And here's a closer pic:

The tile is beautiful. Maybe white crackle subway? Or you could opt to go more Old World and do a tumbled marble in a golden tone.

Are there any other colors in your kitchen to consider?

I would 1)border it with a pencil liner or something with dimension and 2) choose a field tile that pulls out a color from the scene (maybe a green shade)?

What a fun idea!

What great tiles! I would not put any border around it - I think it might detract or actually pull the eye away - and you don't want to do that. Sometimes less is more and I think a border will only make it fussy and over-the-top. I would surround it with white or cream tiles -whatever matches your decor - and let them highlight your beautiful purchase.

Carol in Jacksonville

Hi Polly,
I had the same dilemma - maybe these photos will be helpful. I commissioned a glass artist in Charlotte to create this beautiful piece of art to "hang" over my range. It is surrounded and framed in crackled subway tile. While a frame might be too much for your lovely Italian scene, a pencil liner (mine is black) will give your tiles a finished look. Lots of great photos of your exact situation on the website I've linked below to help you decide what to do (hope I did it right!)

I will also post a picture of the mural from a more distant perspective. I never get tired of looking at my "painting" and know your tiles will bring many years of happy memories. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Designer Glass Mosaics

Here is the mural from a distance. The mosaic itself is 25" in diameter.

Hope this helps!

Tag singer that is beautiful! And what I was envisioning in my head for it but seeing it is so helpful! Now I can show DH, and he will know what I was trying to explain but just couldn't with words. Your kitchen is lovely.
Thank you everyone for your suggestions.

I framed my backsplash art in gold, but my still life is much more traditional than yours so probably not the best choice for you.

I think the harder part is going to be selecting the right color field tile for the backsplash that coordinates but doesn't detract from the beautiful colors in the art. I might even try a few different shades of paint first to get the color right, then try to find a tile that matches the color you select. Right now, the white frame is doing it no favors, and I suspect white subway tile will be much the same. I would think a pale brownish yellow...think butter cream...would be my first try.

My kitchen

"butter cream" tile in GF's kitchen...she used a matching frame around her backsplash tile.

agree with Annie (hubris, I'm sure!)-- white subway tile would not go; you need cream title that looks handmade, with a bit of color variation for that artisanal look

Now I'm torn.

Picking the tile will take me forever. It's only been 6 years, what's another 6?

Take it to a tile store...I'm sure a designer there will be happy to make suggestions as to what would work best. If you like the subway tile shape, it does come in colors....

Love the tile vignettes that have a three dimensional frame. In your case, I would want the installation to present the painted scene as if it were a view through a window, rather than a painting on a wall. Agree that a good tile store will be able to play with colors and textures that make your tiles look best, but you may need an artist consult to create a trompe l'oil (spelling?) window frame.

Your tiles are a treasure. Worth waiting for!

very nice and different!

i too would frame it out...i like how tag singer has the pencil and the frame... i think you could go with any number of bs tiles, but i think plain, simple white or off white (love crackle!) would look great if it went with the rest of your kitchen- i think that's most important!
you should think of the tiles as art on the wall-- many galleries have white walls to best show many pieces, but, then again, walls don't have to be white to show off art-- what color you choose obviously shouldn't fight with the colors in the picture. i would probaby choose an offwhite or a creamy color, because stark white wouldn't look right in my house... and subways would look fine, imo!

Treat it like art.

Frame it out with a full mat and border tiles in colors taken from the image. A deep green pencil tile border with a wider rust or blue "mat" of tile and then a frame.

Can you get wood-look tile strips for a frame?

A pale yellow-cream (lighter than the lemons) subway would make a good field tile, and the plainer the better.

I agree with love_the_yard that less is more. If it were art that I needed to frame, I'd use the simplistic, handicraft style of the painting as a guide. I would not use a raised border as it would be akin to an elaborately carved frame more suitable for oil paintings, like the framed still lifes shown in the above examples. So yes, consult a tile artist.

You also should consider your ornate cabinets, which really don't need the competition of an elaborate tile design.

The colours of the rooftops and the archway cliffs already pull-out the colours fo your cabinets.

Where I would be careful if you are going to add a framing and back tile is to make sure that the colour harmonizes with your valance and window trim colour. Could be my eyes but those colours already look a little muddy against the mural.

The mural is beautiful and my comment is just a beware.

Blfenton, the valances are cheapies from lowes and completely expendable. I agree they don't go with the backsplash and will be changed.

That is gorgeous polly929! It makes a meaningful statement.

Looks great with your yellow pot, too!

That is beautiful. We did something similar. My DH is Portuguese.

Love the wavy subway tile and how it sets off your lovely Italian scene, polly! I like the simple tile framing, it just looks right, iykwim.

Rose, love your tile mural as well!

Very well done Polly! It is beautiful!

Looks like it was meant to be there!

Love it! Thanks for updating!

Nice!

It's so nice to see the finished product! Great choice of backsplash.

That is beautiful! I lived in Naples for 2 years about 5 years ago and spent so much time on the Amalfi Coast. So many wonderful places and memories. Your tile is gorgeous!