Here is a close up of the different tiles...

Do you want the stove to be the focal point of the room? If so I would do it all in the mosaic. I like the mosaic colors in your kitchen, nice variety and texture but still subtle. Is the cost of the mosaic tiles a factor?

Maybe tile guy suggested that because it makes the job easier for him... Pick what you want, not what he wants.

I would definitely do the whole area behind the stove. But I, personally, like more modern stuff and am not a fan of the little framed "picture" above the ranges. Also, I really like that tile, and feel like an 18x24 piece of it just isn't enough!

If you do the entire area as your tile guy suggests, will you frame the sides of the mosaic with your trim pieces?

I don't know that the stove will be the focal point but it is the obvious place to do something to accent with the tile. I purchased enough of the mosaic to fill the whole spot if I chose to go that route. I'm just having a hard time picturing how it would look. :/

What rmiriam said : )

Honestly I would do the one that would be easy to clean, aesthetically I would go with the tile all the way, unless the trim you initially planned to do is also somewhere else in the kitchen. If it isn't anywhere else in the kitchen, or it does't tie any other elements from the kitchen into it, it might look a little awkward.

Here is a link that might be useful: Best Double Oven

I'm not a fan of the little featurette behind the range. To me it looks choppy, busy, and asked the area look squatty. I'd do the whole area or nothing. Personally, although I really like that mosaic, I'd leave it with the simple subs. With the bevel, they are enough interest and you've got a lot going on around the range area already with the pendants, stainless hood, angled corner upper, ovens so close, and valance on the left. Pretty counters!

Thank you for the replies!

Breezy - Do you see any way of using the mosaic at all? I was thinking of having it cut to about 5 rows of the the ovals and trying to use it some way. It wasn't a ton of money for the mosaic but if I don't use it at all it's a couple hundred dollars wasted.

The mosaic brings together all the colors beautifully which is why I chose it. The grey of my island and counters and even the bits of tan in my counters that I didn't particularly love. ;)

I am not a fan of the picture frame behind the range. I think the mosaic behind the range would look great.

I love the mosaic, and would do the entire area behind the cooktop. I disagree that it would be too busy, as your counters are calm and the cabinets, counter and subway tiles together read monotone. I think you need the visual interest for it not to be boring.

Why don't you use the trick of photocopying the mosaic and taping it up? That has to be one of the most brilliant ideas to come up on GW!

Is a "picture frame" above the range disliked because it would look dated soon?

I don't know about "dated," I just simply don't like the look. But if you really like it, do it. I still would mock it up to be sure you are sizing it appropriately.

If you really want to use the mosaic I would use it to tile the entire area behind the range. I preferred the cleaner look without multiple types of tiles on the backsplash, but I am a simple is more kind of gal. I think you have enough pretty elements going on in your kitchen that you don't need to call attention to the area behind the range. I would also not put a strip of that mosaic around the entire kitchen. That is also visually distracting to me, and most of it will be hidden with the items you are leaving out on your counter anyway.

I dislike the little boxed-in square of a different tile behind the range because I just think it's too busy. I also think it's pretentious and overdone. I am much more of a function oriented person, and a different tile boxed in behind the range, IMHO, serves no purpose. What is the point of it? Just to give you something interesting to look at? I personally don't find the area behind the range a place to which I want to draw attention. Using the mosaic behind your entire range would look better than just a little boxed-in section of it. I agree that it is a very pretty mosaic!

All of this is just my humble opinion, of course, but you asked. :) It's your kitchen, and you are doing a lovely job constructing it. If using that mosaic in a little box behind your range makes you happy, then you should do it!

Thank you purple pansies and Breezy! I appreciate your opinion and different takes on something I am overlooking. I think I have settled on not doing a little boxed in area but probably something with the moasic. My husband really wants it. The subways went up yesterday so today is my day to decide!

Totally agree with breezy, as Iv'e posted before- not a fan of the little pencil box at all, just do the entire area behind the range. I think it will look great!

Thanks, Michelle!

I've been playing around with these tiles and think I've finally come up with something. The pencil liners just weren't beefy enough to outline the area but I've worked the subways in with it and I think I've found a winner!

a progress pic...

Looks great, but what a tease! More progress today? Pics? (I have backsplash envy, you see. My kitchen has been functional with no bs for 15 months now. I happily cheer on anyone who is tiling or is about to do so.) :)

Another vote for filling the entire area between the stove and the hood with the mosaic. I think the picture frame is over done already and will look too, maybe expected.

Thanks again, Breezy! I don't think I could go that long without deciding on something! I am way too impatient for that! :)

Grr! The woman who I placed the order for my tile miscalculated on the amount of pencil liner I might need so the back splash is held up for 2 weeks while I wait for more! But I do love what I'm seeing thus far!

I'm with Breezy on all points.

This post was edited by island on Fri, Feb 22, 13 at 14:58