At the designer showcase for Sunset Magazine's Celebration Weekend, Dana Smith of Dadascope predicted that these cement tiles from LA-based Kismet Tiles could become a "Heath-killer," giving our much-loved tiles from Heath Ceramics some healthy competition. After ogling these beautiful, bold-colored, geometric tiles for myself, I think I can find room in my heart — and in my kitchen — for both.

Q: I am looking for help finding a rug for my kitchen, in front of our sink. I'd like it to be absorbent rather than plastic or rubber, to catch the water that drips down when we wash dishes. It should be fairly stain resistant or machine washable. And lastly, I want something that has some grip on the bottom, so I don't have to use a rug pad. 

Q: I'm getting to the age where standing at the counter making dinner for very long starts to give me lower back pain. My doctor recommended getting a restaurant floor mat or gel mat. Do these really work? Can anyone recommend a good one?

Sent by Joyce

I recently moved into a new apartment, and my head is spinning with everything I want to do to make the space my own. I'm especially focused on the kitchen, and plan on painting the room in the next couple of weeks. But while picking a color might seem like the main focus, choosing the right paint finish is equally important, especially when you're dealing with a high-traffic, high-grime place like the kitchen. If you're looking to paint your kitchen, the best paint finish choice is...

Q: I am looking to purchase terracotta-look tiles, probably porcelain, as I hear they are a much better way to go than terracotta tiles. I like the look of the tiles in the kitchen pictured. Can you or your readers help me find tile like this?

Sent by Alyson

Teruko's kitchen renovation is one of the most colorful we've seen! This Culver City, California kitchen was dark and outdated before, but after adding three skylights, a large window, and an incredible Mexican tile wrap-around mosaic, this kitchen is now a bright, colorful, one-of-a-kind space. See the transformation below:

Clé is a tile lover's dream. This online tile store specializes in unique, artistic tiles —they have a whole Artist Series featuring small-batch tiles from a curated selection of artisans, designers, and sculptors — as well as tiles they deem "design classics." It's a lovely collection overall, with some very unusual designs and textures, including tiles that resemble wood grain ends, and tiles made from recycled stainless steel!

We've shared our love for garbage bowls before, but that devotion may only be because we don't have this: a trash chute built right into the countertop! The idea behind a garbage bowl is to have somewhere to toss yours scraps while you're cooking, so how convenient to be able to just slide them into a hole and send them right into the trash or compost bucket below!

If you followed along with Faith's kitchen renovation, you already know about Semihandmade, the LA-based company that makes custom fronts to fit IKEA kitchens. She said ordering from them was "the single best decision" she made through her entire kitchen renovation process. High praise indeed! If you're new to this company, here's what you need to know:

The under-the-sink area can be pretty dreadful. It's cramped and hard to keep tidy — which is also why it's the perfect spot to install a pull-out drawer.