I'm so wishing I saved photos from the island my husband built in our former house. I used those same talevera tiles on the top, and got many compliments because they went well with the rest of the kitchen.

The only thing I'd recommend on your backsplash is something I did on the island--use the "flower petal" tiles as an accent. I interspersed those tiles in a field of off-white (blanca?) talavera tiles so it wasn't so overwhelming.

So sorry I didn't save the photos to give you a better idea of how the tiles look on a bigger space. Will post if I find them.

jboling, thank you for your reply. I have seen a few pictures with these tiles used but they seem to be edging even more ornate ones--- way too much pattern for me. I love those in blue and white, and they come in red, too . . . to me it's a classic look but am wondering if it just looks hopelessly dated.

I've found these other tiles at Ann Sacks but again am reluctant to commit to anything that says 2011 ! very loudly, if you know what i mean :)

If you think you may be selling your house anytime soon, I wouldn't do all Talavera. I personally love Talavera but I think the majority of home purchasers would not. Have you thought about using a plain subway and just Talavera for behind the stove or sink? And then maybe get knobs to match? If someone didn't like it - it wouldn't be too difficult to change out a section and to replace the knobs. You could even buy extra field tile to have on hand if you decide to sell. We thought our last house was our 'forever' house, but sometimes life has a way of changing your plans.

Good point, jeane. We aren't "planning" to sell anytime soon, although Dh knows that if someone knocked on the door and offered enough for our house for us to break even, I'd forge his signature on the contract! I am tired of all the maintenance on the house, both inside and out. We have dams and creeks and spillways and a bridge (part of our driveway)and keeping all that in working order is time consuming on top of the cost---and you never get that back.

My cabinets are white and I think subway tile would be too much white. And the talavera tiles come in 4 x 4, which I don't think mixes well with the subway size.

What do you think of the second type of tile from Ann sacks? Is that too Craftsman-y? Here are some shots of our kitchen from last year, I have yet to take pictures of the new stuff---and just realized the cabinet guy hadn't painted the seam in the beadboard under the bar when I took the pix!

I think the Ann Sacks tiles would be very pretty in your kitchen - and probably more sellable. But if your heart is set on the Talavera, I agree with jboling's suggestion to mix it with the blanco tiles.

mkitchen, I am putty in your hands---or words, as the case may be.... you are right. I need that talavera and I guess I needed someone to tell me that! I just took some pictures of the new parts of the kitchen but left my camera cable at the office, so will post later today. Now I am just waiting for those samples... if the color is impossible, I will take a closer look at the subway tiles.

Thanks m, this is not the first time you have read my mind :)

Didn't want to hijack, but rm, I am so glad to "see you." I thought of you when I heard about the quake. Don't you have ties to Tokyo?

kswl,
I'm surprised by your love for the Talavera because I had an image of you as being more of the sleek, "architectural" leaning. (Me, I like Color and acanthus leaves and rock crystal. LOL) I don't think the Talavera is all that marketable, but it's so much more uplifting and unusual than subways. Okay, just my opinion; please don't anyone be offended. I'd really go for some of those encaustics in your kitchen!

Can't find the photos in my overloaded computer files.

I, too, love Talavera and think they'd look great in your kitchen. I'm sure you know by looking at your samples, but keep in mind that the tiles sometimes vary a bit in thickness and aren't always completely smooth, so your backsplash would have a varying texture and "movement". I think that adds interest, though.

kitchendetective, we do have ties to Japan, but only travel ones... it is one of my favorite places and I have a son who played Go in Tokyo. Like the rest of the world we are mourning the loss of life and destruction of their homes and cityplexes.

I am definitely a jumble of different styles and ideas, sleek architectural being just one of them, lol. That's why I rely on someone to help me as I am not good at editing or following the vision :) One of the things I like most about talavera is that it is so obviously shaped by human hands . . . I think that would be a good counterpoint to the stainless and polished granite.

