I would have said no way but after seeing your pics it looks ALOT better than I imagined. There are alot of things you could put there. A mirror wouldn't have been my first choice but since it's already there and it looks great, I say leave it.
If you're still interested in doing a backsplash, you could use tin. They sell tin panels (I think they are more plastic than tin) at lowes and hd (kitchen area). You can cut them easily and just stick to the wall. They would look really nice in your kitchen. But if you don't want to add any more money, then I love the mirror. Besides, I see that you have some bronze figures already there so it all looks good together.
Personally, I say "great imagination".

I cut thru an interior wall and put in an octagon stain glass window w/ clear decorative glass above my cook top. I am not suggesting you do that! The affect is a mirror / reflection of the window directly across the room which overlooks the water. That said, I like your mirror idea very much; I just do not care for the
large square mirror frame. I think a little smaller mirror , perhaps a different shape, and a less decorative frame. I think the mirror idea is unique and stylish - I actually read this weekend that decorative mirrors are making a huge comeback in home decor.

I would think that would be a huge turnoff for buyers - because of the cleaning issues, but frankly also because that mirror doesn't fit the space. Now, if you are just putting that there to illustrate the idea, and intend to have a piece of mirror cut to fit, that might help some.

I would go to the home center and have a piece of brushed stainless panel cut to fit the space and put that up. I think it will add some reflective quality, be a great accent with the hardware and appliances, and also offer the benefit of being easy to clean.

A mirrored backsplash in some areas looks very cool to me, tho.

Are you planning on putting cut mirror installed or doing
what you pictured a framed mirror? If your doing a framed mirror, I would do a cherry frame like your cabinets.

I have all mirrored back splashes in my kitchen, (have them since 1985) even over the stove and the entire other side by the sink. I love it, it brightens the kitchen and makes it look bigger and reflects a lot of light. When we did our kitchen remodel two years ago we added the mirror over the stove area.
Since I wasn't sure I wanted the mirror, we cut the mirror ourselves, from mirror that we had in our workshop...We left it up cause we love it.
I think you'll love it too...BTW it's good feng shui as well. :)
Joann

ditto!

I like it, but it does remind me of a bar or a bathroom that would have above the sink below it. Do you have any nice pottery trays or serving peices? Or a clock or some sort of scroll/iron work? I saw a really cool piece at Linens and Things that was 1/2 moon shaped, but I just checked their website and they don't have it on there. I just found one on ebay, not the best pic. Auction #260233198460

Our kitchen is doesn't even compare to yours, but if you look above the door to the dining room I have a cast iron piece (actually copied it from Renofan), oh we did get a counter depth fridge since this pic, that one there is a monster!

{{!gwi}}

I just realized who you were when you posted this. I remember you sharing pics of everything when it was complete and I love your bathroom!!! Are you looking to move to another area? It would be a shame, it seems as though you guys put so much work into your goregous home!! I have many of your pics saved in my inspiration folder.

I know there was a post a week or so ago about those Wall Word sayings, what about one of those? Not shown in my pic, but I got one from a seller on ebay that says "Bistro" and I have it above my kitchen window and love it. I went back and forth and figured I would give it a try. It has to be made larger than what she listed the auction at though.

My whole kitchen has mirrored backsplashes. This is because I live in a townhouse and the kitchen has no windows. It makes it look much bigger and brighter with the mirrors. They really are not that diffcult to keep clean - except above the sink.

She did something similar using an iron piece above her range

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/decor/msg0421325211762.html?28

I haven't read the responses but I'm guessing most are not in favor. I have a mirror behind my stove and I love it.

Regarding cleaning - nothing is easier to clean than glass and I cook a fair amount so I'm saying that with experience. Yes, you will see spatters, but just because you don't see them on a tile backsplash, doesn't mean it's not dirty! I prefer to see it so I can clean it.

I had a mirror cut and beveled to fit the space. Personally I would not want a detailed frame like the one you show behind a stove. It's beautiful, but not right in that space.

