My granite supplier advised using tile from the granite up (no granite back splash). She could have advised the other way and made a little more money, so I think she advised based on her honest opinion. I also like the "no granite back splash" look better. Just guessing, I'd say the only reason to use the 4" granite back splash would be if you weren't going to use any other back splash at all (a more low-budget option, in my opinion).

I have a 5/8" bevel edge on my kitchen counters and LOVE it. I also have the same edge in the laundry room and crescent edge in the bathrooms. I also like the crescent a lot - but of the two, I'd do the bevel again if I could only do one. From our fabricator, up to 5/8" bevel was free (that's a little over half an inch, I think many are free up to 1/4" or 1/2"). It is simple lines and cleans up like a breeze. Like others, I strongly encourage you to go look at the slabs and, if possible, go to more than one yard. Ask the Sales Manager if they have any "clearance" granite or "single slabs" as those often can save you hundreds (or, on pricer granites, thousands). I seriously can't recall how many sq. ft. we had in our kitchen so I don't know if 37 s/f could be handled with one slab or if you must get two. If just one (even if a larger slab), you would be wise to ask about "single slabs". My cousin works for a granite supplier and the first time I bought granite 17 years ago, she's the one that told me about "single slabs". Slabs are numbered consecutively down the side when they're cut. So, if you have 10 slabs that come from one big chunk, hypothetically you would have a slab that ended with 01, 02, 03, etc. to 10. Slab 02 would better "match" or "mirror" slabs 01 and 03 than it would 08 or 10. If Customer A buys slabs 01, 02 and 03 and Customer B buys slabs 05 and 06, then 04 becomes a "single slab". It doesn't have another sister slab that was cut from either side of it. Those slabs are often a lot cheaper and just as terrific. Also, they could have a big slab with one ugly blotch in the middle or something that causes people not to buy it. My folks got a full slab of Baltic Brown granite for $255 (you read that right) because it was a "single slab" with one dark black blotch about the size of a 50 cent piece. My mom loves that blotch - says it has "character". She could very easily have had them fabricate around it. That slab was enough to do her kitchen and a bathroom vanity. A lot of people don't know to ask for clearance or single slabs, but it can save you a ton. I remember seeing 8 slabs of some kind of "thunder" something or other granite that was a beautiful dark gray with black and white waves that was originally over $33 a sq ft marked down to $6 a sq ft. They weren't going to carry that one any more, so they wanted to unload it. It didn't go with my granite plans, but if I had owned a rental property it would have been installed there! Your kitchen is going to be awesome - have fun picking "the one" piece of granite. Make it a fun trip - drive two hours, look at slabs, ask for a deal, then go have lunch before heading home.

Hey Missy (waving~) You guys are very perceptive! The color swatches on the wall are color matches to two different tiles. I wanted to see how dark the tiles would make the kitchen so I took them to Home Depot and did a color match. Of course tile is so much different than paint but the overall darkness is all I was concerned with. The paint by the mixer is the center 4x4 tile and the darker one was Stellar Gloss in "Bellini"...I ruled that one out as too dark based on the paint. Suzyq - I actually cut up some of our floor tile but didn't like the look at all..too dark and much too much texture/coarseness. Great thought though! Annie- I've played with several greys but prefer the brown/grey the most...standard greys just don't look quite right. Kate- family doesn't care for the scale of that tile. wow it would be so easy to install that one though! The price is awesome as well. I'm still looking at it. I wish it were a tad less creamy though. Creams seem to muddy up the granite. Pricklypear....LOVE that green color but have been down that road and failed (bought 60 sq ft of tile and ended up not liking it one bit ...ugh) I agree the white is too stark. Thank you for your comments. I'm loving my kitchen but this final detail is still making me kinda nuts! I know any of the tiles (even the white) would look lovely. I just need to pull a trigger and commit to one. I'm very afraid of making a mistake here b/c I know we won't re-do the b/s anytime soon...if ever again! I think I'm going to call Fireclay and see if they'll send me some samples of a shade lighter than the malt tile... and check on pricing again! Thank you , all!!!!

Of course you can still get a granite BS. You'll just have to work at getting similar slabs. Check back with your fabricator and see if they have others from the same lot, ir know where they can get some. Regarding the area behind the range, I think many go down about 6" or so, just to make sure there is no visible gap. There is no need to go to the floor.