I honestly have no idea. But I do know that for the current bathroom reno and our prior projects with them, their quotes and final prices were very competitive. 

[k3am]

I'm going to shop with her on Thursday and see if we can even find any tile that we like that would coordinate with our *lovely* brown/black/rust stain granite and the gray walls. I do not want to undertake a painting project on top of everything else.

If we can't find anything that DH and I both like, we may just have them skip that part of the project entirely.

[thatgirl2478]

I probably wouldn't bother if you know you're going to redo it down the road. Even in the next 5-7 years styles will change, and I wouldn't want to sink $$ into something that I'll just tear out again later. I agree isn't an awful choice for a backsplash though...

[nicolewi]

I think I would do it. If you did something light and neutral, it would change the whole look of your kitchen. At 5 years, that's $300/year. I feel like it's worth it. 

[penguingrrl]

I wouldn’t, not for such a short amount of time. We’re getting as bad about “fast fashion” and trendiness in our homes as we are with clothing and the environmental implications are concerning, so that would be my reason for making do until we redid the kitchen.

[dr.girlfriend]

Can you paint it?

[k3am]

dr.girlfriend, paint the tile?

[dr.girlfriend]

Oct 15, 2019 15:39:42 GMT -5 k3am said:

dr.girlfriend , paint the tile?

Yeah, there's tile paint if it's ceramic tile..not sure if it's glass tile, though, you deleted the pic before I could check.

[charlie]

Oct 15, 2019 19:50:05 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

Oct 15, 2019 15:39:42 GMT -5 k3am said:

dr.girlfriend , paint the tile?

Yeah, there's tile paint if it's ceramic tile..not sure if it's glass tile, though, you deleted the pic before I could check.

I had to jump in because I painted my backsplash 2 years ago and am very happy with the result! I didn’t see the photo so not sure what you’re working with, but I had an ugly ceramic tile backsplash and just used paint I already had from painting the cabinets - Stix primer and Benjamin Moore Advance paint. I think I did 2 coats primer and 3 coats of paint. It has held up extremely well, and I haven’t had to touch it up at all.

I figured I hated the backsplash anyway so if I screwed it up with paint I would be in the same place I was, so thought I’d experiment with the paint I already had. So glad I did it!

[k3am]

Oct 15, 2019 19:50:05 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

Oct 15, 2019 15:39:42 GMT -5 k3am said:

dr.girlfriend , paint the tile?

Yeah, there's tile paint if it's ceramic tile..not sure if it's glass tile, though, you deleted the pic before I could check.

It’s a combo of travertine and glass tile. Not sure if it would work on the glass.

The pic is a listing photo, so I didn’t want it hanging out forever.

[dr.girlfriend]

Oct 15, 2019 21:08:10 GMT -5 k3am said:

Oct 15, 2019 19:50:05 GMT -5 dr.girlfriend said:

Yeah, there's tile paint if it's ceramic tile..not sure if it's glass tile, though, you deleted the pic before I could check.

It’s a combo of travertine and glass tile. Not sure if it would work on the glass.

The pic is a listing photo, so I didn’t want it hanging out forever.

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound critical of you deleting the pic.  :-)  Just meant that's why I wasn't sure.  You could try this:

rosabeltrandesign.blogspot.com/2013/02/diy-painted-tile-backsplash.html

Honestly, I think any neutral color would be a big improvement on that tile.

[sandandsea]

I’ve been thinking about this and I think I would. We moved 4 years ago and getting rid of the ugly pink bathroom has always been on the want list but we’ve waited until we have the budget to redo the whole bathroom and for that to be the priority. So far it hasn’t happened. And idk when it will happen...If ever... because other projects get moved up in priority. But if just the bathtub tile was replaced the bathroom would look soooo much better and I would be happier it for the 10 years we wait to redo it. I should have added it onto another project.

[lightbulbsun]

I would also suggest painting the tile. I am planning a bathroom reno in the same time frame (5-7 years), and we painted the tile and tub in our bathroom, and it looks so much better and I spent less than $150. I did have to use special tub/tile refinishing paint, but you probably don't have to do that much for a backsplash.

[nicolewi]

Oct 16, 2019 23:38:16 GMT -5 sandandsea said:

I’ve been thinking about this and I think I would. We moved 4 years ago and getting rid of the ugly pink bathroom has always been on the want list but we’ve waited until we have the budget to redo the whole bathroom and for that to be the priority. So far it hasn’t happened. And idk when it will happen...If ever... because other projects get moved up in priority. But if just the bathtub tile was replaced the bathroom would look soooo much better and I would be happier it for the 10 years we wait to redo it. I should have added it onto another project.

This is where I was coming from, too. We did a big remodel. There were a few things at the end that we didn't do, and we figured we'd get to them later. Five years later I still have the same ugly wrought iron pot-rack thing in my kitchen that I thought I would immediately switch out. It's so much easier to do something when you already have work people there and contacts you can use. Starting from scratch later is hard. 

I would replace it, or paint, as others suggested, but I don't think I would live with it for 5 to 7 more years. Who knows what might happen during that time frame? 

[k3am]

We did it! There are a couple trim pieces left for them to repair and the tile stagger wouldn’t be my first choice, but I love the results.

[mrspez07]

It looks so much better!

[aprilsails]

That’s a great update!

The tile stagger is what is currently in fashion, or so I was told by our interior designer when we built our new house. It doesn’t bother me so I don’t see it.

[Deleted]

That is a huge improvement. It looks great.

[dottyblue]

I was in the naysayers group originally. I'll eat my words - that was TOTALLY worth it. Looks fantastic!

[pumpkin]

That is a huge difference! It looks great!!

[dr.girlfriend]

SO much better!