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Young House Love » Our Second House » Tiling A Marble Herringbone Pattern On A Fireplace

| By John Petersik | March 20, 2013 | 333 Comments

Tiling A Marble Herringbone Pattern On A Fireplace

With our fireplace refacing plan all worked out, and our supplies waiting at the ready, it was time to dive into step 1: TILE! So we’re here with every last detail, from prepping and tiling to grouting.

herringbone-tiling-tutorial-diy-grouting

In case my sketch below is still indecipherable to everyone but me, I highlighted the areas of the photo below that are going to get the tile treatment. The tile border is only about 7 inches wide because the rest of the brick is going to get framed out with wood and MDF (which will layer on top of the tile, hence doing tile first).

FireTile 1 Plan

Oh but it’s smart to check the code in your area to make sure your wood surround isn’t too close to your firebox (ours calls for at least 6″ of tile and then the wood surround can start). And no, the tile is not going to be grellow. Ha!

FireTile 2 Plan On Picture

If you recall, the tile we picked out was this marble subway found at Home Depot for a little over $5 per square foot.

Tile Hunting 4

But before we could start slapping tile everywhere (that’s a technical description, btw) we had to create a smooth surface on which to attach them. So we bought some 1/4″ cement board and we used the old bend score and snap method to cut it into strips. Then, thanks to some heavy duty masonry screws and a cheap masonry bit for our drill, we attached them to the fireplace. It was quite a dusty process, and it helped to have four hands around for it (Sherry would hold while I drilled and vice versa).

FireTile 5 John Screwing Second Cement

Oh yeah, and it was around this point that we realized we probably should clear off everything sitting on the fireplace mantel so that all of our drilling didn’t send anything down on our heads. Plus I’m not going to lie, if I directly (or even indirectly) sent one of those ceramic houses on the mantel crashing to the floor, the lady wife would not be pleased (I have sort of a bad track record when it comes to things like that).

FireTile 6 Removing Mantle

So after we cleared things off the mantel and ripped off the old wood top while we were at it (demo-ing things fully before tiling is always smart) it was back to tile prep. For the bottom hearth portion, I actually just squeezed out a whole bunch of heavy duty construction adhesive, laid down my pieces of cement board and then stacked some heavy storage ottomans (of which we have plenty around here) to hold them securely in place overnight (I later added a few screws at the corners just to reinforce them).

FireTile 7 Gluing Bottom

The nice thing about adhering the cement board right over the old hearth instead of demoing it out first was that because we added the cork floor right over our previous linoleum one (due to not wanting to disturb an asbestos liner underneath) we still had room to add cement board and tile without it bumping up and being oddly raised (in fact it brought it back to being aligned).

So here’s the fireplace all set and ready for actual tile.

FireTile 8 Bottom Down

Well, not totally all set and ready. We wanted to protect our cork floors before getting into the thinset-and-grout-y mess of a tiling project, so we quickly taped down some protective rosin paper leftover from our last kitchen tile project.

FireTile 9 Protective Paper Down

We also took the time to lay out our tile beforehand. At Bryn’s suggestion, we bought a few extra boxes than we needed, just to account for overage and so we could pick out any weirdly chipped or discolored ones. Thankfully there weren’t many broken or otherwise wonky tiles, so I’d say that we used 90% of the tile we bought, and only returned 10% as overage tile (which is a pretty normal percentage – and Home Depot is happy to take it back).

FireTile 10 2 Picking Good Tiles

It was a smidge tedious to lay it all out, but it was great because we could begin to see how they’d come together and even do things like space out the veining (so there was a nice mix of both instead of all of the dark veining ending up on one side of the hearth and all the lighter tiles on the other side). And in the interest of using as many tiles as we could without being super picky, we also made a pile of “why-is-this-one-weird-or-chipped-on-one-side?” tiles to use for the smaller cut pieces that we’d need (we could slice off the weird/bad parts for many of the edge tiles anyway).

And as you can see from the angled cut that I’m marking below – we decided to go for a herringbone pattern on the hearth mixed with a traditional brick-layers pattern on the fireplace surround (we held them up a few ways and liked that configuration best). Update: we’re getting requests for more info on why we chose that combo, so here ya go… with so little surface area (just 7″ showing around the firebox) it wouldn’t really establish the pattern enough (we thought it would look like random and busy half-zigs and half-zags without enough of the tile showing to look like chevron). So we held it up both ways and liked the simpler pattern for the smaller area, just because we didn’t think it would look as chaotic.

