1891 Avenues Cottage Remodel

We are just finishing up our #1891AvenuesCottage kitchen remodel and I couldn’t be MORE excited! I painted our island last week and installed the new knobs this week! So my mind is ALL about kitchen design right now!

Kitchen Tile Makes a Huge Statement

Clark + Aldine Kitchen remodel

Installing new kitchen tile might seem overwhelming but it’s really a simple way to bring a potentially HUGE statement to your kitchen. I learned how to tile a few years ago as I was working on my 1905 Cottage remodel. And even if you don’t want to install the tile ourself, you can contract it out for a very reasonable price. The tile itself is pretty inexpensive.

Consider Hiring an Expert

While tiling a straight wall as you find in new homes is pretty straight-forward. If you have an older home like ours, your walls might be crooked or uneven which makes installing the tile more difficult. For our new home I worked with Frank from Frank Smith Renovations and he did such a great job on our walls!

What Types of Tile are Considered “Farmhouse” or “Cottage”?

Farmhouse tile is typically tile that was around in the time farmhouses were the typical family home, generally anytime around the turn-of-the-century or before. Think subway tile, brick, simple tile or stenciled tile. Modern farmhouse takes that trend and adds a modern element such as a different color, pattern or design that plays off of that farmhouse aesthetic. Cottage is generally the same as farmhouse. The nice thing now is that a lot of tiles that are considered “modern” can be incorporated into a more farmhouse feel and bring a fun spin on the traditional farmhouse look!

25 Gorgeous Modern Farmhouse and Cottage Tile Ideas

Whether you decide to go with timeless tile, bold and patterned tile or a mix of both, here are some ways you can add remarkable style to your kitchen with TILE!

Cement Tile Focal Wall by Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines is famous for bringing modern farmhouse into trend. I love the way she uses traditional materials and puts a beautiful spin on them. In this case she took the stove area and used bold tile to create a beautiful focal point.

1952 Farmhouse Kitchen Makeover

This 1952 farmhouse makeover kept the traditional farmhouse elements of subway tile, classic pulls and simple cabinets and added a stunning geometric floor that looks modern but also has a vintage feel.

Subway tile is such a classic look, and there are so many different tiles you could use. Here’s one I really like that you can easily order online and pick up at Home Depot.

Floral Hex Tile Kitchen Floor

This hex mosaic tile is one of my very favorites. I plan to put it in our bathrooms at our cottage. I love the geometric shape which feels very modern but it’s a classic pattern that can be found back in many original farmhouses and cottages.

Farmhouse Kitchen Floor Makeover at Sarah Joy

These bold ceramic and concrete tiles are very trendy in modern farmhouse styles right now. If you like this look but are afraid it is too trendy, consider either stenciling it on your wall or getting peel and stick floor tiles. I did this in the original 1891 fireplace hearth and I love how it updated the space. But if I get tired of it I can peel them off and go back to the original hearth.

Navy and White Boho Wall Tile at Ginny MacDonald

Bold geometric black and white tiles are very modern farmhouse, but you can also find them in cottages and bohemian kitchens as well. You can use them on the floor, but another idea is to use them as a backsplash!

Peel and Stick Farmhouse Tile at Home Stories A to Z

This is my friend Beth’s kitchen. She used Wall Pop adhesive tiles to create a stunning focal point in her kitchen. Such a wonderful transformation!

Neutral Bohemian Cement Tile Kitchen Backsplash

If you love the look of the bold black and white geometric cement tiles but want something a little more subdued, consider a softer look. These cement tiles in grey are lovely and still give a kitchen a striking focal point.

Floral Tile Pattern

There’s something magical about this kitchen with the navy cabinets and stunning bold floral tiles. I think it works because the rest of the kitchen really coordinates and lets the floor design shine. I love the white subway tile above the counters that gives the room texture but doesn’t clash with the bold tiles on the floor.

Black and White Checkered Tile

Black and white checkered tile seems so classic to me. It feels very European and old-world. I love it in this kitchen as it compliments the natural woods in the island and swinging doors.

Black and White Boho Farmhouse Backsplash

Another trend in cottage and modern farmhouse decor is floating shelves. Tiling behind a floating shelves really accentuates the shelves and gives the whole kitchen an eye-catching spotlight.

Clark and Adeline Black and White Statement Wall

Some bold tiles might seem a little busy, but if you use them in a small space they draw the eye in. I think this is he perfect example. The black and white tile sets off the traditional subway tile and gives the whole kitchen an interesting feel.

