I can't resist telling you how beautiful I think your kitchen is!

I'm afraid I can't help with the backsplash decision, though. All the options you suggest sound good, but the reservations you have about each choice make me unable to vote for a particular one, too.

Here's a question that may help decide. What's happening in the area where you're standing taking the picture? Is it a dining area or family room? I guess what I'm wondering is, what colors/textures are in view from the kitchen? That may help point you in a specific direction.

Your kitchen is gorgeous!

Personally, I think a mini brick slate would look great! There are many color choices and it would continue with your "natural" theme. You could always add a decorative tile of glass or ceramic as an accent.

Also, I don't think you have to "match" your beautiful pottery as it could be the focal point of the kitchen. Just my 2 cents!

Good Luck and enjoy your gorgeous new kitchen!

Holligator: What a lovely kitchen? I would like to know how long and wide your island is and how you decided to use 3 pendants over it (as opposed to 2 or 4). Thanks!
try_hard

So beautiful!

I think I agree with luvnola, if you went with something like a slate mini brick it would naturally compliment your already beautiful kitchen. This way you could accessorise with your gorgeous pottery. (So one is not competing with the other). I'm sure whatever you choose will be lovely.

oh I can't believe you're THAT done!! and I'm only a week or so behind you..eeek!! It looks soooo great.

anyway, what if you keep it very simple and let your pottery act as the color for the room? I love polish pottery myself, it's got so much life to it. Especially if the pottery will be on display at some of the backsplash areas it essentially becomes your backsplash - does that make sense?

and for trim - I've seen it both ways and I can't really say which way I like better...continuing the cabinet trim is really a good choice because to me it locks the two sides together. On the other hand, using the regular trim from the rest of the room to me would open it up. I think it's all your choice. I'm leaning towards cabinet trim though.

I have no words of wisdom for you, but have to say that it looks terrific so far!

Hmmm, I do like the idea of slate mini bricks, especially if I can find something light enough. To answer your questions...

amck: I'm standing in the dining area taking those pics (or what will be the dining area once I get my new table). In the top pic, I'm near the door to the left in my layout (the doorway to the foyer). In the bottom pic, I'm near the door at the bottom left (the doorway to my living room). Both areas are all wood (floors and wall), so lots more of the "natural" material feel.

try_hard: My island is 7.5' long and 3.5' wide. My goal was to get as much countertop as I could possible fit in my space (I was seriously countertop-deprived in my old kitchen). My reason for settling on three pendants is a silly one, I guess. I just prefer odd numbers in design features like that. I did also find a set of lighting guidelines somewhere (wish I could remember where) that helped me determine that three was a good choice.

Thanks for the suggestions (would love to hear more) and for the compliments, too. We are so pleased with how everything has turned out so far. It really is exactly what I pictured, and it amazes me every time I think about that.

I also have mostly stained wood with soapstone, and went with a simple subway tile backsplash. This one's Walker Zanger's Gramercy Park line with the painted deco liner for interest.

If you want to pull in your Polish Pottery, I bet you can find some complementary tiles and work them in as accents without detracting from the 'natural' look of your space.

It looks great. I think I'd use the crown that matches the rest of the room and not the cabinets but either would work. It's just my preference.

I think something simple to stay with the natural understated look would be nice for a backsplash. Nothing to upstand the cabinets and soapstone. Then the pottery would be the focal point but not competing with the backsplash.

To the OP: Your kitchen is really coming together! It looks great! It appears that we have similar color & texture issues in the cabinets & floor. With such natural materials, I think the challenge is to stay natural without going so quiet as to be completely boring. We had the challenge of a stone floor plus different stone above our cabinets. We ended up choosing Walker Zanger onyx tiles that provides still another interpretation of stone, yet small & varied enough to provide punch close up and harmony further away.

Hope you can see more of the backsplash here:

Your countertops are much darker than ours, yet I still would want a lighter rather than dark backsplash in your kitchen. I'm assuming your pottery is a collection of blues, which will be complementary to the orange of your woods. I don't see the need to "repeat" the pattern or color of your pottery in your backsplash.

Hi, don't know if these will work but they sure are pretty.

Here is a link that might be useful: white, blue, yellow/cream

Holy moly - what was that, like a week?!?!?!? I can't BELIEVE how fast it all went once you got launched!

And it is absolutely beautiful!!

No advice on a backsplash however, just wanted to gush :)

Sorry I can't help with the backsplash question, but I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of range you have? Thanks!

It all looks sooo good! I would definitely not go with something that matches the floor tile. That would be a bit too monochromatic for me. Stay with the natural neutral tones, but add a bit of color to make it "pop", such as the slate tiles. I think that would look great!! So would something green, not shiny though. Just my humble opinion. Good luck!