And thank goodness we own this triangle square…

FireTile 11 Marking Angled Cut

It was a lifesaver since basically every single cut for the hearth was on a 45-degree angle. And after cutting tons of crown molding on all sorts of angles, I gotta say that this was much simpler. Anyone can do this. Yes, even you scared-of-tiling folks out there. It’s really not that bad. I promise.

We made all of our cuts with our wet saw (one of my favorite tools) and it was fairly easy. The only challenge was that the marble was a bit brittle so sometimes the corners broke off as I got to the end of a cut. But I didn’t lose too many tiles in the process, so it was actually a lot easier to work with than penny tile (we had a much higher learning curve when it came to cutting that).

FireTile 12 Cutting Tile

Once we had a few of our initial pieces cut, we mixed up some thinset (still leftover from penny tiling – woot!) and started slapping down some tile. Again, that’s a technical term.

FireTile 13 Mixing Thinset

I realize I’m glossing over some of the details of the actual tiling process. But we’ve covered it so extensively in the posts below (including video) that I thought sharing those links made the most sense. So for this project just trust us that it went along pretty much the same way unless otherwise noted in this post.

  • Here’s how to hang cement board
  • Here’s how to install penny tile (including video)
  • Here’s how to grout penny tile (including video)
  • Here’s how to de-haze & sealing tile
  • Here’s how to install a subway tile shower & marble floor (including an extremely detailed supply list)

Once we had the pattern started it was a pretty mindless process, it just took a long time because there were so many cuts involved in such a small space. But it was pretty straightforward (it was one of those just-keep-going tasks that didn’t involve much problem solving once we got the hang of it). I’d guess that it took us a good four hours to get the bottom portion done (although it was broken up by lunch plans with an old coworker, so it still ate up a good portion of day 1).

FireTile 14 Herringbone Started

The next day during Clara’s nap we attacked the top portion, which went significantly faster because the straight cuts were easier to do.

FireTiel 15 Tiling Top

And since the outer edge was going to get covered by the MDF frame of our wood surround eventually, we didn’t have to be sticklers for a clean edge. In fact, Sherry and I figured out a way to stagger the tiles so that we were able to reuse both sides of a cut, which made life much easier. See how the bottom row has a cut tile on the left? The other half of that tile is in the row above it (on the right). So they sort of staggered themselves up the wall, and we weren’t creating tons of tile fragments that we couldn’t use.

FireTile 17 5 Tiling Done Closeup

So by the end of day 2, we had all of our tile done. Yeehaw. (Oh, and that white strip of brick inside the fireplace is eventually going to get painted the same dark charcoal color as the rest of the firebox, so just ignore it for now – and of course we have trim pieces for the floor around the hearth so it’ll be seamless and smooth in the end).

FireTile 17 Tiling Done

The next evening we got our grout on using some non-sanded grout from Home Depot in their Snow White color (it’s not super white, sort of a very soft gray).

FireTile 19 John Grouting

I don’t know about you guys, but for some reason the transformation from un-grouted tile to grouted tile is super satisfying to me. Seriously. I could grout all day… well, if I had a bionic wrist.

FireTile 18 Grouting Hand

As I shoved grout into joints, Sherry stepped in periodically with a slightly damp sponge to smooth everything and wipe off the excess. I’m still jealous of how clean she stayed.

FireTile 20 Sherry Sponging

Grouting took all of 45 minutes, maybe. And it left us with this beaut. Admittedly it still looks crazy without a built out mantel around it, but that’s next on the agenda.

FireTile 23 After Straight

So we’re excited to start building the surround, reconstructing the mantle, adding trim and molding, priming and painting, and eating a celebratory cookie (or twenty) when we’re finally done.

FireTile 1 Plan

Oh and we sealed all of the tile/grout after the grout-drying waiting period on the bottle (we had some leftover from the backsplash). Took ten minutes tops. Ending up with a completely re-tiled hearth and fireplace surround (in white marble, no less) feels like such an upgrade for only around seven hours of work (total), and the budget wasn’t nearly as scary as “marble tile” sounds. Ha!

