Yup, tired of you but I love what you are doing. Your cabinets look amazine. I have no good advice, because we haven't painted or given any more thought to our backsplash a year later (working on other projects). I like #1 or #3. I just worry about #3 and if you ever have to replace the hood, what will happen to the tile. #2 is too high for my taste and you want the focus to be on the cabinets as didn't your dad make them or am I confusing you with someone else?

thanks for your honesty! :) Yep, my dad made the cabinets.

How does #3 concern you if I had to replace the hood? A replacement hood would be the same height and width. Am I missing something?

1. Looks okay, but a 1/3 - 2/3 ratio would be better. That means the largest area, in this case the wall above the backsplash, would be 2/3s the total height.

2. 1/2 - 1/2 ratio doesn't work well. Too static.

3. Would add interest to the area.

Not tired of you :) But I'm not sure I really like the lines on any of your options.

If you're open to funky artistic, you could start with a plain tile, like a cream subway, under the cabinet and across, then going up the wall a ways, and have that start to mutate into bits of mosaic which then merge together to be all mosaic a little below the level of the brow of the hood, then have that extend up the wall a little, reaching tendrils up so that it peters out in the paint. I'm envisioning flame like shapes, but not necessarily flame colors. Vines, maybe.

Okay, that's probably too weird :) It's not that kind of kitchen :)

I like the SS (barring weird, I vote #1), but #2 would look great, especially if you use a little trim to frame a rectangle over the range. Or you could compromise with BF and do #2 out of stainless steel tiles :) Then it would be both #1 and #2 :)

If you want to be a little bit different, how about #5 using all tiles? Second choice would be #2.
Just my own personal taste, but I think SS works best as a splash where the range is a really huge commercial honker...

:D Sweeby, you're right about the SS :) But it looks so cute with the foil :)

#2 has my vote. Have you picked out a tile? A 1 inch mosaic would look stunning. Oops, you didn't ask for advice on that did you... Love how it's coming along!

If you change the hood, you may not get the exact same thing, but we didn't go with the hood so I may have no clue what I'm talking about. I'd go with something simple... highlight the cabinets. Your dad did an amazing job.

I like option #2 the best, except I think it would look better if the tiles behind the range were framed by narrow rectangular tiles to set it off as a distinctive tile backsplash. If you could find some coordinating tiles to make a subtle (or not so subtle) pattern in the center of the rectangle behind the range, filled in with tiles that match or coordinate with those used for the rest of the backsplash, and, again, surrounded by a picture frame type coordinating tile it would make the portion behind the range stand out as a deliberate design choice, as well as blend in with the other tile. I hope I'm describing this clearly. I know I've seen people incorporate a monochromatic tile design behind their range which actually blends in quite nicely with the rest of the tile and yet also sets it apart as a design element behind the range. Hope that makes sense.

My second choice would be #1. I personally am not that fond of SS behind a range---I think it looks good and I figure it would clean up nicely, but I also think every little spot would show. I also prefer the look of the continuous tile backsplash.

I think options #3 and #4 look out of proportion somehow.

At first I liked option #5, but then I realized I don't like the lack of symmetry (the angled tile extends lower on the left than on the right, thus making those angled lines different sizes. Also, I wonder how you would finish off those edges? Assuming you would use edging pieces around the edges, it would look a little busier than I would like.

Those are my opinions, but the only one that really matters is yours.

Is it cost-prohibitive to tile the whole wall? I think that would look nice and then have the area under the hood with a slightly different pattern or a mosaic. SEems like it would be a focal point and pull all the elements on this wall together? Just a thought.

I don't care for #2 if its tile up to the hood. #5 could work depending on what type of tile you do. Edges might be a problem though. Are you sure you have to have a backsplash on that wall? Maybe just a SS one behind the range and thats it, or clear glass behind the range. I can see this, balance by your pot wrack.

Another idea is to just do a 4 inch splash of whatever you are using for the countertop except behind the range where it goes to the bottom of the fan.

And yet another idea would be tile just behind the range to the bottom of the fan and nothing else on that wall.

The aesthetics will differ depending on if you are using a contrasting backsplash material or a monochromatic.

I am really interested to see the end result. Not tired of the subject.

What is your countertop material? Maybe do your countertop material in a 2-4" splash except at the range where you go to the hood.

It's looking very good, Muscat!! My thought is that by the time you get the pots hung up you're going to have a lot going on on that wall, and my preference would be to use the tile to create a unifying background. With that in mind, I'd pass on the SS backsplash, but I know you like that, which counts for a very great amazingly whole lot. But you did ask. :) Are your pots mostly SS, perchance?

Lots of great ideas, thanks!

My original plan for SS was that it would look simpler than tile, and easy to clean. But I'm reconsidering, since blending SS and tile might be too much.

jodi- I agree with you about 1:3 rations being better, but the heights I posted were based on the cabinet level and the hood.

pllog- funky-artsy is definitely ok, as long as it isn't "too much." I was thinking about some irregular tile border- tendrils, as you said- but I got lost after the initial idea when I tried to go from vague idea to concrete plan.

pllog, sweeby, cindilou, sailaway- all of you voted at least to some degree positively for "#2" and I just want to make sure that were talking about the same thing- tile that goes up 18" along the whole wall, but then goes all the way up to the hood just behind the range. My BF will love that his idea, which I scoffed, got votes. :) But I have to admit, I was too quick to judge, and it might work, especially if I soften it and make it a bit more like #5, like sweeby said.

sailaway, if I did #5, the angles would be symmetrical, or maybe they'd "stairstep" down rather than being a cut angle, but youre right, the tape is messy.

vw- yes, it is a bit cost prohibitive, at least with the tiles I like so far :)

chinchette- I do need some sort of wall protection, since I do cook alot, and I'm not always that neat and tidy.

jillypie- I did briefly consider just doing a 4" of the countertop granite, but I was concerned that that would look odd with the other walls tiled.

The countertops are a dark granite, and the backsplashing will be something relatively light, since other elements are dark (counters, floors)

rosie- I have SS, copper and black pots/pans, and I think the rack will have the ones that I use most often, which will represent a little of each color.

I'm really glad you guys got me thinking about this more. I'm going to try to plan it without SS for now, and see where that takes me!

After voicing an opinion in your earlier thread about possible backsplash options, my choice remains the same: An ALL tile backsplash (in whatever configuration you choose) without intersecting/dividing the space with a seperate SS piece behind the range.

I think it will present a flowing and unified look, undistrubed by a skinny tall chimney-like-looking column dividing the wall space.

Your planned pot rack on the left will nicely balance the cabinet on the right side.

Option No. 2 for all of the reasons that sail-away stated.

I've definately seen tile done that way, where it only goes up the wall all the way to the hood where it's under the hood, and I think it looks good. (And, that's how I'm planning on doing it and it looks good on paper!)