I like it...I also like the stairstep of the upper cabinetry and that you put the peninsula at an angle...adds great style to the space.

Wow. Stunning countertops!! Those are amazing. And I'm so glad to see another dark kitchen. Was starting to think I was the only one doing a new kitchen/build with dark cabs.

The tile looks like it works to me. But - and I love neutrals and have a hard time doing anything but gray, black, brown, cream, and white - I just wonder if you don't want a pop of color somewhere. I'd photoshop those tiles around the kitchen and see what you think because with another BS thread currently going on it sure made a difference in what I thought looked good.

I'm terrible with whose kitchen has what, but I love the one that has the accent tile going all the way to the ceiling around the range hood. Really striking. I'm sure everyone knows the kitchen I referring to. I guess I don't see tile going all the way up, but if you do an accent, maybe so.

Good luck with your decisions!

Yes. Like the tile!

cool counters!
I like the BS. Can you take another pic from far away with bs in the photo? Like your first photo?
The BS material evokes falling water over the stones of your counter. Or petrified wood . . .
Lovely!

BalTra, I'm glad you said that ("The BS material evokes falling water over the stones of your counter. Or petrified wood . . . ") as I've said the very same thing! The earthiness of the countertop demands an earthy tile, I think. And the reason I turned the lines vertically is probably to enhance the falling water or wood effect.

Not a good day for a picture of the whole kitchen as the trim around the ceiling and doors and things are going up and there is stuff everywhere.

WOW - what a cool countertop. What is that?

I like the tile a lot.

I think Beeps is referring to Catmom's kitchen with the striking bs. Sorry, I don't have the link handy on the iPad.

I love the tile and think it looks great with your fabulous countertops. I think it would really make a statement if you just used it vertically in your cooktop/ range area. I would run it between the cabinets all the way to the ceiling and just paint between your other cabinets and countertop. You could use Schluter systems edging along the sides. If you are concerned about the area behind you faucet and under your window sill not having tile maybe you could fill the space there with a piece of your granite.
Here is a picture tile just behind the cooktop and a close up of the edging I am talking about.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

MichelleDT: the granite is black and gold marinace. It's from Brazil, and is literally the bottom of an ancient riverbed.

The slab was polished when we saw it, and reflected a lot and looked like a wet riverbed. It almost looked like a photograph, like it wasn't real. I made the decision to have it brushed/leathered. If I'd had it honed, it would have dulled it, lost some of the color and definition. But going a step further to the brushed or leathered finish, the color is as rich as the polished stuff, but there is no glare. Plus, the brushing gives a tiny bit of definition to the granite when you run your fingers over it. The softer stone (in this case, the black volcanic basalt that flowed over all the pebbles in the riverbed) is brushed away a tiny bit more than the harder granite it encases. So you can feel a tiny bit of relief when you run your hands over it. Very subtle but very cool. Literally, people can't keep their hands off the countertop, lol. It doesn't show fingerprints like the polished finish and doesn't require as much sealing maintenance as the honed stones do, so it's a very practical decision.

Badgergal, I was looking at that edging yesterday as a good cap to the backsplash tile wherever we do decide to stop it. Thanks for the photo.

That counter is so cool!!!!!

Love it!!
Love your kitchen!!!
Zowie!!

I live the tile! What is it?

Ok, I Love the tile....

Tanajo, the tile is a porcelain called Bambu Grigio. it also comes in a darker, charcoal gray, and light cream, and a beige. All four colors went with our granite, but the charcoal would make the kitchen too dark, the beige would match our white oak floors too much, and the lighter gray that I picked won out because it worked best with the stainless steel sinks and appliances. Comes in a 12x24, a 3x12 bullnose, and a 1.5x3 mosaic.

we have similar hood and decided to go to the ceiling with the tile there.
Here's a pic

LOVE the counter top!! The tile for the backsplash looks fantastic with it!! And definetly run it vertical!

Ohhhhh-me likey! My in laws have palladio granite which is red with chunks of rocks in it. You'll have a fun time looking at each and every rock. In time, you'll find a favorite. In their palladio, there is a green rock that looks JUST like a slice of avocado!

Marcy, thanks for the picture. It looks great. I don't know if I would have thought to take the BS up through the crown molding, but it looks great.

Bahacca: there is one gray rock in the bar area with a very clear white "Z" in it. We have been joking that Zorro was here! It's great fun looking at all the different features in the countertop.

I just got an ipad and am trying to figure out which photo edit app will let me color in the backsplash area with a sample of the tile I'm considering. That was a great suggestion, beeps.

love love the tile with your countertops!

just a follow up question - when you're tiling up and around the hood - what goes first, the hood, or the tile? seems it might be hard to tile around the hood. this will be my issue in a month or so!

I think you tile first, hood later, so the hood sits on top of the tile.