Have you looked at the backsplash links available on the Finished Kitchens Blog? Lots of great ideas to be found.

I think I remember you have daughters. Have you brought them in on this? The best thing we did in our house was give the kids input so they feel their opinion is valuable, they are respected, and they feel ownership and pride in the house. For example, our 11 yr old daughter designed the tile inset we'll have in the entry. It's not what I would have chosen; it's simpler and more sophisticated, and it's a much better choice for the long run.

Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Kitchens Blog

While I was reading your description I was thinking something that would pull up the gold flecks of the Uba Tuba would be great. Then I looked at your Cool Tiles mosaic. Check a sample in the room to be sure, but that looks perfect as far as I can see!

I love the glass mosaic tile you are interested in. It is fabulous!

I love the glass tiles. The colors would really look great with what you already have going on.

I think it's important to consider the adjoining rooms (sorry to make it more complicated, perhaps!). For example, if no rooms are open to the kitchen then should not be much of a consideration, but if you have a great room with a certain kind of decor and colors open to your kitchen, that probably should influence your backsplash materials/colors/design. If, for example, you have Shaker style furnishings in a nearby great room with the tones of gold and dark green here and there, and your furnishings/furniture have clean, Shaker or somewhat contemporary styling, then a glass mosaic design would look great, I'd think! Any other pictures you could post?

I think its an excellent choice! It will look great in your kitchen. I consider it a neutral color glass, making it safe for many wall colors. It reminds me of what I plan to use, but definitely priced more reasonable. I'm going to check all the colors available.

I second the thought to consider the adjoining rooms. We will be going with a slate type backsplash that will not only look great with our kitchen, but matches terrificly with the slate fireplace in the adjoining family room

I'll post some pics of the adjoining areas....the kitchen opens into both the den and dining room. The dining room walls are the same color( so same color flows from foyer to dining room into the kitchen.). The den has a deep sage green.
DRK

That's a beautiful kitchen. Personally, I would use a plain colored tile in a pale cream color (or similar). You have a nice simple look which I would aim to keep. I wouldn't put anything too trendy in. But, it's all a matter of personal taste!

I love the glass. It's muted yet adds a dash of color and interest. It should go beautifully with the color scheme you described in the rest of the living area.

I like the glass tiles. I think it will look great in your kitchen, you have done
a great job so far, so trust your instincts. Of course, I am a little biased since I have chosen something very similar, with cabinetry similar to yours.
Good luck

I saw your kitchen and I said tin metal backsplash. I think it would look great. I had a really great site and now I can't find it. I quickly looked one up that is just OK, but gives you the idea. My friend has a backsplash like this and it looks great. Too traditional for my kitchen, but I think that it would look great in yours.

By the way, with a kitchen like that, I'm sure you're going to be able invite over some single mom's and cook for them! There's something about men with children, puppies, and great kitchens.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tin Backsplashes

I'm chiming in for your golden glass. Rich and sparkly, yet fairly calm and harmonious in that setting, which is a hard combination to achieve but very desirable IMO. Kitchens are intrinsically visually messy areas that can really suffer when too much interest and contrast are brought in initially, forgetting what all the the pots and pans, utensils, boxes, small appliances, junk mail, people, and so on and so on, are going to add to the scene.

Yea - go for it.

This is the website that I was thinking about!

Here is a link that might be useful: M-Boss

Here are some more pics of the kitchen that show flow from other rooms.
Thanks so much.
DRK

I like the glass tiles that you provided the link for.

Looked @ the Tin back splash. Certainly an option. Will it tarnish. Does it wear well? I worry it would show a lot of grunge...esp. behind oven and behind sink.

Oh, any ideas about what to put on the wall where the island juts from?? Mirror? Pictures?
DRK

I still like your glass mosaic and think it'll look great as the backsplash.

Re the peninsula wall, certainly you could put pictures or a framed mirror, but going purely on looks (rather than whether you have pictures you want to hang there or want the mirror for feng shui) I'd put one large piece of art, a horizontal rectangle so it won't fight with the pendants. Something bright and modern with some red in it, and a modern, simple, dark frame. How's that for specific :)

Beautiful Kitchen and thanks for the link to the backsplashes, I have been mulling this one over for a while now and I saw several that I liked and thought they were pretty reasonable!

Great choice on the tiles, I think it will look great with your golden yellow and the cabinets!

Good luck!

Fern

onyx ...slate? no, make it onyx. GL.

I think the tiles you're looking at will look great with the wall color you have in there. What color is it?

Laurie

hi,

I think you should reconsider.

Consider a tile back splash that is comprised of all embossed tiles with a repeating pattern. The glaze should be a transparent glaze with tints added that accentuate the subtle details of the carving.