I love the way a mirror behind the stove bounces light around in what would otherwise be a darker area. I love being able to stand at my stove and see the tv behind me in the family room. I love being able to have conversations with other people in the room while looking at them in the mirror.

If you're into feng shui at all, it's good to have a mirror behind your stove because it visually doubles your food - which is good fortune.

Here's mine. Click the picture and there are many other views in the album.

I'm sorry If I came accross as "not liking it", I was just thinking of what I have done in the past few weeks to re-decorate my kitchen and eating area (not shown in pics) and all the different options I thought of?

Could anyone else post pics of their mirror tile? This might be a great solution for my problem. Do you buy the tile already cut and where do you buy it? TIA

This is the stove mirrors. We did this in three pieces, it doesn't go down to the counters because this is mirror we had on hand and cut it ourselves.

This is the 10 foot run, it wraps around the corner and dies into the door, the top of the cabs are mirrors as well.

If you don't use tile, why not pressed tin panels that would be easier to cut and set yourself, or an architectural fragment in that area.

Mirror also gives the illusion of doubling the space...
as a matter of fact it gives you two of everything! :)

When you mirror back splashes, the cabinets seem to float.

Joann I just came back and read yous posts - I love having the mirror, too!

You said, "...BTW it's good feng shui as well. :) "

I said, "If you're into feng shui at all, it's good to have a mirror behind your stove because it visually doubles your food - which is good fortune."

Great minds, huh!

dlm, exactly...I do everything I can -- to enhance 'good fortune' inside the house and outside too!

Mirror cleaning tip...
Put a tinsy amount of dish detergent (like Palmolive or Joy)
on a wet sponge and rinse the sponge out so that there is just a little bit of detergent left on the sponge... Wash the mirror down, then take a clean damp sponge and wipe down the mirror.
After that wipe down with clean water, clean as usual with Windex and a paper towel. Your mirrors will sparkle like diamonds.
I do this once a week in the kitchen, and only occasionally on all our other mirrors.
Joann

I like the mirror; I'd just do a frameless one with a bevel around the edge.

Beautiful kitchen!

WOW! This was tough to read. LOL

OK, first I will get defensive. :) The mirror looks better in person. It has just the right amount of the "cherry" color of the cabinets and a touch of black from the cook-top. My camera flash makes my cabinets look lighter than they are.

No offense to those that have it, but I am not a fan of mirrored tile and think it is too modern for my taste and a layered mirror (bevel around the edge) would really look like a bathroom mirror, IMHO!

Equally, I do not care for tin squares (too Victorian), although a stainless steel sheet wouldn't look too bad. The only problem with that is the cuts. There are lots of wood angles up under my hood.

The ornamental iron artwork would work and I even had a piece planned when we first built, but ended up using it over the front door where something was badly needed. I have two other pieces in the house, so I think a fourth would be over kill.

I think the mirror is a perfect fit for the space. In the above photos, the mirror is not hung, so it looks a little better now.

I do have to admit that I wasn't sure of the mirror. I took the above photos before the mirror was hung, so I could ask opinions. I forgot to post the thread yesterday, and in the meantime my DH came home and loved the idea! Normally, he hates everything I suggest. LOL
So, I went ahead and hung it and then asked y'all.

My biggest critic will be my daughter and she will not be home for two more weeks. If she says "no", the mirror will come down. I'll also ask my friends. Heck, I might even take a class in tile-work!

Either way, the mirror will not be a permanent fixture for future buyers. It would come down and for resell purposes, probably be replaced with that piece of iron work mentioned earlier!

les917 - Do you have a stainless steel sheet behind your cook-top? I can't remember having seen your kitchen photo.

Thanks for all the advice!

Nope, I have all tile (kind of a tumbled-look ceramic, which I like) from the backsplash up to the upper cabinets.

You haven't seen a pix of my kitchen because in addition to that tile backsplash, it is the original builder cabinets from the mid 1980's, the original almond laminate countertop, etc. Not something that would be of much use to people here as far as creating a new kitchen! LOL I would love to update the kitchen, but college educations, health insurance premiums of $1500 a month and DH being out of work for two years have pretty much made that impossible.

