Hate my new kitchen - help me salvage it!

[Truckingalong]

Gloss grey doors (film still on so it looks dull), bleached wood counter. It looked fantastic in my minds eye but looks dated and boring in reality. Still to be done - replace mangy old fridge, remove wooden trim the builders stuck on (loathe them - trim, not builders!) and paint the cream bits that are showing from the original carcass.

I wasn't going to have tiles but I think it needs something to lift it a bit. Any suggestions, before I make it all worse?! Thoughts on any of theses tiles?

Don't do metro tiles!!!! Hate, hate, hate them (to the point that I don't think I'd buy a house which had them) and I disagree they're classic - I reckon they'll date very quickly.

And i meant the grey UNITS, not grey tiles. Altho a mixture of grey and yellow tiles might work.

I really like the shiny reflective tiles you linked - they would bounce light around. And you are not tied to accessories in a toning colour that way. You could for for bright and funky accessories - lime green, purple, turquoise, hot pink, orange.

I think handles will help too.

Not sage green- in a tiny dark space it will make everything look darker and more cramped.

You need something light and something that brings colour in but not blocks of heavy colour. Something muted and definitely lights under the top cupboards. I like metro tiles or the moroccan ones. Not sure that the moroccan ones wouldn't make it all look more squashed. I would go for light, highly reflective metro tiles like the third tiles but not that colour.

Sadly I think your kitchen is too small for grey doors. White and chrome would have been my choice to lighten the whole room, with accessories and tiles or flooring in a bright accent colour. To answer your question I would have metro tiles (but I can be a bit of a sheep)

I don't think sage green metro tiles are a good idea, they are too similar in tone to the doors and the overall effect will be bland and featureless. You need something that contrasts, either patterned, or a totally different colour.

I think the cabinet doors are nice but the standard carcass in a totally different colour is shocking.You need to get that painted in such a way that it looks exactly the same as the rest before you do anything else.

Borrow some sample tiles and prop them up for a day or two and don't rush into a decision.

Agree that lighting is the key - get as much lighting in there as you can. I think the suggestions of the under and over cabinet lights will make it feel more modern and reduce your feelings that it looks dated, but don't forget the ceiling lights as well - if it's a single light in there at the moment then consider a multi-spotlight rig, if you already have that then look at brighter bulbs, etc.

If you really want metro tiles have white but get some colour in somewhere else as very monochrome kitchens can look cold.

Id go with a metallic tile, to reflect light, or glass, not necessarily in every tile. Pick up a wall colour from your tiles.

Have a look on pin interest for ideas, wander round some tile warehouses.

I absolutely love the tiles in your first post and think they would utterly transform a bland grey space into something fabulous! PLEASE don't go with metro tiles, it's just more dull on dull... I love your countertop btw, it just needs a contrast to lift it. A bit of green from the housplant is good, some lemons in a blue and white bowl.... it's tiny but it will look homely and mediterranean with the right tiles and accents.

Hey Truckingalong, how about this? Plain white tiles but funky wallpaper. Maybe not this exact paper, but you get the idea.

And the floor tiles are amazing.

1. I would also move that sink, it's in the wrong place and how can use easily when ovens in use?

2. I would also go metallic with those grey doors. Mosaic maybe with coppers and bronzes and golds

I like the shiny metro tiles, but if your doors are quite grey, it might look a bit strange. Have you any lighting for under your cupboards? Might help lift the room. I am not sure about the moroccan style tiles, think maybe the space is a bit small for such a big design.

What about a glass spashback instead of tiles?

Yes, the kitchen is tiny - it's my holiday home though, so I'm not bothered about that.
I'm almost at the point of taking the grey doors off and replacing with white. They were dead expensive though believe it or not and I'd never recoup the money by selling them. Why oh why did I not do that in the first place?!
The Orange is just the colour underneath where the previous tiles were ripped off - it's not an active choice!!
I'm not a fan of yellow or cream or warm colours.
The cream bits are being painted grey to blend in. They're the old carcass remains.
I won't have any coloured toaster/kettle/storage jars out - hate them!
My fave tiles are the first Moroccan ones but typically, they're from a picture only and I can't find them ANYWHERE!!
Thank you everyone for your input. I'm dead grateful.
On the plus side, the rest of the place is looking ace!

Or something like this pattern and colour
www.firedearth.com/tiles/range/indian-ocean/madagascar-seaspray

No tiles.

Go for glass splash backs on the walls. You can have any colour you want. Looks fantastic and really easy to clean.

I love those tiles, Artandco! They would look great with lights under the wall cupboards.

Artandco is right. The sink's is at least the wrong way round. I would get a different work top.

I would go stainless steel splashbacks and 3 inch uprights and then paint the rest bright white. Then a few bright green accessories. Would tie together the wood and grey and white - clean looking. If then the grey doesn't work you could resort to white cupboard doors. You would get an overall look a bit like this.

And no grout to maintain.

I agree with glass splash back. In a small area tiles can make things look smaller still.

Go for a bright colour.

How about a neutral glass splashback but lots of light? Have tried to link but can't get to the picture I want

uksplashbacks.com/glass-splashbacks-services.asp

Glass splashback might work - chartreuse looks good with grey.

Or try quickly painting the walls white and see if that helps?

How much was the worktop? Can you afford to replace it? (and think about turning the sink round while you're at it perhaps?) My other thought would be is it real wood and can you stain it a slightly darker colour? I think that might give you a better contrast with the grey units.

Add handles. Osmo the wood to darken it a little. Add tiles and you are good to go.

I like these here.

I'd go for splashbacks.

If you go for clear glass you can paint behind them - means changing the colour scheme is easier later on too as you just remove the glass, paint and then replace it.