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Anyone have a slate backsplash with light colored granite counter

13 years ago

Hi everyone. We recently had "harvest cream" granite counters installed (it has a white (grayish-white) background with soft grey streaks and golden-beige quartz veins running through it, with garnet sprinkled throughout- yes, it is a bit "busy"), and I have been having a hard time finding a backsplash material that will look good with it AND my honey-spice maple cabinets at the same time! I looked at the usual ceramic tile and travertine, and then I saw some gorgeous types of slate I had never seen before. One type that seemed to blend all the colors in my granite and cabinets is called "white gold slate" or "Chinese white gold". It has soft blue-gray, gold, maroon,and even a little bit of very light grayish beige--no pink at all, like I usually see in "regular" slate. I have been googling for images of slate backsplashes, but they are usually shown with a dark countertop. How would it look with a light countertop? My style is a bit eclectic, but leans more toward traditional or country, with a bit of "mission" style going on in the adjacent family room,- not "modern" at all. I think that slate goes with the mission style- but I don't want to be locked into that style forever! Does anyone have any photos of slate backsplashes with a light countertop that they'd care to share? Also, if you do have a slate backsplash, has it been easy to maintain? Any issues with it? Will I hate having such a "busy", colorful backsplash with such a busy granite? Thanks so much for any help or advice.

I'll try and post photos tomorrow, after I try following the instructions posted aboutposting photos that were kindly given in response to my last post! Thanks in advance for any help, or advice.

Comments (4)

mountainme
13 years ago
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd5/mountain_me/Much%20Ado%20with%20Nothing/100_1265.jpg

Dark slate not light, but do you get the idea? Seal the slate well and it will be fine. Do extra around the cooktop.

Here is a link that might be useful:
happy2learn
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks,Mountainme. That is very pretty slate- is it your kitchen? Do you know the name of it? I never knew slate could be so gorgeous or that it came in so many color combinations until lately. I'm going to try and post a photo of the slate I found and my granite coutnertops. The slate seems to look busier in the photo and my granite less busy than in real life. Go figure! My cabinets aren't that orange in real life, either! I'll post sort of an overview of the kitchen so you can see how different the granite looks from a distance- it looks more white or off-white and gray. You can't see the golden veins much at all when you step back. This is what is part of what is driving me crazy trying to find a backsplash to go with it.
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It may be that the person installing the counters is worried about a good tight fit against all the walls where counters will run. If your walls are not flat and straight, the installers can cover a pretty good sized gap with that thick strip of countertop material laid a few inches up the wall ( the older style installations). But with good modern templating, you should expect a good fit even if your walls are a little bit off, then the tile can come right down to the counter and still meet with a small caulk joint at the change of plane. Perhaps you can ask them if they're worried about uneven walls, or you can take a yardstick to them yourself to see how they look. If it were my kitchen I'd certainly want the newer style installation.
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boxerpups
13 years ago
Slate BS but not a light counter

Slate

Slate from St. Louis Tile

Trusted Improvements Slate

Slate

Kinsmantle Tile Slate mix

Slate

Slate

--------------------------

A few more ideas that are not slate but might give you
ideas...

Glass tile

Touch Down Tile travertine

Kitchen in a Bag

NV Gand backsplash
happy2learn
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks so much for the photos, Boxerpups! I think something like the slate in photo #2 or 4 might work with my colors, but not seem too dark. It is so helpful to see a photo. I love the colors in #3, too, but not sure if so much blue would work with my stone.hmmm. May I ask where the photo #2 is from , so I can find out what kind of slate that is? I am surprised that the whitish tile in #5 is slate!! The granite in that photo (#5)is gorgeous--makes me want to rip mine out and start over--sigh...so many gorgeous stones--too bad I can't have more than one. I do like those glass subway, tiles, too, and the touch-down tile travertine- can you tell I will have a hard time making up my mind? Thanks so much again.

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