Herringbone border advice
Kitchen just being finished off and floor being laid. Gone for luxury vinyl tile in herringbone design. Fitter started last week and told me he was doing a border with it. He’s coming back on Monday to complete it.
However I’ve been playing with the tiles and I really don’t think a border would match the kitchen. Fitter said it would be a nightmare not to have one as each plank would have to be cut perfectly to the skirting board (company said prior to fitting that no problem if skirting boards were already on).
How far do you think I should push it? Do you think it will ruin kitchen?
Have a feeling they will put up a big fuss if I say I want it! Thank you!
(Excuse kitchen not finished/sorted yet and island has been fitted incorrectly with wrong size work top abc cupboards too! Being corrected in Jan)
Comments (19)
minipie
5 years ago
Juliet Docherty
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Garden Planting Advice – I have a water logged border!
Comments (8)hi - I am no expert and my spelling/memory of these plant names will be awful - , but have faced similar challenges with wet clay. In the shadiest border I have Iris, ferns, honeysuckle, astrantia, philadelphus/mock orange. Sunnier spots have fatsia japonica, deutzia strawberry fields. climbing roses, I recommend an RHS A to Z of plants, something like Right Plant Right Place as it avoids you spending money on plants that just won;t thrive in the soil conditions. For a bit of summer colour day lilys are ok in clay but may not be suitable if you have cats.Another one for good early summer colour is bleeding heart, its very pretty. Lavender and sage I am pretty sure won;t like the conditions in your photo. I have a fairly neat tall evergreen which is called crinodendron hookerianum/chile lantern tree. I've also got a silk tassel bush "James Roof"and hydrangea petiolaris, but these may be too big for your space. Christmas box/ sarcococca confusa is a nice fairly compact evergreen. As I say I am no expert, just letting you know what has managed to survive in similar conditions in my home garden. For herbs like lavender and sage I agree with Jen P's recommendation for a raised bed. Good luck with the planting!...See MoreAdvice Needed: How do I create a smart plant border along house front?
Comments (7)Trying to create a bed that looks good in winter and flowers in summer needs careful planting. Aspect is crucial - sun lovers will hate shade and shade lovers will frazzle in the sun. I think a few small evergreens such as Hebe or Euonymus would be a start. They are short evergreens and the Hebe has white or purple flowers in the summer. They come in various leaf tones. A row of lavender always looks good, but they need a sunny border, and they do look a bit dead in winter. You can also plant groups of bulbs such as miniature daffodils and grape hyacinths ( ideal time to plant is now) which will give you lovely yellow and blue colour in the spring. Then I would fill in with short summer flowering perennials such as Geraniums, Geums and Erigeron - these do die down in the winter, but regrow in late spring. Dig the soil over and add a good helping of compost which will help them grow and water regularly until they are established. Don’t forget your local nursery or garden centre staff will also help you choose plants if you are unsure! The plants below are Hebe, Euonymus and Mahonia, all are evergreen....See MoreBathroom tiles advice - will a herringbone pattern date?
Comments (10)I think your grey grout would date more than the herringbone layout. However you can always regrout in white for an update later. This would also neutralise the pattern as it would be less 'in your face'. With regrouting as an option, I would just go for it. Don't forget to update us with pics!...See MoreBorder advice needed
Comments (12)I assume that area gets a lot of sun? I can suggest plants but I have no idea if they are bunny food or not I’m afraid. Can I ask why eucalyptus? They are very large trees that will swamp the area. Good evergreen shrubs are Viburnum tinus (white flowers in spring), Ceanothus (blue flowers in late spring, Star Jasmine (fragrant flowers in summer, will need something to climb up), Photinia (Red-green leaves and cream flowers in spring), Choysia ternata Sundance (yellow leaves and white flowers now) and Cistus (pink or white flowers now). Hebes are evergreen too and small shrubs for the front of the border with purple or white flowers. Deciduous shrubs that love sunshine are Hibiscus (large pink or mauve flowers in summer), Viburnum opulus (white flowers in spring), lavender, Cotinus (purple leaves) Sambucus (Elderflower purple leaves and white flowers) and Shrub Roses. Smaller flowers for the front of the border are hardy Geraniums (loads of colours), Campanula (blue or white flowers) and Erigeron (pink flowers), but there are loads. i hope I haven't listed too many! Here’s a few pictures from my garden. HARDY GERANIUM COTINUS AT THE BACK AND CISTUS AT THE FRONT CHOISYA TERNATA SUNDANCE SAMBUCUS...See More- PRO
User
5 years ago 
A S
5 years agoI too think that a border won't look bad. But if you think it might spoil the overall look, I'd insist on getting the finish you want, otherwise, you'll always walk into the kitchen wishing it looked slightly different. I hope you can get it sorted.
Sonia
5 years agoMy friend has a similar floor by Project Flooring in her hall (like Amtico/Karndean but cheaper). It was laid up to the skirting without a border. Looks like they did a very neat job. Here’s a pic of hers:
Carolina
5 years ago
Ribena Drinker
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoWe had a border with our LVT, with a thin "pencil line" in a different colour. We like it and makes the floor look a little more "luxurious" as Caroline says. And whilst the floor isn't herringbone pattern, the planks are laid at an angle across the floor, so there are no 90 degree joins with the main part of the the floor and the border.
But if it's not what was agreed , you shouldn't be bullied into something that's not what you want just because it's easier for the floor layer. You also shouldn't feel bad about saying something either. If you agreed the flooring with the shop without a border, then that's what you should get, beside it's just as easy to cut the herringbone to the skirting as it is to cut it to the border.
We have bought LVT for a few rooms from the flooring shop (and recommended our fitter) and they said it made no difference if the skirting was on or off, we always chose to do with the skirting off, but apparently it's just as pretty much the same whichever.
FWIW as far as I recall, our fitter fitted the border first an then put down the rest of the floor. By the looks of it, it seems your chap hasn't done it most sensible way round.
Angie
5 years agominnie101
5 years agoRibena Drinker
5 years ago
Ally
5 years agoZoe
5 years agoHi Ally,
We used Moduleo and I think the colour is blackjack oak. Really pleased with the colour, feel and look. So easy to look after too.
In the end I had a border around the edges and I think it looks great, with more of a ‘finished’ appearance as was suggested above. Around the kitchen units and island there is no border and it looks like the kitchen is ‘sitting’ on it nicely.
Hope that’s helpful, good luck with it!
Ally
5 years ago
E D
5 years agoZoe
5 years ago
Sophie Nixon-Clark
4 years ago
PROEXCELSIOR INC.
last year
ZoeOriginal Author