Do it Yourself Mosaics

After seeing the beautiful mosaic art backsplash previously I decided to write about doing mosaics yourself.  Anybody can do this and not only is it fun, you can really decorate your home with some original pieces.  I  saw a stunning mosaic piece in a friend's house and asked her where they got it. It turns out that my friend's sister in-law, Susan Hyde, is a mosaic artist and teacher (You can check her out at susansmosaics.wordpress.com). To make a long story short, Susan started a mosaic class and I decided to join.   I had never done any mosaic art before but I couldn't wait to try.  At the class we were taught how to use tile cutters, glass cutters, given inspiration with layouts and shown how to grout properly.  As we tested different layouts Susan was there to give advice and practical help.  The women in the class did a number of beautiful things like tissue boxes, clocks, name plates, picture frames and just art for the walls.  Here is a picture of my first Mosaic from that class.

The petals are shaped from broken pieces of a plate

After that I attempted something more complicated and used my tile cutter to cut almost every piece.

Yerushalayim

 I found out about a great store a bit further after Modiin Mall, in a place called Shilat.  It's called The Art Depot and it's a crafter's haven.  It has everything you can imagine and the place is huge.  There is a big section of shelves with tons of mosaic squares in a variety of colors and sizes.  You can pick up some specialty tiles with pretty pictures on them or solid colored tiles.

There are many more colors and sizes available

 
I ended up doing quite a few mosaic pieces and had a lot of fun with it....

I hung this up above my kitchen table

A plain stool decorated for my girls room, no cutting of tiles.

I made this for my sister

If you don't have a car then you could also go to Sifrei Geula in the Merkaz.  They don't have the same variety of mosaics but they have a lot of wooden bases to mosaic on.  You could also use broken plates, leftover mosaics from your bathroom or kitchen,  mosaic sheets from a real tile store, pebbles, moonstones and leftover beads for accents.
Now, don't say 'I'm not artistic so I can't do any of this', it's not true.  This mirror mosaic below, required no cutting and just a simple random pattern.  We (my friend Debra and I) did this project a couple of years ago at the Bais Tefillah  mother/daughter event.   Girls of all ages made some beautiful mirrors. You can do this too...

I bought the base and mirror separately at Sifrei Geula

When you want to buy grout (in Israel it's called 'roba') you can usually buy some in the art store but they also sell it at any home hardware (hakol lebayit, Ace).  It's cheap ( around 20 shekel for a small bag) and it's easy to make.  You just pour the powder into a container and add small amounts of water, mixing very well, until you get to a smooth creamy consistancy (not soupy but not dry).  You smear it all over your mosaic so that it fills up every crack.  After it dries a bit, wipe off the mosaic with a damp cloth until its clean.

 I also used my mosaic inspiration to do something about my cluttered necklaces.  I needed a place to hang them up so that they wouldn't get tangled and were easy to see.  I bought a large square of plywood from Sifrei Geula and painted it blue.  I then used my glue gun (can't live without it) to glue some leftover kitchen knobs onto it.  I lined the edges with mosaic stones (using plain white glue) and used some large pebbles to decorate the corners.  Here is the end result....

I hung this up in my bedroom

If you want to check out another local mosaic artist take a look at Chani's gallery at karamikakreations.weebly.com  (you need to type this address into your browser) Enjoy!

Electrical Points in the Kitchen

In my experience you need at least 10 electrical points in your kitchen.  At each point you can place a single or double outlet.   If you have a lot of extra appliances (coffee maker, computer desk in the kitchen etc.) you may need more.   When deciding on the amount of  outlets that you need include your fridge, 1 or 2 dishwashers, 1 or 2 built in ovens, 1  built-in stove top(or  just 1 American stove/oven) and 1 or 2 microwave outlets .  Then consider the following...

-a double outlet near the kitchen table  (for your CD player, phone or using the electric mixer there to bake with kids)
-a double outlet on the fleishig side near the stove ( to plug in a plata, hand blender and/or shabbos urn)
-a double outlet on the fleishig side in a different area ( you may keep your shabbos urn or mixer there)
-a double outlet  on the milchig side for your toaster, and 'Koom Koom' that may 'live' on the counter
-another single or double outlet on the milchig side in a different area
-an outlet for your electric mixer if it's staying on the counter
-a perfectly located outlet high up if you are having an extractor vent over the cooktop

 In my opinion if you are already having an electrical point installed you may as well put a double outlet unless you know for sure that only one appliance will be there at all times (fridge, vent, microwave)
Just as an added tidbit of information...you may have noticed that in Israel the outlets around the house are placed almost halfway up the wall, this is standard but you can request them to be placed much lower down.  Ask them what is the lowest they can go according to code.  I made this request in my previous place and it made more sense to me.   The outlets were less noticeable and I didn't have cables crawling up the wall to reach them.

