The biggest problem with going over old backsplash tiles is that the old ones will show at the edges. You'd have to use some kind of wood trim to cap the edge. msmf-- you said the tiles are a bit "lumpy", as in handmade. Are you talking the new tiles, or old tiles? If you're saying the old tiles are handmade, at the very least you might want to sand or grind the "lumps" down. Other than making alot of dust, that shouldn't hurt anything. Concerning removing the old tiles, it's easy to do without hurting the countertop. The tough part will be leaving the sheetrock in good enough shape that IT doesn't have to be replaced, as well. One last tip-- if you DO go over the old tile, make sure to wash the tile down well with a good water soluble grease cutter, and then make sure you rinse it really well. You want to make sure you have a good bond between thinset and old tile.

Friends of mine just did that. Their counter was laminate with the 4" backsplash and then tile above. They removed the laminate and had granite installed. The granite had to have the 4" backsplash to match up with the tile.

I think we are moving in the direction to do the island, perimeter counters and backs splash (all the way up the wall) in the same White Santorini Quartzite. Any feedback on this? Im sensitive to adding too many different materials into the mix. Is this too much of one thing?

@Summer Lilly The risks of quartzite and the alternative surfaces to achieve lighter colorations have been written about elsewhere in the Houzz forum, but I will copy a few of my comments from other threads for reference here since you asked. As with any forum input, please do your own research. A skilled fabricator and proper tooling is essential to a successful installation with quartzite which is both dense and, as a result, on the brittle side. Cracking of quartzite is well-documented elsewhere. For starters: Just noticed a crack on Taj Mahal counter by the faucet hole Cracks around sink . . . quartzite countertops Cracked quartzite countertop Crack in new quartzite countertop Crack in Newly Installed Quartzite Island Countertop Quartzite Countertops May be Gorgeous, But . . . Cracked quartzite during installation Much of the Taj Mahal quartzite on the market right now is skewing brown. A sales rep at Triton Stone told me that this is due to the slabs being cut from farther back in the quarry now and that the producers are actually processing slabs with bleach to lighten some of the brown tones in the quartzite. The lighter, creamy tones that were more desirable are harder to get now. Taj Mahal is one of the more durable quartzites, not having as many impurities in the way of calcite deposits which can lead to etching as with other stones labeled quartzite. Quartzites are overall lighter in color than a lot of the granite selections but have varying track records for durability. As a group, they are so dense in composition that they are brittle to the point of cracking during or after fabrication and installation if not done by a consummate professional with proper tools and lots of water used during cutting. Some quartzites behave more like marble and tend to etch or stain. They are costly, which adds to the level of risk given the propensities for problems. Some people absolutely love quartzite and wouldn't have anything else, but do your research on the variety as some are known to flake like crazy or develop hairline cracks easily. Nothing looks like actual marble; it is such a special and unique surface. There are some marbles more durable than others, particularly the dolomitic marbles, and a great sealer can go a long way toward making marble a workable surface, but if you really want the look of marble in an ultra-durable surface, engineered quartz might be your best option. Also, I'm not sure if you've priced quartzite or not, but if you go that route, you'll be sinking a lot of the budget into your countertop with no guarantee the fabrication and installation will go smoothly nor guarantee unless you're able to obtain a sample for pre-testing that the material will wear well long-term. That said, quartzite is becoming a very popular surface in high-end kitchen design, so proceed with caution if you decide to continue to investigate this. There is no light-colored natural stone countertop out there that is foolproof. Taj Mahal seems to have the best reputation all-around among quartzites for durability in regard to etch resistance and probability of a successful fabrication if you're using a skilled fabricator, but it can have what some may consider to be unsightly rust veins. Once you move on to other quartzites, you're usually dealing with more risk of flaking, breaking, and etching concerns than you might have with Taj Mahal. The slabs themselves may have already broken and been glued back together, something you may not recognize unless you've been trained to see it.