I'm in the market for look alike marble tile. Have you seen this one in person? I've noticed many things look good in photos but less so IRL.

For your countertops I suggest a contrasting color. I like something dark such as green marble like Verde Antique or soapstone as a contrast. Maybe green marble is too busy and a calming soapstone with few veins will complement all the movement of your beautiful marble. We did our master bath with honed Imperial Danby marble floors with green verde antique accents and they look great together. I used medium gray grout on the floor - TEC silverado on my Calacatta floor in the guest bath and TEC dove gray on the Danby floor. Both are nice but the silverado is less likely to show dirt as it ages. I'll post a photo (as soon as I learn how to).

Thank you pllog! According to my admittedly limited research, white subway tiles were primarily what was used during 1913 (not colored tiles just yet), or else white or cream-colored wainscoting. I know the colorful tile was used on fireplace faces though, as is the case on ours - but I think the whole sterile kitchen and bathroom look was going on in 1913 (?). I know my house originally had it cause not only is 2x6 white subway tile in the original bathroom upstairs, but the previous owners, who I am friends with, remember it having been in the house at one time. The previous owner now in her 80's moved in with her parents in the '40's when she was a teenager. There was only one family that lived in the house before them, which is kind of neat to know. I'd love to find out more about them someday if possible. All that said, if I had the time further to obsess (I'm already taking LOADS of time away from my kids to obsess over every detail that I am already!), and the eye/confidence/creativity, or a designer, and the money, I'd do something much more fun and much more "me" in a NY heartbeat. But alas, I don't. Maybe someday. The following cut/paste link is to absolutely inspiring backsplashes, which you'd probably love: http://finishedbacksplashes2.blogspot.com/ It would be impossible for me to do if the tile were to get up to $100/SF. How did you come up w/ that calculation? Oh dear - I'd better do the math again! I was told that by going to a fabricator with big machinery, it wouldn't take that long at all for a back splash my size - but that was just one person who said that; he could have been wrong. One consideration for a backup plan for me has been white or off-white minibrick. I think with a non-matching grout - e.g. a noncommittal but darker sand color (sand having both tan and grey in it?), all those little lines would be more interesting w/ the stainless than the bigger subway tile (or, maybe that would also be the case w/ standard 2x6 tile w/ darker grout?). I wish I could find the link I've lost to ceramic minibrick (if that's the word for it) that's attractive to me. I imagine they didn't have that size in 1913 though (does anyone know?) but it's still a nice classic look. If I find it on my other computer I'll post it! I've looked at Thassos which does seem too white. The in-person samples of calcutta are too grey from a distance (I don't want it to match my stainless counter so precisely) but yes I have time to keep looking. I also still pine for the Walker Zanger lightly crackled and glazed 2x6 tile I was all excited about when I thought I would do a honed black counter. haven't ruled that out completely, but it's $25/SF. Thanks!

I guess my comment is most direct at Green Designs. There is no need to say it in the way she/he posted it. Predicting headlines and assuming a friend would not choose to wrk for me. Why does anyone even need to go there? I posted a question asking about variations in marble pattern. I have no issues with people pointing out it’s a natural material and that is what I get. That is what I was asking about and gives me an answer. Why does someone need to ask why I am not working with a certain person and it must be bc they don’t want to work with me. More than one person has pointed out that I should not worry about the variation bc I have bigger problems. That could also be brought to light in a better way. As I said, I am not doing the work. Why all this negative energy and jumping to make assumptions about my personal life. I spoke with more than one contractor who told me they appreciate us not working with our friend and they choose the same route bc it can lead to problems. I even felt the need to reach out to my friend and let him know we were doing the work and why we were choosing not to get a bid from him. My husband felt he may feel pressure to give us a discount and we wanted to respect that this is how he makes a living and not put that on him. Our friend walked me through the process of getting bids and has been available to answer questions. I am not someone who likes to post things publicly and this series of posts was my first time posting on houzz. I was nervous about putting myself out there to ask questions and expected some harsh works about being too not pick about the tile. I do think it’s unacceptable to make judgement about people’s personal lives and make character judgements.