Just from your pictures (and we all know how colors can be skewed on a computer screen), I like the lighter one, the cashmere. I do however think that both go well and whichever one you choose will look great in your kitchen.

i like the lighter one with some dark accent pieces. love your granite! looks like my original pick, but DH wasn't havin' it!

I'm going to vote for the Cashmere, too...I would choose whichever goes best with the overall background color in the granite. It's really hard to tell from the ones standing up, but if the photos are accurate with the tiles lying down on the granite, and from what you're saying about the granite looking lighter in person than in some of these photos, I think the Cashmere is best.

I vote for the cashmere as well. Please don't ever feel that you can't post asking for advice. Your post most likely will not only help you but others on the forum. We all learn from seeing these beautiful kitchens come together:)

I like the cashmere too! BTW...REALLY jealous of the pool you have in the backyard and the little glimmer of a glance of the pretty glass cabs and cool knobs!!!

you all are so nice, but i knew that already-i went back and took a couple of more pics. i think that i got the true colors and lighting better this time. is the overall vote still for the cashmere? and mairin, i love my pool. the people at the pool forum here are just as great as everyone is here. I just wanted to throw that in. thats where i was hanging out last year.

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in the photo with the pool,I preferred the martinique, but in the most recent photos, I now prefer the cashmere....I think that my choice is based on the different parts of your granite - in the bottom photos, the granite is more white and dark grey...hmmm....

I didn't like the crackle type tile as much.

And silly me, I was staring at the iron pot holder thingy - in the first photo - trying to figure out if it was a special, decorative tile

chloe-thats why i re-posted more photos. the second set is the most accurate, more so the second photo of the second set. the granite is this white. even my DH, who knows absolutely nothing about this sort of thing even says the cashmere. i tied him down and made him talk! I am alone in liking the martinique. I am looking at the small grey veins in the granite. I may have tunnel vision. i realize that i am picking out the brownish grays in the granite because when i look at the martinique, that one actually does blend on this one area of the granite better than the cashmere does in any one area. but, when i look at the room overall, the cashemere does go best.

I definitely like the the lighter one.

I have the cashmere in 3x6 subway and really like it. I really tortured myself with the decision. Since we have black granite tiles for the counters (husband wouldn't let me change that) I wanted something that was traditional and wouldn't scream 2009 in 5 years. You can always do the stone enhancer to bring out more of the darkness of the cashmere. It really is beautiful.

kellywa-do you pictures? i would absolutely love to see them

Okay, looking at the photos on my laptop, darker room, and I'm back to liking the martinique. I just think that it picks up some of the veining, as opposed to the cashmere, which matches the background of your granite (gorgeous granite btw). Is it just me or do the tile samples (of each colour) seem to be different - two darker, two lighter, in a diagonal pattern? I might just be tired.

chloe-there is a color variance. the highest variance number being 5 and the lowest a 1. these stones are rated at a 4.

Another vote for Cashmere! It looks more like natural stone to me than the Martinique for some reason, and I think it'll look beautiful in the 3x6 tile with all the subtle tone differences.

This is one of those things that if you only posted one of these and asked if it worked, I think either choice would be looked upon favorably. If your vision includes something with deeper color (closer to how your walls work with the kitchen), and you'd rather connect with the dark veins than do an overall whitewash sort of look, maybe you need to use the Martinique.

Do you have a piece of your granite that you could place by the tiles so that we don't see the black display card between the two? Can you do something that includes both colors?

I had to go back and look at your kitchen pictures to be sure but I think I like the Cashmere best even though I like the way the color the Olive Branch paint adds to the backsplash space. At first I thought I'd like something stronger like the Martinique, but I really like the Cashmere with you wall color and the color inside the cabinets. I think the Martinique might be competing too much with the other two colors. Both tiles are very pretty...I really like the stone.

Could you try posting a picture where you can see more of the kitchen with the tiles against the wall? We might get a better feel for the overall look.

rhome-i was tempted to try and take the tiles off of the board. i really wanted to see an unobstructed view myself. this is the best i can do. i did a shot of the overall kitchen with the two choices on each side of the stove. one really is a good bit lighter.
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I'm trying to like the martinique, since you seem to favor it, but the cashmere just looks better with your kitchen to me. Of course, you are seeing them in real life and you've done a beautiful job with your kitchen, so you might have to go with your gut on this one. Good luck.

