I'm doing my backsplash currently.... using 3x6 white subways and randomly placed 3x6 stainless tiles. I made the tiles from 1/8 inch thick 3" wide stainless bar stock. Bought it at the local metal supply and had them cut the pieces. Total cost $80 or so for 24 tiles. Looks good so far. I'm finishing a complete gut diy... hoping to finish this week.

I guess ceramic subways are out of the question? Maybe with a line of glass mosaics in yellow a row or two from the bottom? I think that would give a nod to the nostalgia/age of the home but bring in some pop and the color that you've incorporated into your kitchen with the wall color. The ceramic subways are generally cheaper than slate (I think?), and with only a little bit of the pricy tile interspersed, it wouldn't be all that expensive. I think Bill V. usually says that Dal-Tile is perfectly acceptable tile to use--and I take what he says like the gospel!! I'm (personally) not a big fan of the tin ceiling tile backsplash look. Can't really tell you why--no real rationale. I know some people really like it. For a real budget makeover for the backsplash in an old country home, I prefer painted beadboard. (oh, and do you have pictures of the rest of your kitchen and/or house? I have an 1870's Victorian farmhouse and rarely get to sneak a peek at other homes of the same age!!) Looks great--and I love the stainless/white combo on your appliances!! :) Sarah

The wall is shared with the inside wall of the Garage. We did use the thinset recommended by the manufacturer (nice to know I did ONE thing right). I used 1/16" joints because we are also using strips of mosaic tile and I wanted all the joints to match. The manufacturer also recommended sanded grout, but now with my joints so small would it do any good to switch to unsanded? It is 5am and I am actually considering ripping all the tile off. Would that work? Would I be able to reuse the tile? Ugh, what a mess.

I don't like the 4" backsplash for the following reasons: - if you are doing a decorative tile for the rest of the backsplash, you are now decreasing and cutting off your design area by 4". - the 4" creates a little "shelf" that gets dusty, just one more thing to clean. - added expense to install the 4" piece of granite along your countertop. - people who say you "need it" to cover a gap between the countertop and the tiled wall just don't have good installers. My kitchen walls are extremely out-of-plumb, but my tile backsplash meets my granite countertop with no gaps cause I had experienced installers. - IMHO it looks dated, since the 4" idea was popular with formica in the '70's. I would only do a 4" backsplash if I were doing no other backsplash at all and just leaving drywall on the rest of the wall. And even in that case, I'd try to make it a little higher, like 5" or 6".