Islands are a common feature in many contemporary kitchens, but this week we discuss why they aren’t ideal for everyone — including a downside we discovered in our own kitchen. We also share lessons from tiling a beach house backsplash: preparation, patience, and accepting a little imperfection. John offers a new technique for choosing paint color, Sherry reveals a new favorite beach accessory, and yes… Chad makes an appearance.
You can download this episode from Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, and Spotify — or listen to it below. Use this page to find the links, notes, and photos referenced in the episode. Note: If you’re reading in a feed reader, you may need to click through to the post to see the player.
What’s New
- Here are photos of the beach house kitchen backsplash as it looked when we recorded. As seen on Instagram Stories, we finished grouting last week; photos of the completed backsplash will be posted soon.
- We used an inexpensive 15-cent subway tile from Floor & Decor and a mastic adhesive to stick it directly to drywall after roughing the surface with sandpaper. Including grout and a new trowel, the whole project cost about $200.
- If you don’t have a Floor & Decor nearby, Home Depot carries a nearly identical white subway tile at a similar price point; we went with Floor & Decor because our local Home Depot didn’t have enough in stock.
- We followed a step-by-step backsplash installation guide for this job that outlines the same basic process we used.
- We also created multiple photoshop mock-ups to finalize the backsplash design; those mock-ups helped us make the final decision.
- We discussed a Wall Street Journal piece titled “Why Kitchen Islands Are Ruining America’s Kitchens.” Above is the beach house island (with the sink), and below is our island at home — illustrating different layouts and how islands affect kitchen flow.
Chad Rohde (aka John’s Doppelganger)
- The photo above shows Chad and Travis from Rohde Construction in Dallas, Texas. Chad shares projects and updates on his Instagram account.
- Travis and Chad have been profiled in local press for their work; we included an example project image so readers can see the quality of their work.
- As mentioned in the episode, the connection that led to Chad appearing on the podcast is captured in our Instagram “John/Chad” highlights. There’s a hilarious moment where Chad trolls us by mimicking poses and outfits that made everyone laugh.
- Sherry put together side-by-side photos showing the resemblance, which sparked countless funny DMs. One of our favorite comparisons is the top-left split screen we jokingly call “Chihuahua Versus Pecs.”
We’re Digging
- Above are the Spot On Removable Paint Decals we used to test paint colors on the duplex shutters. The decals look a bit uneven because the shutters are louvered and the surface wasn’t smooth, but on a flat wall they would lay much smoother. Sherry labeled each decal with small initials to track color choices.
- We also picked up compact swim floats for the beach that fold down small and are quick to inflate. They’re convenient to pack and easy to blow up. We used a baby-sized version previously for our kids and liked how compact it was.
Finally, thanks to Room & Board for sponsoring this episode. You can browse their furniture and schedule a free design consultation. They also offer a free printed catalog if you prefer inspiration delivered by mail.
Thanks for listening!
*This post contains affiliate links*