Oh redroze, I really, really feel for you. I really do.

I think in many respects you and I have a similar kitchen aesthetic and in my own way, I can totally empathize with the agonizing over backsplash choice. I think I may have already told (sorry for being tautological) about before we even bought this house I'd been planning on a "traditional white kitchen" with some sort of "traditional" countertop (at that time we were leaning toward soapstone) but knew I wanted to inject some modern touches. I also "knew" (ha ha on me) we'd be using a modern "subway" tile, like 1" or 2" x 6" ceramic or a 3" x 6" glass "subway" tile. Something which made sense with all the traditional elements yet clearly wasn't period-perfect, if that makes sense.

And then other things fell into place. Like, I listened to my heart and we decided to do (white) marble countertops, and then I wasn't excited about my backsplash choices (which I'd made for myself -- not as if the GC was pushing me in any direction). Oh yeah, and then I realized how much I loved (the idea of, because I hadn't actually found the slabs yet) getting to see the beautiful marble, so I decided to use it as a slab backsplash.

It's a little (teeny-tiny) funny, because one of the primary reasons I was falling out of love with my initial backsplash choices is how expensive they were (both were in the $40 per foot, uninstalled range), and then I ended up going with a choice way more expensive than that! Logic is clearly not my strong point ....

Given your ambivalence I want to encourage you to wait, to be okay with waiting until the tiler is available later on. We've recently read of two GWers' experiences with totally regretting their backsplash choices and ripping them out. I'd hate for you to be the third. I truly believe it's better to wait, see your completed kitchen, and then let it guide you. You are such a visual person that you'll see which element is "missing" when all is said and done, and you (along with GWers' help, if you want it) will track it down.

Totally off-topic, but back in 2006 we were planning on moving to Toronto and spent a long time househunting. We finally bought a house in Chaplin Estates (our first choice was The Annex but we couldn't afford a house there with a garage ..., and our second choice was Forest Hills, actually that was my second choice, my husband didn't "approve" [we're a mixed race couple and he didn't like the feel of it for that reason, if that makes sense]). The house was a bit of a dump but it had certain "right" elements, like the location, size, ability to be fixed up, garage (!), etc. And then we ended up moving to Colorado so sold the Toronto house. I have wonderful fantasies thinking of what our lives would have been like there. I love Toronto!

Redroze, I lost the ability to see late responses to your last post (with the pendants) due to a computer virus/spam? but at some point someone posted a truly drop dead gorgeous kitchen with skinny tiles and suddenly I got what you were after (I think). I know you're going crazy, but keep on searching.

Would something like edlakin's (carrera-type? marble subway tiles) work for you? It's almost a plain white subway tile but it has a little interest with some light gray veins. Edlakin, I'm sorry if I'm mangling the description. Or are any of the subway tile variations -- crackly, rectified, pillowtop -- for you?

My backsplash was a negative choice, if that makes any sense: would not compete with the granite, would not be expensive, would not drive me crazy looking at all the different tile choices. I decided I just didn't want to think about the tile! White subways were part of my "vision" at the very beginning. I've been tempted by beautiful tiles on this website and in the kitchen porn magazines, and my KD tried to talk me into a focal point tile above the range, but I wasn't in love with anything she showed me, and I just got overwhelmed by the choices. I found myself noticing the plain white subways as much as the intricate ones. Between acountryfarm's pix (bathrooms mostly), the Bon Appetit Kitchen of the Year 2008, and the Something's Gotta Give kitchen, I was comfortable with the basic boring white HD Daltile at $14/box on sale :) That's my decision process, fwiw.

I agree with rmkitchen, up to a point (and you're not there yet). Sometimes, especially with too many choices like tile, we get to analysis paralysis; the cure is to make a bad decision because making no decision at all is so wrong -- but you can certainly afford to wait a while. At least until your granite is in. Then you can post infinite variations of tile, people can photoshop, etc. GW is here for you!

I think that choosing backsplash tile was the hardest thing for me. Somehow the granite fell together (after starting with about 25 "favorites") but with tile... there are SOOOOOO many options!