The trick to the perfect statement wall is finding a tile you absolutely love… and the smaller the statement wall the louder the pattern you can use! Here’s a tile I really like to help jog your creativity.

Hudson Valley Farmhouse Kitchen

This kitchen is one of my favorites. The black and white tile behind the industrial stove is traditional but running it vertically gives it a modern feeling. Also the kitchen nook at the end of the room is so cozy and the matching butler’s pantry at the other side offsets the space so well for a really warm, welcoming feeling!

Floral Cement Tile

Another example of using bold tile to make a statement. The rest of the kitchen is very simple and traditional and lets the more modern element shine through.

Bold Patterned Wall

This geometric tile is one that I haven’t seen very often. Using it along with all of the natural woods in the room and black cabinets give the whole kitchen a very bohemian farmhouse feel. If the tile was subway instead of the bold geometric tile this room would have a much more traditional farmhouse vibe. The modern tile really give the farmhouse theme a refreshing twist.

Black and White Hex Tile Backsplash

This is the black and white hex mosaic that I featured earlier in the post. I’ve almost always seen this tile used on a floor. What a refreshing change to see it as a backsplash. And paired with such modern cabinets the whole room is very surprising and charming.

I also love the idea of mixing and matching a black and white hexagon tileset like the one linked here to create your own wholly unique backsplash!

Concrete Quilt Design Stencil

As I said before, if you are nervous about committing the time and energy into installing a tile floor, consider stenciling your floor first. This works especially well if you already have a vinyl or tile floor. You can paint right over it!

Apartment in Provence Kitchen Tile

The pattern in this Provence kitchen floor is utterly vintage-looking and charming. The pattern could be a modern one but is undeniably old and is a great argument that patterned tile can withstand the test of time and be timeless.

Crisp Black and White Kitchen Tile

This kitchen is a perfect example of one that doesn’t fall into a style mold. I would say this kitchen is timeless. The black and white patterned floor is neither modern nor farmhouse. This type of tile can be used in any design style and the items you include will decide what type of style your kitchen is.

Bold and classic Kitchen Tile Pattern

Another bold and classic tile. I love the pattern in this striking tile floor. Paired with navy cabinets and wood accents, this kitchen is classic yet very on-trend.

Kitchen Island Tile

One big trend in the past couple of years is tiling the bottom of an island as a big focal point. I actually love this idea. I think the trick is only using bold patterns on the island and sticking to neutrals in the rest of the kitchen to really let the island tile stand out.

Kitchen Island Star Design

Another example of the island tiling trend I love the smaller star pattern of this tile. I think it would look amazing as a wall tile or floor tile as well,. But not all together, obviously LOL!

Tiny Kitchen with Bold Tile

Sometime people think you can’t use a big, bold tile pattern in a small room because it will overwhelm the small room and make it look smaller. I think the opposite is true. I feel that using larger tile and even larger furnishings in a small room makes the room seem bigger and makes the tile into more of a statement. The owners of this small kitchen used big tile and a large island and instead of overwhelming the room it makes the room even more interesting and gives it a cozy feeling.

Grey and White Kitchen Tile

There’s something old-world and charming about the pattern of this grey cement tile. I love the pattern and I think the use of white in the tiles makes it a tile that you can use on a whole wall without looking busy or crowded.

Classic Subway Tile with Dark Grout

Of course subway tile is a classic choice in any modern farmhouse or cottage kitchen. The use of black grout in this one gives it an old-world feel but also elevates the kitchen by emphasizing the pattern of the subway tile.

Classic Mosaic Tile

Another mosaic hex tile pattern that I love! I love the snowflake design and I feel that these hex tiles can be used in any type of kitchen – from modern, retro to classic farmhouse, modern farmhouse, bohemian and cottage kitchens alike!

Which Kitchen Tile is Your Favorite?

Those are a few of my favorite modern farmhouse and cottage tile ideas? Which kitchen did YOU like the most? I’d love to hear!

Follow Along with Our 1891 Cottage Renovations

Tag me on Instagram at @tatertotsandjello with YOUR projects! I would love to see what YOU are doing. And I’d love to have you follow along with our 1891 Cottage remodel. I share behind-the-scenes projects on my Instagram page!

More Modern Farmhouse and Cottage Tile Idea!

Here are a few other tile ideas that I love for bathroom and laundry rooms!

