Should I make them change this bullnose?

5 years ago

Please help, quickly! Today, the first part of my backsplash was installed. I thought I was just getting a small finished edge, although we didn’t specifically discuss it. I went into another room for awhile, came back, and this was installed! Is this as bad as I think? Dated? I know it’s going to cost me a lot to have them do this over, and this already put me way over the limit, but should I? Thank you!

Featured Answer

Donald

5 years ago

That coffee cup is all wrong! I’d rip everything out and start over, but hire a kitchen pottery designer this time :)

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Comments (49)

rbhirano
5 years ago
What else would you have done to finish the edge? Maybe a much smaller edge? I would keep it there for a while - see how you feel about it in a few weeks or months. If it is just that small bit, it most likely wouldn't cost too much to replace. However, my first thought is that it frames the main tile, which is beautiful!
marylynnewolfe thanked rbhirano
Hillside House
5 years ago
No way would I keep that. If there’s not a coordinating trim piece I would do schluter edge.
marylynnewolfe thanked Hillside House
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marylynnewolfe
Original Author
5 years ago
Rbhirano, thank you! Yes, I was expecting a much smaller edge. Hillside House, thanks! I’ll have to see what a schluter edge is. These are actually coordinating pieces, but they just look like plain white tile. when I saw them I thought they would be cutting them down, this tile is so complex... tons of little pieces. But I just hate how that looks.
fifamom
5 years ago
the white bullnose seems too bright for the backsplash tile.. did you see if they had coordinating bullnose trim for your tile? or a thinner bullnose that is closer to the color...
marylynnewolfe thanked fifamom
pammykb
5 years ago
What if the current yellow wall was painted to match the tile trim? It might not be as obvious.
marylynnewolfe thanked pammykb
PRO
Skippack Tile & Stone
5 years ago
Change out those bullnose pieces. That mosaic has 2 colors, get the bullnoses in the darker tone; the tile line has them. Then, have the installer rip them down to a narrow strip so they are not so prominent.
marylynnewolfe thanked Skippack Tile & Stone
daisychain Zn3b
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Tile should not extend past the edge of upper cabs. And use a schluter trim piece.
marylynnewolfe thanked daisychain Zn3b
greenfish1234
5 years ago
If they rip the trim pieces they won't come to the edge of the wall. Won't that be weird? How about taking it all back to the cabinet and aligning the darker, ripped bullnose with the cabinet edge? I don't know anything about tile FYI...defer to the tile pros!!
marylynnewolfe thanked greenfish1234
greenfish1234
5 years ago
Actually my preference is to see tile go all the way around the windows and up the wall. So much less choppy. But if not for sure bring it back under the cabinet and use thinner bullnose AND paint the walls.
marylynnewolfe thanked greenfish1234
shirlpp
5 years ago
What about the backsplash itself - sorry, but it is not a good match for your countertops.
K R
5 years ago
I would have them rip it out and do a schluter edge too, that looks terrible. Doesn’t work. Here is an example of what schluter looks like on a backsplash, very thin, just finishes the edges.
marylynnewolfe thanked K R
simplechoices
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
A couple extra sheets of tile are well worth the cost to take tile up to the ceiling on this wall. And the schluter edge would disappear.
marylynnewolfe thanked simplechoices
marylynnewolfe
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you! They’ve torn it out and I’m changing the edge.

The tile came before the counter, and the counter, which is Silestone, came in slightly cooler than my sample, so there’s nothing I can do. Walls still need to be painted. Legs are what they are.
chispa
5 years ago
I don't like schluter, so I always look for matching or complementary quarter round pieces or pencil liners (glazed on all sides) that can be used for the edges.

