Beach decorating

Ceiling

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Window sticker

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Wood under island

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Paint above cabinets

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Light for kitchen

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Garden stool in shower

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Grout

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Backsplash

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Don't be afraid to experiment with the orientation of your tile. The vertical application of the backsplash is fresh and unexpected.

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Vertical layout. This is a simple take on the traditional subway layout, just rotated vertically. The homeowner’s initials are H.H., and you can see this pattern is a comment on that, Howells says. Tiles: Heath Ceramics

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Straight herringbone. This pattern, featuring tiles stacked so their corners form right angles, feels fresh, but Krykorka, of Studio Z Design, notes that it’s been around for thousands of years. For this project, the owners wanted a neutral color palette with pattern, so the designer suggested this layout, different from the traditional herringbone pattern set on a diagonal.

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You could pick a lighter grout, which leads to a more subtle pattern, as with this backsplash done in 3-by-6-inch gray tiles. The straight herringbone design takes longer to install than a simple subway tile pattern, so it can be a pricier option, says Melissa Couture-Peterson, a designer with Designs of the Interior. Tiles: MSN

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Backsplash

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