  • Cement board (2 sheets): $16
  • Masonry screws: already owned
  • Liquid Nails Heavy Duty: $2
  • Subway tile: $5.50/sq ft, totaling $70
  • Thinset: Already owned
  • Tiling tools (saw, trowel, float, etc): already owned
  • Grout: $11
  • Tile sealer: already owned
  • TOTAL: $99 (*thanks to some holiday gift cards from the family, we actually only spent $49 – but without gift cards or already owned supplies this might be an $150 upgrade)

I think we’re riding a herringbone high right now. Seriously. I’m so glad we decided to do that pattern. For some reason it makes me feel super fancy. Maybe we need to rename our house Downton Ranchy.

FireTile 24 After Herringbone Detail

And maybe we should record a sequel to this SNL skit called “Marble Subway Tile.”

Does anyone else have some good experiences with subway tile, a herringbone pattern, or tiling a fireplace in general to share? Have you purchased a marble column recently? Are you like “What is this, The White House??”

*This post contains affiliate links

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Comments

  1. Avatar for ToniToni says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:17 am

    It looks great, but I must admit I am still not use to the blue. It’s like, where’s their kitchen?

    Reply
    • Avatar for MarilynMarilyn says

      July 29, 2014 at 10:38 am

      You can’t be for real..open your mind just a little to explore color. In nature every single color is found and nobody says “why is that color HERE?” lol! Why have we isolated only certain colors for certain rooms? Any color can be chic in any room, it just depends on the shade selected and how it is applied with the big picture in mind. You might love it once the room is done! :)

  2. Avatar for SherynSheryn says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:18 am

    WOW, I honestly didn’t even know this was “a thing”, but I can’t get over how updated and chic it looks! Well done!!!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Anele @ Success Along the WeighAnele @ Success Along the Weigh says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:18 am

    That herringbone is sah-weeet! *SWOOOOOON!* I can’t wait to see how the surround turns out. You guys have waaaay more patience than I could muster.

    *bowing to your awesomeness*

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Anne @ Planting SequoiasAnne @ Planting Sequoias says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:18 am

    It looks amazing! The tile reminds me of your capiz collection of frames…which makes me think it would be awesome if you could tile out that sink nook in your master bathroom in a similar way. Just saying. ;)

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:20 am

      Ahhh, that would be awesome if we didn’t have compete-y granite for the sink top. Hmm, maybe if we got a slab of butcher block or a different stone remnant for the top someday though…

      xo
      s

    • Avatar for JuliaJulia says

      March 20, 2013 at 2:16 pm

      OOOOOhhh! That would be so pretty. I’m kind of in love with how Katie B.’s new marble hex tile backsplash looks against her dark granite.

  5. Avatar for aly marcottealy marcotte says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:22 am

    We’re actually laying out herringbone hardwood floors in our kitchen THIS WEEKEND and I am so nervous and excited!! We are going to blog through the process, and are going to submit our kitchen for reader redesign once the floors are in!! (We’ve finished all of the other parts – homemade wood counters, installing hex tile backsplash, homemade floating wood plexiglass shelves, etc.) So funny you mention herringbone now – it’s the last piece of our puzzle!!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:23 am

      So exciting Aly! Good luck with everything!

      xo
      s

  6. Avatar for AngelAngel says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:23 am

    LOVE IT. It looks great with the blue too, like clouds and sky. I dont think it would have been as beautiful with the grellow. Good choice.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for Robin @ our semi organic lifeRobin @ our semi organic life says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:23 am

    Looks amazing! So cool how with a few simple tools and your imagination you guys can create great stuff! So custom and fab!

    Reply
  8. Avatar for katiekatie says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:23 am

    I am loving those tiles. And the herringbone. Looks amazing. Can’t wait to see it once you add all the trim and molding!

    Reply
  9. Avatar for MeredithMeredith says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:23 am

    “But I didn’t LOOSE too many tiles…” I think you mean “LOSE”. :)

    It looks bee-yoo-tiful. I also love, “what is this, the White House?” Hey, why not?

