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"We sold our beach home and we are building a new one. Your artwork was one of the selling points of our last home." M Hays, Bridge City, TX

design ideas: grouting

Decorative ceramic tile, custom hand made tile for unlimited possibilities

Get inspired!

The creek behind my studio once ran wild with trout and  salmon. Now, because of toxic waters, just the occasional salmon appear to spawn. I look forward to this event yearly, just like a wide-eyed child.

Although the fish are not as plentiful, they still put on a fabulous show with their spectacular display of color, as they make their trek upstream to spawn. Thrashing on the rocks with fierce dedication, their bodies intertwine in a dance of color and fury. As their milky eggs spill, the water sparkles against the moss lined rocks where frogs await a feast.

I perceive the salmon’s devotion, their mission in life, that is their ultimate demise, to be admirable, and a fine lesson in work ethics; don’t ever give up on your goals in life. Work as if you are working for God, and then you will truly do your best work.

Diane H. Holycross


Did you know that current accent / decorative tile costs for manufactured tiles run anywhere from $50 - $250 per square foot? Our decorative ceramic tiles are reasonable priced and, unlike manufactured tiles, FULLY customizable!

Below are a few kitchen, ceramic tile freshwater fish backsplash design ideas, all of which are 100% customizable.

The picture below shows two, large Chinook Salmon tiles amidst cobalt blue, round tiles and gray rock beneath.

chinook salmon ceramic tile drawing

Deep water

The next picture shows the same freshwater fish mosaic tile design, but with different colors. As you can see, the color change creates an entirely different look and feel to the freshwater ceramic tile design that utilizes two large Chinook Salmon tiles.

chinook salmon ceramic tile drawing

Shallow water

This design is framed by rock tiles, creating a top-view stream.

salmon stream ceramic tile drawing

Salmon spawning


Trout

For all you fly fishermen and women, I have created several takes on trout kitchen backsplashes. This first design uses wavy water tiles, kelp, and three large Lake Trout tiles with rock tiles at the base. It has the look and feel as if you are lying underwater watching the trout swim peacefully along.

Note: Wavy water designs have an upcharge. These pieces are very time consuming to produce.

ceramic tile lake trout design

Lake Trout tile in kelp

The next two drawings show a freshwater fish tile border and a coordinating freshwater fish ceramic tile floor. The white, brown, and teal tiles could be picked up at most tile stores.

ceramic tile trout stream border design

oval in a rectangular trout pond ceramic tiles drawing

                     Aquatic pond ceramic tile design

This ceramic tile pond design is bordered in 6x6 squares, has a 2x6 inner border, rocks, and a center fresh water fish tile medallion. It comes with, or without a matching ceramic tile wall design that features a ceramic tile fish motif and subway tiles.

This tile pond design is fully customizable. If you prefer our lily pond ceramic tile design, we can easily modify this aquatic pond ceramic tile design to meet your lily pond tile needs.


Lily Ponds

I like to think of our lily pond ceramic tile designs as being a way to have an indoor lily pond without any of the headache and heartache associated with an outdoor lily pond.

The first design is a vivid blue lily pond tile kitchen backsplash. it has a channeled listel outer and inner border. Between the two listel tile borders / bar borders are beautiful square cobalt blue tiles.

The center of the ceramic tile kitchen backsplash design is where the lily pond tiles appears. This design is for someone that likes a lot of color.

lily pond ceramic tile drawing

You could purchase all of the tiles from Tiles with Style, or just the lily pond mosaic tiles in the center of this drawing. It all depends on the look you want to achieve and your budget.

I'm always amazed at how color changes can effect the overall appearance of a ceramic tile design. The next lily pond tile design is for someone that wants a bit of color, not too much, and has a very neutral colored kitchen. Perhaps stone or quartz countertops, light colored cabinets, etc.

 

lily pond ceramic tile drawing

 

Click the links below for additional ceramic tile kitchen backsplash ideas!


Grouting Ideas

Add some anthill gravel, bee bee-size gravel, or pea gravel into your grout. These tiny rock chards are easy to collect and use in the grout of your ceramic tile floors and walls. 

The example below shows a poly/sanded charcoal grout, purchased from Home Depot, in conjunction with tiny pebbles. This winning combination creates a black granite-like feel that goes splendidly with granite countertops.

If you want to match a tan/brown granite countertop, take a tan ceramic tile sanded grout and mix your pebbles in with the grout. It's that easy!

During the ants dormant months, grab a shovel and bucket, and dig away. Wash off any sand/dirt and thank the ants for sorting through the different size gravel for your ceramic tile project!


Grout/filler ideas:

There are numerous things you can mix in with your sanded grout to make your ceramic tile floors/walls appear more uniform and natural. If you are merely wanting to fill in around your ceramic tile mosaic pieces, you can use any of the following:

  • Broken manufactured tile chards to fill in around the tiles. See our Medallions link.

  • Skipping stones from the beach.

  • Small dime-sized / penny  round ceramic tiles.

  • Flat lapidary pieces—like amethyst, jasper, etc.

  • Found art, such as bottle caps, penny's, etc.

  • Pea gravel.

  • Glass globs from the craft store (flat side up)

  • Sand blasted glass pieces from the beach

Any of these techniques will add a little sparkle to your ceramic tile mosaic designs!

For more design ideas see:


"Diane, We've been very happy with how easy it is to work with you and how quickly you got our tiles out. They look great and we can't wait to put them up on the backsplash."

Jenny and Brian Cross, Redlands, CA


Contact us to order your custom ceramic tile today!

 

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Contact Information

Tiles with Style
3094 Fitch Rd.
Ransomville,
N.Y. 14131

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716.870.7172

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"Diane is personable and tailors her projects to the wants of her clients."
Mary Davis, Fort Collins, CO

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