I narrowed it down by cost (had to be less than $10/SF) and I knew I wanted something serene that would have it's own character, but work with granite. I initially was smitten by glass, (but that doesn't work for $10/SF) so I looked into tumbled stone. I wanted an earthy, natural looking feel for the room, so tumbled stone was a good option, but there were still about 20 different ones I liked! My kitchen took so long that I had 6 months to sit with the different tiles with scraps of granite. If I had tried to make a choice quickly, it would have been the wrong one.

I guess I'm rambling, but I'd encourage you to:

a- take your time
b- come up with a few descriptive words (for me it was earthy/matte/natural) and find the tile (or other substrate) that fits your vision!

Mine was an integral part of the whole vision/feel for my kitchen and decided along with the rest of the materials. The light colored stone backsplash I'm using for most of it helps soften and make the kitchen feel more organic and sunny (I hope). On the baking wall, I used one of the stones I used sparingly in the rest-- It's shiny and a deeper color for more drama, elegance, and formality...But it still connects to the other because of its use both places. Did you do the Sweeby test for your kitchen, so you can cut from consideration those that won't help you meet your vision? Best wishes!

Here is a link that might be useful: The Sweeby Test

Mine was also an integral part of the whole vision I had for my kitchen. My focal point (behind the range) was decided before the range and countertops, and the other back splash was determined as soon as we had our granite. I took home three sample boards of home made tile and in about 32 seconds I knew the one I had picked was right. Then we just sent off the order to be made. My BS is supposed to be of the same quality as the other elements in the kitchen, but definately a supporting player verses a star.

I tend to be able to pick stuff like this in seconds...it's some off gene or something :oP (As my girlfriends say). I can do the same with textile, picking dozens of fabrics for a quilt in just a few mins while my friends agonize about piece after piece (then I just go pick thiers as well) :oP I actually have a vision for your kitchen as well heh heh but I think we're fighting opposing visions..and yours should be the winner LOL

I knew very early on that I wanted the backsplash to be background, not feature, so I could change my kitchen's mood, colors, style with the display on the hood's shelf, curtains, art, whatever; with the seasonal change out the windows also a big player, bigger still if the mood of the moment is simple serene. In any case, that simplified and narrowed my choices a great deal, to the point that I haven't put one in. I will when I get tired of painted drywall or it gets tired itself, I guess. And, not to be discouraging, but that still left an enormous range of choices. :)

Are you considering tiling the whole wall (I love that look when it's an option), or are cabinets going up?

Because I had already purchased the gecko medallion for the floor...

BD (before demolition -- I decide that the kitchen floor and backsplash would use the same tile. I also purchase this really cool floor medallion with a pair of geckoes in a yin-yang arrangement to put in the tile entry foyer.

AD (after demolition) -- GC suggests complete rework of entry foyer (no charge!) to open it up completely to the living room. So no more tile in the entry foyer. The geckoes now move to kitchen entry off the living room. FWIW, this entry is about 8ft wide. The 3ft x 5ft island is centered on this entry about 5ft back.

DC (during construction) -- I've managed to pick out everything -- cabinets, granite, hardware, lights, fans, paint, exterior doors, locksets, sinks, faucets, appliances, wood flooring, ceiling texture, flagstone -- BUT the tile for the floor and backsplash. GC says "Get another gecko to go behind the cooktop." So I do. But I've just about lost the ability to pick out anything else, and there are just too many options for floor and backsplash field tile. So I tell GC "You pick something." So he picks out three colors, and I choose one of the three. Then he tells me I need to choose the grout color. I think I had an extended 12oz curl workout that day...

I guess you could say that the geckoes became the central design element. I tapped into the same off-gene as igloochic in selecting them. Caesar-like, I came, I saw, I bought!

