grouting surprises

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULiYv-jirKrUUcGMZCt1HTq5X9Qi7CNEC7f6PPcdT2bnup3W-GzO41lk8MOqVJxmdcmGbt9yi45XaoypvcRV1eGoIxwZGM3Wh9Rv5IYY-BKoKCjypoihxjsJUHYcgiGjmxWDNw-eluZCS/s1600/IMG_6849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULiYv-jirKrUUcGMZCt1HTq5X9Qi7CNEC7f6PPcdT2bnup3W-GzO41lk8MOqVJxmdcmGbt9yi45XaoypvcRV1eGoIxwZGM3Wh9Rv5IYY-BKoKCjypoihxjsJUHYcgiGjmxWDNw-eluZCS/s1600/IMG_6849.jpg" /></a></div><br />Grouting the kitchen backsplash is complete. :)  We had a little surprise when the grouting was done - Although <a href="http://www.homedepot.ca/product/381-bright-white-pre-mixed-grout-39l/921882" target="_blank">the container from Home Depot said "Bright White"</a> as you can see in the image below, it definitely <em>isn't</em> bright white. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpYlLSt_kVeP1ccI8_R2iyjvObIYVNm9QYgWoIm8THwfSQXHbYiuk6vUWgOKVNRZbjAMXFExBSEfDUBOGjlxnr_v8nqckjQq6PG9RkDHeGy4NmIBlcXdeoraHNtinJ-nJHXn7ERSIswIa/s1600/015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpYlLSt_kVeP1ccI8_R2iyjvObIYVNm9QYgWoIm8THwfSQXHbYiuk6vUWgOKVNRZbjAMXFExBSEfDUBOGjlxnr_v8nqckjQq6PG9RkDHeGy4NmIBlcXdeoraHNtinJ-nJHXn7ERSIswIa/s1600/015.jpg" /></a></div><br />It's kind of gray .... no?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOcmF4rz2PrRbRILpda3bY9SfyNenOC3GRG6mlFOMBb5sQ2rVZYz2FeJMBMoufQNNW0-DOl6Wjik9t-TCntebHXe0-G2pagbkJj4YV1-86a0a4J5uFZ1MsDJO79gcB3wkqCyNkeJ-ugYI/s1600/IMG_6846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOcmF4rz2PrRbRILpda3bY9SfyNenOC3GRG6mlFOMBb5sQ2rVZYz2FeJMBMoufQNNW0-DOl6Wjik9t-TCntebHXe0-G2pagbkJj4YV1-86a0a4J5uFZ1MsDJO79gcB3wkqCyNkeJ-ugYI/s1600/IMG_6846.jpg" /></a></div><br />Thankfully it was a happy surprise. For the longest time our kitchen was being used without grout and the spacing between the tiles made it look like we had done gray grouting. The look was growing on me and I was nervous to go completely white with the grout. But we did - partially because I like to play it safe. When Aubrey was done the grouting I said to him cautiously - "It looks kind of gray doesn't it?" He agreed, but then we kind of moved on because we both liked the look. It also plays well with the <a href="http://aubreyandlindsay.blogspot.ca/2012/07/countertop-selection-tips.html" target="_blank">Caesarstone Misty Carrara countertop</a>. <br /><br />So conclusion to the pre-mixed grout? Awesome as there is little cleanup and you can use what you need, and put the rest away. Downside - the colour was a wee-bit off from the label. ;-)

grouting surprises

Grouting the kitchen backsplash is complete. :)  We had a little surprise when the grouting was done - Although the container from Home Depo...

