took me a couple of years, then I tore it out, lol. I feel your pain....

Pictures please! Typhoon bord is on my very short list of granites and our cab's are cherry-ish! Thank you-and I am sure everything is gorgeous in your kitchen!

I, too, got my backsplash in and HATED it. Installed, it didn't look ANYTHING like I thought it would. I had chosen a small mosaic mix of glass and stone that was way too busy and it competed badly with the granite. I had brown paper covering the granite during the backsplash installation, and when I took it off, I was shocked at how terrible it looked. When I woke up the next morning, I knew that there was no sense grouting the job ... it had to come out. A complete waste of time and money to be sure, but I knew that I hated it and that was not going to change. I definately made the right decision and am very, very happy that I didn't waste time trying to make myself like something that I hated. I removed it immediately ... cement only gets harder with time.

This post was edited by jellytoast on Fri, Mar 22, 13 at 10:56

Tile looks completely different after grouting.

Grouting can't change a bad decision into a good one.

Sleep on it. You can always rip it out later.

I have been going through similar motions every day this week. By the end of each business day, I hated my kitchen the way it was turning out. I questioned every choice I make. I wanted to post a vent here every single nigh asking for help (or comforting), LOL. Then I spent most of each evening in the kitchen trying to get used to it. By each morning, I was OK with it - so far, at least.

And IME, grouting may change the way it looks. It did for my master bath.

Waiting for pix...

I know how you feel. I really dislike my backsplash also. I have decided to work with it for now by changing some other things and being creative. Then.... we'll see. If I still don't like it, out it comes. I like simple and I haven't seen anything else I think would work. Hopefully yours is not as bad as you think. If you can post a picture. You can get great advise here.

I have an especially hard time getting used to anything new. If I can get past the first few weeks where I want to impulsively change it just because I'm not used to it, I usually mellow. Not always though... DH just painted our guest room for the third time and our main bathroom is on color #4. (#5 will be the charmer, I'm sure!) On the other hand, I am still as in love with my living room as I was the day we finished it. I am sure it is fine and will harmonize the more you live with it but it can also be changed if you still feel this way after a while.

MsMaryMac, my advice would be to live with it for a week or two and then reevaluate. I am in the process of renovating our kitchen and more often than not I second guess my choices of material and design, but I find as the days go by I'm not as critical of the outcome and am getting used to the look. I know from my own experience I was expecting a picture perfect magazine kitchen. I'm not so sure these exist in real life where we don't have the benefit of filtered lenses and perfect lighting and staging. Perhaps if you share your pictures you can get some reassurance or resolutions from the GW group. I bet it looks better than you think, as they say sometimes we can be our worst critics.

MsMaryMac,
You are not alone! I chose an off-white plain subway tile for my backsplash, custom order, and the tile came in a full shade darker, maybe even a shade and half darker. Now that it is installed, when the lights are on at night, it looks beige, not off-white and I am soooo disappointed. It doesn't match the sample at all. It has been 6 months since installation and I have still not learned to like it. I am trying to figure out what to do.
Ripping it out and starting over would be good except for the cost!
Do post a picture of yours and let us see. Maybe it isn't as bad as you think!

I wonder if MsMaryMac is MIA because there is a backsplash being torn out.

Thanks for the replies GW friends! It's now day two and the grout is now dried. It definitely lightened up from the wet brown look. I actually woke up at 3am thinking about that "darn backsplash"! I often consume myself worrying about such petty things. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only who has experienced this. Maybe 10 years from now I will rip it out and start anew. I just can't fathom spending over $1200 dollars again so soon. The mosiac glass is from Arizona Tile called Harvest. And the tile is a limesone called Romania.

So sorry, don't know how to post several pictures in one message. Does anyone know how to do that?

It's not that bad. I would have left out the glass tiles, but otherwise, I think it's fine.

And one more, close up :)

What the hell are you complaining about? From the way you were talking, I was expecting a nude mosaic portrait of Rihanna. It's perfectly fine.

That granite is gorgeous!!!! *LOVE*

it looks pretty good to me. the backsplash in general looks fairly neutral. i think your granite is still the star and the small glass mosaic matches it really well. I wouldn't worry about it. you probably just are tired and second-guessing yourself.