I guess that I'm more like the accidental inferior desecrator.

my backsplash was also chosen to be a 'negative' aspect of our design. we already had a lot of elements that were attention-getting or colorful (green cabinets, tin ceiling, terra-cotta look floor) so we wanted a very neutral backsplash.

we chose our carrara marble subways mainly due to their ability to just kind of disappear, but also because the gold/tan veining that they had helps to tie in the countertop, which is a light sandy tan color. (not to worry, bluekit, your description was dead-on).

redroze, you have enough neutral elements in your kitchen that you can basically do whatever you want with the backsplash. you could go neutral, with something like plain subways, and that would really push the traditional kitchen feel. you could go with glass mosaics in a random pattern with color, and that would bring a more contemporary feel and add a pop of whatever color you chose.

what are you countertops going to be? that makes a big difference.

i found the backsplash decision to be very difficult. Yet in some ways the decision was narrowed down by making it the last thing we decided on- so once I had cabinets , granite, sinks, hardware, pot filler, lighting etc... all picked out- it was very distinct what types of backsplashes would and would not work.

I had originally wanted traditional subway tiles but our granite was so distinctive that I wanted a backsplash that stayed in the background and didn't compete with the granite- here is our end product just to show you what I was up against:

Try not to stress too much and if you need more time to decide take it- as another poster said you dont' want to be unhappy with your choice or have to rip it out.

TheresaB's lovely kitchen raises a good point. As general guideline--to discard pronto when something else pushes your button--a glossy counter tends to call for a matte tile so their textures can play off each other instead of becoming too much of one thing. And vice versa.

LOL, I can honestly say I spent more time going back and forth on which backsplash to choose than any other aspect of my kitchen! I love the subway 3x6 shape, and initially wanted to go with glass tiles. However, they are expensive, and I saw a light green subway ceramic tile by Adex that had a warm, slightly retro look and fell in love with it (and the price about 1/3 the cost of glass). Am very happy with my choice.

When you see it, you will know it - thats the philosophy I used. No preconceived ideas going in just kept an open mind and looked at different pics for ideas. One day saw some pics here from someone who used Fallingwater Slate - and I instantly said that would work well. Then later Jodi in So Cal posted her picks of Fire and Ice (slate/ quartz with glass) and I said, that would work even better. Went and looked at samples of both and yep, we went with Fire and Ice and it turned out great

Theresa, what a lovely kitchen, sort of Arts and Crafts, and I Love, Love your granite....what is the name of it?

Redroze, I'm in the same shoes. Before my tile supplier placed my opera glass tile order, they strongly suggested I order a sample as color lots can vary and there's no returns. While I waited for the sample to arrive, I had time to think further about going "green" with the fig-aro color. Then I read your post and others saying it was too modern for your kitchen.

I love berryberry's backsplash and her granite is similar in color to mine. Had admired jodi in so ca's backsplash from the moment I saw it, but couldn't picture it with my granite until I saw berryberry's kitchen. I called for a sample today. So, like you, the search goes on.

By the way, I'm glad you decided to go with the pendants!

Thereab1

Love the fixture over your island. Can you share some info on it? Thanks

It took us about 18 months to decide! We went with only 4 inches of glass tile and travertine liner. The reason is that the kitchen is there was no logical ending point without doing this, or tiling the whole wall. I didn't want the expense of tiling the whole wall, and didn't want it to be the stand out element.

When I was trying to decide on my backsplash I went to several tile stores in my area armed with my granite sample, cabinet color sample and flooring. I asked every sales person I could find for suggestions. It didn't cost me anything but time and was very helpful. I suggest you also take a look at the fkb and find a kitchen similar to yours for some inspiration. You will know it when you see it. Good luck!

Rosie - we'll have painted wood range hood and upper cabinets, although a full tiled wall would be stylishly unpractical.=)

Edlakin - Our countertops are Bianco Antico granite which I love as they are neutral colours (greys, creams, bronzes, with a touch of red crystally garnet that reminds me of crushed red lollipops or Vicks candies) but are very dramatic, icy, sparkly and distinctive especially in person.

{{!gwi}}

Boysrus2 - Thanks! I'm happy about choosing the pendants too. Doesn't mean the Artistic Tile glass is still out of the running though. I hope you are happy with Jodi's backsplash.

Key thing is, I think I need more time.Well the kitchen cabs and granite will be installed soon. Expect a post from me soon begging for some backsplash mockups!

You guys are the best! I'm going to put serious thought into the feel that I want the backsplash to evoke. I keep telling myself...this is the fun part!

