I think your tile does look very warm. Very classic, too.

My vote is for darker grout. The missing grout almost looks like darker grout might look and I already like how the tiles look with the cabinets/counters.

Thanks for posting pics! Backsplashes are soo hard!

Thanks regmoses! If this is how it would look finished with a dark grout in (and I think it would), then I'd be perfectly happy with it. My only other thought was if maybe a lighter grout would bring out the lighter edges of each tile and give it that lighter creamier "solid" look that I almost went with. I'm not sure it would lighten it up to that extent, though, and I might just just end up with boring and bland.

You did it!! It's looks great with your cabinets! How are you feeling about it?

I think I'd like the darker grout too.

Can't wait for the "finished" pictures! :)

I love it and I still feel the darker grout is the way to go!. Too bad about the bullnose. But, would you consider eliminating those tiles? The other side doesn't wrap around.
Personally I am not a fan of the backsplash continuing past the cabinets.

What is this? The Tipperary? It looks great. Similar in hue to the cabs so the eye goes right to the countertop. Either grout will look good. I will lean toward light, though. Less busy.

It looks beautiful. I love handmade tile. Your color choice perfect.
Matching grout? Or lighter?

Stop calling that beige. It's not. What it is is nice in your space. Congrats on making a decision! To me, that always calls for a celebration. Can't wait to see it grouted.

Thanks everyone. It's Senio Tuscania "Beige". Or "Brown Sugar" as breezy likes to call it. :) Ellendi, not sure I know what you mean? What other side doesn't wrap around? It has to have some sort of finishing edge every place it stops so what else would I use but a bullnose?

You can take one of the tiles and run it vertically to create a clear and distinct end. The tile looks beautiful!

remodelfla - But the edges aren't "finished?" Wouldn't that look weird?

You sooo got it right! It looks great, peach. Warm and rich. Can't wait to see it finished. Good luck with the bullnose.

Here's not a great pic to give you an idea what I mean. I've seen it with ceramic and I think it looks great.
Mine is glass so not quite the same effect.

It looks wonderful! Can't wait to see it grouted. I think I would go with a lighter grout and here's why -- the edges of the tile go lighter. So a darker grout with create tiles that are darker in the middle, light around the very edges and then darker around that once again. That's just a lot of light/dark/light/dark/light dark. I feel like darker grout lines would compete with the tile....the tile already has that light/dark play going on.

But I freely admit that I'm fairly clueless on these types of decisions, hehe.

I thought I posted again but I don't see it so I apologize in advance if this is a repeat. What about a simple, solid ceramic tile in the same color as your wall paint? Just another idea based on the response that it looks good 'as is'. Tile might make it function better.

But glass edges are totally different--they look "finished." When I had the brown glass subway tile samples I saw what you mean and yes, it works to just stop it...with glass. I can't picture it with rough tile, though. ??? Maybe it's just a personal preference? But this is a different issue than another one you raised. What about the issue of extending beyond the cabinets? See pic #3. Is this what you mean? Or pics 5 & 7 where the cabinets are next to the open "window" looking into the DR. I can either tile to the edge or continue with brown paint. Tile guy thinks tile will be better (once we get bullnoses to match). I am open to opinions. I wish the cabinets came to the edge of the "window" but unfortunately they do not.

I love the color of the tile, it looks lovely!
I think I'd like a lighter grout as well, but I usually don't comment on things I know nothing about (and grouting is one of those things!)

It looks to me like you nailed it. The tile compliment the granite and the cabinets perfectly.

What granite is that? It is very pretty. And what color brown do you have on your walls?

I hope to see your completed kitchen.

