I love the Grazia Rixi and have it in the crema. I think the herringbone pattern in the niche would look great. Many people have done this. The beauty of the Rixi tile is that it is understated and IMHO will not look busy.

Hi Brianadarnell,

I think what you are describing sounds beautiful. I'm not familiar with the colors of tile, but I think the combination of 2 1/2" x 5" subway style, with some vairation on the inset behind the stove, sounds great. I don't think it would be too busy - especially if you are using the same color tile. Probably a good idea to get some samples and set it up together, in your kitchen so you can really see it.

I hope you post some photos when you get your samples - would love to see it all together. Good Luck!

Your kitchen is beautiful! I looked up the tile and it is very nice. As others have said, I think the pattern change will be a nice touch to add interest.

Thanks! Did anything else come to mind instead of the herringbone, or is that the obvious way to go?

There's a hunk in the picture... sorry I'm too distracted to help you with the kitchen.

;-)

haha...come on! you can still help :) (its my husband) I said to him (while I was taking the picture) get out or smile...

The tiles are OK but the size of the squares, which recall the angles of the shaker cabinets, is too large.

I would go with mosaic. Simple and plain.

Or something with curves, but still simple and plain:

Uroboros, a tiny mosaic or a square tile in general? The cabinets will be installed starting tomorrow, so atleast then I can post a picture of the doors. I dont think my rendering is all that accurate even though it does show shaker cabinets with yucky pulls.

My cabinet doors are the same as hollister...hopefully she won't mind me using her kitchen cabinets as my example.

Here is a link that might be useful: hollister's beautiful kitchen

Also, I should probably mention that I am entirely open to and appreciate any ideas other than what I had in mind.

Hi there, I love the tile you chose. But I guess I will stick my neck out and depart from the other responses regarding the herringbone pattern. I do love herringbone but I have seen that square or rectangle of herringbone over the stove in so many kitchens. If you want to see a really pretty implementation of this go to Mamadadapaige's kitchen which was completed a couple of years ago and is in the FKB. Along with a lot of Gardenwebbers here, I love this whole kitchen, and her backsplash, and nearly copied it myself but it has just gotten over-used.

You said "use imagination," and that herringbone pattern is just starting to look a bit cliche and cutesy--IMHO! And this from someone who considered it - I really do like herringbone. But I hope you will think of something just a little bit more inventive. Even just plain squares in the square above the range.

I decided to just keep the running bond pattern throughout in my kitchen.

Sorry to be the sole dissenter on the herringbone -- but -- keep thinking -- you can come up with something a bit more --imaginative.

Sayde- I am so glad you said something! I just couldn't think of anything else to do other than the herringbone and I don't want to follow the pack. Do you think the running pattern will look good in subways with a different size (maybe square) in the niche? I know the tile comes in a square as well.

Speaking of following the pack, should I choose a different tile? Or, just go with the square shape in that tile for the whole kitchen? I'm worried that combining the subways with squares might look "off". Maybe I should do the squares with a diagonal in the niche?

I'm open to everything. I just want it to be tasteful and classy and a little understated.

I have the Grazia Rixi in Crema and I love it. I also have the herringbone design in my niche behind the cooktop, and, in spite of what Sayde says, I think it looks great. Crema seems to be a warmer color than Mandorla, but it depends upon what looks right with your cabinets. As for whether the herringbone design has been over-done, there may be quite a few GW posters who have done it, but, just as with the over-abundance of white or off-white kitchens you see on GW, I don't think you will find it over-done IRL. I've not seen any kitchens in my area with it, anyway, but YMMV.

I used both subways and squares in my back-splash, as I am not overly fond of just subways.

I think you can see it is really a matter of each person's personal taste.

When I was exploring options for a focal point above the range one of the sources that appealed to me was Earth Song tiles-- they make tiles with a raised intaglio design in Celtic inspired patterns. You can have them made up in whatever color you want-- they offer a range of glaze colors. I really liked their patterns. They offer sets of tiles that can be used above the range, or you can make your own pattern using their individual tiles.

Another idea that I liked is to vary the running bond-- instead of having all 2.5 by 5, have some rows of square -- also running bond -- so the whole thing is running bond but the height of the tile varies. You can do a pattern that is consistent all across the backsplash but that has more variation in it than plain 2.5 by 5 running bond. Look up patterns like Flemish bond, for example.

