I would suggest waiting until your cabinets & countertops are installed to choose your backsplash. I thought I had my backsplash decided. Once everything was installed, I went in a completely different direction.
I definitely understand "going nuts" trying to make decisions.

romy, you are right, I know the countertop should be chosen first, but I'm trying to get a direction on style and color to even pick a countertop. If I decide I want marble, I have to pick a cabinet color and countertop that would work with marble.

Here is another picture of the backsplash without the light hitting it. Is it too busy to do a large area? Also I put Silestone Lagoon in front of it instead of the darker Steel color.

Here is the other option with a marble sample

The last sample is with a whiter carrera marble which is what I would use if I go the marble route. The countertop material is not as dark as the picture shows it to be.

So does anyone know what color quartz I could use in a lighter color that goes with the whiter carrera as opposed to the grayer shades of carrera?

I'm partial to the marble, because it can go in many different directions design-wise.
I think you said it best about the glass tile, "It could also look dated in a few years."
But then lots of things do...
Is your design contemporary, traditional, transitional?

If you really like this color combo (I do) but worry about the glass tile being too bling (I would), you could use a mix of subways in those colors.

But it sounds like you've already looked at a lot of BS and very little appeals to you -- except this and the marble -- and for you, the backsplash would be a very important element of the kitchen that dictates everything else. Nothing wrong with that. If you love the marble, just go with it and choose the colors that work with it.

I will say, that it looks like you were heading in a warmer color direction initially; is the marble you are considering also warmish?

I really like this :)

Very harmonious, and allows the marble backsplash to be the focal point.

I really like both combinations. I agree with your concern that the iridescent glass look may have peaked. But the same can be said of many materials we all choose for our kitchens (everything has its time and place, just some things age more gracefully). You really need to decide for yourself what you love. What's more important to you -- the marble (look) or the BS?

Quartz can have different price bands, with quite a bit of cost variation and can in general, be more than lower priced granite in terms of material cost. It seems perhaps that SS Steel is in the higher price band. You can try another color in their line or see Caesarstone Cement or Raven. CS Pebble is another candidate -- it is a bit blue and much lighter than the other two. I believe these CS colors are in their lower price tier and they look good with marble. (I used Piatra Grey). Other brands have similar colors, but without the metallics that are in the Silestone (e.g., Cambria Fieldstone).

Both Carrera backsplash colors look great with the Silestone Steel. You could definitely make that combination work.
The Vihara looks good with the Lagoon but it is a small sample & the Vihara may not work once the countertop goes in. I'm sure you could find a beautiful backsplash material to go with the Lagoon if you are more drawn to a light countertop.
Here's a pic I took of a kitchen display. This is Cambria Torquay with a green crackle tile. It was very pretty.

Kompy did a beautiful white kitchen with Lagoon & a marble backsplash. Here's a link to her kitchen

Here is a link that might be useful: Kompy's P&F kitchen

I like both options but lean toward the glass tile with the cream cabinets. The wall paint color, cabinets and tiles look great together. I don't know if the Silestone lagoon will be too busy with the glass tiles once it's installed. And the Silestone steel may be too dark. You may want to opt for a less busy (or not busy at all) countertop and let the bs have all the pizazz if you go the glass tile route. The glass tiles could look dated in a few years but they may not, and they will be an awesome focal point in your kitchen. The marble is classic and calm. I doubt you'll ever get bored of it but it doesn't really make a statement imo. The glass backsplash catches the eye and livens things up. I think it depends on the look you want to live with for awhile.

Thanks for all the pictures and opinions. I do like the lagoon a lot and I would have to change the marble color to the creamier rather than the real gray marble.

When I started this journey, I was drawn to all the pictures of the soft colors in the kitchens. I wanted a style that could go either way. Not too traditional and not too modern. I chose inset cabinets but plan on putting a sleeker handle on them. When I started, I did not like the subway tile look but it is growing on me. If I were to choose the glass tile I would put them vertical rather than horizontal because that would give it a more modern look. By the way, the bling is what I like about those tiles. In the picture you don't see the bling and it just looks like different colors.