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:23 am

      Haha, yes, lose, not loose!

      xo
      s

  10. Avatar for Jess @ Little House. Big Heart.Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:24 am

    Wow. After seeing how gorgeous that herringbone pattern came out I’m seriously reconsidering going with 2″ marble hexagon tile (ala Katie Bower) for our bathroom floor!

    It’s a little hard to tell from the photos; what is the predominant color in the tiles? It looks like some gold-y and grey tones on a creamy white background… is that right?

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:25 am

      I’d call them cool in tone, so probably more like white with some grey veining and sometimes a tint of ivory. Maybe check them out in person and bring some home to see how they read in your lighting situation though?

      xo
      s

  11. Avatar for AmyAmy says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:25 am

    Was the marble tile pre-sealed when you bought it? Usually stone tile gets two coats of sealer (unless it’s pre-sealed), one before grout, so the excess grout will release from it, and one after grout. A little, but potentially important point that could make for a disappointing result. Looks like it worked out for you, though.

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:34 am

      I’m not sure, it definitely felt sealed but the grout went on well, and then we sealed it again (using sealer meant for marble and stone) which seemed to work too!

      xo
      s

  12. Avatar for Gabriella @ OLinAGabriella @ OLinA says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:25 am

    Oh wow – very nice. It gives it a very different look. I have always been intimidated by tiles….so afraid that I am going to screw up and won’t be able to fix it. Then we did our bathroom, and I screwed some of them up but fixing it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

    Great job. Can’t wait to see the finished picture.

    Reply
  13. Avatar for Kristen | Popcorn on the StoveKristen | Popcorn on the Stove says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:26 am

    That marble tile looks so fancy! I love it!

    Reply
  14. Avatar for LianneLianne says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:26 am

    Looks gorgeous, and haha Downton Ranchy gets a vote from me

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:33 am

      We need a footman stat!

      xo
      s

  15. Avatar for KerryKerry says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:26 am

    Gorgeous, you guys! Can’t wait to see the final product.

    I think we’re SNL twins — I’m constantly referencing little-known sketches that no one else likes — and a few weeks later, they should up on YHL. Thanks for dorking out with me!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:33 am

      Haha, of course Kerry!

      xo
      s

    • Avatar for RoseRose says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:38 am

      And John needs a Valet. Love that show.. the end of season 3 is too much.. I don’t want it to be true!

    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:39 am

      Haha, yes! But don’t pronounce it val-ay! It’s val-it! And yes, so sad about the end of season 3 (although losing a certain girl a few episodes earlier was sadder for me because she was my favorite).

      xo
      s

    • Avatar for NicoNico says

      March 20, 2013 at 12:03 pm

      She was my favorite too (tear). And then there’s Edith…

    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 12:14 pm

      Oh Edith!

      xo
      s

    • Avatar for kathykathy says

      March 20, 2013 at 12:49 pm

      poor Edith! Why is everyone in the family so mean to her? She’s such a modern woman for the times.

    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 12:50 pm

      Haha, it’s true!

      xo
      s

    • Avatar for RoseRose says

      March 20, 2013 at 1:02 pm

      Spelled it wrong..whoops! I definitely wanted to ask someone to “VALIT” my car.. guess that wouldn’t work. And yes I feel like she shouldn’t have gone so soon. Now him? Oh what will become of Downton??

    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 1:02 pm

      My thoughts are that a certain widow will have some interesting dating experiences. Sex In The City anyone? Haha!

      xo
      s

    • Avatar for JennieJennie says

      March 20, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      I am in love with this little thread here! Sherry, she was my favorite too. (Although I DO love Cousin Violet!)

      And yes, I think a certain widow is up for some interesting experiences … and dare I say, I think her future husband is already on the premises? Just a guess … It’s hard to predict Downton!

    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 5:08 pm

      Oooh! Who could it be?!

      xo
      s

  16. Avatar for Katy @ The Non-Consumer AdvocateKaty @ The Non-Consumer Advocate says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:26 am

    That look fantastic, great job!!!

    That is all.

    Katy

    Reply
  17. Avatar for Karen FKaren F says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:27 am

    looks AMAZING so far! you make it look so easy!

    Reply
  18. Avatar for Katy @ The Non-Consumer AdvocateKaty @ The Non-Consumer Advocate says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:27 am

    That looks fantastic, great job!!!

