WOW! I love the accent tile you chose with that granite! And your cabinets are beautiful too. You must be very pleased with how everything is falling into place.

I think it is really pretty and blends so well with your granite. Nice job! Maybe this was an easy decision for you because it looks so well together?

Thumbs up, for sure! That will look fantastic!!

I like the concept, but what you might do is cut the number of accent rows down to two, and center them in the diagonal part of the field. Based on that being an 18" backsplash, that would mean setting the accent band about 6" above the square set bottom course. Which means, in a perfect world, you'd have your square bottom course, a FULL diagonal course (with half tile fillers, of course), your accent strip, and then just about another FULL diagonal course on top of it!! It'd work just about perfect, if your space is 18". Even if it isn't, and you have to make the top course just a little less than full and halves, it will never be noticed just below the cabinets.

too much busy. Colors, cuts, lines.
You already have busy look in your granite. Enough for me.

I think Bill really nailed it. The 3rd row would feel "heavy" to me. A thinner accent would read more whimsical, esp with the diagonal tiles. You are using a lot of stone which can come across as very serious.
I would even mock up with just 1 row of accents, just for the heck of it.

If she uses 1 row of accents, then the layout won't work. She needs the two rows.

UNLESS--

she does the square row on the bottom, a row of accent, the first row of diagonal and halves, then another row of accent, and then the last row of diagonal.

I think I still like my first idea better. ESPECIALLY as an installer!! LOL

Your tile, and accent tiles, really match good with your granite. Really like it.

I think it will look very pretty, but it may be helpful to see the design behind stove first. Can you post that?

Looks very nice - all the colors work so well together. My only concern would be that the accent tiles might be too busy with your beautiful granite. What is the name of your granite, by the way? Your kitchen is looking just gorgeous!

At the risk of going against the majority, I don't like the accent tiles. I think they are too busy, but more importantly, I don't think they add anything to your gorgeous kitchen. Can you post what's going behind the stove?

I so appreciate everyone chiming in. I took some pictures of 2 rows. I placed these where there was an outlet so you can see the placement. I had them put the outlets higher and on the horizontal because I was afraid they would cut off any accent row we did. (just in case the looked funny to anyone. Also here is the piece for behind the range.

thanks!
Allie

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I am sorry that I can't offer and opinion. I have a hard time visualizing backsplashes. Do you have the same granite on the island as the rest of the kitchen? They look different to me. The colors are a great match as far as tone goes.

Can you share the name of the tiles? I was thinking of the same colors for my kitchen (it is all about me and my kitchen..right?), but with a different pattern.

The island granite is called Bosa Nova and hte perimeter is Crema Bordeaux. Apparently the same quarry, but different patterning.
The tiles are World, sturgis series, Custer. I tried in vain to find it online, but couldn't. However when at another tile store I mentioned it and they pulled it out immediately. Apparently it is fairly cheap. An unintentional plus.

Allie

I personally would keep the backsplash quieter. Too much pattern. Having tiles on the diagonal somehow fights the floor pattern where the pattern is all gridded on right angles. I find that jarring. I would keep the backsplash all squares on a grid with may-be a couple rows of accent if you must.

You have to pick what is going to be the focal point, and you have three of them so far in the granite, the painted tile and the backsplash accents.

With that countertop and that fancy design behind the stove you have a lot of WOW things going on. And there is such a thing as too much wow.

I vote for just plain or diagonal set cream tiles, very plain to let the rest of the stuff do the "look at me" parts.

I'm assuming you're asking for honest opinions rather than just clapping.

Don't like. Any of it.

You've chosen granite with a lot of movement, which is beautiful, and then paired it with floor tiles that also have natural movement. The colors you selected for your tiles do fit, and I think that's most of what you're focusing on. But you're ignoring the repetition of mottled blotch (couldn't think of a better word, I don't really consider your granite "blotchy" but you know what I mean) after mottled blotch after mottled blotch. In other words, each element you've chosen has a similar pattern of clouds or sponge painting to it. It's just too much, for me. I would think about a different approach for the backsplash.

Just my $.02. Obviously, I'm reacting only to photos, so this may not be an issue in person.

Any suggestions for a direction at this point? I can see the need to calm. any good inspiration pictures for a plain backsplash? boxerpups?

Allie

I think sometimes because we only get to do a kitchen once we want to incorporate as much as possible and forget that sometimes less is more.

I see how you're trying to use the accent tile to pick up the darker tones in the granite. On paper certainly a good idea however in your kitchen ... not so much.

What I would do is stick with the field tiles (or any other understated field tiles you can find) in a simple pattern and bring in the drama over the stove.

I agree with marcolo and padola.

I would use a larger tile for the backsplash maybe a 12x12 or 18x18 on the diagonal of very light travertine. Tile all the surfaces up to the ceiling including above the windows and to the right of the fridge. The idea is to make a plain backsplash. The granite is so gorgeous that you dont want to compete with it.

Then bring drama behind the range with a marble mosaic such as this

Less is more as they say. That granite is gorgeous! I would let that be the focal point. Try to think five, ten years, twenty years down the road of looking at these items everyday for hours. It kind of changes your perspective on things! My blue formica was lovely when it was intstalled 20 years ago. Now I'm ready to take a hammer to it! Put your money in something timeless. You can always go crazy with design elements that are easier to change.

In my humble opinion, I like what you chose, even the three stripes. It's a stronger accent, but you get a better play of color with three stripes than two. I think a stronger accent does better against the "miles of cabinet" effect. Also, at least in my kitchen, there are ten thousand things that absolutely have to live on the countertop which will break it up and vie for attention. Put the coffeemaker in front of the sample and stare some more. As for the range area, what is the hood like? Does the design get toned down by its shadow?

I agree with the less is more crowd. The colors are nice, but I think the accent tiles are distracting. I would think classic subway tile in a creamy shade.

The piece you've chosen for behind the range is gorgeous! I would let that and your beautiful granite be the focal point. The horizontal accent tiles give a more contemporary feel, while the rest of your kitchen, especially the "behind the range" tiles, are traditional. What kind of tiles are the painted tiles? Can you find those tiles in a plain 4x4 and use those for the backsplash. Maybe just put in a accent bronze fleur-de-lis tile scattered in the field tiles.

Lots of contradictory opinions. I hope another doesn't just overwhelm you. My 2cents: I like the granite and the floor and though I agree they are both "blotchy" cloud like patterns, they are different enough to work together. And I think you've done a great job with the backsplash choices. Whether you do as Bill V suggests or closer to your original vision, the field tiles are plain enough to be soothing and the small rectangulars pick up the granite colors but in a nice tidy geometric way that plays well with the blotchiness of the granite and floor patterns.

For me, the deco tiles behind the stove fight with the rest of the kitchen, however. They have a very different feel from the rest of your choices and I think it's one too many "different" things. My alternative suggestions: Continue the regular backsplash pattern through behind the range. Or do a variation on it behind the range...make a larger rectangle of the small colored rectangles or a simple geometric shape using the same tiles in a somewhat larger size. Something like that anyway.