Beadboard and Subway Tile
Sometimes the oldies really are the goodies. Beadboard and subway tile in a charmingly haphazard combination, from Country Kitchens by Jocasta Innes:
I love the random placement of the taps (OK, faucets if you prefer. Although in this case I think they really are taps). Would you fire me if I came up with that in a design?
Here’s an interesting treatment of beadboard doors in another country setting – from John Lewis of Hungerford:
While the candy stripes are cute and fun, I’m guessing they’d get old rather quickly. And since I promised you subway tile – how about this for half-hearted use of it?
If that tile filled the entire alcove, it would be awesome, don’t you think? Maybe they’re saving up for more – I hope so!



Hi Kate – it was the apparently random placement of the taps that tickled me. And yes, but tongue-and-groove is just so much more of a mouthful!
1st – Love, love, love!
Re the “faucets” — Are you-all under 40? Didn’t you have a (great-)grandmother who hadn’t changed anything in her house since the Crash or the War? My grandmother’s bathroom sink had 2 faucets — one hot & one cold — and in between, a chain w/ a stopper. The faucets weren’t all that much different from a brass bib to which the garden hose is connected, except they were silver colored (chrome?) and had cute X handles.
Interesting that you-all call it beadboard. Here we call that tongue-n-groove. Our beadboard has a “bead” routered into it. BTW, we found T&G just like that under some faux tileboard stuff in the baño. I disliked it until I saw this — maybe all it needs is a fresh coat of paint
2nd – Love it, except (a) the stripes look like they came from an article on “How to give your cabinets a facelift for under $20″ and (b) I don’t like how the cupboards hang out over the end of the base cabinets.
3rd – Agree about the tiles. Is that AGA really black? Looks like cobalt blue in bad lighting on my screen.
Adrienne – hi! The hooks do look scary, don’t they! A few bunches of lavender or garlic would soften them up, like Rich says.
Rich – I was thinking 2 sinks, 2 scullery maids? But they’d both have to be tiny…
Hi Grace – I think they missed an opportunity there with the tile, didn’t they?
Oops meant beadboard… Still having trouble typing on my new IPAD. Fun little toy though.
Adrienne,
I believe those hooks are often used to hand drying bunches of herbs, flowers, onion or garlic braids, or even sausage at times. Hopefully not much else…
Still a fan of breadboard-homey and warm. Funny comment from Rich on the taps–not a fan. If that tile filled the alcove, the black AGA would really pop against the blue. Great post.
subway tile + farm sink = love.
Hey I have a question about the last photo — what is with the giant fish hooks hanging from the ceiling?
Before I even scrolled down to see your text, I noticed the same thing with regard to the taps/faucets/supplies/valves/controls/spigots. What is that all about? Not merely the placement, but the multiples? Hot, cold, lukewarm, and oh-my-god-I-just-melted-my-hand?
I guess they are making do. True sustainability.