    That is all.

    Katy

    Reply
  19. Avatar for bridget b.bridget b. says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:27 am

    I love the way that it looks already, especially the herringbone part. Which got me thinking, I’ve been wanting a coffee table with a marble top, but everything I’ve found has been super expensive and very heavy. I decided to find a way to make my own.

    Since I want this table to double as my kids’ play table, it needs to be durable and light-weight. What do you think about making a table top with this same type of tile in the herringbone pattern?

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:28 am

      Hmm, I don’t know if marble would be the best since it’s known for staining (even when it’s sealed I wouldn’t want a red marker on it I don’t think). Anyone have tips for Bridget?

      xo
      s

    • Avatar for AshleighAshleigh says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:40 am

      Marble would be really heavy, but if you aren’t stuck on white Lowe’s sells the black marble subway tiles for $5.98 a square foot. (That wouldn’t have the staining problem). They will also price match Home Depot’s price and then take another 10% off! They have the white too

    • Avatar for KrystalKrystal says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am

      I second the recommendation for not going with marble on a kid’s tabletop. Marble is an extremely soft stone and it absorbs stains (and those stains will be permanent) very quickly if not regularly sealed and maintained.

    • Avatar for LaurenLauren says

      March 20, 2013 at 3:34 pm

      I got a great marble coffee table that I LOVE from CB2 at only $350 – it is not, however, light weight or durable (no children in my home, but I make all adults use coasters)

  20. Avatar for Megan @ Rappsody in RoomsMegan @ Rappsody in Rooms says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:28 am

    Oh herringbone, how I love thee! I just got a grey and white herringbone rug that I like to dance around on these days. The fire place looks amazing! Can’t wait to see the whole project come together!

    Reply
  21. Avatar for AustinAustin says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:29 am

    Love the herringbone pattern! The white marble is just stunning, and definitely not as cold/formal as I’d expect. Can’t wait to see the finished product!

    [By the way, Sherry, you’ve turned me into a ceramic animal addict. Currently finding funky animals at thrift stores and turning them into gleaming beauties! Driving my roommate crazy, but I love it!]

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:43 am

      Haha, I love it Austin! Keep the ceramic animal dream alive!

      xo
      s

  22. Avatar for JessicaJessica says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:30 am

    I once rented a house where the owner really liked the look of marble, but apparently not the price. She covered every imaginable surface with marble-printed contact paper! I must say, I like it much better when it’s actual stone. Good call on the herringbone pattern. It’s much more work, but the results are totally worth it. Can’t wait to see the rest!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:43 am

      Wow that’s really cool!

      xo
      s

  23. Avatar for DanielleDanielle says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:31 am

    Looks beautiful! I love the marble and the herringbone pattern is so pretty!

    Our fireplace has a black marble-y tile around the firebox and a boring matte black tile on the hearth that’s not our style at all. I’d love to update it some day, but I think we’d have to demo it all first since the hearth is flush with our wood floors. In the meantime, I’m definitely bookmarking your tiling how-to! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:43 am

      Of course! Good luck Danielle!

      xo
      s

  24. Avatar for TriciaTricia says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:32 am

    looks awesome, love the timelessness of marble, but bringing some spunk with the subway tile. What are you going to do about the transition from the tile to your cork floor?

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:42 am

      We have trim pieces that match the cork that used to be there (we installed them when we redid the floor) so we’ll just add those back in. Can’t wait for that part!

      xo
      s

  25. Avatar for CassidyCassidy says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:33 am

    Oh my goodness! This is GORGEOUS! I can’t wait to see it all finished!

    Reply
  26. Avatar for JennyJenny says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:35 am

    looks wonderful. I love you both for your fearlessness. It’s hard for me to tell,but just how much is the hearth raised up over the cork floor? I know you said it is aligned, but wouldn’t the board and tile raise it up a half inch or so, or am I missing something? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am

      The hearth was always sunk a bit, so the backer board raised it a little and the tile raised it more, and not it’s pretty much level. Once we put the trim on it’ll all look seamless. Can’t wait to share the pics!

      xo
      s

  27. Avatar for AshleighAshleigh says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:35 am

    I love the herringbone tile! I just did that pattern with paint in our bedroom and it really does look fancy.