What if you did a row of square at the counter then a single row of a glass mosaic, ending with the subway. I'd line the inside floor/perimeter of the niche with the same glass mosaic and maybe the squares set diagonally or regular. Dunno... I'd have to see it laid out but I hope I described what I see in my head. Damn head! Can't ever get those pictures out of it!!!

I love the Grazia Rixi - and glad to see you found them! I think you can get away with a different pattern there without any problems. My recommendation is to do a 1/4 round outline for the square and then invert the the tiles to run vertically stacked in an even pattern inside the square. I think the vertical flip may feel more natural with a subway pattern rather than a herringbone.

Either way, it'll look great.

briana I am feeling your bs pain. I'm not sure I love the Grazia Rixi. I do love the Earth Song tiles for accent. sayde do have a picture of running bond - I can't seem to get the picture in my head like remodel can.

Running bond is simply the brick pattern that is most commonly used with the subway tiles.

Vitamins- Thank you for your vote of confidence... Your kitchen is beautiful. Love it.

Sayde- Thanks for checking back and clarifying. I also looked up a series of different patterns that can be done with brick. The flemish bond was a great suggestion and I also found some others. I looked at the earth song tiles. Great inspiration. Hopefully whatever tile I end up choosing has some great patterns that are similar.

Zacsdaddy- thank you for the suggestion of outlining it and running the tiles veritcal. I'll have to look to see how this looks since the niche is wider than it is tall. BTW- love how your kitchen is turning out! Zac (?) is a cutie in that pic.

CeltinNE- thanks for the support. good luck with your bs too. why does the end have to be so painful!?

You asked me on my thread to comment here. That and the prospect of seeing your DH again drew me back. ;) I read this last night but didn't have much to add until I saw some new pics.

I like subways, and I like herringbone. Mamadadapaige is one of my favorite kitchens. One of the things that appeals is the bs. Normally, I do not enjoy a rectangular tile feature behind the range. I know it can be a focal point, but who wants to look at the wall behind your range? Other things should be the focal point. Having a niche is different because the plane changes.

BUT I like mama's herringbone. Yes, its getting a bit overdone in publication. Case in point, even the new kitchen mag in the bathroom has green cabs with herringbone behind the range. Still, it's a way to get some interest at the range without overdoing it. Like someone said, it's not overdone in my area. Heck, I only know one person with a new kitchen, my MIL, who cheaped out with all her finishes and choices so it's not remotely high-end. She had the money to make a nice kitchen, beside the point.

I also wouldn't do two different sized tiles in the under-cab bs area. Again, that's just me.

Questions. Do you need to decide right now or can you wait until the GO is in? Will you store cooking items in the niche? What other sizes do the Grazia Rixi come in? I can't recall.

HTH!

Remodelfl- thank you for your thought. Hopefully I can envision your thought correctly. Sorry to have missed your post.

Breezy- thanks for posting. The problem is that I am just so confused and our project is wrapping up at what seems to be a warp speed. Its great on one hand because I can't handle our current living situation anymore, but on the other hand, DH is adamant that the backsplash be in before we move in which is really making me feel rushed! The granite goes in next week (we are being templated tomorrow) and then I can get to work on the backsplash. I definitely don't intend on having something picked out and ready to go the minute the granite is in because I need to see the granite in my light with my cabs in order to make a good decision. But, I at least want to have something in mind and something to try. I'm just so confused.

I really like the rixi because I think it is understated until you get up close. I think that. I also think it would work well because my entire first floor is open and I don't want anything too loud or that will draw too much attention.

I will post some more pics today after I see more of the cabinets installed. This should give you guys an idea of the cabinet color and shape.

Thanks for the info sayde. Not the 1st stupid question I've asked about remodeling won't be the last...But I've learned A LOT thanks to you all.

briana - please try not to feel rushed. Easier said than done. I agree with you 100% "I need to see the granite in my light with my cabs in order to make a good decision." Good luck and keep us posted.

Hey Briana - I am not the sort who has pictures in my head of design possibilities; not sure if you're visually challenged like me that way. If so -- and I'm guessing maybe you are which is some of the reason for the panic here in the face of DHunk's insistence on completion before moving in -- but if that's the case, I'm with celtinNE and would counsel a big deep breath, then a plea with DH to specifically *move in* with the BS not done. That way you can live a little while with the colors and textures and come to some understanding, with real data, as to what would work.

