This is just my personal opinion...
Each element in and of itself is beautiful... love the granite. I would have gone with a light color backsplash. I think it would highlight your granite more and make it stand out (as it should). It would also highlight against the beautiful grain in your cabinets. It is by no means unattractive but could look even more beautiful.

I think he should have at least consulted with you before he decided to put so much movement there. I love granite movement, but that movement is so bold that it becomes a focal point. It's fine to make it a focal point, but it that dark section should have been centered up. It's distracting where it is. It would be sort of like putting a mosaic medallion down in the corner instead of in the center. He should have let you see the templating so you would have had the opportunity to decide on this before he stuck it to your walls. But that being said....it does look like a lot of your granite has movement and he may have had no choice.

Your granite is beautiful, but my preference would be a different material for the backsplash. However, since you chose a full granite b/s, I'm assuming you prefer that look. Have you asked your fabricator if they have any remnants of your granite left that they could change out the section behind the stove?

Looks to me that the counter and bs is matched at the seam beautifully behind the stove and in the corner to the right of the range. I'd be thrilled with it. If the piece behind the range is changed, you will loose the match.

ahar
I think your granite is beautiful. I love the organic nature of the stone. If you think that the movement is too busy behind the stove then maybe put up a stainless rack for misc bottles of olive oil or spices, to refocus attention from the movement. A beautiful piece of pottery on the countertop next to the stove would also help pull the eye away. You have taken the photo with bare counters and have focused only on the backsplash. I think if you posted a photo of the kitchen once decorated out, no one would even notice the movement being offset.
Happy cooking.

I don't like that dark vein where it is but as cotehele said, the match elsewhere is great. Not knowing how they layed everything out on the slabs, it's possible that was the best alternative (short of buying an additional slab or adding seams). sadie709 had great advice to balance things out. It will look great when it's all decked out. Enjoy it.

Ahar,

Your kitchen is lovely. It seems a gentle unassuming place
that warms the heart. Your wood cabinets and floor are
restful. The stone's movement on the backsplash gives
this same feeling. An earthy inviting and welcoming place
to cook and entertain.

But I must ask because it seems you may have had different
ideas based on your comments.

What did you want?

Sometimes our idea is not communicated to the contractor
and we wind up disappointed. Is the backsplash more
dramatic than you wanted? Do you dislike the section to
the left that is darker with movement? Or maybe you were
thinking of a totally different look all togehter?

What is it specifically that you don't like?

When you say you thought they were artists did you mean
they should have chosen a different part of the stone
to use as the BS? The beauty of your stone is that no
one else will have that piece of Rock cut in that way
in a kitchen. Your granite is one of a kind and amazing.

I think your kitchen is lovely. But, there are many on
GW who would understand in a heartbeat if you wanted
something different. There are many of us who second guess
or change our minds or need the support of GW.

~boxerpups

Thank you so much for all your input. It is hard to complain when the granite is so beautiful. I was suppose to lay out the templates for the granite but there was a miscommunication and I was not notified until after they began cutting. I was mad, but decided that it would all turn out okay. Now, I am not so sure and was wondering if other people would see that vein behind my backsplash as not placed very well which for me makes it a bit annoying. I truly appreciate all your comments. I am thinking about going back to tell my fabricators that they need to purchase my spare slab to fix it. Not sure how I am going to present this to the fabricators yet but our agreement was for me to be there for templating. Wish me luck. I really hate to complain as this rock that came from Mother Earth is completely gorgeous!!! The rock was $20. sq/ft and the fabrication was more than that!

I think it is beautiful. It would look odd the vein was centered in the backsplash. This way, it looks like Mother Earth placed it there. You have beautiful granite and I wouldn't change a thing.

I like the large expanses of that granite. I wouldnt change, add anything. The beauty of stone is in its infinite patterns. I would like to see the photos with the UC lights on.

I think it needs something on it. I would install a stainless shelf that spans between the 2 cabinets with suspended bar on the bottom for hanging some smaller stainless pans, or stainless utensils. That will make the world of difference and be practical too! It's a bit bare as it is.