Since a few of you have mentioned my backsplash, I'll tell you how we came to select Fire & Ice. It was out of pure desperation! :-)

The cabinet color was the first thing we chose. Then the granite. But a backsplash that spoke to me seemed just out of reach, until we were walking out of the showroom where we found our flooring and granite. There it was, the perfect backsplash, the one I envisioned. It was a 4" silver-gray, tumbled slate. It was perfect! Natural looking and simple rounded corners, not fussy or formal. With that last piece of the puzzle, the kitchen design and reno could begin. We carried our one little sample around with us everywhere showing everyone. Holding it up to the light every so often to admire its silvery finish.

Fast forward two months. The cabinets are in and so is the granite, now for the backsplash. We drop by the showroom to let them know we were ready to order the tiles. Enthusiastically the owner of the shop tells how she just got some of our tile in and had made a display board which she pointed to. We didn't even recognize it. It was blue! And the corners were square. What??? No, you must be mistaken we told her. Oh no, she assured us this was our tile.

So there it was, a dull medium blue with square corners. The slate was now coming out of the quarry blue and the soft round corners we fell in love with on the sample were a bit of an anomaly.

So, it was now the 11th hour and we had no backsplash. I was working long hours at the office so my husband would run over to the showroom, grab some samples. I'd look at them, shake my head and back they would go ... until he came home with Fire & Ice. We both looked at it, looked at each other and nodded. The rest is history. :-)

Here is the original silver-grey tumbled slate (without the rounded corners I really liked) before it turned blue.

{{gwi:1566632}}

Here is Fire & Ice. It still has the natural look I was going for but packs a whole lot more punch. And we love it! The end. :-)

{{gwi:1565829}}

Jodi-

jodi- love your backsplash, its gorgeous.

for those who asked me a couple of questions- the granite is azul macaubas... and the pendant over the island is from pottery barn!

redroze, with that countertop and your cabinets, i think you have two basic options for your backsplash;

1) use your backsplash to push an accent color.
2) go neutral/traditional with your bs and use accessories to add color.

from looking at your cabinet pictures and granite, and from listening to you talk about the flecks of red/garnet in your counter, i'm thinking something like this might be really fun:

that's the first one i found and i haven't done a lot of looking, but you can kind of see what i'm talking about. you can always add more neutral/clear colors and less red to tone it down a bit.

but red is so bold! such a statement. kind of risky!

Edlakin - I totally hear you. I'm leaning more towards doing a neutral coloured backsplash with pizazz (ex. glass), and coloured accessories to change it up. I can't decide between teal blue, red or lavendar accessories so I'll keep changing it up!

I LOVE hearing all the background stories about how people chose their backsplashes. It's interesting that quite a few of you have said you wanted something subtle so as not to compete with the granite.

Red is actually my favourite colour (hence the name Redroze - Red being my favourite colour, Roze being my actual middle name) and my dream is to have my finished kitchen, with a bouquet of red roses from my mom's garden sitting on the island. That will be my first Garden Web finished kitchen photo!!

Here's a couple of glass tile samples I have. I love the variety in it. Any particular ones stand out to you? I keep getting drawn to glass as it adds a subtle glowy-ness without competing with the granite.

This one's grey back-painted glass. I really like the grey tone of it.

This one's an opaque white glass.

This is the same one, but in a clear look. Kind of a neat icy look but I'd be worried that if the backsplash isn't installed well, it will show through the glass.

Here's what I mean about the crushed red lollipops or cough drops in my granite!!
{{!gwi}}

Oooh, I like the gray ones with your set! Mind sharing the source?

In our case, we chose the "backsplash" that we have because it was cheap, easy to install (we're DIY) and easily replaceable. Our thinking is that we'll live with this one and get a "real" one in a couple of years.

If we had the $$$ I'd LOVE to go with a 6" ogee edged granite back splash. I can just picture it in my mind and think it would be perfect. But that's probably because I do love our "temporary" back splash which is very similar to that thought.

When we upgrade stoves we'll have to put something behind that area. I've got a piece of our granite that I'm hoping we'll use there. It'll be either that or a patterned stainless steel of some sort.