If you are concerned about the look of all the outlets on your backsplash you can consider putting the outlets under the cabinetry so that it is not visible.  Standing in front of the cabinets you wouldn't even notice this outlet in the picture below. I just saw this concept today and I think that it's a great idea.

A double outlet hides under the cabinet 

The Backsplash

Mosaic art placed in a neutral marble backsplash

Choosing a backsplash can be a very time consuming process.  There are endless options when it comes to tiles and accent tiles. The mosaic tiles available today are so beautiful it's hard to choose just one.  To keep costs down you can choose a tile that your Kablan offers and accent it with a few more expensive choices.  You can use just the base tiles alone without any accents by putting a row of straight squares and the rest on an angle for added interest. Using only high end tiles or mosaics for your backsplash may end up costing you a nice chunk of money otherwise.

These mosaics were put in after the tile was done!

A beautiful flow of earthy colors (Atara Lavi design)

Another idea is to run a line of mosaics around the kitchen backsplash along with a basic tile.

This backsplash was done with Atara Lavi

If your stove top is below a wall you can choose to make a 'focal point' there and design a beautiful backsplash in that particular spot.

Most projects in RBS have their tile stores chosen for them by the 'Kablan'. They may send you off to Tel Aviv or elsewhere.  The most economical way to go is to use what the project offers and add to it.  If you are going at it on your own I would recommend going to Talpiot and visiting the many tile stores there or checking out the tile stores here in Beit Shemesh.

TILE STORES
Negev in Talpiot has a really nice selection and they actually supply many other stores in Israel (Beit HaCeramica in the Ayzor Hata'aseya is affiliated with Negev).  A fairly new discount tile store opened up across from Beit HaCeramica called Mona Lisa and it's worth checking out too (I hear it's more contemporary). You can always negotiate whatever price they quote you because the bottom line is they want your business.  There is another neat store to know about right around the corner from Negev (in Talpiot) in the alleyway, I think it's called Machsan HaCeramica? They have discount tiles and tons of mosaic sheets ready to take on the spot.  Oz Ceramica is a good stop in Talpiot and they also have a store near 'Big' in Beit Shemesh.  I have found that prices here tend to be a bit higher than in Yerushalayim but if you don't have a car or the time to spend getting there it may be worth it.  You should definitely bring along a piece of your counter top and a sample of your cabinetry, this way you can really get a feel of the overall look.  The best way to get inspired is to look around at other kitchens,  and see the possibilities.  I hope that the following pictures(taken in RBS!) do that for you...

My personal favourite.  This one was done with Derorit.

This subway tile backsplash was brought out to the eating area

Another subway tile style done by Aliza Freedman

An Aliza Freedman design

A glass golden crackle tile

Ceasarstone panels designed by www.linkarchitects.com(in RBS)

An Aliza Freedman design

I personally think it's smart to extend your backsplash into the eating area if possible.  It's easier to keep the wall clean with a quick wipe. 
In the end if you are still overwhelmed by the thought of choosing a backsplash and making a commitment to any tiles then you can always choose the route of using an interior designer.  There are many talented ones locally that are available for this type of project.

INTERIOR DESIGNERS
One well known local interior designer is Atara Lavi(999 3269).  She helps her client choose the  different tiles at the tile store (she gets a great discount at Oz) and figures out the layout of the tiles in your kitchen.  In her opinion the backsplash is really the 'jewellery' of your kitchen. 
Another wonderful interior designer is Aliza Freedman (991 4094).  She  works with you step by step to get the exact look you want and she has great taste.
Lastly, I've only met her once but I know quite a few people who have been very successful with an interior designer named 'Derorit' (0508252641).  I have seen two completely different kitchen layouts in the same project done by her and they were both uniquely fantastic.  She is more on the high end in price but has a great reputation.  
Obviously all these women do more than just kitchen tiles, they also can work with you on bathrooms, space planning, layouts and much much more.
If you have a beautiful backsplash that you are proud of please send me a picture and I will be able to provide more inspiration in another post.   I have included a few more pictures off the web...

travelsi.com

Kitchens.com

 www.StoneImpressions.com

hgtv.com

wolfcustomtile.com

tilebacksplashpictures.com

bhg.com

Kitchen countertops

Blue Baracuda granite counter + backsplash

When choosing a counter top for your kitchen the choices seem endless.  The main types of counter tops people use for their kitchens in RBS are granite and  Ceasarstone.  Prices can be quite similar so it comes down to a matter of taste.  Ceasarstone offers a more streamlined modern look while Granite gives a more traditional look.  When you choose a specific color of Ceasarstone basically every slab is exactly the same as it is man-made, whereas with natural Granite, even of the same type, each slab is different.

