Farmhouse Kitchen Backsplash That You’ll Dream Over

Little by little we have been updating the kitchen here in the 1820. When we first moved in, there was wallpaper with birds, and a border to compliment with bird’s nests; dark cabinets and exactly one light fixture that left us squinting at night just to see what we were eating. Here is a glimpse of what the kitchen looked like when we moved in.

I know, right?!!

Dark, dreary and wicked outdated.

So in the 10+ years that we’ve lived here, we’ve been updating the kitchen by painting the cabinets (I lost count after 3 times), we removed the ox yolk fixture and added a few more lighting elements; I designed a custom range hood, I built concrete countertops, and we even found a Mac-Daddy stove. Still, all of the updated elements that we added, the backsplash left a lot to be desired. We had peel and stick tile that not only looked downright sterile, but it just didn’t want to stick.

I wasn’t happy. At odd random times, a tile would fall and crack on the concrete countertop, which made our kitchen that we had worked so hard to update, look really down in the dumps.

Thing is, in my opinion tile is personal. It’s a big commitment. There are so many trends out there that I feel are a bit too common. And, AND, I really wanted a tile that was not only classic, but stunning as well. This tile needed to captivate me the same way a gorgeous pair of shoes did for Carrie Bradshaw. Like, “Helllllooooo Loverrrr.”

Ya’ll, I found the tile!

I found the tile that turned my pupils into hearts. The tile is this amazing chevron pattern by Jeffrey Court called Dreamcicle, with marble, quartz and brass.

You can see it here.

This tile is everything I’ve dreamed of and more. It’s a little bit dressy and a whole lotta classic all rolled up in a chevron pattern delight. When I first saw this tile at Home Depot, I was dreaming of Dreamcicle and I knew that this was the tile I wanted to commit to.

To get things started, we removed the half-stuck tiles that were there, and skimmed the walls to fill divots and holes.

Because of the special cuts and angles around the farmhouse sink and the antique corbels on the range hood, I knew I needed an experienced tile guy with an impeccable eye for detail.

He took his time, carefully planning and measuring. And let me just tell you that because there’s really nothing level nor plum in this old house, installing a patterned tile like this certainly held a high degree of difficulty. No one sheet of tile was cut the same, but the end result looked perfectly in unison. Exactly as it should be with such a beautiful tile.

Just to give you an idea of time – the install around the sink took a little over two days. He was precise, I tell ya. But I didn’t mind because it was special care that he was giving, and an eye for detail that could put most of us to shame. By the end of the day, there’s no doubt the poor guy was wobbly with the factors of nothing level, and nothing square, all coupled with a chevron patterned tile. No doubt that by the end of the day, the poor guy’s eyes were jiggling and rolling around like the Grinch’s on Christmas Day.

I’ve been there before. But the dude rocked it out!!

Once all of the tile was installed, the grout was smoothed on, again with true finesse and a hand with just the right movement and pressure that only a true professional could have. Not to rush was the name of the game, keeping the grout only in the seams, and sponging the excess off the tile’s surface.

It’s everything I dreamed of, and then some. This Dreamcicle tile by Jeffrey Court is timeless and exceeded every last one of my expectations.

This tile brings true elegance to our kitchen and is the perfect marriage between old and new. I mean, just look at what we started with 10 years ago, and look at how amazing our kitchen looks like now! Every time I walk into the kitchen now, I have to stare at the tile.

It’s so important to put a lot of thought in the tile for your backsplash. My rule of thumb: choose one that isn’t a fad color, but rather a classic. A stone tile that will be the crown jewel in your kitchen for decades to come. Case in point, this Dreamcicle tile by Jeffrey Court.

Another rule of thumb: if you’re sending out bids for tile installers, make sure you research their work and check references, because in the end, you want them to put just as much care in the install, as you did choosing your perfect tile backsplash.