We had to give up on tile because the only ones we could agree on were WAY beyond our modest budget.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our backsplash

My backsplash was easy--finding the right paint color nearly made me jump off the roof(:o) I knew I wanted a simple, elegant, timeless design that would not compete with the granite. I wanted to granite and cabinets to be the star. However, I didn't want the backsplash to be a shrinking violet either. This is what I ended up with:

I went with 1X3 glass tile in one color and I love it. I have a much less "busy" counter than granite and still went with one, neutral color in the backsplash and am very glad I did. I think it is pretty easy to get a bit too much going on in a backsplash, and glass changes a lot with the light at different times of day. I didn't think I could afford glass until I went to Susan Jablon mosaics site. She has a huge range of colors and the prices were much better than anything I could find locally. My tile installer was very impressed by the quality of the tile.

lsandler, your granite is beautiful! May I ask what it is?

mrs-mjt, thank you for your kind words about my Gold and Silver granite. I think it is beautiful too!!!

1sandler and teresab1, I love both of your kitchens. I am fighting my DH right now over stain color. I want dark....like yours is, and he wants lighter. He wants a dark exotic granite, and I want a lighter one with a light backsplash. The stain color I have picked is almost a dead match to the stain used on oak during the craftsman era. I love the rich, earthy color and just HAVE to convince hubby that it's the right way to go.

It took us two years to finally get around to the backsplash and part of it was expense. Everything is more expensive than you think it will be (I think someone said take what you think it will be and then double it). Also while our contractor was good and hired some good subcontractors we had to keep on top of the situation. His communication with the sub contractors wasn't always the best. Doing this later allowed us to make sure we were getting someone that really had experience with glass tiles. I also got a few design ideas/tweaks from the person that came out to measure for the glass tile.

Anyway, we loved the color of the cabinets and so decided we didn't want a countertop to take away from the cabinets. So we ended up with a very neutral granite. Then we wanted a backsplash that wasn't so neutral that you could barely tell it was there (you know like when you spend money on all that makeup for the "natural" look) but at the same time we didn't want it to take away from the cabinets or countertop. We added the transition at the bottom to hopefully still allow for appreciation of the counter and the main brick pattern and the cabinet. I will tell you, I was sweating the choice. We ordered a full sample of the pattern (which took 30 days to get in) and put it on a piece of drywall and put it up in the kitchen. For what it cost, we had to be sure. Even then the manager of the store asked me if I was sure I wanted green at the bottom, didn't I want one of the neutral colors in the main pattern. That had me agonizing and second and third guessing myself. Thank goodness my DH was there to say - he thought we were making the right decision. Even when it went up I was thinking oh why didn't I try out other combinations of liner bars and 4X4. Finally when everything dried (it looked darker when it is first put up) and the grout went in - I was relieved. The really sad thing is with all this agonizing and worry about the choice, we were basically using colors that were in the granite.

{{!gwi}}

Rmkitchen - Thank you for your note. You're right, we do have a similar kitchen aesthetic. I know if we hadn't fallen so strongly in love with the Bianco Antico granite, we also would have gone with white marble and would have done the backsplash in the same, which is so stunning as your kitchen is. That's so interesting that you have a connection to Toronto! I'm surprised about the mixed race issue since Toronto is so open...but I am sure there are pocket neighbourhoods where it's still an "issue".

Bluekitobsessesed - White galaxy marble is actually one of the options we narrowed it down to, which is similar to Edlakin's. In person, it has tinges of gold and grey veining which I think would (although subtly) fight with our granite. Subway tile is something I just don't want to do...don't know what it is, I think it looks beautiful and classic. But the shape doesn't appeal to me.

Muscat and Rhome10 - The descriptive words that I would use for my dream backsplash and based on the Sweeby Test are: Elegant, polished, sophisticated, subtle, glamourous, refined. My ideal backsplash plays a key role in highlighting the elegance of my kitchen, and compliments and enhances rather than competes my granite. I think that's pointing me to glass...but not sure. Hmmm....maybe I need to think about this more.

Pribrisjar - I'm not sure about the source as our designer picked it up from a tile store. We're going to visit it and I will post the source once I get it.

