I don't think granite BS's are dated but, the look in the picture is considered dated. Whether you do tile or granite, take the BS all the way up to the cabinets. But, if that doesn't work for you, then paint above the BS (like pictured above). Just don't do the small granite BS and then tile above it. That just doesn't look right IMHO. That makes the tile above look like an afterthought.

I still see it in kitchen and bath design and trade magazines, but I agree: do either the 4-6" backsplash and paint above, or do granite the full height. Some combinations do look like the tile was an afterthought.

It never looked good even when it was not dated. Either have none (paint instead). or cover the entire wall.

The problem with 4" or 8" is that it looks like you ran out of material.

Same thing goes for shower walls that end a foot below the ceiling :)

You are right in that the 4" is not popular. Every so often though, people here post one. There are decorative 4" backsplashes that have patterns or are embossed. They have a more interesting look than just the plain granite ones.
If you have a tiny kitchen and love the look of continuing the granite as your backsplash, then do it.
In ten years even the most trendy of kitchens will look dated and ones that we beleive are classic will show their age, so get what you love.

I agree that the 4" splash looks dated, but that doesn't mean you can't do it if thats what you really want. You might consider a 2" splashlette like mine in my DR. You still don't have to worry about grout, but 2" doesn't catch your eye as much as 4". Maybe 2" looks a little fresher than 4"? I hadn't wanted any splash here, but, well, this is how it turned out due to a variety of errors.

I am doing a 4" backsplash by choice with the Cambria I am ordering today. It is a simple, clean look in my mind and I like how your paint color meets your counter material. One of the things I like about Cambria is their backsplash material is 1 cm thick(as opposed to 3 cm for the counter tops). My kitchen is a small galley with simple shaker cabinets, nothing ornate or busy about it.

Obviously Pharoh doesn't care for it, but I like it and I really don't spend a lot of time thinking about what other people will think of my choices, if I enjoy it...in it goes!

I like the first photo you posted as well as the one above mine with the mini splash....I think both are clean interesting looks.

Seems like there is a heck of a lot more than a backsplash that could make a kitchen look dated, IMO. I like the pic you posted and I like Breezy's short one, too.

The line "In ten years even the most trendy of kitchens will look dated ..." is accurate. Get what you like.

When I was seriously looking for inspiration pics and files my faves from the Finished Kitchen Blog, I realized that a high percentage of my faves had the 4-inch counter material backspash. Not because the 4 inches looks so cool, but because I like the uniformity of the painted wall much better than the criss-cross grout lines of tile. I'm just not a fan of tile.

Yes, it's considered "dated." But a lot of people with low to moderate budget kitchens who aren't overly concerned with trends still do it. It's fine.

Keep in mind that you'll have to clean the top edge of a non-full-height BS. If you hate dirty grout perhaps you won't like the dirt-collecting top ledge of a 6" BS either.

cheers

The brass faucet and handles, and the color of the granite were what made the picture immediately shout "dated." Yes, the backsplash is a dated look too, but as others said, get what you want. And off-white, with a different counter color and different hardware will still give you a pretty kitchen.

I do like Breezy's mini-backsplash and of course her colors are current.

At our rental house, there is a 4" backsplash that is not polished on the top - it makes it much harder to clean. Plus, it is the "regular" thickness, and not sealed very well at the joint to the countertop, which sort of defeats the purpose of a backsplash. If we ever spill anything and it gets in there, there's no way to get it out.

That said, we are having a 4" backsplash on the sink and range walls. 4" happens to be the exact difference between the counter top and windowsill. The granite fabricators are milling it to 3/4" and will be polishing the top and putting an eased edge on it. I would much rather have used scrubbable paint, but DH feels very strongly about having the granite backsplash, even though it will be on the range wall where there will also be a 3 cm slab of quartzite just behind the range top. Can't really imagine how those two are going to meet without its being totally weird. There will not be tile above the 4", at least. Just...scrubbable paint.

Oh well - hopefully it will be better installed and look better than the rental house granite.

One difference between the taller and shorter backsplashes above is that the shorter backsplash is along all of the walls, not just the back wall. I think that this helps give the feeling that the backsplash belongs.

I lost that battle-dh wanted the backsplash. Here's the picture.

They've certainly fallen out of favor, but here is one of my favorite kitchens, complete with 4" backsplash and tile above it over the range.

I never liked the 4" backsplash in a kitchen, and I didn't do one in the house I built 15 years ago.

Credit: kitchen by Ashley Goforth Designs

As for the brass faucet being dated...ummm, yeah to 2012 and beyond. Brass is back, baby.