I agree with Dannie, that stone is gorgeous and I love the natural movement of it. When I first saw the area over the stove, the dark area reminded me of a tree branch and I loved the fact that it was off to the side, totally unplanned, just a natural feature of that particular slab of granite. My DH and DS are in the room so I asked them their thoughts and they agreed, it's beautiful, natural and they wouldn't have liked it as much had it been centered/planned.

That being said, if it bugs you, change it. You'll be much happier in the long run having it look the way you want it to.

I think it looks absolutely gorgeous. For me, the beauty of granite is that no two slabs are alike and that nature can create something so beautiful and unique. I agree with airedale4mom, if that dark portion was centered, I don't think I'd be as happy with it. To my eye, it's just fantastic the way it is. I wouldn't change a thing either. I think your fabricator was very artistic in it's placement, personally.

I love granite with movement, I love the uniqueness and I think it looks spectacular, but of course everyone's 'vision' is different, and if you don't love it, well it's your kitchen so you can do what you love.

I think it looks beautiful! Very dramatic!! I like that dark vein off to the side. If you think about composition for a photograph or a painted pictue, the area of interest is frequently not centered because it creates a more interesting scene. I do agree with Blondelle and Sadie 709 that it needs breaking up and that a stainless shelf would be a great idea.

And I also love the wood and color of your cabinets!

I think it looks very nice, and I like the strong dark piece.

I have never been a huge fan of granite backsplashes. I loved the slab of granite that I got for my island and butler's pantry coutertop that I didn't want to waste any of it, so we decided to use it for the butler's pantry backsplash as well.

When I first saw it installed, I hated it so much I wanted to take it down, and my husband felt the same. It was overwhelming to me because it had such strong movement and I thought it somehow looked tacky. I was also upset because we had gone to the yard when they templated, and picked the part that we wanted on the backsplash. There was a part of the slab that always made me think of prehistoric cave paintings, and I wanted that on the backsplash. It also was a much subtler part of the slab than the other. Even though I was there when they templated it, they somehow got the backsplash and countertop backwards,and the must stronger part of it ended up on the vertical part.

This was a very long way to say -- I now love the butler's pantry backsplash as much as anything else in my kitchen. I also get a lot of compliments on it. Sometimes with a very strong element, you just have to live with it for a while; the first impression is not necessarily the lasting one.

I think over time you will end up really admiring your backsplash. If you don't, you can always change it.

Thank you so much. Each of your postings are right on. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think sometimes that particular vein flows funny and is placed in not the best spot -the lower corner. But you are right in the fact that this is natural rock and the beauty in that justifies its placement. I so appreciate your kind and frank words. A stainless shelf thing may be just what I need. I think having the fabricator replace it is not needed. I know mistakes happen and I am so grateful to be able to have (barely) afforded this. It certainly makes for a unique kitchen. You guys are awesome! Thank you for all your posts! I do appreciate those who werent sure about it like me. It really helps getting your opinions.

airedale4mom,
I love your description of the tree branch. After
reading your words I had to rush back to look at the backsplash picture again

Ahar,
It is beautiful and peaceful.
~bopxerpups

Ahar,
I think so many are correct in these posts. My first impression was that you had not decorated your kitchen yet. Many things look busy until you decorate the space. Of course your eye goes right to the backsplash but that's because there is nothing else to look at. My first impression when I looked at your stove area was that it needed something there. I think sadie709 and blondelle's post were exactly what I was thinking of. Even a plaque of some sort. I am just not sure what you can and can not hang on granite. Its like a wall of wallpaper sometimes looks so busy until you hang a picture on it. It totally changes the overall appearance of the wall. I think the same would be on your backsplash. Good luck, you have to get it right for you or you'll be thinking of it every time you walk in to the room. Play around with it, go find a picture or shelf somewhere in your house that might look nice there and place it just to see if it makes a difference. Also put some things on your counter that you plan to put there anyway to see if that helps too. Good Luck we will all be thinking of you.