Here is a picture of the hall bathroom we did last year so you can see my style.

I think picking a backsplash first is a little cart before the horse. What is it they say, pick the items with the fewest options first, then the ones with more? Seriously, there are so many backsplash options to choose from it's crazy-making.

I don't agree that the sample door on the right is too creamy for marble. I just had to say that. I think while the glass tile is pretty, it's too blingy and busy and will look dated soon if you don't tire of it first.

I would pick a cab color and counter material that I loved first and have it in place. Then consider a backsplash.

gooster, I saw the piatra gray in a slab and thought it was gorgeous. I love the elegance of it but at the time I was still trying to match the glass backsplash and it was too dark against that. Maybe I need to take another look at that one. I'd love to see a picture of your kitchen showing what marble you paired with it. I have a small sample of the pebble and it could work but it doesn't give the marble the same pop as the steel color. I hate paying for the speckles in that steel color when it doesn't show up in my lighting anyway. But the pebble is just a tiny bit lighter than the steel color.

I love the colors in the glass BS but still vote for marble because it's classic. Let's say you want to go with a dramatic dark wall color (e.g. dark navy or burgundy or grass green) in a couple of years --- the marble would let you do that.

linelle, it's hard to tell from the pictures but unfortunately the creamy color cabinet doesn't go with the marble. I took it to the paint store with me and they told me it's too creamy and also had it with me at Arizona Tile and the designer there also said if I go with marble I have to change the cabinet color. I actually love the color of the sample the cabinet maker made for me. It's light without being glaring white. I suppose I could pick a marble in a creamier shade (calacatta has more cream) but those are really pricey.

The one that is posted at 15:25. I don't know what those samples are or if they are in the running but that combination is stunning.

Mine is a different color, but it might help you to see how busy Vihara is.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vihara

I know you said you know romy is right, but do you know how right romy is???? Lol. You are going to go to the yard and see the most beautiful slab for your counters......it's going to take your breath away........and then backsplash be darned. Unless some backsplash has stolen your heart, hold out for your true love....aka countertop. Don't worry, it's just around the corner.

Disclaimer: just bc it's your true love doesn't mean it won't break your heart, stain, etch, break, etc.....but isn't it better to have loved and lost than to have never had the freedom to pick a counter without having to factor in the already chosen backsplash?

cani123: After I decided I wanted marble, I looked at quartz from Silestone, CS, Cambria, Hanstone, and some others. The PG is close to the Raven, but with veining.

Attached is a closeup view of the combo of PG and a subway Carrara.

I can't link to photobucket from this PC so I'll have to link the reveal. More pics are there and at photobucket. For reference, cabinets are pretty close to BM Chantilly Lace and the walls BM Spa. Grout is Custom brand "platinum".

BTW, you don't have to choose subway for marble -- there are many lovely small thin tiles and mosaics -- someone just posted an affordable Arabesque that was stunning.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reveal from last year

This post was edited by gooster on Wed, Apr 16, 14 at 19:51

msrose, thank you, thank you for posting those pictures. It's funny because I started out looking at quartzite to match the tile and I would have had the same look except mine would have been more in the gray tones. Yes, that pattern of the tiles would have been too much to do all the way up the wall behind the range now that I see it installed. Yours only goes partways up so I think I know now that it might be too much pattern. I love it when it blings because on mine all you see is this silvery color. But when the light doesn't hit it just right then it does look busier.
I'm so glad I was able to see your counter too because I wondered how that quartzite would look installed and I love how it looks. I think the overall look (very pretty) is more traditional than I was going for and I wouldn't have known that if you hadn't posted those pictures. Thank you so much.

gooster, your kitchen is to die for! Love it! OK, if the piatra is close to the pebble then I am going to take a look at it. What's nice about it is that it goes with the gray and the white tones in the marble, so it doesn't matter what shade of marble you get. By the way, I noticed your dog matches your kitchen (grin).