I like the consistency in a silver-gray tone that I see running through
- the granite
- the backsplash tile
- the glass mosaic

Are your appliances stainless?

I bet that silver-gray tone looks great near them, with the mosaic providing the strongest tone tie-in.

I like it. I bet from a distance it still looks great since from a distance looking at your kitchen, the prominent surface would be the vertical; the backsplash, and the gray / silver in the mosaic would blend with the stainless in your appliances.

Okay, I had myself all braced for BS hell but I didn't find it! You know, it may not be all you had hoped for in terms of making your granite the star, but this looks pretty darn cohesive from my computer screen. It might even grow on you, now that you are recovering from the trauma of BS shock.

There is coffee all over my iPad marcolo!

I think it's fine too! It "goes" beautifully, the glass accent is a lovely touch. It isn't remotely unattractive. I suspect this will grow on you very soon.

For two pictures, don't you just copy and paste one HTML right after the other? Unless it's changed in the last few months, that's what I do.

Lovely backsplash... I too thought it would not match or be gosh-awful, but it's really very nice! Neutral, doesn't detract from your granite and once you get accessories and the every day stuff up there (coffee makers, towels, etc), it'll all work out great. Matches wonderfully.

Whew! Breathing a sigh of relief-your choices are lovely. Makes me want to put a deposit on typhoon bordeaux granite today! Thank you!

Your backsplash looks very nice. Now relax and enjoy it!

I think your backsplash is beautiful! It always takes a while to get used to new things - your eye has to adjust to the new color scheme. I really like it because it has a a range of subtle colors and a range of textures too that makes for an interesting splash.

I am sad because I have almost the similar backsplash and accent tile and I have been thinking it was very nice:(

I hope mine looks that bad, lol! I think it's lovely, though maybe IRL it doesn't match as well as on the screen? Once you put everything back in the kitchen and on the counter I bet it will not stand out as much and you will love it. I don't think it takes away from the granite at all, and it ties your colors together beautifully.

I think your backsplash is beautiful and I love everything about it. The neutral tiles complement the mosaic and it all works beautifully with your countertops and cabinets. My Mother would say, the mosaic is like putting lipstick on a beautiful woman and I agree!

From your post I thought you had created a horror. There are so many posts here where there's a gal asking how you like this tile with this granite and I want to write "lady are you blind, nuts or both!!!" I'm the queen of "it's going to be too busy", or "it's going to be too much pattern", and your backsplash is beautiful with your granite. I don't like a lot of pattern myself, but all the elements work beautifully together. You should be proud of it, not upset!

Like with a new haircut, the eye needs time to adjust. You are used to seeing it one way, and all of a sudden it's now something else. You did a great job, and now enjoy your new, beautiful kitchen.

PLEASE guys. Speak up when you see someone comtemplating a REAL horror of a combination. So many of us are polite, but some choices I can't even look at here! Your's is lovely...Really!!!

Remember people! Friends don't let friends install horrendous counter and backsplash combinations...LOL!

I agree with the others that your splash is far from "hideous" ... the limestone is very neutral, and the colors of the mosaic band coordinate nicely. Perhaps it didn't turn out the way you saw it in your mind's eye, but it is still lovely. It looks great!

I think you just have to get used to it. I would personally like it better without the accent, but it all looks great together. What is the plain tile? That would look great with a lot of granites.

The only thing ugly in your pictures, MsMary, are those white outlet covers :) change those, will you please, before I have another vicarious backsplash panic attack!

I have to agree with many other posters that the BS looks wonderful - especially with the counters. Love the handles on the upper cabs. I have the same! How about a kitchen reveal???

What really bothers me is when the undertones clash, and your photos #1 and 3 look like they have the same undertone. I think the mosaic is perfect and adds to the cohesion, though I know some here are anti-accent. Good job!

I think your backsplash is nice. Give it a few more days to get used to it. The grout will probably lighten up a little more. We have a very similar backsplash without an accent. I agree with the suggestion to change the white switch plate covers. Love Typhoon Bordeaux granite. Please share pictures of the rest of your kitchen.

I think it looks perfect.