Honestly, when put to someone that way, hopefully he'll see the wisdom of it (if you agree that is of course). Sometimes you just need to live through something. And my impression of the BS, not that Ik now personally or anything, is that it is the most important, tie-it-all-together element. Trivial as it is, it's really the creme de la creme and without it, you've just got, well, cake and not a masterpiece.

I love the sketch of your kitchen, btw, speaking of masterpieces. Elegant, balanced - beautious.

But since color is so much of what you're doing here also, and the teeniest of color-differences *matter*, I say again: wait, live in it, feel your way through that last, all-important step.

Maybe you could move in and let DHunk stay put? Depends why he's so adamant I suppose. Does he not want to have to clean all over again? Does he want the box just checked ("all done") - maybe explore why he's so adamant?

Good luck! Sorry I can't help with the color and decorating stuff. Insufficient imagination; I need to be in it.

vitamins: I love the texture you've created in the midst of the neutral color. It is so harmonious with your cabinets. sigh. nice.... Better than valium. :-)

Aliris--love the DHunk moniker! LOL! Perfect.

Briana--don't let DHunk rush you. I like your approach to have some ideas ready to try when the GO goes in. Just don't feel pressured to choose one just to get it over with. I've never seen the GR IRL, but I want to. It looks so beautiful in pics.

Thanks for the cab sneak peak. The hunkiness of those gentlemen sadly doesn't compare to the DHunk! Keep the pics coming please!

Celtin- Sorry about your cabs. At least it won't make you regret your decision. Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Aliris- you crack me up. So funny. The DH is being rather stubborn on this one. We've been through so much with the house project that I think he wants to check it off, move in, and just live life normally. I understand where he is coming from on the BS because he wants everything to be finished before we write our GC the final check and he gets his final draw...But....what's it worth? Living with a backsplash I don't love? No, not to me. I tried breaking this news to him gently last night. It didn't go well. But, I did reiterate that I have been working on finding alternatives for WEEKS now and I am struggling, so at least I've set the stage for what may be coming next (if I can't decide). Thanks for your comments on the kitchen sketch. I've poured everything into this kitchen because I LOVE to cook and spend so much time there. It matters so much to me. That being said, I'm young and this isn't our forever kitchen so I'm sure I will still learn some things that I can improve on for next time. I do love the rush and adrenaline of a project. :) Love your idea of moving in and letting DH stay put, but....that would mean leaving him with my parents! Haha...we thought this would be a 3 month long overlap between selling our house and our new one being ready. Its been 6, so we both can't wait to get OUTTA HERE! I agree though, the backsplash ties it all together. It's one of the most important elements and I want to get it RIGHT. So, I'll keep gathering my research and samples and next week when the granite goes in, I'll be back armed with tons of pics and probably looking for tons of help!

Breezy- too funny! I thought about making a joke regarding the non-hunkiness of the workmen and then didn't, but I was definitely thinking it! But, hey, they have gotten almost all of our cabs installed (kitchen and 3 baths) in two days, so they do deserve some credit for that.

I'll post a progress post shortly and I also have the pic of a cab for you, Breezy!

Thanks you guys! You make me feel better already. Even if I still haven't accomplished much, I can at least take a deep breath and know I'm not crazy for wanting to wait!

Briana,
You do really need to see what the cabinets and counter look like together before choosing your back-splash. And you need to see what your possible choices look like in your light, etc. I really like Grazia Rixi, but the limitation with it is that it comes in so few colors (six, I believe) so you need to see if one of the colors fits with your kitchen. My KD actually wanted me to use the Noce color in the tile for the accent pieces as she thought it would look right with my Millenium Cream counter. But, not only did it not look right when looked at in my kitchen, my daughter (who is much better with colors than I am) felt it was a "cool" color while both my counters and the Crema color that I was going to use for the majority of the back-splash were "warm" colors. For the life of me, I can't really tell what is "warm" or "cool"--I just know whether I like something. Anyway, I chose to go just with the one color for the back-splash, am I am glad I did.

Good luck in your choice. I know whatever you end up choosing will be lovely.