Love for a Tile

Have you ever fallen in love with a decor item that keeps bubbling up in the back of your mind? About three years ago, I was browsing the internet when I ran across some wall tiles that had an artisan feel to them.

It was LOVE at first sight. Be still my heart. Knees buckling, heart fluttering. One of those “you had me at hello” moments! All of that.

And like anyone who has been struck by Cupid, I wanted everyone to see my new love. I can’t wait to introduce YOU to her, too!

Meet “Pergie”. . .

She’s the Antic Special Pergamon 3 inch x 6 inch Ceramic Wall Subway Tiles, from Merola Tile, a supplier for Home Depot. Ain’t she purty? I call her “Pergie” for short, inspired by her color name Pergamon. (She’s also available in six other colors, ranging from a milk white to a rich red). 

I especially love the four different patterns the tile comes in. I’m a romantic at heart, a flowers and lace girl. And because the designs are not symmetrical within the tiles, you get different looks, depending on which way you orient them. Did you realize that there are actually only four patterns in the picture? Because of the way they are turned, it looks like eight! You can’t control the mix you get, but with a large enough order, you get enough of each to keep things interesting.

There’s also a companion solid tile as well; I use the word “solid” loosely as each is actually varied in color because of the reactive glazing used to create them, resulting in a unique mix of buttery cream and periwinkle blue within each tile.

 

The Backsplash Plan

I actually ordered a sample “Pergie” tile so I could touch and feel her in  person. She’s even more beautiful in person. 

Did you even know that ordering a sample tile was a thing? If you don’t see it online, check with the flooring department or special order desk to see if they can get one for you. Or even reach out to the manufacturer. Having a sample really helps you make a final decision on investment purchases like tile.

I took my Pergie sample with me while house hunting. If she didn’t go well with the existing counter and floor colors in a kitchen, I wasn’t as interested in the house as those where she did mesh well. I mean, I planned on putting my own spin on the kitchen, but didn’t want to have to redo everything.

When I got to the house I ultimately bought, the slate floor tiles and the grey solid surface counters both had a blue undertone to them that actually brought out the blue of my sample tile. This I could work with!

Here’s a realtor picture of the main part of the kitchen in my house. 

And here’s my computer simulation of what the kitchen looks like with these tiles as the backsplash. Don’t you just love the warmth and dimension they add to the space?

I’ll use the decorative Pergie tiles for just one row, second from bottom, lining them up so the tops are even with the top of the range and flow out from the apron on the window. Doing just one accent tile row at this level in the backsplash is an idea I saw in a house I looked at, but didn’t buy. 

A design advantage of doing just one decorative row is you actually see the specialness of those tiles rather than being overwhelmed by an overall use of them – your eye knows where to focus. A financial advantage of primarily using the “solid” tiles is saving enough money to buy special wall trim tiles for just below the cabinets and under the window.  Win-win!

Next Steps for a French Country Kitchen

So now you know the inspirational starting point for my kitchen. Think Color Filled with buttercream and rich blues. Think rustic elegance and french country. Think . . . 

Stay tuned!