I like it, its looking beautiful, though I'm a little envious that you've gotton so far along so quickly. I'm at the stage of being done except for the backsplash (and have been there since late September) I took one of the concept images I have been working on for my kitchen, and modified it slightly.

It consists of 4 inch travertine tiles set in a running bond pattern with an accent strip of Polish pottery tile.

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I am going to echo susan4664- What she said!

What about a mini marble brick backsplash like Alku05's? Then the pottery could be the focal point, and the splash would stay natural along with the rest of what you have.

I'd put an off-white (ivory) tile but not something that's totally flat, something that's more hand-made looking to pick up on the natural look of your kitchen. Specifically I'd suggest something from the Arts and Crafts line of McIntyre tiles (see link below). Their porcelain tiles are very nice and the Arts and Crafts ones have a really satisfying quality. Depending upon the color, they come in matte, satin, or gloss. I think that something like "Bone" (which I am planning on using) would complement both the natural warm colors in your kitchen as well as the dishes.

What kind of wood is that?

Here is a link that might be useful: McIntyre Tile Co.

Our kitchen looks very much like yours. I'm also struggling with what to do with the backsplash. We painted the walls a light gold that also looks beige or greenish in some light. I think that the light gold or warm cream color you describe looks very nice with the cabinets and dark counters. At this point, I'm enjoying the painted walls and delaying the tile decision.

I hope you post more with options that you're considering and the end result.

Lovely! Congrats!

I can't explain why, but I think your backsplash could use a little bling :) So I suggest something with a reflective quality. Glass tile, or metal, or something. Have you thought of clear? It ends up with a milky apprearance installed, but has shine and should pick up the Florida sunshine.

divamum, it was crazy fast, once it finally got rolling! I sat with a big empty box of a room for about three weeks waiting for the cabinet guy. But once he started installing, that meant Joshua could come put in my soapstone, and everything else just fell into place very quickly. I went from NOTHING to almost everything in literally 48 hours. I think that, by the end of this week, I'll be done with everything in the kitchen, except of course the backsplash! :)

malhgold, the range is an Aga Legacy--and the gas is finally turned on!! Woohooo!! Wouldn't you know it, though, I have to teach tonight and then I'm going out of town for two days, so I won't be able to actually cook on it until Friday. Ugh!!

fern4, the wood is cherry in a natural finish. Thanks so much for the McIntyre link. There are some beautiful options there. I will have to spend some time perusing!

plllog, one of my first choices was a pale green glass tile with a little cobalt glass thrown in for accent pieces. I may have to revisit that. If I can find the pics again, I'll post them.

I'm loving these suggestions. Sometimes my head gets stuck on one thing and, even though I know it's not what I want, I can't move past it. This is really helping me think outside my self-imposed box.

Thanks for posting the room diagram to give us more perspective.

I like lots of the suggestions above, including the pic of the subway tiles. On the set kitchen for the show "Brothers & Sisters" there are off-white subway tiles that are a bit different from typical ones. They aren't just flat, so they're neutral but add a little texture. I think you can Google for a picture (I think I've even seen a video tour..)of that kitchen, which would show the tiles better than I can describe them.

I think something like that might add interest without detracting from the other elements and would also be a nice backdrop for your colorful stoneware.

The kitchen I'm referencing is for a kitchen set in CA. Someone above reminded me you were in Florida with all that bright sunshine. To me, it's a look that would be regionally appropriate as well.

Just another thought!

Just wanted to let you know that you can check out foreverremodel's kitchen in the FKB. She has the AKDO Desert Sand Slate mini brick backsplash I think would work for you. It's BEAUTIFUL! Similar style kitchen to yours. Just more info! You have some Fantastic choices and advice from all of the talented folks here. Best of luck and I can't wait to see photos!

Wow, holligator, it's so beautiful!! We installed the same day and I just had the quartz guy doing the template today (mind u the temp is -50 right now)! Your kitchen looks wonderful : )
I'm kinda interested in what you want to stand out, your countertop, the cabinets, the backsplash, or flooring? I think if you decide on a neutral (similar to flooring/cabinet color) backsplash it would look nice to have some darker accents to tie in the countertop. Yet a darker backsplash would look really nice too. Here are a few pics that I found, just for ideas : )
slate
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s/s
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brazilian blue slate
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black glass
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one from bill_v web site
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HTH

Holligator,

Would you please e-mail me? Thanks!

Kristen

I love your pottery! I think your should go with a cream color that are in several of the plates. Then set them around the kitchen & they will be the accent! It will also set off your beautiful counters. Good luck!