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kitchen progress

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Aubrey was doing a lot of this today..... <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zpPHYwPL5odhsV1wT-rtKgB1Eam6qu4hsx-EWjJXk2KkmSvYpEgDWDes6fhGmZVdNeMhHcTwRUJ2pc8ho-xZ2c4EQBLQnO9VWivroV79sPr4IJNB9CeZnXIP8xQQytvPpRusWBLAv0i6/s1600/grout_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zpPHYwPL5odhsV1wT-rtKgB1Eam6qu4hsx-EWjJXk2KkmSvYpEgDWDes6fhGmZVdNeMhHcTwRUJ2pc8ho-xZ2c4EQBLQnO9VWivroV79sPr4IJNB9CeZnXIP8xQQytvPpRusWBLAv0i6/s1600/grout_1.jpg" /></a> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXT_t3ULV8mHNAzL7D342CgDpSenZMEUBirBWRDLbTbaJld-GVRWJaVAzA5CO9sQ2DgesWHqPrWXJMO4e5uaz0F4wfh5lWH95H840uZRQsexELAKEi8usxs7fhqt53gvm3OXQKvpXI32PY/s1600/grout_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXT_t3ULV8mHNAzL7D342CgDpSenZMEUBirBWRDLbTbaJld-GVRWJaVAzA5CO9sQ2DgesWHqPrWXJMO4e5uaz0F4wfh5lWH95H840uZRQsexELAKEi8usxs7fhqt53gvm3OXQKvpXI32PY/s1600/grout_2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifq7g_oG0PrzApP3GdmHZQrFLg7-AooXwmFxi-rI2n0_aWY0Lrawcb5X9sb_ewhJkqGSDV43c-iHQj_lb0ZEqpIqaK0-iL-AeKUpCbBXlKY7ZPGWxNbqji-Lae8G9TP2foEQhCCrWO6AL/s1600/grout_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifq7g_oG0PrzApP3GdmHZQrFLg7-AooXwmFxi-rI2n0_aWY0Lrawcb5X9sb_ewhJkqGSDV43c-iHQj_lb0ZEqpIqaK0-iL-AeKUpCbBXlKY7ZPGWxNbqji-Lae8G9TP2foEQhCCrWO6AL/s1600/grout_3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Grouting!! We're almost at the finish line. We went with a pre-mixed white grout. Although the container says "ultra white" it it kind of is still greyish. It may be that we're using a lot of different tones of white in our kitchen which shows the difference in whites a lot more. Regardless of the darker colour than I expected, I <em>love it</em>.  Almost there!</div>

kitchen progress

Aubrey was doing a lot of this today..... Grouting!! We're almost at the finish line. We went with a pre-mixed white grout. Although th...

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what we picked for the kitchen backsplash...

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHd_f5m8OBJBLrggG_SVbir5lfm1ZaCW0y3c2a5olfyJYK-Vt8zPnxxPy4HIWVqE5nVG0Tk9WzleUSbkuXZdEvYnCpXPvgMrgRpLDNetNo9POFnJkDix3zayFrV6XaM4te4RjJSiQjKUq/s1600/tile_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img /></a></div><br />Aubrey started tiling the backsplash. :-) He's a pro after having <a href="http://aubreyandlindsay.blogspot.ca/2011/07/before-after-basement-bathroom.html" target="_blank">tiled the basement bathroom</a>, so a project like this was easy for him to do. In terms of the tile I ended up going with my gut instinct and went with a classic white subway tile. Although the white subway tile is one of the more economical tiles to go with, it definitely doesn't look "economical" when you pair it with everything else we've picked. It looks really gorgeous, so I'm really happy. <br /><br />We purchased the tiles from Home Depot <a href="http://aubreyandlindsay.blogspot.ca/2012/04/white-subway-tiles-story-of-two-shades.html" target="_blank">after I compared different subway tiles in this post</a>. The Home Depot tiles definitely complimented the off white <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30080364/" target="_blank">Ikea Adel doors</a> the best. In terms of the grout colour, we'll be going with white grout. For for me, a gray grout would have added just that pinch of too much fuss. We're getting close! Eeeek!<br /><br /><em>Ps., Some of you have asked for a full rundown in the end of what we picked and tips from the full kitchen reno. I'll definitely do this at the end so there can be a comprehensive post.</em>

what we picked for the kitchen backsplash...

Aubrey started tiling the backsplash. :-) He's a pro after having tiled the basement bathroom , so a project like this was easy for him ...

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