The backsplash looks fine with the counters and cabinets. Some posters here have a phobia of patterns and only want to see white subway tiles with everything!
marylynnewolfe thanked chispa
fifamom
5 years ago
I am in the process of doing my kitchen (the whole first floor is gutted) and from talking to friends who did theirs have decided that the backsplash will be last.. a friend waited 5 months to do hers after cabinets and counters were in to find just the right one.. everyone is different in how they do things... i think the issue with the bullnose is that it is too wide.. a thin white border would probably be better and I personally do not like the metal edging.. it makes me think of floor thresholds from back in the days when we had linoleum flooring.. from your photos - and maybe because of the yellow wall color the wall tile looks grey-beige but the counter is more grey white.. what is your new trim going to be?
marylynnewolfe thanked fifamom
Fori
5 years ago
(I like the legs.)
marylynnewolfe thanked Fori
mark_rachel
5 years ago
That is awful! Why would they ever think that is the way to go?? You can get Schluter edges in all colors & finishes. Get an edge that nearly disappears. That is right in your face.
marylynnewolfe thanked mark_rachel
ram123
5 years ago
I know you didn't ask, but If those are new cabinet doors ?? Seems like you could get a craftsman to enclose the end so the legs wouldn't be an issue? It could look like another cabinet?
marylynnewolfe thanked ram123
annied75
5 years ago
@ Donald -- thanks for the laugh!
annied75
5 years ago
Seriously, Tess -- was that really necessary?!
marylynnewolfe thanked annied75
tatts
5 years ago
Schluter edges are for handymen who don't know tile and DIYers who don't plan ahead.

Schluter edges are for hacks who don't understand tiling.

A field of tile should not end with a thin strip of aluminum or fake brass.

Because of its prominent pattern, your tile should have been planned to end in exact full and half tiles, not the 73%/27% chopped off design that they used in order to fit a mismatched bullnose. If there needed to be an awkward cut, it should have been back in the corner where it would have been easily hidden.

As it is now, the properly laid end of that tile is back there in the corner. Amateurs.
marylynnewolfe thanked tatts
johnsoro25
5 years ago
I think a schluter edge would look lovely there. This current edge is too prominent. A schluter would be more subtle. And I would ignore all the above negative comments about your kitchen. Except Donald ;)
Your backsplash is really pretty.
marylynnewolfe thanked johnsoro25
marylynnewolfe
Original Author
5 years ago
@Donald, that’s a Yankees mug! It stays!
modellie
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
tessalah - After looking at the project photos in your pro profile, I think the OP hasn't missed much not hiring a professional. Just sayin'...

For every decent pro on Houzz there are at least a dozen uninspired duds and they all seem to come over here to the kitchen forum spouting the need to hire them.

Oh how the Gardenweb has come down under Houzz. Sad.
marylynnewolfe thanked modellie
mynovahome
5 years ago
I’m just shocked at how mean people can be. To make negative comments on a FINISHED kitchen is just so unnecessarily cruel and heartless and says so much about the poster. Marylynn- your kitchen is beautiful and will all come together perfectly with the finishing touches. I think your fix sounds perfect and can’t wait to see it finished. The backsplash is beautiful!!
marylynnewolfe thanked mynovahome
Snaggy
5 years ago

cmbpmb ..get it all the time on here ... rudeness amazes me sometimes !!
marylynnewolfe thanked Snaggy
PRO
Ideas + Design
5 years ago
There are good suggestions here, but too late at this point and we all make mistakes. I think painting the wall will resolve this sufficiently without ripping anything out. The white bullnose visually matches the window trim. White to match the bullnose would work, but if its too much white for you, find a colour that is in both the countertop and the tile - it might be a greyish taupe but hard to tell without a better shot of the countertop. That would calm things down and tie the tile and countertop shades together. Bring the colour around the endwall since the countertop wraps. I'd love to see you post a photo of what you end up doing! All the best, @MaryLynnewolf
marylynnewolfe thanked Ideas + Design
Shannon_WI
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I'll start by saying I know nothing about tiling. I only know that the tile I chose for my backsplash offered edging trim that matched perfectly and blended seamlessly. No need for Schluter or to MacGyver anything. Look for tiles that offer those trims to make your life easier.