THE COUNTER'S EDGE
There are many different ways to finish the edges of your counter top for example straight edged, curved, beveled etc.   Some people like the traditional Israeli counter edge that juts up at the edge so that water never spills over.  I have come to realize that if you have a nice large sink that this is not a problem.  Also, with this type of edge the inner crevice can get gunky and you have to clean it out with a tooth pick.  
Another decision you have to make with the edge of the counter top is the thickness. You can decide whether you want the edge to be 2-4 centimeters (or more).  When I was choosing Granite I was told I could only choose between 2 and 4 cm.    It's really hard to find a 3 centimeter thick granite slab here, most are 2 centimeters.  To get an edge more than 2cm you have to add an edge to the counter. I have found that with Ceasarstone this added edge is almost impossible to notice at the seam.  With Granite, however, it depends on the color, movement on the slab and the skill of the installer.  Some seams are more noticeable than others.  They are usually seen on the top of the edge but can be done on the side of the edge if requested.

USING YOUR COUNTER AS YOUR BACKSPLASH

Some people choose to use their counter top for their back splash as well.  This can look beautiful, however, it is an expensive choice.  You can bring up the granite on to your backsplash just 5 cm or more and then start the tiling but this is only as a design element there is no other reason for doing this. In the pictures below you can see one full granite backsplash that is solid and the second one is a paneled granite backsplash.  If you look closely you can see the seams.

Notice the interesting edge on this granite

Amazon Gold Granite installed by 'Shayash Mizrachi'

This granite goes up onto the back splash just 5 cm.

                                          

There is an option to use two different colors in your kitchen, one for the counters and one for your island if you have one.  This can look fabulous as long as the colors compliment each other.  I plan to post pictures of this idea when we look at kitchen layouts. For the kitchen in my previous place I used a granite called 'San Fransisco Green'.  I went to the Granite yard in Petach Tikva and after looking at a whole lot of slabs my husband and I fell in love with the same one.  It was a silvery green color that wasn't too busy and had nice movement on it.  I put it together with a 'formica' that reminded me of a Scandinavian teak wood color and it felt very organic to me, like a tree(as pointed out by my friend Elana).  I found great subway tiles in a light almond cream color and topped them off with a  green marble border tile that matched the counter.  I used Tiv Hashayish to install the granite and was pleased with their work.  They are located nearby on Moshav Tarum and I liked that fact that I could go look at slabs there at anytime. Take a look at the finished product below...

The straight edge here is 4 cm.

 I was told that the darker granites are 'stronger' (i.e less porous)than the lighter colors.   Keep in mind that granite colors in America often have different names than the ones here in Israel even though they are the same.  I have heard from friends with solid black counters that they show smears more prominently but they love them nonetheless.

This is black Ceasarstone.  Look how beautifully it reflects.

I've included more pictures of  Granite and Ceasarstone colors and edges to help inspire your new kitchen, enjoy!

 A stunning green slab with a lot of movement done with Shayash Dan.

Desert Sand colored Ceasarstone with a 6 cm block edge

Rounded 4cm edge pebble stone granite

Rich brown color Ceasarstone

Light Beige Ceasarstone with a 2cm edge

 Last but not least here is picture of a rough edge Ceasarstone.  My friend Naomi Goldberg designed her own kitchen and realized her new calling.   She is now going into interior design professionally.  

Grey sparkly Ceasarstone with a bumpy rough edge.

Please be in touch if you have any questions or comments!  Stay tuned for backsplash inspiration in my next post.

Ramat Beit Shemesh Interiors

I grew up in very organized home (thanks Ima) that was designed with a strong Scandinavian influence.  Everything had a place and attention was paid to even small design details.  I appreciate good design which inevitably makes it easier to stay organized.  I think it's important for a home to reflect the personality of the family and their needs.  It's important to be realistic when it comes to design, beauty is a big factor but function is even more important. Here in Ramat Beit Shemesh many families are buying property on paper and are starting their interior design from scratch.  Many other families are just looking to redo parts of their house.  Some of you just need organization tips. This blog in intended to help you find inspiration when deciding on tiles, colors, layout, organization and decorating.  I hope to include tips that you'll find useful and pictures (all taken locally!) to help you visualize better what might work for you.  Good luck!