Sinks under windows are a holdover from when all dishes were washed by hand - before DWs! Now, the Prep Zone counterspace is usually the "thing" that makes the most sense to go under the window! +++++++++ While it's not a rule, I put my trash pullout in the Cleanup Zone instead of the Prep Zone - and I regret it every single day! If only I could do it over.... I have only about 48" b/w my peninsula overhang and the DR table if I center the DR table under the chandelier - another regret. It was supposed to be more, but we forgot to move the chandelier in the DR to accommodate the new location! It's only an issue when someone is sitting in both locations, but that's often enough, especially when we have guests. Finally, I actually followed a rule - minimum of 15" clear leg/knee space for the seating overhang - and it's still too shallow! I wish we had done 18"! My DS never sits there (he uses the DR table instead) and my DH only uses it for breakfast - and that's only b/c we moved the TV and that's the only place he can see it while eating breakfast. He has to straddle the cabinets and lean over to reach the counter. (Yup! I'll go to any lengths to get my DH to sit there! ) My DD and I sit there, but my knees do hit the back of the cabinets (but just barely).

In our previous house, we put up a tile backsplash just like the ones used at the Belgian-inspired kitchen in Portland. I scored tons of different colors when HD was closing out their colorful square tiles at, IIRC, about 50 cents a tile. I like lots of color, too. It makes me happy. :) Anyway, I wish I had a photo handy but we had a laminate counter with a bit of a faux stone look to it. However, much less movement and all the color tones were much paler than your Venetian Ice. Our cabinets were Hickory which is a busier wood with a lot of grain and visual interest. I thought it looked great. But I'm unsure if you could pull it off with that particular stone. I agree with getting out your paints, markers, crayons, whatever, and coloring on paper what you think you'd like and then hanging it in the backsplash area to see how it looks. Don't just do a small bit. Make colored copies and really cover that area to give you a good feel for how it might look. It might look great or you might decide you need to bring color into the room with the art and accessories. I dunno. I think people should do what makes them happy. I also hate to see people spend time, effort and money on something that doesn't work for them. I think a test run is a good way to make sure you are going to be happy with your choice.

Seems to me that trying to fit the art to the wall as in your sketch just draws attention to the wall difference. And I agree, as sketched, they would be floating too high on the wall -- you need either a taller piece, that reaches more toward the floor, or a bench, table, collection of tall pots etc to visually "anchor" the art to the floor.

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