I don't think it is bad looking, per se, but what you may be seeing is the blending of the similar colors between the granite (really nice BTW) counter and the backsplash. If it had more of a contrasting (but complimentary) color, it may have popped more.

Did your electrician run out of covers or something? That is what draws my attention the most.

Its perfectly fine, and I am a person who has no problems telling an internet-stranger when something is really off. The haircut analogy is perfect; live with it a while.

I will echo the comment about getting some new outlet covers; almond would work. There is also a firm that will make ones from stone tiles, at a price.

We could probably fill several message board threads with examples of BS/Counter mismatches (taken from real estate photos and maybe even Houzz).

Slightly OT, but does anybody know where I can get a tile mosaic of a nude Rhianna?

Marcolo, how dare you criticize the nude mosaic portrait of Rihanna that we just installed in our backsplash?!?!? Who are you to judge?!?! Different strokes for different folks, right?!?

We used iridescent glass tiles in various shades of brown, and the iridescence gives it a sort of mystical feel, like "nude Rihanna as a mermaid." But my husband wanted something more manly, so we compromised by framing the Rihanna portrait with 4x4 square tiles made of used tire tread. I think it came out pretty nice.

:)

MsMary - I was expecting something horrific from your description. (And how am I missing the nude? Sorry - at this time we all need some laughs)
I think you need to give it some time and then make a decision.
I agree on the outlet covers - I think it will help.
Hang in there..

Have to agree with nearly all of the above posters! I think that perhaps what is putting you off is the linear pattern of the limestone and the glass mosaic tiles against the swirly pattern of the granite (which is gorgeous, and actually looks quite similar to the Aran cream I just picked for my BR). Sort of like wearing a striped top with a paisley skirt. The colours are OK, but something isn't quite perfect. However, saying that, it certainly isn't so bad that I would even contemplate taking it out and starting over. Once you place all 'your stuff' back on the counters, your eye won't be so drawn to what you are perceiving as not the ultimate vision you had. I think it's actually really helpful for people to see this, and then perhaps rethink how they might plan a backsplash with a busy granite. To be honest, when I scroll through pictures of finished kitchens, I think the BS is the area where most people miss the mark. But that's only my opinion, and full disclosure, it took me over 3 years of living with a painted backsplash until I found the perfect one (and who knows, maybe not everyone else thinks it's wonderful, but I do).

Thanks everyone for the reassurance! I'm slowly getting used to the BS. It didn't quite turn out the way I imagined, but I think I'll eventually adjust. I fall in love with my TB over and over. Funny, it was actually my third choice and we only selected it because it came in the length we needed without having to do a seam. BTW, I'm taking a trip to HD today for those almond colored outlets! Electrician coming out tomorrow for undercab lighting.

Incidentally, since we loved the mosaic nude Rhianna so much, decided to do one in the master bath. :)

I'm wondering if you're seeing a mismatch because the gold tones in the granite aren't in the BS at all, just the gray and tan tones? Personally, I don't consider it a mismatch. The mosaic tiles do, however, have amber tiles which connect the two surfaces, and I really like it.

Photos: if you using the "image file upload" at the top of the post box, then, yes, you can only do one at a time. If you want to post multiple of your own photos, you need to use Photobucket or another photo storage site.

Only get almond covers if the outlets are almond. They might be ivory, which is what they actually look like on my monitor.

I think that backsplash combo is the same one I saw when I was in Arizona Tile the other day. A lady was there with her decorator and they had the two out on the counter and it caught my eye- I really like it. I hope you grow to love it.

I agree with the other posters. It actually looks pretty nice. The colors seem to complement each other well. I too would recommend a different outlet cover.

. . . what blondelle said. . . !!

lovely...as use commences your concerns will seem trivial and then you'll stop worrying and enjoy the space more and more.

I think you did a fabulous job integrating all of the patterns and colors together.
I was trying to figure out what you were seeing and the only thing I could think of was, the glass tiles are square and the subway tile is longer and the granite has rivers of color running through it. They are different dimensions but they blend beautifully! The colors in the glass tiles pick up all the colors in the granite. The subway tile is subdued and lets the granite be the star.
All in all, you have managed to do what few people have and that's coordinate counters and backsplash so they melt into each other. well done!