Here's a kitchen with a marble slab between windows. The range is bigger than my 30 inch one, possibly twice the size. The slab looks grand. Especially because it is horizontal.
{{!gwi}}
Now image a very narrow slab behind a range like this going to the ceiling. I think this range is about 30 inches. The slab would be 5 ft tall by 30 inches wide. The slab would look dinky, right?
{{!gwi}}

In that bottom picture, I actually think a slab would have looked better than the subway does, even when using the subway under the other cabinets. A slab is one big unit, and would have more presence than a lot of little tiles. Those subways under the hood in the second picture just don't seem to have any impact to me, and the pot filler looks like it's floating.

Marcolo, it is an eensie, weensie square of subways. Makes me wonder if I need to do the whole wall.

Has anyone seen white tile with dark grout behind the hood?

I think invisible grout looks better with light countertop and visible with dark countertop -- with the dark counter softens the contrast and with the light blends it as one.

My take on the darker grout is that I like it with the marble backsplash, the picture with the black range in the corner, because it ties in with the grey color in the tile. I think it would work if it were a lighter grey. With the white tiles, it might lean towards looking dingy. My preference is for the white grout and thin lines.

Now I am starting to worry that a narrow column of tile on the focal area (only 30" wide) is going to shrink the kitchen and make it look narrower. (Especially if it is darker than anything else in the room.)

It might be better with paint behind hood and tile below hood to emphasize horizontal lines. What do you think? (My sketch is dispeoportional.)

Here's another one I think is 30 inches. Doesn't the narrow strip narrow the room?
{{!gwi}}

I can't comment on which marble I like, but....

I like the invisible grout-why? because (this sounds dumb) the darker grout always makes the tile look like teeth to me.

I think a slab that runs vertically behind the range, and up to the ceiling, would make the space look taller.

Is there the possibility of doing a slab, and then the same type of marble in subways around the rest of the room? Or even small rectangle marble tiles around the rest of the area? I'm thinking something like a 1x6 (?) or variable sizes.

Look at Robinst's kitchen pictures for the small marble pieces. I know there was a massive hunt for these tiles in the US, someone did find them, here is the link with that information if you are interested.

Where to get Robinst's tiles:
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg021312084132.html

Here is a link that might be useful: robinst's kitchen

The one think I don't like is the random. It's too modern for me.

Here is a kitchen with tiny tile on nonfocal areas and bigger tile on focal walls.

{{!gwi}}

I am seriously, seriously overwhelmed.

I can completely understand being overwhelmed. Where are you in the kitchen process? Are you at planning, ordering, demo, install? Maybe it would help to wait until everything is installed and you'd get a clearer vision? Not that it's helped me any, but maybe it would help you. Just a thought!

I am sorry if you have already considered this and have moved on, but have you considered doing a stainless backsplash under the hood and tiling everywhere else? It would tie in the range and hood and sorta make them look like one unit. Your wall is already broken up with the long windows so if you use stainless it would bring them together.

If you are set on tile then my vote would be either non beveled white with invisible grout or the carrara subway with invisible grout everywhere to give a cohesive, elongated look.

IMHO I would do a single slab of Calacatta, or other large-veined marble, up to the range hood.

I think subways will be too mincing and fragmented-looking. You need one piece of simple impact in such a small space. You can use subways elsewhere.

Altagirl, sorry I forgot to mention the range is white. There is no stainless in my kitchen.

I can't use white grout because the walls and cabinets and hood are white because the hood would disappear.

30 inches is such a narrow little teensy sliver of marble....

Does anyone know the color of the kitchen that honeysucklevine posted? It looks perfect for me. Greyish green??

If I use 6x6 white tile with grout it will look like this (except with white range and hood). Note the narrow space strip behind range. What do you think?

{{!gwi}}

Version with backsplash ending below hood. Horizontal line instead of vertical.

{{!gwi}}

Does anyone think the 30" narrow strip of marble idea is a mistake or does everything think it is brilliant?

I agree with marcolo ... just don't run it all the way to the ceiling. That makes it more square rather than a long tall rectangle.

I prefer grout the same shade or lighter than the tile. At most, a shade darker is OK. But noticeably darker grout reminds me of the dark grout used in fast food places so it doesn't show the dirt.

If the hood "disappeared" because you used white grout, wouldn't the make the room look more spacious? The hood would be visible against the lightest gray.

I don't think I like 6x6 for that space. Maybe 4x4, though I think rectangular tiles would "widen" the 30" space.

have you considered mosaics? they would "blend" together and look like 1 cohesive statement. Maybe 1"X2"'s or mini mosaics?

Possibly 1x2s, but they might be too trendy for me.

Segbrown, do you mean a square of marble 30x30 inches?

Riverspots, I don't know what you mean. I want the hood to show up so I am only considering: white tiles with dark grout, marble with either visible or invisible grout, or paint behind the hood (off white paint).

If I use white tiles with dark grout, do you think 4x8 or 3x6 is better?

The 1st and 2nd pictures have 4x8 and I am pretty sure the 4th has 3x6s.