I will take everyone's advice and wait until everything is in, the granite and the cabinets. For now, we are going to the tile store just to explore some more. Maybe my husband can help me narrow it down!

Minac - Thank you for sharing your story. It's interesting that you point out taking one of the colours from your granite. I really like that idea, and I think the grey/taupe glass tile sample works SO incredibly well with the granite and our kitchen paint colour. I've also always like a monochromatic look, meaning different shades of the same colour. I'm feeling closer to it...I'm going to have a look at the tile store. Thanks!!!

I too am having trouble visualizing what my backsplash will be. We are using a brownish cambria quartz, painted off white cabinets, and our house in general is a bit too rustic for me, so I was thinking of going with an off white subway tile.

However, here is my problem.......

I went to two tile stores and the selection is great for tumbled stone, etc, but not for subway tiles (or 3 x 6 tiles). How do I find a better selection? Online??? Thanks!

Backs plashes are difficult because they are basically design decisions vs building decisions and while most of us are good at picking and figuring, pre-visualizing is tougher.

Even some KDs aren't especially good at doing a back splash so don't beat yourself up.

Tile design can be very challenging -- if the store will help out with it that's always a bonus. Some will for a nominal or no fee. They'll do the design and sometimes even help find an installer.
.
When it gets tough, instead of getting lost in tile world I think it might be easier to find a photo of a backsplash you love, or even of a tile object you love.

If you post it folks here can give suggestions about how it will work in the kitchen and whether it will produce the result. Then it can be used as the basis for the splash (take it along while shopping).

Here's an extensive list of tile sources which can help with some of the pre-shopping.

http://www.atticmag.com/shopping/tile.html

My backsplash basically sets the style of the kitchen. It runs from countertop to ceiling on 2 walls -- so it's the opposite of the 4" micro-splash. I began with the tile and picked around it (not typical). My inspiration was ceramic tile stoves.

I drew out a scale "cartoon" of the splash and colored it in and taped it up to see how it would look. Tile has repetitive pattern so it always draws the eye. The cartoon was a bit of work but very helpful as it covered nearly a 2' x 3' section (paper taped together).

theresab, I love your backsplash so much that I'm putting my current order on hold. I love the rustic brick look so I'm off to the tile store once more. You should be very happy with your kitchen (and that granite is to-die-for!!).
thanks

Young 2008- thanks for the compliment- good luck with your decision!

I am so glad that I'm not the only one who had a hard time deciding on a backsplash! For years, while I was dreaming of redoing our kitchen, I planned on an Old World tile mural with Talavara/Mexican field tiles (we have them in all our bathrooms and had them in the old kitchen, too). But, as the kitchen reno progressed, I started to think that a more monochromatic backsplash would be a lot more practical and could be pretty, too. We have no intentions of selling our home, but realize that things may change someday. My home (an adobe) can easily go Contemporary or Old World and I didn't want to lock myself or a future buyer into one look or one color only. Plus, my daughter begged for a kitchen that wouldn't "look weird" with Christmas, Autumn or Easter decorations in it.
I fell hard for all the gorgeous glass tiles, but they were too Contemporary for the look I needed. In the end, I was looking a creamy white tumbled travertine when I came across the tumbled marble in the Crema Marfil and that was it for me. I went with a cast iron fireback and metal accent tiles, which kept me still pretty neutral. It's so easy now to change the accent colors whenever I feel like it. BTW, the new kitchen looked great for Autumn, Christmas, Easter/Spring and now Summer, too.
Lynn

omg - the backsplash was the WORST. It took me 5 months: so long that my contractor walked away and ended up sending somebody else to do the tile when I FINALLY found it. I brought home (and purchased) umpteen zillion samples and nothing, but NOTHING looked right.

I have soapstone - a soft grey/blue-green.

Think about doing something that will make your kitchen SING instead of being totally coordinated and safe.

raynag, your kitchen does sing and I love the song!

I remember when you finally found that tile, Raynag. That color combination is gorgeous. I love your backsplash!
Lynn

I was set on using these pewter and glass tiles for our backsplash, when I stumbled onto this small shop with beautiful tiles. I finally chucked (figurtively) the pewter and used Linea Grande tiles in Desert from Emenee. They just felt right.