I think your counter is lovely. I agree with Fifamom to wait and live with your kitchen for a while before choosing the backsplash. That's what I did, and am happy I did that because it made the backsplash decision easier somehow. Also, I don't think the tile that you ripped out, setting aside the installation issues, is the right look for how the rest of your kitchen looks. Too many lines going this way and that, and it competes and clashes with the scrolling columns. I have seen that Arabesque tile in other kitchens and it looked gorgeous, but in a different kind of kitchen. Perhaps for you a simple subway shape in a soft color? Keep staying on this forum and looking at all threads about backsplashes, and posters showing their finished kitchens, and you will be inspired.

When your are ready, you can do a new post on this forum with photos of your kitchen, and ask for suggestions for backsplash. Do a catchy title to get people to be interested, like "Had to do over my BS, pls help me choose the right one this time!" or something like that.
marylynnewolfe thanked Shannon_WI
mark_rachel
5 years ago
I don't agree that Schluter edging is for hacks. There are SEVERAL options & most of them offer a clean edge that you can barely see because it matches the tile. You can get a Schluter edge that will match the exact color of the tile so it will virtually disappear. IMO tile should never end without and edge.
marylynnewolfe thanked mark_rachel
Kate
5 years ago
Daisychain, I always thought the backsplash should go to the end of the counter and not the cabinet? After all, isn’t that what a backsplash is for? Just sayin’ but would seem more odd to be missing backsplash rather than extending beyond the uppers.
marylynnewolfe thanked Kate
greenfish1234
5 years ago
Nope backsplash ends under cabinet or goes up the wall otherwise it looks like a lonely nub.
marylynnewolfe thanked greenfish1234
shirlpp
5 years ago
Soooo.....cmbpmb.....If someone posts and the responder sees something that the poster might not have realized then they are to say nothing? I agree sometimes things can be said differently.

This is a public forum and I don't think anyone is trying to deliberately hurt a persons feelings.

Anytime one posts on the Web they'd better be able to take the good comments with the bad ones. It's a tough world and the Web is no different.
stillpitpat
5 years ago
shirlpp, you may have missed tessalah's post

Also, it is pretty easy to comment on a post honestly but politely. If one is gleeful about tearing someone else down, that's a problem. Sure, people could try to grow thicker skin, but people could also recognize that there is a human at the other end of the convo and at least be respectful (and I am not saying that *you* are being disrespectful, just that there are multiple options here).
marylynnewolfe thanked stillpitpat
greenfish1234
5 years ago
The defense of "it is a tough world they put it out there they should be able to handle it" doesn't hold water. Some posters say "help fix this room," and some say "should I have them rip out this tile?" The answer to the former addresses cabinet and counter relationship to tile as well as legs. The answer to the latter is "yes," and may include creative fixes outside just ripping out the tile.

How long on this thread before someone pulls out the backsplash code for her city, declares the whole house unsafe, then whips out the tried and tiresome "lipstick on a pig" line....some people want all of these threads to end the same way.
marylynnewolfe thanked greenfish1234
mynovahome
5 years ago
I imagine anyone who has been through a kitchen remodel knows how much time, thought and money is involved. In this specific example, the poster asked about one specific, fixable thing. The comments about her counters and cabinets seemed heartless because obviously those were not up for debate nor are they at all easily or realistically changed. There’s nothing constructive in offering harsh criticism on something like that and the poster undoubtably knows that.

