rjpjnk, thank you. That is a stainless brick pattern tile. We bought it from a seller through Amazon.com. This is the link we bought from: http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Earthworks-Metal-Mosaic/dp/B002I6UDXI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1268255463&sr=8-1 Non of my local stores had the tile in stock, yet they all wanted to charge me $40+ per SF. We received it in less than a week, paid around $25 per SF including shipping, and paid no tax. Here is a different picture showing ours at the ceiling. Since the cabinets go all the way up there really isn't much to see, it just ends at the ceiling. Since your cabinets don't go all the way up, you should look at Kris_ma's backsplash. She has window's on either side of her hood, and she took it all the way up, but not above the windows. I think it looks super slick. A picture of her backsplash is in the linked thread below: Here is a link that might be useful: Kris_ma's backsplash

Check out Nalcar's hood in the thread linked below (as well as the niches). It's a nothing hood. Barely there. Yours would have cabinets framing it a bit on the sides of course as Nalcar has all short cabs. Modern in that kitchen, but invisible in a traditional one, leaving room to do a fab backsplash. Now, you would need a really fabulous behind-the-range treatment if you decided to take the hood out of the decorating equation. Not sure I'd DO it, but it's something to consider along with all the other considerations. Here is a link that might be useful: some niches

Hello, bluekitobsessed! As a chronic lurker beginning this whole remodel process myself, I've enjoyed your postings a great deal. In fact, I actually thought about you yesterday when looking in a granite showroom yesterday and seeing a gorgeous blue granite. Unbelievably beautiful. And this is high praise from me, because blue is my least favorite color, one I avoid in all things (I'm a green gal!). Okay, enough intro... In my opinion as a serial cook-for-one, and an obsessed one at that, I would never, ever put any spices near a heat source. And I think above a range is way too close. Further, I store ALL pepper-related spices (dried red peppers, red pepper flakes, cayenne, paprikas of all varieties) safely in the refrigerator. Where they will not get buggy. I speak from experience here, at least about the dried ristras (I think that's the word) from New Mexico. Not something you want in a Midwestern kitchen unless you like flying insects everywhere when they decide to join the world and make friends with your stored grains and other food. That said, I do like the look of above-range shelves, but cannot think of any food product that I'd trust to store there. Not spices, not olive oil. Someone else may be able to comment on whether putting these items to the right is safe. Do you have any special and/or functional ceramic or copper kitchen items or heirlooms that might look nice on a shelf above the range?

Could be a cherry. that's possible. The graining is rather pronounced though. And they could have done a slightly reddish stain on american walnut. I did my own Walnut wood top and it looks like this the corbels look like quarter sawn cut. It could also be a mahogany. So, HU, it's one of those 3 wood types!