Islands are a common feature in today’s kitchens, but this week we talk about why they aren’t always the right choice. We also share a few lessons we learned while tiling the beach house kitchen backsplash — lessons about preparation, patience, and accepting a bit of imperfection. John demonstrates a new technique for choosing the perfect paint color, Sherry reveals a favorite compact beach float, and yes — there’s an appearance by Chad that had us laughing.
You can find this episode on major podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and TuneIn, or listen via the episode player on our site. Use this page to see any photos, notes, or products we mentioned during the show.
What’s New
- Below are photos of the beach house kitchen backsplash as it looked when we recorded. Since then we finished grouting, and we’ll share those final photos soon.
- For this backsplash we used inexpensive 15-cent subway tile and a mastic adhesive to stick the tile directly to drywall after scuffing the surface with sandpaper. Total materials — including grout and a new trowel — came in right around $200, making this a very budget-friendly update.
- If you don’t have the same tile retailer nearby, comparable white subway tile can be found at many big-box stores. We chose our supplier based on local stock and price.
- We followed a familiar step-by-step approach for installing a subway tile backsplash: plan your layout, prepare and clean the wall, apply adhesive evenly, press tiles into place, let them set, and then grout and wipe clean. Careful dry layout and consistent spacing made the process smoother.
- Mock-ups were a big help in choosing the final layout. We used several photoshopped ideas to test how different patterns and grout colors would look before committing.
- We discussed an opinion piece arguing that kitchen islands can sometimes harm layout and flow. In our own beach house kitchen the island includes the sink, and while that arrangement works for us, there are trade-offs to consider: traffic flow, appliance access, and how the island affects sightlines and usable countertop space.
Chad Rohde (aka John’s Doppelganger)
- Chad and Travis from Rohde Construction in Dallas stopped by and immediately brought plenty of charisma and good stories. Their work is solid — they’ve done a number of well-regarded projects and they’re experienced builders with a strong portfolio.
- Part of the fun was seeing how many Instagram messages we received from listeners noticing how similar Chad and John look in certain photos. Sherry put together side-by-side comparisons that had all of us laughing — it was a playful moment that listeners seemed to enjoy as much as we did.
We’re Digging
- To narrow down a paint color for the duplex shutters, we used removable paint sample decals that adhere to the surface and let you compare shades in real light. On louvered shutters they looked a bit uneven, but on a flat wall these decals smooth out nicely and make color comparison fast and simple. We labeled each sample so the colors were easy to identify later.
- For the beach we picked up compact inflatable float options that pack down small and are quick to inflate — handy for travel and beach days. A lightweight design that folds up tight and inflates in just a few breaths makes beach gear less of a chore.
Finally, thanks to Room & Board for sponsoring this episode. They offer furniture and design consultations, and their catalog is a helpful source of inspiration if you’re planning a room refresh or a bigger remodel.
Thanks for listening and for following along with the projects. We’ll post the final backsplash photos and a few more details soon.
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