    Reply
  28. Avatar for AngieAngie says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:37 am

    I love the hearth but some reason I thought you were doing the herringbone pattern on the fireplace as well. It’s still great, but in my opinion, looks a little “blah” compared to the floor.

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am

      It was just 7″ aorund, so it wasn’t enough space to really establish” the pattern. So it would have just been little random slices of zigs and zags, which we thought would look busy and weird. It’s hard to explain in words, but when we looked at it in person it was an easy choice :)

      xo
      s

  29. Avatar for GrayGray says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:38 am

    The house I lived in growing up had that horrible shattered brick-tile-esque floor area around the fireplace (it was also a very old house) as well and we always hated it. Too bad my parents didn’t think of something like this because it looks great & I can’t wait to see the finished product! I have a soft spot for beautiful/unique fireplaces!

    Brilliant choice of tile by the way, especially with the herringbone pattern!

    Reply
  30. Avatar for Fran SiefertFran Siefert says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:38 am

    EXCELLENT = Agree with Downton Ranchy!!!!

    Reply
  31. Avatar for Steph @ SeeStephRun.comSteph @ SeeStephRun.com says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:39 am

    What a gorgeous upgrade. For some reason tile intimidates me. We are planning to tile a bathroom this summer and I am already worried about it! You guys make it look easy though!!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am

      You can do it Steph!

      xo
      s

  32. Avatar for CaitlynCaitlyn says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:40 am

    I’ll admit that I was a little hesitant because I loved your fireplace the way it was, but the herringbone looks AMAZING! I am a huge herringbone fan, and for some reason it looks awesome with the blue kitchen. Cannot wait to see what the new mantle looks like!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

      Aw thanks Caitlyn :)

      xo
      s

  33. Avatar for Crystal @ 29 Rue HouseCrystal @ 29 Rue House says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:40 am

    This looks amazing guys! Can’t wait to see it all finished!

    Reply
  34. Avatar for RebeccaNYCRebeccaNYC says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am

    Meh. I liked it before. I guess it’s one of those “you had to have been there” things. Love the blue!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

      Bear with me Rebecca! John and I knew sharing this project in real-time meant that lots of people wouldn’t see the beauty in this until it’s totally completed (it’s a hot in-the-middle mess right now). But hopefully once this turkey is cooked you’ll see what we see :)

      xo
      s

  35. Avatar for JulieJulie says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am

    Love the tile and the herringbone…curious if you thought about herrinboning it up the sides instead of the horizontal version and your reasoning (obviously waaaay easier the way you did it, for one) for choosing horizontal…

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:45 am

      We tried it both ways, but with so little surface area (just 7″ showing around the top) it wouldn’t really establish the pattern enough (we thought it would look like random and busy half-zigs and half-zags without enough of the tile showing to look like chevron. So we held it up both ways and liked the simpler pattern for the smaller area, just because we didn’t think it would look as chaotic :)

      xo
      s

  36. Avatar for JoannaJoanna says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:41 am

    So much glam already! I wasn’t sure when you mentioned it, but now I am convinced. It’s really beautiful!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:45 am

      Aw thanks Joanna!

      xo
      s

  37. Avatar for LizLiz says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:42 am

    I kind of wish it was the same penny tile as the big wall in the kitchen! Any reason you didn’t go that route? Too matchy-matchy?

    The brick vs subway tile visual fight is messing with my perception of how great I know it’ll all look in the end, but I’m excited to see the finished product!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:45 am

      Yeah, we just thought it would be fun and timeless to go with another stone that “goes” but doesn’t match exactly :)

      xo
      s

  38. Avatar for MelMel says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:42 am

    This might be a silly question but why didn’t you use the herringbone pattern on the top also?

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:45 am

      We tried it both ways, but with so little surface area (just 7″ showing around the top) it wouldn’t really establish the pattern enough (we thought it would look like random and busy half-zigs and half-zags without enough of the tile showing to look like chevron. So we held it up both ways and liked the simpler pattern for the smaller area, just because we didn’t think it would look as chaotic :)

      xo
      s

  39. Avatar for MelanieMelanie says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:42 am

    That herringbone pattern on the floor looks great! I can’t wait to see the build out for the surround.

