Thursday, June 10, 2010

A Big Craft Project

A really big craft project. Really Big.



I have never attached a single tile to any surface in my entire life. Never. It seemed wise to follow the advice of laying out the tiles in a dry run before starting to mortar it into place. I knew the room was slightly askew, ( actually it seems to be askew and un-askew depending upon where you start from ), and attempted a dry run working from a corner of the room and running parallel to the long wall. Nyet.

After lunch a little online search and reading was in order. My building contractor takes a lot of naps these days and I like to let him rest.

Everyone said, find the center of the room. Mark it with a chalk line and lay out your tile working from the center of the room. Shift the center as needed. My that worked out just lovely. It fits and there is no need to cut any tile until I reach the kitchen and bath dividing wall.

So I have a dry layout that works and will follow the advice and lay the tile working from the center in quadrants.



But now it is time to step outside for a break. The kniphofia is blooming.



And the daisies are in their prime. It's a really big craft project, really big. Cleansing breaks are good.



Because samples number 3 and 4 of the 1 x 1 decorative glass tile arrived. Sample number 1 was immediately rejected. It was pink.



So there they are. The top left tile is the original choice tile that has vanished from the world wide web. Bottom left is sample number 2. Center is sample number 3 and the right side is sample number 4.

I may have a headache. The new samples are a complete departure from the original meme. Glass tiles of that quality with the white and solid color were available in a plain blue or green theme, but none pulled the floor tile's color in with the color combos. That led to the new more clear glass choices. All the other elements in the bathroom must be taken into consideration too when looking at page after page of these things online. There must be flow.



Sample number 2 works with the floor tile. The clear glass will work with the glass vanity top and glass block.



Sample number 3's clear glass is cool simplicity that completely echoes the glass block and glass vanity top.



Sample number 4 has yellow. That is a new element that does not flow with the floor tile. It has no flow.



In garden design the main flow I think about is how do people move through the space. How big do the plants get when fitting them together. I think very little about matching colors. Mother nature seems to have a very natural flow as long as I keep the physical space in mind.



Sometimes a regimented order is called for to clearly delineate a purpose.

I really may have to come up with a craft project to make use of all these samples. Perhaps Uncle Ernie could use a new bauble, a small craft project, really small.



The roadside vegetable garden is an ongoing craft project. It was the subject of much seed flinging today in the remaining meadow end.



There can always be more flowers, more diversity with a little help. The object is more. No consideration what so ever is given to color or bloom time. It's the whatever nature allows sort of attitude that makes it seem like a very small craft project. It's just in a big space.

9 comments:

chuck b. said...

These kinds of choices were agony when we did the bathroom. I opted out of the design process for the kitchen remodel. I'm feeling the simplicity of sample number 3, but it might just be the mood I'm in and I'd regret not having some color in there eventually. I don't know.

I would not have guessed that Kniphofia is hardy where you are.

chuck b. said...

I think if you went with number 3, it would never feel dated. That could be true for the colored glass too, but you can just never know.

Siria said...

I agree with Chuck although I really like sample 2. I think sample#2 ties together all your elements /colors well. If you opt for the simplicity of sample#3 you can always bring in color with paint or the color of your towels. You have a hard decision to make. Sorry...I don't think I have been much help here. Thank goodness you have a big craft project...lots of think time while you work.

Anonymous said...

Sample #3 means you never have to "match" anything. You can bring color from towels, etc.
Sallysmom

Anonymous said...

I love 2 and 4, but 3 is probably the wisest choice, you will never get tired of it and can add color in other ways. How fortunate that the floor tiles fit without needing cuts!!! That is too good to be true. Have fun thinking of cool things to do with the samples, but you might have leftovers from the project that could be used as well, best wait until that is done. Or you might want to use them in the kitchen? Is that getting glass backsplash as well? Maybe just behind the sink and/or stove areas. We always wanted to do that here but never got around to it. The veggie patch looks great! :-)
Frances

Antique ART Garden said...

No . 2, rich earth colors since you are an earth guy that looks like a stack of rocks. Too bad you discarded the pink choice or I would have chosen it to get you riled up about no pink inside again.

Lola said...

I don't like #4 for obvious reasons.
#2 has all you colors but #3 could work better. Your accent colors can tie all together.
Glad the dry run works for final placement. I had heard about starting in the middle, like putting up wall paper.
Best of all with all that you have to do.

Phrago said...

Hey Chris, Have you seen this company yet:
http://mosaic-tiles.cooltiles.com/cgi-bin/cooltiles.pl?cat=Glass-Tiles&page=1
Never done any business with them but they have pages and pages of tiles... Patrick

Anonymous said...

#2 strikes me as 'warm' while 3 as 'cool'. Not sure which you would prefer - probably 2 in the winter and 3 in the summer! (: It really comes down to personal choice. I do think the contrast between 2 and white tiles is more interesting than 3.
You're right, gardening is easier - if for no other reason than you can yank it out if you don;t like it!
Re tiles, yes, start in the center is good. My husband,the first time, used too much adhesive and it welled up between the tiles. ugh. I know you will do your usual stellar job.

bev