SFGate

olldbobbi Do you have any pictures you could share?

Amy Sellers I have since this pic painted the walls a perfect gray and painted the bar stools gray as well.

Media Decor Replacing the tile is all you can do if it is driving you crazy. Maybe a change in the grout color would help? If you are up for removing tile, there are soooo many choices.

Amy Sellers Thanks for the input. I've gotten a very cool gray rug for in front of the sink and a big dark jute rug for under the big antique table, so I'm hoping tha twill help. I'm thinking of something drastic...a thin layer of concrete over the top of the tile...whoa! I've researched refinishing tile, but it doesn't sound like it'll work for us (and 4 kids). Says it doesn't stand up to traffic.

PH Interiors, LLC I agree with media decor. And new rugs really won't make much of a difference since the surface that you hate is at eye level. I think the only thing to do is replace it.

Amy Sellers Well my husband would kill me :) I'll keep thinking...thx!

Darzy Hi Amy..it doesn't look THAT bad as it is. : ) Regrouting to the color of the tile (and sealing) may make it acceptable for you. Everytime I mention new flooring..my husband gets verrryy quiet! lol

minellicoyle Waiting until next year to change our bathroom floor tiles, so I used mapei grout refresh in white. Check out the before/after pics. Might work for you

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design If your're right, Amy, and it really is this bad, then to avert homicide in your household, do you have something you can sell? Not your first born as your husband might miss him/her. How about an old chair in the attic, or you could start with a long forgotten boyfriend's gold bracelet (?). Maybe you'll just have to mow the neighbors lawn (shovel snow?) for a few weeks.

Whatever it takes, if you hate it and it's driving you crazy, DO something! Learn to lay tile. Of course you'll first have to learn to remove it! It's pretty easy to lay tile. With guidance, I quickly learned how to lay several hundred square feet of Saltillo tile on the island of Kauai when I was a designer in Hawaii, back in the 80s.

I had done some bad math when estimating tiling costs on a job at Princeville and I suddenly became the tile installer. Laying it was the easy part. I finally had to hire someone to do the grouting. I recall to this day that the grouting guru liked peanut butter and banana sandwiches for lunch.
Carolyn Albert-Kincl, ASID

Mint Design Hang some art or colorful plates on the backsplash....whatever you can to add some color redirect the focus/. I would consider also changing the hanging light fixtures.

Darzy Carolyn,...long forgotton old boyfriends bracelet? You made me laught out loud to the point my husband asked what's so funny! lol I have an ex wedding ring...hmmmmm

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Did you fess up to hubby, Darzy? Come to think of it, I have a couple of those old wedding rings, too!
Third times a charm! I'm not selling that one.

Darzy Oh yeah...full disclosure Caroyln. I'm keeping my third ring as well... It's the biggest. : )

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design Now you have me laughing out loud! You're a hoot!!