Welcome to week 3 of the ORC! In case you’re new here (hi 👋 ) I’m renovating my kitchen as part of the Spring 2022 One Room Challenge. Be sure to check out the other amazing designers over at the One Room Challenge blog here.
Check out my design direction and what’s already happened in the recap for week’s 1 and 2:
So far, we have only finalized a lot of our finishes, fixtures, and made sure everything has been ordered. There is a lot to coordinate and I have been stressed and overwhelmed. I also spiraled this week LOL and decided….. TO MAKE OUR OWN FLOOR TILES.
And follow me over on Instagram (@tiarrahamlett) to see my spirals in real time 😂
WE’RE MAKING OUR FLOOR MOSAIC TILE
You read that correctly: we’re making our own floor tile. I will say that this is not new – it has been done before by several designers, often using cement. We have decided to not use cement and instead painstakingly cut thousands of tiles into 1×1 squares for our mosaic border.
Why? A few reasons:
- The cost. I’ve reached out to some of the largest suppliers of custom mosaic floors and the quotes are astounding. I love their craftsmanship and their work, but cannot justify the cost. The average quotes were between $24 – $42 / PSF and quotes (includes freight and sales tax) were at $2,200 – $2,600.
- The lead time. I messed up big time and did not order anything before the start of the ORC. I jumped into the challenge late and just winged it. So now I’m rushing and the lead time is 10-12 weeks. Yea.
- The color limitations. Most designs are set at 3-4 colors and we would like the option to build designs out a bit further, especially in corners. We’d also like to include easter eggs throughout the design.
I ordered samples from 3-4 different suppliers of 1×1 tile. It’s actually really difficult to find different colors – especially greens. I don’t want to use glass tiles so I’m only interested in ceramic 1×1 options. If you have any, let me know!
I ordered mosaic tape and a mounting grid so that we can start laying out our design, which will be the hardest part. After that, I mean, we’ll see how it goes.
FINALIZING FINISHES + MATERIALS
This week I finalized all of our finishes. I kept ordering samples from everywhere imaginable and finally narrowed it down.
Countertops: Soapstone
Stone Behind the Range: Pietra Gray Soapstone by Bedrosian Tile
Backsplash: 3×6 marble subway tile by Floor & Decor
Mosaic Border: DIY 1×1 tiles
Main Floor Tile (for the center): Octagon & Dot Tile by The Home Depot
Light Fixtures: 2 sconces by West Elm (old and repurposed) and primary light fixture by Pepe & Carols
Cabinet Knobs: Wood Knobs painted to match cabinets
Cabinet Pulls: Brass, TBD
Cabinet Latches: Brass, TBD
Faucet: Brass bridge faucet from Alibaba (yup!)
What’s missing:
- 10′ shelf: I want a long floating shelf but can’t find the right material
- Handles: TBD but likely brass
- Steel door: this has been a nightmare and exhausting so I’m hoping I can have a firm order this week
- and all of the decor: benches, tables, cafe curtain, artwork, and on and on and on
NOOK PANELING
We finished box molding in the nook! I will have a detailed tutorial up after the ORC with our step by step. The trim immediately adds interest and texture – we love it!
GOALS FOR WEEK 3
Week 3 kicks off today and in order to finish in time, this is what we have to finish:
- Install range hood
- Build range hood cover
- Trim kitchen cabinets: crown, underside, side project panels
- Use wood filler to make all cabinets seamless
- Build shaker panel for the cabinet side
- Remove old countertop and faux countertop waterfall edge
- Build cabinet door for the dishwasher (yup, we’re going to attempt to integrate the dishwasher)
- Finalize floor mosaic design
- Seal all sheetrock seams and close all major holes
- Install the recessed floating shelf brackets
We have A LOT to do but I am excited and think we can actually do this 🔥
Now, excuse me while I anxiously await even more tile samples so I can pick the 1×1 tiles we’ll be using….
See you next week!
Tiarra
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