I see I have replied to a comment you made to mkitchen, kitchen detective---my apologies. . . it almost makes you want to start singing "it's a small world," doesn't it?? And I didn't realize mkitchen had ties to Japan but with her sensibilities I am not in the least surprised :)

Don't apologize. Those images of devastation are beyond comprehension.

I scoured the web looking for images of backsplashes with precisely those tiles and have yet to find one. However, in my real estate broker days in California, I was in several homes that did use that tile, especially on kitchen counters. I have so many images in head, but that doesn't help at all. In some regions these could never be dated, they are classic. In others, they are too much of a rarity to become dated. I think it depends upon one's mental associations with Talavera, etc. So "region" may enter into your decision. Personally, there are things I like and I don't worry about "datedness," but I'm in such a rural area that no does! Could I get a better peak at the adjoining room? I'm thinking it has traditional touches that do connect with your current backsplash and would also connect with modern Talavera or encaustic designs. You've probably already seen these websites, but I'll mention them here anyway.
http://www.tierrayfuego.com/Gallery/index_kitchens_tierra_y_fuego_ceramic_tile.htm
http://www.vargastile.com/createalayout.shtml
http://www.casatalavera.com/telatile.htm
Comprehensive and very cool links:
http://www.concretecottage.com/encaustic-cement-tiles.htm

ãÂ"ãÂ"æ¥㯠Konnichiwa! (I used my Japanese font but don't know if GW will allow it.) kswl, I am so sorry for hijacking:

kitchendetective -- I love seeing you here, and thank you for asking about our family in Japan. (My partner is Japanese and before I met him I lived / worked / studied in Japan for many years. I'm the blonde, blue-eyed æÂ¥æ¬人-- Japanese!) Our family is all fine -- our cousins live in the greater-Tokyo area and our beautiful aunt and uncle live southwest of Tokyo near the coast. They were evacuated but from what I heard this morning (3/13/11, MDT) their village sustained no (water) damage.

My MIL is a doomsdayer (word?) and currently is in Oakland, California. This could be the worst thing which has ever happened to her, not being there for the earthquake. Her home is fine, but she is worried about food shortages. (I haven't investigated this so I shouldn't be so quick to judge ... although that typically never stops me!)

I no longer know anyone who lives in Sendai but my friends who live near, between Tokyo and Aomori, I have been unable to contact. I feel sure they are fine. I need to feel sure they are fine. These natural disasters are so scary! Luckily soon it will be ã¯ãªã¿ (cherry blossom viewing), and that is a huge, important national observance.

kswl -- We were at a SpEd meeting for my youngest son Friday afternoon and, of course, I started to cry. I was t-h-i-s close to breaking into "Kumbaya." (I am really grateful to our school district's Special Education program for what they provide my son and all our Special children.) You and I can do a medley!

Sorry for all the navel gazing.

Oh wait, two more Japan-centric things: one of the Japanese culture's favorite things is to see the hand of man (think wabi sabi, or the square watermelon, or the classic rock garden), so I love how that can tie in with your hand of man Talavera! Sometimes it's that one curl which flips out instead of under which makes the woman beautiful.

The other is I love that your son plays Go! My mind does not work that way and even now, all these years later, I still don't get it. I'll never be an engineer .... My partner has taught our 6 year-old to play and to watch those two getting so animated, it's darling! But I don't get it.

Thank you for thinking of us!
xo
Brooke

I could never learn Go either! I kept asking questions about the philosophy of the moves and my son finally gave up trying to teach me. He played competitively for awhile but it is a game that requires giving it your All. . . when he started playing I used to take him to play with a group of college engineering students about an hour away :) They were all on the same page. . . I read novels.

Very glad to hear that your extended family is safe; understand your need to believe they all really are. Your MIL may have that survivor's guilt that people sometimes experience when they are spared and others suffer... many good wishes for you and yours. k

Kswl--
I'm reposting a photo from Boxerpups on the Kitchen Forum. It's not exactly what you requested, but may help a bit.

Yes, that is very similar! Thank you kitchendetective, you really ARE one :)