Onto the 4"-6" 'splash. It's function and it's not busy. If you like it, go for it. I had a brass faucet (on purpose) and a 4" soapstone backsplash in my kitchen I installed in 2010.

As of now my plan is to just do the 4" on my island which is a bi-level with a bar height counter. The sink and DW are in the island. But I'll be going to the cabs on the perimeter. Also only plan on 4" in laundry room as of now.

I asked the same question recently. I was told that lots of people still do. We were talking about quartz though. The kd told me I could use a 3 or 4 inch backsplash. My kitchen is small and I like tile backslashes in other kitchens but I know I will hate it in mine. I don't want to feel closed in and I don't like grout. Just wish I could find some pictures of 3 inch...

While the prejudice here is still against them, I'm seeing a lot more 4" backsplashes again in magazine kitchens these days. (Just like brass)

I don't think they are dated at all, though it does lead to a slightly less "custom" look.

I have a 4" splash, only because the fabricator made a mistake. I wasn't home when they did the installation; my BF was and he didn't know any better. When I called to complain, they decided not to charge me for it, since they are based in Long Island, I'm in NJ and it would have been too much bother to come out and remove it.

It's served me well enough but isn't quite what I need. My kitchen faucet handle bumps up against the wall (shallow deck, we had to play around with it to make it fit) and the paint on the wall is chipping. So, I have to put tile on in order to protect the wall. Plus, I'm getting more splash from cooking than I anticipated on the right side of the stove (I use those burners most - I'm a sloppy, active cook lol).

I'll be putting in subway tile (Walker Zanger Gramercy Park "Hamptons Beige" most likely), as close to the color of the counter (Ceasarstone "Jerusalem Sand") as possible so that it has a smooth transition.

Keep in mind you can remove the granite backsplash and tile the entire wall at a future date if you wish.

In my current kitchen I have no backsplash and a beadboard wall. DH warned against it and I assured him he didn't have to worry. He was right. Even though they seal the crack between counter and wall very well, crumbs love to find the beadboard grooves and seem to like to 'stick' to the silicone caulk or whatever it is they used. That is one application that I would definitely get a backsplash if I were to do it over.

Dated, schmated... it's in the eye of the beholder and if you are selling soon, worry about it, otherwise..feh. The house we are remodeling was last done in 1974, paneling, shag... the whole 70's hideousness. However, DSS exclaimed that the shag carpet (dear Lord) was AWESOME when he saw it and I've since had a couple younger folks (20's)say the same thing. So, again... if it's current now it'll be dated later and then current again. Do what you like!

I have a 4 inch backsplash with subways above. It is like in the photo mpagmom posted above but my granite is light. It was a mistatke because of language communication with the fabricator. You know not one person has said to me why did you put in the "dated" 4 inch backsplash. And I think it is because of the effect of the whole kitchen. It all flows together. When I was planning the kitchen I wasn't planning for that to happen but it did. Now I look at it and the 4 inches is a very subtle color interest because I think my granite has some very pale beautiful colors in it. I see the smaller backslashes in kitchen design magazines with kitchens that are very expensive and it is what they chose. So in my opinion it is just a matter of opinion! In the design magazines I'm sure theirs was a custom kitchen and my own is not. But it turned out really pretty. Most importantly I like how it turned out overall. I had the best time doing this kitchen. Do what pleases you.

We did a 4 inch back splash only because my DH was home alone and in charge. We had talked about it and said we didn't want one. However,the fabricator asked him if he was sure and he said go ahead. I came home to the backslash and was so upset. I did get over it. It is not horrible and I really don't think it looks dated.

This feature really seems odd to use as one that dates a kitchen. Simply a matter of taste. Kind of like if you want wood floors, do you use very wide or narrower plank? Both can be extremely beautiful, neither is a better choice, so go with what you want to look at every day.

Personally, I would not even consider leaving out a 4" backsplash in my kitchen. To ME, it would feel incomplete and look too plain. I have also seen some gorgeous kitchens without them, but I wouldn't want those kitchens to be mine.

As had been stated a million times on these forums, do what makes you happy. Honestly, can you imagine anyone saying, "Have you seen Ann's new kitchen? It's so modern because she has no backsplash."

I put in the backsplash (fab suggested it)... My kitchen is pretty small and builder grade (in a cookie cutter neighborhood) but I love it.