magsnj, Your post made me chuckle. I have hit every stone yard in our area and hadn't found the one that stole my heart (other than marble). I was even driving the salespeople crazy. I'm at the point where I don't dare tell my husband or my friend if I have changed my mind. Nobody gets it why I am all over the place in finding something except the stone installer who keeps telling me to find something I love. Of course by doing that he is only reinforcing me taking my time. When I started looking I knew that either the counter or the backsplash was going to have to take center stage and I decided that the backsplash was going to be it. I started looking at quartzite that wasn't too busy and now have shifted to quartz. I do love the sea pearl quartzite but didn't want to be tied down to living with green as far as matching paint colors. There are gorgeous stones out there but I wanted to stick with something where I wasn't too limited on paint colors.

I have gone back and forth on using marble for the counters and finally decided to compromise and use it only for the backsplash if I don't do the glass tile. I saw that marble porcelain slab this week and thought that was the answer to my dreams but DH is very leary of it so that went down the tubes.

cani123: Thank you so much! I feel your pain! I looked at stones within a 150 mile radius before I picked the PG. I mistyped, I'm sorry -- it is closer to the shade of the Raven than the Pebble. Thus, it may be too dark for you.

OK, thanks to everyones pictures, comments etc, I have decided to eliminate the glass tiles. Can't believe how quickly I finally did that. The marble is timeless, goes with any paint color, it can be traditional or modern depending on how it's used. Now I can start driving myself nuts on which marble, what pattern etc. lol

By the way, the lighting in my house is horrible where I always have a hard time with paint colors. I got that blue/gray sample yesterday. Is it a go or should I look for something else? It gets to looking really blue when the lighting gets darker or at night time.

gooster, I forgot to mention that the big sample sheet I had made up yesterday is Chantilly Lace for the cabinets, so it looks like I'm on target for the cabinet color.

gooster, I'm so glad to hear your search was as crazy as mine looking for stone. I drove an hour away just to look at Silestone slabs and I thought that was nuts.

I forgot to ask about the arabesque pattern someone posted. Was that just recently? I'd love to see that.

You have beautiful taste, I don't know what to advise but I know it will be beautiful as you have already shown what gorgeous taste you have in the bathroom you finished. Beautiful soft watercolors that soothe the soul and are reminiscent of the beach, what could go wrong?

@gooster, love that Carrera subway with the PG countertop. Wow!

I really like the blue grey paint, at least how it shows on my monitor.

My paint also changes a bit as the light changes, more grey sometimes, more blue or green others. But I like that and it looks good at every time. It never changes to being too blue or too green or to having the wrong undertone. That is what you need to check, if it doesn't do that then you are good to go!

I really love your color combinations and think you can't go wrong with any of those choices. Can you share the color of the creamy cabinet , the wall color, and the name of the glass tile? I would love to use these in my bathroom remodel!

This post was edited by juddgirl2 on Wed, Apr 16, 14 at 22:56

juddgirl2, the cabinetmaker custom made the creamy cabinet color. The wall color is Benjamin Moore pale smoke and the glass tile is Vihara puka. I think the tile would be gorgeous in a bathroom. As much as I love it, I think it is too much for the amount I would be using it in the kitchen. I have carried it around with me and everyone that sees it comments on how pretty it is so you can't go wrong with it. I have one more bathroom to do so maybe I'll use it as an accent there.

raee, could you share your paint color? It sounds pretty.

cani123: The link to the discussion on marble arabesque is linked below. The OP has a nice photo of the sample with a CS Concrete.

I also see that Daltile now carries one, and Mission Tile has some really interesting other shapes as well. on the pricier end, Artistic Tile has some beautiful ones as well -- someone did a recent reveal with a gorgeous flower mosaic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Recent thread on Arabesque marble BS

Thanks so much, cani! The paint color is perfect with the tile. I can definitely see using this in a bathroom.