Wayne Hearth and Backsplash
replacing 1990’s earth-tone with a more contemporary look.
Brightening up a beautiful space.
The original owner had a thing for earth-tones. While the backsplash and hearth weren’t in poor condition, they didn’t match with the homeowner’s aesthetic. They wanted something that was brighter, cleaner, and more contemporary. In the kitchen, we replaced the ceramic backsplash with elongated subway tiles in a herringbone pattern. Once the original tile was demo’d, we inspected the insulation, cleaned up the wiring, and skinned the framing in hardibacker. The size, number of outlets, and large window made this a more complicated install. We finished the project off with a sanded white grout was chosen to maintain a subdued, more traditional look.
For the hearth, a monolithic marble slab wasn’t in the budget, unfortunately. We were able to remove the ceramic tiles, prep and repair the pad, and install large format Carrara Marble tiles. We opted for a small grout line with bright white grout to mimic the effect of a single slab. Due to the softness of the natural stone and the high traffic location, we opted away from a mitered edge in favor of a concealed butt-joint.