***********before

Here is a link that might be useful: DIY kitchen remodel

I didn't find GW until after we had almost completed our kitchen remodel 3 years ago. The fabricator our KD recommend does 4" backsplashes as a matter of course, so I never really thought about it until reading here after it was already installed. Am I disappointed with the look and do I feel it makes my 3 year old kitchen dated? No. The way our kitchen is configured, I'm fine with it. You tell me.

Mine's 3-1/4" high, because there's a granite windowsill and that's how high the backsplash needed to be to hit the bottom of it, so we just carried that size around the perimeter. I didn't want to have to deal with keeping grout clean where the countertop and backsplash would otherwise come together, so dated or not, I love the granite bs.

Anne

Mine's 3-1/4" high, because there's a granite windowsill and that's how high the backsplash needed to be to hit the bottom of it, so we just carried that size around the perimeter. I didn't want to have to deal with keeping grout clean where the countertop and backsplash would otherwise come together, so dated or not, I love the granite bs.

Anne

I am going to be a trendsetter. I was planning a 4" 1 cm thick Cambria backsplash because I like it and was looking for simple lines in the my little kitchen. When they templated my counters, the fabricator said, "you have a little damage here that I think a 4" will cover. How about we make it 5" to be sure". I said sure!

You will all be jealous of my cutting edge look of a 5" backsplash coming at the end of the month ;) !!!

Nhbaskets - I like the look of your kitchen. I think the granite looks nice that height under the window and up to your elevated area.

Looks great in your kitchen nhbaskets!

Mpagmom, that is a gorgeous kitchen you posted. What makes the stripe of granite BS really work in that kitchen in the careful planning the designer or someone did. The height of the granite BS is the same height as the range vent, the bottom of the window sills and the bottom of the cabinets around the range, so there is one clean, black line that goes around the entire space.

We are planning a mix of BS styles. Our range wall and sink/window wall are separated by a patio door. The range wall is a focal wall and will have tile or a sheet of glass from the countertops to the bottoms of the cabinets and up behind the hood. Our sink run of cabinets is 10' long with a 6' wide bay window in the center. There is about 6" between the countertop and the window, so we will use a granite BS to bridge that gap. Above will just be paint. I wanted to just paint that wall to the counter, but my designer has convinced me I don�t want painted drywall down to the counter. I also really like the little 2" stone back splashes.

breezygirl - It seems like you don't have any backsplash behind your range top. Did I not see it correctly in your other posts? Wondering if that is a problem. We are considering the same because we have windows flanking the range like yours - that are counter height so there is no backsplash on that all at all.

We just had our granite installed. We did a 3" and love it. It's not to big or small. We have a dark granite (sapphire blue) and I feel like the small backsplash helps contrast the countertop from the maple cabinets. We are trying to decide if we want to tile above it or not.

MrsShayne your kitchen looks great! Love your granite.
lambear1 your backsplash looks really good, I like it a lot. Looks great.
All the other pictures are great too. mgagmom that is a gorgeous kitchen photo. The way the backsplash is incorporated is very appealing.

hags00, my son put in a 6" high backsplash to cover the mess on the wall from when the previous countertop & backsplash were removed even though it had been patched, sanded, & painted. He likes it!

paulflyboy, with so many interruptions in the wall above our 3"+ backsplash due to all of the outlets and switches, we decided to just paint above it and tile only above the 3" granite backsplash behind the cooktop. Doesn't have the bling of a full tiled backsplash, but we're content with it, like the tiled area, and find it pleasing and restful.

Anne

Pick ONE surface for your backsplash. Period. Keep it the same from the counter to your cabinets. What WILL look dated is any little backsplash (4 inches, 6 inches, etc.) with any other surface. Pick a surface and commit. If you can't afford it yet, paint the backsplash with a washable paint and install it later. Make a statement.

Laurat88--I still (said with embarrassment) have no bs anywhere in the kitchen proper, just the 2" splashlette on the DR side of the cabs. The wall behind the range really needs something. The primed drywall there is splattered with oil and has a few stains on it. I plan to tile, eurosplash style, the entire rangetop wall. My small town doesn't have a great tile selection so I have to travel about an hour to see anything in which I'm remotely interested. Having two young children with me makes travel and concentrating at fancy tile showrooms a little troublesome. One day.... ;)

Let's not starting demanding that anyone do any thing here. Period.

Jimandanne and paulflyboy, please post photos! Breezygirl, what is behind the booze?

I will post some pics as soon as I can. Fortunately, we don't have any objects in the way of the backsplash. We put the outlets at the top under the cabinets. We only have 1 set of light switches on the very end of the counter top.