Therefore, I went on the hunt on the Internet for a backsplash pattern. I wanted the same backsplash in the kitchen as I was going to put in the bar area in the living room because they are very close – like one big room that rambles.

At first, I picked out one I really liked. It was white but it had a wavy pattern. But here’s what I didn’t think about. Each tile was 12x36. There were many cutouts for electrical outlets, so there were going to be many tile cuts. If you break the tile cutting it, with that big piece, it was going to be very expensive.

Another option was what they call “subway tile.” I didn’t think the brick effect would look right in that living room bar area, but I needed to make a decision. In the picture on the website, it looked like it blended together.

It took hours to install it all in the kitchen and the living room bar area. When he finished about 10 that night, it really looked like bricks. He didn’t have time to grout it, and all weekend I kept thinking, “Well, you did it this time! You made a big mistake because you have to live with it.”

I mentioned meekly to the grouter that it did look like bricks, and I think he could sense my disappointment.

He told me something I didn’t know. When they grout it with very light grout, the brick look disappears. If they grouted it with dark grout, it would look more like bricks.

He said he would be back on Monday, and he said he could use white grout.

I did, and now it looks pretty good – and not like bricks. Whew!

I still have to get the electrical outlets covers on in this picture, but the hard work is done.

He was right. With the light grout, it doesn't look like bricks anymore.