22 Modern Farmhouse and Cottage Laundry Room Tile Ideas

20 Modern Farmhouse Bathroom Tile Ideas

Have a Beautiful Day!

xoxo

The post 25 Gorgeous Modern Farmhouse and Cottage Kitchen Tile Ideas appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

How to Create a Kitchen Eating Nook

I’ve created kitchen nooks in my last three homes. I love the cozy feeling a kitchen nook creates.

Move the Overhead Light

One thing you might have to do when you create a kitchen eating nook is move the overhead light fixture. In this home I moved the light fixture over so it hangs over the nook. I had an electrician help me with this. But an easier and less expensive option is to “swag” the light fixture cord with a hook. That is what I did at my home a few years ago. You can see it in this picture below.

Add a Bench

To make your kitchen nook even cozier you can add a padded bench. In one of my homes I ordered two benches from Ballard Designs and fit them in the nook.

It became a favorite place for my kids to do their homework or draw in the kitchen while I cooked. And you would be amazed at how many people you can fit into benches as opposed to chairs.

In my cottage I had a padded bench in our little kitchen nook there.

In this home I added a plain bench in front of the window and chairs around the rest of the table.

Pillows

Add pillows to make your nook soft. I love making pillow covers for holidays. It’s an inexpensive way to change up the look of your nook. For Valentine’s Day I added a heart pillow and a red kitted cozy pillow. You can make pillow covers in 10 minutes! Check out my 10 Minute Pillow Covers for the tutorial!

Hang Shelves

We added a buffet at the end of the room to store bigger serving pieces and holiday plates. Above the buffet we hung these modern floating shelves. They were under $20 each and are so wide and deep! I keep my pitchers and cutting boards on them. For the different seasons I love adding special pieces to them. For Valentine’s Day I added some wooden hearts, some jars with red lids and little wreaths I made with holiday paper. You can make these wreaths so easily. If you want to find out how to make them — click over to my Floating Heart Conversation Wreath Valentine tutorial.

Reasons to Create a Kitchen Eating Nook

Creating a kitchen nook creates a cozy, comfortable space for your friends and family to gather and eat, converse and even makes a great place to work on projects or homework. If you add bench seating to you kitchen eating nook you also create a space that can accommodate more people than can fit at a traditional table and chairs.

What’s YOUR favorite space in your home?

Share YOUR ideas with us in the comments!!

xoxo

The post Four Ways to Create a Modern Farmhouse Eating Nook appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

Create a Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Display Wall for $40

We love our new home. Of course there are ALWAYS things you want to change. One of the things that I missed from my #1905Cottage was the open shelves in the kitchen AND the big, open pantry.

1905 Cottage Kitchen 

I had so many cute things that I displayed in that space. Our new kitchen has a WONDERFUL big island which we use every single day and it’s great for having kids over with lots of seating.

But in terms of cabinet space and display space I didn’t have room for all of my serving pieces and my little collections like my cute cutting boards.

We also have a little eating nook on one end of the room. I added a bench to make that space a little cozier. I have been thinking of adding either a wall of cabinets over by the eating nook or a display area. After a few months of thinking I added a buffet and it has been SO nice to store my bigger serving pieces in that area. I got the buffet from Ikea before Christmas and when we bought the buffet we accidentally got the wrong size buffet doors so we have had no doors on it for several months. This past weekend we took those doors back and got the correct size doors. While we were there I saw the floating shelves I had at my cottage. I LOVED them!

1905Cottage Shelves 

So as we were picking up the cabinet doors, I saw those shelves and I decided to put them above the buffet. So that’s what we did over the weekend.

It was SO easy! Sometimes Ikea projects make me want to scratch my eyes out. This one was FAST!

And the floating shelves are less than $20 each which is SUCH a great deal. They are really big and sturdy too. They ended up being about 2 inches TOO long for the space. So we cut off 2 inches on the wall-side of the shelves and they fit perfectly! When you install them they have an ingenious inner metal support system that makes them very sturdy. We put in 10 wall anchors to hold the inner core and then the outer shelf slides right over. It’s awesome!

I put my cutting board collection on the shelves and I LOVE the way it looks.

It will be a FUN space to decorate for different holidays and the height of the shelves really makes the room seem bigger because it brings your eyeline up to the ceiling. I am SO happy with my little kitchen nook now.

If you are wondering about Ikea’s floating shelves – I highly recommend them as a way to create a kitchen display wall.

I even bought an extra one to put over our bed. I will update you on that project next!

And in case styling shelves seems overwhelming, here are some shelf styling tips: 

6 Shelf Styling TIPS 

Have a BEAUTIFUL day! 

xoxo

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