Kitchen Files: Backsplash Change-up

So, if you remember my post, with the kitchen mood board, I talked about wanting to do a backsplash just behind the stove, going up to the vent hood. We I initially was thinking of a highgloss, beveled, white subway tile. 

Jason didn't like that idea...he thought it was "too much white", he "wants something with pop". He didn't really understand that the white tile would "pop" a bit against the stainless stove & hood, and the grey walls...but I went with it. The guy's got to have some sort of say doesn't he.  I really like the look of penny round tiles, and I have seen them cropping up all over the web. The Petersilks, from one of my favourite blogs Young House Love decided to use a grey penny round for their kitchen backsplash,  there's penny round inspiration all over Pinterest. I like it. It's understated,  and simple, and i think I enjoy their smaller stature better than the subway tile.


I ran into a problem however. I can't seem to find it in Canada. Oh, Canada...my home and native land, I love you, I really do...but some times, you can kinda suck. I googled every combo of "penny round tile + Canada" I could think of, went through the home improvement stores, sourced wholesale products, and just couldn't seem to find anything like what I'd been seeing. Canada, why hath thou forsaken me? Can this really be a solely American product? I refuse to accept that! THEN, out of the no penny tile abyss came the light! I found this!

Bold enough for you Jason!? Penny tiles in all their round goodness, and GASP, in red! Say what! At Home Depot! Heck to the yes! Then, as if the tile gods were laughing in my face, I realized it was the American Home Depot website. Oh, mother trucker! I tried searching the brand on the Canadian site, nothing. I tried Lowes, and Rona, and nothing. BOOO! SO...now we're left with this awesome option that to me would be worth a trip to the States (I needed to go anyway). I had intentions to go into the Depot down the street to see if they'd be able to order a sample, but haven't got around to doing it, and to be honest, I probably won't. When we make the trip in the new year, we'll pop in to one in Michigan to take a look. 

Another great thing about this tile is that it's $70 a box, and comes with 10.2sq.ft. in a box. I calculated that we'd probably need about 7.5sq.ft. so we'd only need to get one box, and there'd be enough left over for some trivits and coasters. WOOT! It's also a fair bit cheaper than any of the subway tile that I looked at, which is good, and we have about $70 in Home Depot gift cards, so it could be free...which as everyone knows is the shiznat! I plan on going for a recon mission sometime before the New Year to pick up a sample and see how well it'll mix in with our other red accents.