Newhome, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we are sorry if you are upset by the thread. When you posted this, you asked what we all thought, and you seemed very unsure. You got honest answers - some that agree with your choice, others that do not. That doesn't make anyone wrong, just different in their viewpoints. But when you ask people for their opinions, I think we all assume you want us to be honest in our response.

Your kitchen is wonderful, and choosing to mirror or not mirror takes nothing away from that.

I think the mirror and sculptures look fantastic. However, I could never have it in my home. The first morning I came downstairs to plug in the coffee, well, that mirror would shatter at the horror of seeing me! LOL!

And if the mirror survived that horror, I don't think I could stand to see myself!

NHB, I just read this thread and was totally surprised at all the people who have used mirrors in their kitchens. I would have never even thought of doing it. I have a large framed mirror in mine, but it's hung on a wall, so doesn't really count. Why did you say the thread was 'tough to read'?? It seemed to me that your mirror idea had a lot of support...

And, don't forget, that when you post a question of opinion, such as "Do you like my furniture arrangement/idea/paint color/rug" You're going to get a lot of varied responses.

I was entranced and intrigued by all the great mirrored backsplashes, and have to agree with the cleaning suggestions......it's easier to clean something where you can really see what you're cleaning. Thanks for the photos, girls.

Red

I don't want to upset you further because you seem to be very attached to your mirror, but since you asked your question in the context of getting the house ready to sell, I thought I would add my .02 (think of me as a potential buyer).

The difference between the pictures of the mirrored tile backsplashes that others posted and the framed mirror that you are using to make up for the fact that you don't have a full backsplash, is that the mirrored tiles (whether you like them or not) are a true backsplash. Since you have a 4-6 inch granite 'splash already, I think the addition of the framed mirror is a bit awkward. As a buyer, I would wonder if there is a problem with the wall behind the stove that you are trying to cover up with a bathroom mirror.

Am I missing something?...firstly, I went back to look at the mirrored tile back splashes and didn't see any mirrored tile? But then I'm not that observant I guess cause I just saw dlm2000 link to her other photos of her kitchen, (lovely indeed)
Not everyone is going to like the mirrors, that's why some people came up with other suggestions for you.

Again, maybe I missed something, but I see no reason to be defensive for all the good suggestions you received. They were only suggestions, it's your house, your mirror, and your decision.
Perhaps you should rethink making a post and asking, "what do you think?" ...smiling here.
Joann

Good afternoon!

Y'all are making my "hard to read" comment much more than it was meant to be. :)

les917 - I never said I was UPSET with the responses. I believe I added plenty of "LOL" and "smiles" in my last post. If I were upset, those wouldn't have been there.

Yes, I asked for your opinion and appreciated them. I received a mostly negative response to my mirror idea. That WAS hard coming from a group that have previously had nice things to say about my home. LOL

One thing I have learned from this board...some of us have similar tastes, some of us have different tastes, some of us make wrong decisions in decorating, while others have made great decorating decisions!
Either way, I did appreciate the honesty and it gave me pause to second guess myself. It seems that I made a wrong choice this time. :)

I myself have given my true opinion to a couple of members on this board, so it was my turn...but I am NOT upset! :)

I should have know that if my husband liked something, it MUST be WRONG! LOL Can't wait to get my daughter's opinion and I will post back with her response.

sarschlos_remodeler - No, I am not attached to the mirror (which BTW I bought for a song, because of an easily fixable flaw, and it is not a bathroom mirror) and after reading this thread last night, I started hunting for another place to put it (that can be another thread). :)

Also, the mirror was not placed for re-sell purposes, so no problem with future buyers wondering why a mirror is on a back-splash. We have not gotten that far! We were just not planning on spending any more money on the house, in case we did decided to sell. That's why no permanent back-splash. So, after seeing the idea at a friends, I decided to try a mirror on my wall. My friends' mirror is more ornate than mine, but hers isn't over a cook-top, only a counter space.

