Just a thought: you could do a stone backsplash similar in style to echo your fireplace stonework (smaller scale, of course.)

I love your kitchen cabinets. Do you have a picture of the granite or a sample of it against your cabinets for all of us to be able to help you out better with a backsplash?

Here is a link to a picture of the granite we are planning on using. Do you think it will look nice with my cabinets? Should I have chosen another color? darker? more movement? I chose a light color granite because I want the kitchen to have a fresh, clean, airy classic feeling, kind of what white creamy cabinets gives to a kitchen. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

hogan
Congrats on your upcoming remodel -
I think your upgrades will bring a lot to your already lovely kitchen
I'm not understanding the hood though - It appears you would have to reconfig the existing over range cabs to install chimney style hood -
I would definately opt for higher cfms since you are going to the trouble of replacing - It appears you may be better suited to just change out the existing undercabinet hood with same style. We have Zephyr under cab cyclone or typhoon & are very happy with it.
Yes, backsplash to the ceiling would not be appropriate with shorter cabs -
I like the idea of echoing the fireplace with a stacked stone -
Also, what are the current island clearances? it seems that having stools will really impede traffic flow & clearances - What is on the far left (as you face it) of sink counter? Just wondering if you could put the island at that end run & make it a penninsula

Good luck

Here is a link that might be useful: zephyr savona

jejvtr: We thought about that but at the far left from the sink is the sliding door into the backyard (try to take a picture but there is too much glare from the snow). A peninsula there will really impede traffic in and out of the backyard. We are replacing the island by a smaller one 54x21 (we have right now 60x24) and move it in down towards the family room so won't be in front of the refrigerator. We will eventually replace the refrigerator to a counter depth so will give us a couple of more inches.

As to mimic the fireplace stone as backsplash, yes, I think it is a great idea. Any suggestion of tile names? color? What we have in the fireplace is drystack ledgestone in caramel color. Don't want to bring the same color over the kitchen since It will blend too much with the cabinets (plus it has a little bit too much peachy tan). But I'm afraid the stone will make my kitchen too rustic (?) I want something a little bit more elegant and clasic. I know Sonoma tilemakers have a beautiful blend of stone, glass and metal tile in a mosaic (square or rhomboid shape). I have attached a link to one of the blends I like. The good thing about this tilemakers is that you can custom blend tiles so to this one that I like, I can add some glass tiles to make it sparkle. What do you think?

What we are planning on doing is to take out the cabinet above the stove, add the chimmeney style range hood and bring the cabinet height all the way to the ceiling by adding mouldings. What do you think?

Here is a link that might be useful:

hogar
Re: hood/cabs
Trying to visualize - are you going to remove all the cabs near range? or just the middle above existing hood?
I can't picture getting the cabs to ceiling height with just molding as it seems to be quite a bit of space > 1ft so not sure how that would look/work
I think the above linked backsplash would work very well - I would put some behind the range perhaps just doing a picture frame around what the field tile would be - but I would not go to the ceiling

A link to Daltile below - don't have time right now to look through - but it is a great site, Home depot carries some of there tile & if you have a dal showroom or other tile store that carries it I'd rec going & bring samples into the space before deciding - great products & reasonable price points

Good luck

Here is a link that might be useful: daltile

I"m sorry to say that even with a narrower island I don't see how you have enough room for stools. I do think slate would look great as a backsplash though I do love the one you linked. Here's a forum favorite.
{{!gwi}}

It's Jeffrey Courts Fire and Ice.

Thanks for your replies.

Jejvtr, we were thinking of just removing the middle one above the existing hood. I do agree with you, it is quite a big space to the ceiling from the top of the cabinets. I measured it and is about 10 1/2 inches. Our cabinet installer is coming on Sunday to install the new island. I'll ask his opinion. Thanks for the Daltile site link. I'll browse to see if something catches my eye. As to the peninsula, I have added a picture on the other side of the kitchen so you can see that a peninsula was not feasible (this was my initial idea but required more work and money)

Remodelfla, Yes, I agree with you too. It is a narrow space. We have being using these two little stools for the past 5 years and my kids love to sit there and talk to me while I'm cooking. We will see how the space looks when the island gets installed this Sunday. I Love the Fire and Ice slate backsplash but I'm a little afraid of the bluish hint of the stone. We don't have nothing with blue in the first floor. I wish they offer it in another lighter variation (maybe some greenish slate). However, I do love the combination of stone and glass tile mix together. If you see any other tile stone/glass combination like the Fire and Ice, please let me know.

I'm trying to add a picture but it tells me that the message is rejected because of the link? I'm doing the same thing as yesterday copying the third link down in photobucket (HTML code) but it is not working. Anybody knows why?

Thanks to all!!!

Do you like something along these lines? If not, tell me what you dislike/kinda like about them so it'll help guide toward better choices for you. These are from Cool Tiles. I couldn't imbed the pic so I posted a link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Infinity glass and stone

Make sure your posting the html code into the body of the message and not into the optional link url box. Also, if you respond to a post in a thread you've already posted in; you sometimes need to change the wording of the subject... like I just did.

Ok, here are the pictures on the other side of the sink...SOrry I try to resize the pictures as in instructed in the FAQ but photobucket don't have the web size that they suggest. Any ides how to resize?

This one came out too small...

Thanks Remodelfla, I was copying the link in the "optional link URL" space. Duhhh!!!
I do like the color on these tiles from the link better than the bluish slate from Fire and Ice. I could them pick up the green from the stone into the walls to coordinate with the green ottoman, rug and window treatment in the family room. But I like the horizontal lay out of the Fire and Ice, kind of like the stone in my fireplace. I guess, I will have to add the glass tile myself, since my DH will be installing it, he prefers all in one sheet(the glass and stone already blended; less work for him). I love too the look of the subway tile in some of the finished kitchens posted. It looks so clean and classy. Do you think It could look nice on mine?

I have added another picture of my kitchen from another angle. I ordered today the Vinnata by Kochler faucett in SS.

Looking at the pretty slab you posted... is that a gray green or gray blue running through it? It's kinda hard to tell on my monitor. I see the creamy ground, kinda a caramel color, and a grayish color. Do you have a close up? A subway (glass or cermaic perference?) would look awesome. If you get a larger field style one, they will be individual tiles (like 3x6) not on a sheet. Do you mean smaller 1x3's?

Not sure about green or gray blue running through. I'll see when I go on Monday for the sample template approval. Subway ceramic maybe? Any suggetions? Individual ones are ok (2x4 or 3x6). For the little ones like 1x1 or 1x2, my husband really prefers them on a mesh sheet. He installed the ones we have right now. I'm tired of them because have too much orange. Can't wait for new backsplash. Before the backsplash can be installed, we were told by the electrician to take out the existing tile because he will be making holes to installed the undercabinets lights. I also want him to move the outlets to make them less obvious (maybe hide them behind appliances or insert plugmolds like I read on another string) If you have any specific undercabinet lights you like, please educate me. Don't know nothing about it...

Thanks

I have added a link to the granite slab we are using so everyone gets a complete picture...

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}