Not necessarily exactly 30 in. square, but not all the way to the ceiling. Just to the hood, somewhere that looks pleasing to the eye.

they have marble mosaics. They come 3/4"X3/4", 3/8"X3/8". You might want to take a look. I just don't know that if you go with a 3X6, or a 4X8, that you'll get enough tiles in there to make an impact. If you only have 30" in length, you'll get about 5 tiles across with a 3X6 and less than 4 tiles across with a 4X8. I don't think that's very many.

Segbrown, to the bottom of the hood is exactly 30x30 with no crown on the hood. I haven't gotten the dimensions on hood crown so if we assume it is 3 inches then a marble rectangle 30 wide by 27 high.

Malhgold, that is exactly what I am wondering (if number of tiles will look bad on the focal wall). Do you think I need to tile the whole wall?

If the sketch you posted above is accurate, it doesn't look like you have alot of wall space on either side of the windows. If this is the case, I would say no, do not tile the whole wall. Tile behind the range and then under the cabinets.

It is inches from the window to the door.

Now that I think about it, maybe it is better not to have that trim going to the ceiling on the windows. Maybe the windows are too narrow (21" is entire width of windows including wood trim). What do you think?

How would you finish the windows without trim?!?

As I said, I would do one square of Calacatta or similar, and subways under the cabinets.

Instead of a square of marble, you could also do a big-impact mosaic, by which I mean one single pattern or image that reads as a whole.

You do not have enough wall space for little strips of tile to read as a surface.

How would you finish the windows without trim?!?

- I would continue either the wall paint or tile.

So even though one side of the kitchen has a long run of cabinets, there isn't enough room to do tile on the narrow side unless I tile the whole wall?

Am I supposed to repeat my suggestion a specific number of times, or infinitely? LOL.

You seem to want to tile the wall. So tile it.

Oops, I meant to say 2 inches from the window frame to the door.

First I would decide what you want to do behind the range. If you decide tile, at that point you can figure out if you want to tile the entire wall or not. you can still do tile on the narrow side without tiling the entire wall. Do you have any actual photos instead of sketches. Do you have a sketch of the entire space instead of just that one wall?

Has anyone seen a picture of a kitchen with a tiny slab of marble under a 30" hood?

Now I understand why people have so much trouble deciding on a backsplash.

That's not a tiny slab! Tiny on a counter, but big on a wall!

I can't help much, but I appreciate all the pictures you've compiled for me. :)

I HAVE seen (and in fact installed) white tile with darker grout under a 30" hood. It was standard 3x6" handmade subways and I was trying to match the concrete-colored grout you see in older applications. It was an older home and it seemed appropriate. Plus it didn't show dirt. But I think it would be too bold for your square--I had it continuing around.

Fori, do you have pictures of it?

I looked. Got distracted by baby pictures (awwwww) but couldn't find any kitchen shots because it was a few computers ago and there aren't many old photos on my machine. I know I have some somewhere though--I'll see if the spouse knows. Of course it'll probably have a baby in the shot...

Back to the tiles then,

Does anyone else agree with Marcolo that the calcutta gold tiles have a spotty look in an unpleasant way and are less desirable than carrera?

Just curious...have you been to a tile store to see what's out there? It might help for you to see all these tiles in person and bring home some samples. What one person might consider spotty and blotchy might be what another person likes. Plus, each "lot" of tiles would be different. Also, if you're considering a slab behind the range, get a 12"X12" sample of marble and put it back there to see if you like that look instead of subways.

I have samples at home.

I don't mind a light grey grout with white/light tile so that each tile is a little bit distinguished, but I would not go darker. I think the grid pattern looks too busy. if you want a white tile don't you want a more uniform look, anyway?

How about a square slab of marble with distinct strongly horizontal gray veining, and gray paint on the wall to contrast the white hood?

I like the carrera much better than the calcutta gold. Also, I hate to say this, but I grew up in NYC and rode the subways for many years and the white subway tiles with the dark grout just remind me of the dirty white subway tiles in the NYC subway system! That's just me, sorry! You still need to do what you love!

If I go with white tile, the grout will be dark.

Does anyone agree with Marcolo that calacatta gold is splotchy looking and therefore less desirable than carrera?

Any opinions on 2x4 white tile with dark grout?

I think a 2X4 with dark grout is going to look really busy.

Sigh...and it comes in a mesh so it is easier to grout. Ok, easily eliminated, can stick with the 3x6s.

Malhgold, would you please bump my other thread about the Modernaire hood? I need to buy it asap but don't feel comfortable about the finish.

Now focusing on either completely white marble or pale marble body color with pale streaking. Any suggestions? (All my samples of marble have medium to dark toned streaks.) One idea is pillowed thassos like Mindimoo, but I dont have a picture.

Is it my imagination or did my thread about choosing the finish of the Modernaire hood crown disappear?

Does anyone have a picture of Mindimoo's backsplash?

Here's the best one I have online:

It's AKDO Thassos 3" x 6" beveled brick, purchased through Pental in Seattle. Hope this helps! Sorry for the delay, I'm not on here much these days!