Existing dark pine

Lusso

Initial samples I liked - do they work?!

This is just personal opinion but I don't think real wood ever works next to wood effect, because wood effect is never going to look real enough to "fake it" effectively against the real thing. If it were me I'd be looking at different tiling options.

I agree with @hedgehog99 I would opt for a different material. A large format tile in a tone that is similar would be worth considering. By tone I mean how light or dark.

Thanks both. Argh its tough decorating around existing decor. Right ill look for tiles that still give a cosy

Thanks again for your help @hedgehog99 and @Juliet Docherty if I could be so bold as to ask for your second opinions on latest choices? I'm going for porcelain tiles in stone effect. With the Lusso worktop I'm looking to have white cabinets (though feel a little nervous that the lusso is a bit creamy) and am now thinking of either a light colour like cavendish cream (tonally all similar tile to tile) or trulli ivory (bit of tonal variety) which matches the white/grey elements of the lusso more and would make the worktop the main event or the trulli sand which has a bit of variety in tone/interest and links to the browny gold tones of the worktop. I wonder if the trulli sand might mean I have a bit less angst around having various shades of white and ivory and cream and them not perfectly matching. Any thoughts on which way to lean? I have got samples of the sand and cavendish cream so can take pics of those next to lusso (I'm waiting on the ivory)

1. Trulli sand

2. Cavendish cream

3. Lusso in less than ideal lighting with an e.g. of possible white cabinet

4. Trulli ivory floor

On my phone screen the floor looks more grey in those photos than it does in real life - in reality it’s a warm neutral.

That's stunning @hedgehog99

You have a great eye!

The Mandarin Stone tiles @hedgehog99 are a winner. Really good colour.

Ah thank you, that’s very kind. Still very much a work in progress as we don’t yet have skirting, paint or proper lighting, but here’s a better view of the flooring @claire, so you can more of a feel of what an expanse of Mandarin Stone sand coloured tiles looks like in relation to an expanse of plain white. The floor tiles are the 1200x600 size.

They look lovely and like you say a beautiful neutral base. It's lovely paired with the wood and the darker cabinets

As an aside, I struggled to find many real life pics of mandarin stone but I find them more useful than the website ones...though lighting, natural light or lack and orientation no doubt make materials appear all sorts of different colours

Yes I found the same - it’s so difficult to find pictures of real life situations, and the website/catalogue shots are all highly styled and lit so it’s hard to imagine how things will look in your own home. You end up having to choose things from a 10cm square sample, then you have to hold your nerve that it will all come together ok!

I did have a lucky escape, I looked at the Wexford Buff and liked it and nipped into a showroom and it was super worn and rustic- I didn't get that from the sample at all! Yours looks perfect though! So glad it had come together so well

Hi CT,

I agree with the other comments. I'd go with a large format simple tile. The larger the better for a modern look. Also, might be worth considering giving the exsiting pine floors a sand and wax with a more neutral finish. This will help to take away a bit of the orange and make choosing the floor tiles easier. Don't try to match, it rarely works and can look jarring.

Hope that helps! :)