Sunday

After walking Toby this morning, we did some more yard work. I took another go at the bird of paradise. I shaped it up and cut all the dead stems out at the bottom. It's looking much better. John cleaned out half of the front bed and got a blister and had to go inside. He vacuumed and did laundry while I finished up the bird of paradise. We got two 32-gallon cans of clippings.

Now you can see the flowers!

Then I set about ordering tile samples. This website had an offer of 4 samples for free with a $1 shipping fee. I really liked this one, but it's on backorder. Boo!

This one has an optical illusion making it look beveled, but it's flat on the surface. Here's how the website described it:

Let's get geometric, shall we? The Remington Collection is an evolutionary new glass series formatted with an internal bevel in timeless triangular arrangements. Composed of polished glass, Remington's subtle beveled edging naturally refracts light, adding the stunning effect of depth and dimension to any space.

This one got great reviews about how beautiful it is in person. It reminds us of Duke Chapel, which means that it's not the contemporary look we're going for. But after reading the reviews, I just had to see a sample. Here's the description from the website: 

The Komorebi Jet Stream 1x3 Glass Mosaic, formatted in a unique elongated, picket hexagon pattern, provides a fun, vivid way to add a vibrant splash to a wide variety of settings and surroundings within your home. The perfect choice for any backsplash or accent wall project, punches of color keep a room feeling youthful and engaging, while also adding a visual dimension that shifts endlessly with the play of light and shadow.

Here's what it looks like in a white kitchen in a horizontal layout. 

Here's a close up. What do you think?

We were both unsure about this one, but it was free, so why not? It has a soft color and it's unusual.

The website description:

Showcasing a thoroughly modern inspired design, the Baltoro Collection is a playful and innovative interpretation of glass waterjet mosaic tiles. The elongated oval pattern is a softer version of a small-format staggered brick composition, providing a linear architectural quality that is perfect for a creative backsplash or a charming shower mosaic. These mosaic tiles are mounted on mesh sheets, making them easy to install with no need for spacers to establish grout lines. The translucent body of these glass tiles catches a subtle glimmer of light, introducing visual depth and a water-like glow. 

The Baltoro Light Blue glass mosaic tiles combine a bright blue color with a charming, modernist-inspired oval pattern. The translucent body of the glass tiles elicits a luminous glow while the vivid blue hue enhances a playful and airy look, creating an eye-catching and vivid design whether installed vertically, horizontally, or at an angle.

This one is a mixture of white marble and blue glass. John doesn't like mixed tiles, but I thought it was interesting. Here's what the website said about it:

An exquisite combination of crisp White Thassos and Blue Glass composed in a unique pattern, this dynamic mosaic is guaranteed to be a timeless addition to your home for many years to come. Designed from the highest quality material, this extraordinary selection exudes class and an enduring beauty that will captivate the eye and enchant the senses.

I thought it would look cool with the Grohe faucet with the blue hose.

Am I right?

We took Toby with us to get Chinese takeout. He brought his stuffed dog with him.

Let me know which tiles you think might work to give us the contemporary, simple, clean, crisp look, assuming we go with flat front white cabinets, mostly white quartz, stainless steel appliances, and thin tab pulls. Something like this, but with backsplash only under the cabinets on one wall.