    I’m going to do a dusty light teal in my kitchen. Still trying to find the perfect shade. So glad to see you went with a blue, too.

    Reply
  40. Avatar for LoriLori says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:43 am

    LOVE the tile! And even love it more that you did it in a herringbone pattern. The shimmer is gorgeous and goes so nicely with all your capiz that you have around the house. Of course you make things look so much easier than I’m sure they really are :-)

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:43 am

      Haha, it wasn’t that bad I promise! It’s always easier with four hands, so if you have a partner in crime it’s not terrible :)

      xo
      s

  41. Avatar for TracyTracy says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:44 am

    That tile is really beautiful, I love the herringbone pattern. We had an old brick fireplace in our house that we painted (following your instructions) and then for my birthday last year, my husband built the surround while I was out of town. I love it, you won’t regret building one. Here’s some pics:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8574058303/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/8574058469/
    It still needs another coat of paint (after a year! oops!)but it’s still a huge improvement.

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:52 am

      Oh my gosh it looks awesome! I love it!!

      xo
      s

  42. Avatar for AshleaAshlea says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:44 am

    Totally obsessed with it! And I have the same broken terra cotta tile mosaic in front of my fireplace. What a difference the marble makes! Plans are a brewing… ;)

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:52 am

      Good luck Ashlea! You can totally do it!

      xo
      s

  43. Avatar for LizLiz says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:44 am

    I love herringbone and I love carrara marble anything!

    Reply
  44. Avatar for Kati MalloryKati Mallory says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:45 am

    Just wanted to drop in and tell you how much I enjoy your blog! I LOVE that you come to us in the middle of projects, but that you usually have quite a bit of progress to show before getting too far into it. Some home blogs just don’t have enough interesting stuff per blog post, but yours is always nice and long with great pictures and good content. Anyway, just wanted to say KUDOS and that I love the tiles (especially that HERRINGBONE — wowza!). Can’t wait to see it’s progress!!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:51 am

      Aw thanks Kati!

      xo
      s

  45. Avatar for Rebecca WRebecca W says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:45 am

    Do you plan on using the same marble subway tile when you end up doing the other side? Would it possible not be available anymore? Wondering if you thought about buying enough for that side too for future plans.

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:51 am

      Great question! We’re not sure what we’ll do on the other side (it might be pretty to find an old reclaimed wood mantel and just use that with the brick around it and in the firebox like an old cottage look for the living room side). We’re fairly confident that it’s easy to find marble tile, but even if we can’t we’re sure we can find something else that we love for that room :)

      xo
      s

  46. Avatar for MajaMaja says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:45 am

    Ha! Bend… and snap! Love it. :D

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:50 am

      Good ol’ John loves a bend & snap reference. Hahah!

      xo
      s

  47. Avatar for ScullyScully says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

    I came across this mantle project on Pinterest this morning and thought of you guys. It isn’t what you’re going for, but I still wanted to share the pretty. Those tiny mosaic tile? I’m swooning.
    http://www.theprojectgirl.com/2013/02/14/project-house-mantle-reveal/

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:50 am

      GAH!! It’s amazing! Love it so much. Thanks for sharing Scully!

      xo
      s

  48. Avatar for kara @ launching our life togetherkara @ launching our life together says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:47 am

    So pretty!

    Reply
  49. Avatar for Kelly NKelly N says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:51 am

    In the future, if you didn’t do it on this project, it might be quicker if you know how many tiles you need cut at a certain angle and cut them all in one trip (or at least more than one tile at a time).

    Rather than lay, measure, mark, leave to cut, return, repeat, you have everything you need already!

    Reply
    • Avatar for YoungHouseLoveYoungHouseLove says

      March 20, 2013 at 10:53 am

      SO SMART! We were afraid of miscalculating so we just worked as we went, but you’re right about that speeding things up if we did the math a few times to be sure before cutting :)

      xo
      s

  50. Avatar for karenkaren says

    March 20, 2013 at 10:52 am

    looking good!!

    Reply
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John and Sherry smiling against pink backgroundHey, we’re John & Sherry. We’ve fixed up 7 homes, written books, designed products, started a podcast, and then downsized & moved to the beach! Here you’ll find over 3,000 DIY projects & home updates. More about us…
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