Laurie,
The color is SW Restrained Gold. It starts in the Foyer and continues into the dining room and on into the kitchen. Since I opened up the Foyer into the dining and into the Kitchen I just kept the same color....maybe boring but as a guy i had a hard time choosing. figure i can always change paint.

Boy, lots of good opinions. I hear more of a trend toward the glass tiles. I have about 35 sq ft to cover.

As i look at the kitchen i wonder how i would make some breaks in the tiling.....obviously tiling all along under the cabinets from granite to cabinet base...and on behind the sink...but what happens when I get over to the window beside the frig?? I tile below that window... then how does it blend around the sides of the window and back to meet the area under the cabinets???

DRK

Here are a few other glass tile ideas:

I like this one...and it is MUCH less expensive:

http://www.cooltiles.com/vid27.html

And a few others:

http://www.cooltiles.com/emetlac2001cey.html

http://www.cooltiles.com/hakaf901m.html

http://www.cooltiles.com/emetlac2001pra.html

http://www.cooltiles.com/gggsd332.html

http://www.cooltiles.com/hakp33m.html

Thanks,
DRK

How about green glass?

It looks like the rest of your house is pretty restrained.

Then you've got lovely, classic warm gold-toned cabinets, slightly sparkly gold counters and cold stainless appliances. All good.

Gold glass strikes me as too Vegas for what you've already picked. Unless you feel like you need some Vegas in your life.

Green glass sparkles just enough, but still lets your cabinets be the star, is consistent with what's going on inside and outside the house, and doesn't war with the stainless. Those mixed tone ones are good because you're never stuck with "last year's green" and they don't show every little speck. You could even throw in a few gold/green gold tiles if that seals the deal.

But, as always, it's a matter of what you like.

Green?? I like green!!

Like this:

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/myknobs/emetlac2001sag_lg.jpg

or:

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-89565441111072_1990_32743804

Definitely.

That style is a bit like the one on the Rachel Ray set, though not the same color. (And, needless to say, your kitchen is nothing like hers.) But if you want to kind of squinch up your eyes, you can use your imagination.

Glass tile obviously comes in a lot of sizes and finishes -- that little glittery type to big glossy ones, so you should be able to find exactly what you want. Those look like they'd both meld well with your greenery-yallery hallway. Just don't get too hung up on matching. Go for "complementing".

I think it's a look that mixes well with a variety of styles. It's just modern enough. And, not that you need reassurance, but I think it's masculine. It doesn't scream "my ex picked this out!".

You're getting there.

Sheet glass paneling might also look good, it has a greenish tint, or you can have the back painted to give it a different color. I think there are some examples in the Finished Kitchens Blog, but Mindstorm and Pharoah both come to mind.

Glasskote is one company that does it, but i think its quite pricey. I remember Pharoah did his himself and it looked wonderful (greenish tint).

I like the mosaic tiles too.

Here is a link that might be useful: glasskote

Re alternatives:

The first one is boring. The second one too dark. The third one really really too dark. The Ambra (#4) is nice -- oh! it's the first one you showed us that we all liked. Number five is the wrong color and too checkerboardy. Number six is also way to dark.

The first green is probably too yellow, but you'd have to see it in the room. It might be spectacular, but it could also be spectacularly awful.

The bronze-green of the last sample looks like it probably will look very nice.

But your first choice was really the nicest of all. It has movement and sparkle and contrast and drama and bling, all without being over the top or obtrusive or demanding. It looks like you hit on the right one the first time -- trust your taste!

How would you bring the back splash from under the cabinets to over and around the window between thr frig and dishwasher?? Where do I end it? How far up that wall?
DRK

Personally I would continue the backsplash round at the same height - so that it is level with the base of the upper cabs - on both sides of the window. And take it right over to the side of the fridge panel.

This would "match" how the other window would look.

But thats just my opinion and I'm no designer!

I love the simple lines of everything you have done. Have you thought of doing the glass behind the range and UT tiles on the rest? Or UT tiles with an occasional brushed pewter tile? They are usually 6x6 so the UT would have to be trimmed off.

Thanks everyone.....although I still can't decide!!! Ugh!!
"Dammit, Jim, I'm a gynecologist, not an interior designer!"
DRK

The first tiles you listed are one that I was considering for my backsplash, until my DW vetoed them, saying she doesn't like glass mosaic tiles. I think they will look even better with your cherry cabinets then they would have with my QS oak cabinets.

I agree with mayland about continuing the backsplash straight across at the level of the bottom of the cabinets, perhaps with a row of long, skinny tiles or a thin, simple cherry molding along the top in the areas where there are no cabinets.

Overall it already looks great.

I just came across this post on the gallery. It shows how the backsplash is done around the windows.

Laurie

Here is a link that might be useful: theresab_1's kitchen

I love Ann Sacks tiles. Check out this pattern

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Ann Sacks Tile