Wow -- I love the tile you linked! What beautiful color and character. You are really lucky to live in a house which lends itself to a Spanish kitchen!

That being said -- are you redoing this kitchen for immediate resale? Are you planning on selling within the next few years? If not, I think resale can be a strangling notion.

Can you describe more what you're planning for your countertop? What size / shape tiles? Will the countertop be only the bright yellow seen in the photo of the border tile you linked? Or does the border you mention mean a border on the countertop?

When you write "subway tile," do you have a specific color in mind? Or do you mean the 3" x 6" white tile? If thatÂs what you mean, then I have some serious reservations  IÂm concerned the plain white tile (and I love a white subway tile, donÂt get me wrong) will just feel totally wrong with the colorful yellow counter top and the mural you have planned.

Based on what IÂm seeing in my mindÂs eye I think you could absolutely do a 3" x 6" tile on your backsplash, given that itÂs in a color which makes visual sense with your countertop. I'd also love to see some of the decorative (patterned) tile in your backsplash. I'll poke through the website some more to see if anything jumps out, but undoubtedly others here will have loads of great ideas!

In the book Bungalow Kitchens, by Jane Powell, there is a bright and beautiful photo on p.88 of a tiled counter, with a tiled backsplash. The tiles are teal and yellow (teal colored subway tile on the backsplash). I found the page on google books. Let's see if I can post or link to it here. If this doesn't work, go to google books, and search for Bungalow Kitchens. After it comes up, go to the search inside the book feature, and type in the word "stunning" (which is how Powell describes this particular tile). It should come up. For a better view, head to the bookstore for a real view!

Here is a link that might be useful: Bright tile and subway backsplash

I couldn't get to the link you provided, cleobear. Are the tiles pictured above in rmkitchen's post?

Perhaps consider doing the counters in a solid blue tile and using those gorgeous talavera tile for the splash? It seems to me to be a safer bet if resale is a consideration, will save you some money and you may find it easy to accesorize and decorate the space.

In any event, I love, love love your vision and can't wait to see the progression!

Hi Cleo,

We used tiles from MexicanTiles.com for our backsplash, and LOVE them.

Have you considered using the white Talavera tiles instead of white subways? Also, the tiles are difficult to lay completely flat (because they are not flat), so you may want to reconsider using them for the counter, unless you don't mind the potential unevenness.

-Sami

Robin,

I have to respectfully disagree with you regarding resale. In a 1920s home with spanish flair, a tiled counter would be appropriate and expected in the kitchen.

As with other materials, there are pros and cons with the functionability of tile, but from an aesthetics prospective, I think cleobear is on the right track.

Thanks everyone for the weighing in. Just to clarify, the counterop that I am thinking of doing would be the solid gold color. Then the first tile that rmkitchen posted would be the border directly above the back going all the way down the counter. Then on the opposite wall (the wall w/ the range) I would do the border again and then behind the range I would do the mural (which is the bottom picture that rmkitchen posted). I know there are potential issues with a tile countertop, that's why I keep going back and forth. But, just so you know I will have a kitchen island w/ a butcher block top that is an antique reproduction from British Traditions. I was thinking the white subway tile, but not sure if that will look good w/ the spanish tiles. Thanks again everyone.

Hi cleobear,
DW and I had a white tile countertop in the previously remuddled kitchen of our 1930 Spanish Colonial Revival. The grout lines were a constant pain in the behind. Still, we started our design process (wanting to be historically accurate) thinking of tile countertops, backsplash and floors. We ended up with soapstone counters, tile backsplash and wood floors. Our KD convinced us that using too much ornate tile would detract from other elements. She was right--the tiles we did use worked out great. Please click the link for photos of our 98% complete project, see what you think.

Here is a link that might be useful: 1930 Spanish kitchen

Personally, I wouldn't use the yellow tiles on the counter. I think it would be too much of a good thing. I would use the cream color in the pattern for the counter and do the backsplash in the gold color and the decorated tiles. I wouldn't use the subway tiles at all. Save those for a bath room or laundry room. BTW, have you looked at Mission Tile West? They have lots of revival tile and tile boards that are from the 20's and 30's. A lot of those are more art deco but they have a LARGE selection of Mexican tiles. They are gorgeous!

Here is a link that might be useful: mission tile west