It's a rare one called Typhoon Bordeaux, from Brazil. The wall color is Sherwin Williams "Tea Biscuit." Thanks! Heard from my tile guy and after going through all the boxes of "my" bullnose in the warehouse, they are all too light. I could just kick myself. We had all the tile in my condo before he started but neither of us noticed the difference. We both remember thinking it looked fine. I think it took a whole wall of the subways installed to show the true depth of the color and only then did the way-lighter bullnose pieces rear their ugly heads. Now to come up with a creative solution. He's thinking we cut a subway down to fit and then use some sort of travertine pencil liner. Or maybe a brown glass pencil liner? Help!

I was wondering why you needed to extend it to the side wall? Just have the backsplash stop on the back wall. Remove all those tiles, and repaint your side wall.
Another option for this is to tile to the ertical line of the cabinet. Then use one tile that extends out to the edge of the counter. Another GW did this. I am not sure if I will be able to find it, but I will look.

The tile looks really pretty. I'd probably choose a light grout but that's just me.

I'm not sure I'm seeing this right but here are my thoughts. Could you use a wood trim moulding piece, either stained or painted, to frame the opening as one would do with a window? Then the tile could just abut the moulding.

You could remove the bit of tile on the side wall where it juts out (photo 3), and just run the tile along the back wall and have it run into the end, then paint the wall where the tile now is.

Foe photo 7, I can't see exactly what's going on, but could you affix a piece of wallboard or wood next to the edge of the tile -- I mean a large flat piece about the same thickness as the tile -- and paint it wall color? This way the face of the tile would be flush with the face of the "wall" so you wouldn't need a finished edge. I think it looks like there's a refrig to the left of the tile there, so that's why I thought this might work, since the fake wall would disappear behind the refrig. We intentionally built out the wall at one spot in our kitchen so the BS would be flush and we wouldn't need another finised edge. It looks very custom. But maybe the bigger picture at that location in your kitchen is different and my recommendation is worthless!

Thanks so much to all of you. ellendi, I see what you are saying now. My tile guy and I didn't really discuss it; he just did it because that is how he has done other kitchens in my condos. He said he likes to use the granite as a guide to where tile stops and starts. Here's a pic of the pencil liner idea (not cut yet). I like the color with the tile and I like the look.

{{!gwi}}

Here are the lighter bullnose tiles.

{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

Peach, I agree with you about the color variation for the bullnose. Any luck in getting a better match?

Wow - you really tied it all together well with the colour choice - "brown sugar" is perfect! Congratulations! I personally like the pencil, but also think that removing the tile and painting the wall would be a very viable option. Really - how much splashy-type cooking or prep are you going to be doing in the corner? If little to none, it then becomes purely aesthetic, so go with what you think looks best. I'm sure it will look awesome, no matter what you choose!

No....all the ones they had in stock are that light, unfortunately. I could order some new "beige" bullnose pieces but it would take 3 months and no guarantee on the color. But, I think the travertine pencil will look good and will probably end up being a lot less money.

I am actually kinda liking the lighter bullnose! It seems to frame the tile- like a picture. If the corners were mitered like a frame too, that would really emphasis the pretty tile.

Either way, I am also voting for light grout, for the same reasons Regina Phlange stated. Plus, in my experience, even with sealant,dark grouts are a PITA!

Good luck!!

Oh Peach, if it's not one thing, it's another...Sorry.
I really like the pencil finish better than the bullnose, even if it was the right color.
You're almost there, and it looks awesome! :)
In my kitchen, with the dark cabinets, I'd go with light grout, but yours...??? I can't imagine that this tile wouldn't stand out even with light grout. Can you mock up a little space with both grout colors? Maybe even Photoshop? (I don't have Photoshop, or I'd try to do it)

I think I will like the pencil finish better, too! Plus, it's cheaper. I'm leaning towards lighter grout. Not bright white like the first pic, but I like the 2nd pic. Not there there yet, though.

As far as continuing the tile beyond the cabinets, I think I like tile against the granite rather than just paint. It makes it look "cozy" to me? He is planning on doing it against the stove wall, too. This is how the kitchen he did for my friend/neighbor looks with it beyond the cabinets on that side:

{{!gwi}}

And this is how her fridge side looks (which he has already done in my kitchen):

{{!gwi}}

What does everyone else do?