Teppy, totally OT, but I have to ask where you got your cabinet hardware - it's just beautiful!

Okay back to the topic at hand - I keep waffling, but I think I like the Martinique - esp as it shows in the second set of photos, first pic (wher you can see the book with Louisiana in the title). It's tough though because in every shot the colours seem different. Sorry that this is so hard! It looks like you have an amazing kitchen and either one will be great.

Eliz

I don't have a picture right now. I will try this weekend. I am in training all week and don't know where my digital camera is. We picked the Cashmere because we wanted to lighten up our man cave kitchen. I think the Cashmere is really a warm tile. It does have variation in it.
Your kitchen is beautiful and will make my kitchen look way boring!

My vote is still for the cashmere. I like it even more in the new pictures. I think it goes better with your wall color and I like that it picks up on the lighter color in the granite and thus lets the granite stand out more (at least to me).

These new photos throw a whole new light on this thing and I'm changing my initial opinion. Especially by the sink, the Cashmere seems to have more color than I saw in it before. If I was going by the latest photos, I'd choose the Martinique, because its shade looks like it connects better with the veins in the granite. The Cashmere, this time, looks darker than the background, but not quite right with the veins either. I see more tan in that one now, even when I look back at the previous photos, and I think now I'm favoring the Martinique. In the shot with the range, I can also appreciate the richness of the slightly darker shade.

Sorry for waffling!

yup, I'm still voting for the martinique. The cashmere, like rhome says, is not quite as right (more tan than the background of your granite). And you said subway tile shape?

Seeing the tile from a distance, by the range, I like the Martinique. It doesn't look so dark when seen with whole kitchen and I agree with others that it goes better with the granite.

My vote goes for the Martinique. It gives a nice transition between your granite and your cabinets. It will warm up the coolness of the white cabinets, the granite and the SS.
LOL, I went yesterday to look at backsplashes and I also have some boards of the Sonoma tantrum crushed tiles :p I need to decide between the river or the hemp for the rhomboid pattern (how funny it is that I'm also considering the rhomboid design behind my stove; that's is why I was so quick at figuring out the tiles of your inspiration picture). What color are you using for the glass tile? Is the metal color for the tile the antique bronze? They have a wall in the showroom done in the rhomboid pattern using the flax stone, the hemp glass tile and the antique bronze and looks gorgeous!!. As for the subway tiles, I'm considering the Flax. For my walls, I'm thinking BM Sag Harbor grey. I look forward to see your final decision. Whatever it is, I'm sure it will add to your already beautiful kitchen.

i am still so undecided- i am ready to close my eyes and do eney-meney-miney-mo. i am currently doing some work in my home office stalling getting dressed to go to the tile store.

i really just don't know, and everytime i choose, i keep changing my mind. no matter what, like rhome said, either one will work. its just a matter of knit picking now.

i still love the way the martinique picks up the grey veins in the granite, but overall, i think the the cashmere looks best in the kitchen, especially with the cabs. i didn't want to add any more contrast and the martinique does add more contrast with the cabs. i also stated earlier that the cashmere had a color variance of 4, but it is a 3. the martinique is a 4. so the cashmere will be more consistent. Can you all hear me talking myself into the cashmere now?

hogar-so you are decided huh? are you sure?:) just kidding. i am doing my mosaic in the tantrum "hemp", estate metals "verde", and the sonoma reserve "birch". this i didn't even have to think about. it looks so good. i would love to see your space. maybe you've posted and i just missed it? Our kitchen backsplashes will be similar. the flax is just about one shade darker than the birch. the mosaic is really 'juniper blend'. i found that the burlap is so beautiful in it, but way too dark and tan for my kitchen. i replaced it with the birch. i think that the hemp is really pretty. but, i couldn't advise you on or the river without seeing where you are putting it. good luck. i will follow up later after my trip to the tile store.

i just took one more shot, i dont' know why i couldnt get this kind of shot yesterday or last night. but this is the best yet. the truth is that either one works very well. i like them both and will get the opinion of the people at the tile store. thanks again for all of the support.

eliziz-i am trying to find my info on my hardware. i just can't remember right now. its got grapes and leaves on it. i liked it with my bottom posts. i will try to find this info and get back to you.
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I think they both will be great --- you can't go wrong. Can't wait to see what you choose, the kitchen is beautiful!