Sunday, July 1, 2012

It wasn't even really on the To Do list!

... and yet I got [most of] it done yesterday.

I have played with what to do with my kitchen back splash forever.


While it has a 4 inch granite backsplash, the rest of that wall just looked blah.
I had started out painting it the golden yellow of the rest of the kitchen, but it just looked off.
Aside, that's what I love about paint.. you can try it, live with it a while and then just paint over it.



I would love to do a herringbone marble tile, but the budget at present won't allow, so I toyed with doing a faux [painted] tile in the meantime... but kept putting it off because pin-striping tape is hard to find in my area and I knew that would be a major undertaking.


I thought about tin ceiling, which we did at the old house.  It was lovely, easy to clean and the classic look I wanted.  But I'd already done that, so I kept leaning away from that too.



Then there's my hankering for toile.  I have been looking for a toile wallpaper in a scale appropriate to finish the hutch in the kitchen.  I finally came across this one, and while considering it for the hutch, also  debated using it above the 4" of granite back splash.






I don't know what it was, but yesterday I just dove in.  I thought going in it would be a couple hour job, as long as I was careful around those outlets [I shocked myself papering around the one in the Butler Pantry].



Not so much.  

Wallpapering is a new skill for me, and I am self taught for the most part, though I must have learned alot watching my grandmother Mary papering our various houses.  Let me tell you, I was calling on her for help on this one, tight spaces are hard to wallpaper!

It took about an hour per length.  The paper, while being vinyl, ripped easily when wet and there are more 'jogs' in that area than it even looks like!  Getting it in place cut almost to the shape needed, and then trimming it in place... OY!

Then I committed cardinal sin #1, not deciding where I would end the job before starting.

I knew I didn't want to go up and around the window to the ceiling [or at least I thought I didn't].


Eventually I want to build a faux top to these cabinets, taking them to the ceiling and adding crown molding all the way around the room.  So if I did go around the window, it would look really unfinished until that project got underway....  I already have so many projects that are half done, I really loathe the idea of adding another one!

So I stopped where I stopped in order to sleep on it and figure out where to stop.
That makes sense right?
Actually, I have one more strip cut and ready to add that would take it to just under the cabinets, but I didn't put it up because I was still not sure if I wanted to end there, or where I wanted to stop.



In the pic above of the sink and window, do you see where the bottom of the bottom shelf on either side of the sink is?  

I think that's where I am going to carry the wallpaper to.  
I'll paper all around the bottom of the window, up to the point where the shelves start.  I'll then finish off the paper edge with some trim the same width as the thickness of those shelves.  
At least that's what I decided when I woke up this morning, but the day has just begun and I am only halfway through my first cuppa'... so who knows!!

So what do you think?  Would you wallpaper a back splash?  
Would you wallpaper any rooms in your house?

I know people groan at the thought of removing wallpaper in a house they are considering buying, but D convinced me that this is my house and I should do what I want, and if it doesn't work, I can always redo it!

Honestly, there are so many beautiful wallpapers out there, Toiles, Florals, Geometrics.... I want a bigger house with more rooms so I can use them all!


Linking up with Savvy Southern Style for their Wow us Wednesday!






3 comments:

Unknown said...

Looks like you did a great job. That is one thing I know I can't do! I think you're stopping it at the right place. Good Luck!

Jan said...

I think that's a good plan. The red toile sure gives the room a different vibe - it's really pretty.

Jodie said...

I love red and toile, your kitchen is looking great! I have wallpaper in our dining room and am debating if I want to change the paper or paint. There are so many pretty papers out there now.
Jodie