Like I said, that type of negativity speaks volumes about the poster. I’m not sure what it is that makes people be so insensitive to others but I see it way too much on Houzz.
marylynnewolfe thanked mynovahome
tiggerlgh
5 years ago
I don't think there is a hard set rule where tile ends and there have been many posts on here to prove that. I think it depends on the space. In this case I would do like OP and go to the edge of the counter.
marylynnewolfe thanked tiggerlgh
Jen B
5 years ago
Following
PRO
Tessalah Florentino Decorating
5 years ago
@Marylynnewolfe. I wanted to send my sincere apology. I meant no harm when making comments on this post. Regardless, it appears that I may have been to harsh and offensive. Please except my apology. I am very sorry .
marylynnewolfe thanked Tessalah Florentino Decorating
PRO
CK Hoffman Design
5 years ago
I actually think it looks good! But I'm sure you're surprised. I typically don't use bullnose pieces as they are quite expensive. Schluter edging is my typical go - to. But honestly, it goes with the white cabinets and window trim, also kind of coordinates with the "turned posts" shelving thing you have at the corner. Re-set your brain, you might like it. If not, definitely have an honest, respectful (not heated) conversation with your contractor. And YES - she/he should have discussed this edge detail with you before installing. Best wishes.
marylynnewolfe thanked CK Hoffman Design
PRO
Filipe Custom Woodwork
5 years ago
If you have extra sheets, can you have the installer remove a sheet or two and extend the backsplash to the end and finish off with a matching natural stone pencil? If the base of the tile is carrara then you can use a carrara pencil. As below.

I don't even mind the bull nose he added but if you do try a pencil.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
5 years ago
It's not horrible... it's just not what you had envisioned. You can take the bullnose off and fix with a simpler trim. No biggie. Just a delay. You could cut the tile back to the cabinet...here's my rough mock up..

or just remove the bullnose and add a small marble trim

Just don't panic....

It looks great so far and that backsplash is beautiful!
marylynnewolfe thanked Debbi Washburn
marylynnewolfe
Original Author
5 years ago
@tessalahflorentinodecorating Thank you for the apology. As a photographer (you can‘t tell from my 2 a.m. cell phone pictures!) I’m pretty open to constructive criticism, but I have to say your comments on the heels of months of work and an obscene amount of money were pretty disheartening. I know there are problems, but none of the others can be fixed at this point. Wall color has yet to be decided, and all the other stuff in the adjoining sunroom is going. For the record, I did try to hire someone to make the shelf. Reached out to over two dozen sources and all were booked.

interestingly, I just had a designer (a stranger) call me to say she greatly admired my work, she was designing a high end business and wanted me to take, print, mat, and frame 12 large pieces for the walls... in exchange for putting my card on a bulletin board in the back.
marylynnewolfe
Original Author
5 years ago
@debbiewashburn Thanks! I did go with the pencil trim!
marylynnewolfe
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks to everyone for all the helpful comments! I really appreciated ALL the input. Nothing was said that I wasn’t already thinking, but things unfolded in this project in a very backwards way. We were pressed for time and couldn’t undo things that were paid for and delivered, however problematic.

As for the shelf, after reaching out to every possible place to find someone to build it, we got nothing. No one would take on a small project, so we built it ourselves. After obsessively aligning every piece, turn, and angle on those legs, the counter guys laid the counter on it, shoved it into place, and everything shifted. I tried so hard to quickly get it all aligned again and they glued it all down. It’s not right, but we have decided to call it a quirk of the house!

This is the edge I went with! I‘ll post a picture when the paint, textiles, etc. are done.
PRO
Beth H. :
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I was also going to suggest the marble trim, but I see you've done it. looks so much better than the first go-around.

I actually like your backsplash. I might have gone w/thinner, less prominent legs for the shelf, but that's a personal choice. once you get your items on the shelf, and a new paint color for the walls, I'm sure it will all look great. This is SW Crushed Ice, a very neutral gray

or, I like any of these colors. They'll look beautiful w/your flooring, marble, white cabs

I'd stay away from any taupe or tan.

what do you plan on using for cabinet hardware? These would play well w/the legs

or
annied75
5 years ago
I like Beth's suggestions of SW sea salt, opaline and window pane. I think one of those shades would tie it all together.
mynovahome
5 years ago
I think this is a perfect example of 'the middle makes no sense'. Things ALWAYS come together as you add the finishing touches. I think the new trim looks great and I think the curves of the backsplash pattern tie in really nicely with the turns of the legs. It's an unexpected, elegant touch. Love the topiaries on the window sill too. All works really well together! Keep us posted with the final 'after' pic!!!
stillpitpat
5 years ago
Love the pencil trim, and I love that gray, Beth!