Very good visual. I actually like the pencil liner better than the bullnose! Also, now that I see that there is another "return" of the tiles on your other side of the kitchen, it makes more sense to me.
Other people have just painted those walls. Although my kitchen is the same L shape, one side buts up to our paneled fridge and the other starts where our door to the deck is. So, my tile is just on the back wall.
Since you are still unsure of the grout, why not have your tile guy grout a few sample boards? I don't think you can go wrong either way, but it is important that you like it.

Thanks, ellendi! Calimama, you said dark grout is more of a PITA than light? How so??

Aloha Peach, we're leaving for a 2 week Hawaiian vacation, but I'll be looking in, when I can.
Congrats on the backsplash!!!

I have only used it in counter and floors, but I have never been happy with the way that it changes color when cleaned, even after sealing. I have never found a satisfactory cleaner for dark grout. You may not have this problem on a backsplash, as the wear and tear is much less. Hopefully someone else can chime in with a better experience.

You tile is beautiful and I would love to put in my kitchen backsplash, but my husband thinks the crackled tile will get more cracks, and crumble over time. Has anyone heard of this?

love the colour
think the lighter ( or medium light 0 grout
love using the pencil edge
think it far more elegant and gives better definition and really finishes it off properly
also to me makes it look much more expensive , sort of like good tailoring for clothes
i think the lighter bullnose was a blessing in disguise

Sande--so jealous! Have fun! Have never been to Hawaii.
Calimama, thanks for the info.Belladom--thank you! I don't think that should be a problem with this tile. However, I did not research crackle tile cracking more and falling apart. Your tile people should be able to advise you. It's pretty tough stuff so I am not anticipating any problems.

Muspic, thanks. I like the way the long piece (pictured above) looks, too, but when he started cutting the really short pieces for next to my "window" to the DR, I didn't like it so I told him to stop and let me think about it. The whole area around the window has me stressed out. It is different on each side, there is no symmetry and I'm really wondering if the guys know what they are doing!! What is up w/all the oddly shaped sizes? I plan to make him redo it until I am happy with how it looks. I realize that the tile is cut to a certain size if it is going to have a pencil liner next to it and it will need to be cut to a different size (wider) if it is not. I don't think this area by the window is wide enough for tile and liner. Do y'all?

The white on top is where he took it off.

It started looking too busy for me. This is the right side.

This is the left side.

I like the simplicity of the below pic better. He will have to take this down though and recut new 3x6s to cover the area--if I decide not to do a pencil liner. He said they can put grout on the edges to "finish" it. Does this work??

Hi! Thanks for stopping by! Here are pics of the travertine pencil trim installed. The travertine is not sealed yet--will be slightly darker when it is. The plan is to grout Tuesday. I wish I knew how to photoshop so I could see light vs. dark. I have gotten so used to seeing it like this (with the illusion of dark "grout") that I can't imagine a lighter (same color as tile) grout. But, I don't want to make a mistake. Do you lose the brick pattern with a lighter grout? I would imagine that it is, at least, not as pronounced? I just don't want the cabinets and BS to blend into one another.....do I? Thanks!!

My Living Room (just for fun!). Need to get drapes...

Oh Peach, very nice!! I see you got the trim around the sink window evened out. I'm sorry, I just don't feel confident enough to give an opinion of grout color, but can't wait to see it!! :)

I just arrived at our Lake Havasu house, where my new kitchen is. Happy to say, the TB is as beautiful as ever! :)

I want to see grout! LOL

Very nice. thanks for sharing!

hi Peach32,
If you go with the lighter grout, will it pick up the lighter color of your granite? From my monitor, the BS and cab colors and a good portion of the granite are "brown sugar" :) , so maybe going lighter with the grout will not be so much brown (as I think you mentioned above).

I like your teapot too!

HTH, cheers