OK, les917, could you show me a photo of your kitchen anyway? I was thinking about tumbled stone w/ pewter inserts as a back-splash. I saw one on a home tour over the weekend. I would love to get more ideas for the future.

Thanks again!

cliff_and_joann - Just read your post. We must have been writing at the same time.

Your own photo and description APPEAR to be of mirrored tile. Mirrored tiles don't have to be small. :) See link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: 12 x 12 mirrored tiles

Just a question...have you considered beadboard panels? I believe allison used that in her kitchen and I have a friend that did it to save $$ and it doesn't look country at all. The panels are thin and easy to work with. It would reflect the same style as your doors. Your home has always been one of my favorites and it will look great no matter what you do. :)

I find it whimsical and unexpected, a fun thing to do. Of course, potential buyers would realize it would come down, how easy is that.

I bet your daughter loves it !

Your home is spectacular. I love everything about it. As for the mirror, I don't necessarily think there is a "right" or "wrong" answer. It's a matter of personal taste. I am not a mirror person. I don't have mirrors anywhere in my house except the bathrooms. I don't exactly know why they don't appeal to me. I think part of what makes a mirror work or not relates to what it is reflecting. If it's reflecting something nice to look at, great, but if it's reflecting the ceiling or some other uninteresting thing, then I think it loses its appeal to some degree. Mirrors can make small spaces seem larger and brighter. Most people love mirrors. Also, the frame on the mirror you chose is especially pretty. The lighting in your kitchen adds to its sparkle. Go with what you love.

Jan

It's interesting to read the differing opinions on something as simple as a mirror above a stove!

I, for one, love the mirror and the frame...and the fact that you thought outside the box. It compliments your kitchen beautifully without being too matchy-matchy. It's also unique and elegant and adds an element of the unexpected, unlike many cookie-cutter kitchens.

If I had seen a mirror like this when buying previous houses I would have thought nothing of asking to look behind it, it would not have been a big deal to me at all.

Your kitchen is gorgeous and I hope you enjoy the beautiful mirror for as long as you choose to!

What about keeping it from breaking? If you like it, fine, but it does telegraph the idea that no one really cooks. And if no one cooks, fine, but then why gussy up the kitchen?

Now, see...to me it would 'telegraph' the idea that the cook took pride in keeping things clean and well-cared for. And I personally like gussied-up kitchens, regardless of whether it's actually cooked in or not! Grease spatters on a back-splash may prove that someone actually cooks but most would hardly find it appealing.

There's no right or wrong answer...and what is practical and beautiful to one person may not be to the next. That's what makes this forum so enjoyable and educational!

You know, I am not sure I would want to see my big fat tush pulling brownies out of the oven with that mirror. I guess you could try it a while and see how you feel! LOL

oops just looked and saw you had a cooktop, so lets say you are making fudge, (I don't even know how to make fudge, is it cooked??) snd see yourself there cooking it. FOR ME it sure would be a weightloss booster! Now LOL!

I love the mirror and its frame, but its not my first choice for that space. My first thought was to get one of those faux type looking stone wall sculptures....that might not be the right name. They are usually and inch or 2 thick, made out of resin, but looks like plaster. They are sold like art. Here is something at Ballard Design, I dont know how to post the picture so here is the website
http://www.ballarddesigns.com/Wall-Decor/Paintings-Prints/Whimsical-Prints/Individual%20Stones%20of%20Florence%20Giclé%3Be/p/6362?code=SHOPZ07
Its not that I like these from Ballard, its just to show the idea.

I really liked the iron scroll idea too. Another thought is a framed print. There are tuns of framed art that have that kitchen flair to them....that fat cartoon looking waiter, fruit, roosters, etc. I see those items better suited in that spot than the mirror. Did you ever consider faux painting a stone pattern for your backsplash? When I googled stone art to post a picture, I saw some DYI Learn to faux paint stone. Kind of neat.

Being you asked ...I'm going to vote no. I actually think the reflection is nice but the use of the mirror in that space is quite off.

newhomebuilder - what is the color of your kitchen paint, if you don't mind me asking. It's beautiful!