Thanks for all the comments!
It's probably hard to tell, but the cabs have quite pronounced lineal graning in them so not sure that turning the thin tile on its side would work. Too many straight lines going up.

The sink cost $400 on ebay and the facet is the Danze parma in stainless steel, also found on ebay for around the cost of the polished chrome. Very happy with both.... of course they're not actually working yet, so we'll see!
: )

I think beekeeperswife is on to something with the elongated look of laying the tile vertically. Both choices are nice but I really prefer #2 laid vertically.

Wow! It's looking good!

I think both of those backsplashes are good options. Running #2 vertically like beekeeperswife suggested occurred to me too.

I really like those brown pieces in your first option, but next to your counters it is seeming too dark overall to me in the pictures. Is there any way you could combine the glass subways with the mosaic?

Lovely choices so far. My vote is for #2, #1 is lovely but too dary next to your cabinets. I'd have to see #2 laid vertically before I could vote for that direction. I agree with you that it may fight with the vertical graining of your cabinets, but need to see it lined up first before I'd rule it out.

Great job. I think you made the right choice with the seams, being that you have an apron sink. My seam will be right under a cabinet light too! But, I couldn't abide with those seams in the front and back - I don't have an apron sink.
Although I like number 1, I think it will be too dark with your beautiful dark cabs. However, you do have lots of windows in there - and having under cab lights will of course help with that.
But, still I like number 2 best for your particular kitchen.

Wow, Looking great!

Another vote for #2. I agree with Skoo on that it ties with your floor nicely. I also would like to add that it picks up the shapes of your drawers, sink and pulls as well.

Not sure about vertical until I could see a sample of it hanging in your space. The mosaic is gorgeous as well but I think it would clash with the rest of your kitchen.

Seams? What seams! You're kidding, right? Looks like all your leg work to find the best fabricator was worth it! I hope I have the same luck with Colonial and Amerom/Stonehenge4stone...slabs are purchased, just not installed yet.

Your counters are beauTEEful (ya'know-what-I-mean?) Is that the Crystall quartzite?

Keep sending the photos as they come - love'em! No doubt whatever backsplash YOU pick will be stunning.
Poodledo

Wow, beautiful kitchen. The wood cabinets are so unusual. I don't see the seam in the quartz. :)

I like variation and intensity of the colors, textures and material in BS#1. I am not a fan of most bs with vertical glass, but they are striking.

OMG! I LOVE BS #1!! SOOOooooo cool.

And by the way, I cannot see the seams AT ALL. Nice.

Can you tell me what the name of tile #1 is?? I just love it!

Ooooooh LA LA....Gorgeous.
My vote is #1 tile.

poodledo - the guys who did our fabrication love Stonehenge4stone, I think they work together a lot. I liked it there too, the guy who runs it is hilarious!

It does seem to have worked out well with our fabrication - John (fabricator from Wolf) actually just called me to ask how my husband liked the counters and is going to drop me off a stone care package. Really nice touch and I think he did a great job on these seams - I was really worried about them!

cawfeegirl -the tile is from an online store - it's 1/3rd the price it is in stores according to one of the reviews.... I've actually not seen anything like it in a store. I'm on my phone but I'll post you a link when I'm at a proper computer.

Thanks for the votes folks! It seems once again like one of those things that comes down to personal preference. So hard to pull the trigger on a final decision! : )

Love your kitchen. Could you tell me what hood that is--looks like what I need!

leel; the hood is a Wolf low profile hood.

Your kitchen is beautiful in every detail! I think either choice #1 or #2 for the backsplash will be great. I have a slight preference for #2 because of the ways that it accents the horizontal motion in your cabinets. I do not like the idea of installing the tile vertically. I know that is very trendy right now. But I don't think that look will last and it will date your kitchen too quickly. As another option have you considered a larger tile? Although it may sound counter intuitive, I once heard a decorator say that large tiles (floor or wall) make small spaces look bigger.

looked and looked - can't see a seam. they messed up, didn't they? - lol!!!! guess they didn't want to be the topic on this forum!

love both tiles. but I wouldn't put either all over. behind the stove and then maybe use some of it as an accent line in a cream colored tile for the rest of it. your floors are dark, the cabs are dark... I think too much of it would 'fight' with your beautiful cabs and counter top. let it be an accent. (agree - no vertical run of #2 tile).

love the counter top! what a great job on your kitchen!

Love your counters. Really beautiful. I vote for #2, but I prefer rectangular tiles to square ones in general bc I think they're more interesting. Good luck! Can't wait to see the finished product!

Holy cow!!!! It's stunning!!!! It is really really beautiful. I vote for #2. I think it will look amazing with the floor and give you depth and interest without being busy.

You must be thrilled!

It looks gorgeous!!! I think I am the lone vote for backsplash #1. Can you tell us more about it, who makes it?

Beautiful! Great eye candy!!

I like the #2 backsplash. #2 is more modern thus consistent with your kitchen style. Further it's got some greenish shades into it that blend very well with your current color theme by adding interest without causing a conflict.

Regarding how to set it, are you setting it on entire wall behind the sink? There's currently not much space to set the BS over the sink.

Why do I ask? Your kitchen does look longish in the picture. However, when you stand facing it, If you have horizontal lines on the backsplash *over the sink*, the overall effect would bring a more wider feel. Conversely, if you were to set it verical everywhere, your narrow window wall might look very narrow and very tall.

Just my 2c.

"excuse the mess" -- Is anyone else having trouble finding the mess? I could post pictures of a REAL mess.

based on the vertical graining in the cabs, i'm not sure i like the skinny tile either vertically or horizontally, but i think horizontally would be better. i like the "squareness" and heft of the other tile. just wondering if it might be too dark.

Love your kitchen. I vote for #2, horizontal. It goes with the drawer pulls.

The kitchen looks great with the appliances in and the stone on. Very rich.

But while I think that the colors of your backsplash options go well, I think they're going to be way too dark.

What I think would look good is a light, clear glass in whatever shape you prefer, that picks up the tones in the quartzite. Light. And a single tone. You could buy a sheet or two of the first one with all the great colors and textures and either do a single line for an accent, or randomly throw some of individual squares into the field. In other words, I love all the stuff and color going on in number one, but you need to dilute it way down.

Terrific fabrication! The seams are invisible and short which is the mark of excellent fabrication in my book. Your selections have been outstanding.

I'm not good with backsplash at all, but to be honest I'm not loving either sample. Everything in the kitchen is so elegant in its simplicity that I'm afraid the heavily patterned backsplash is too much for the simplicity of the space. However, you should get what you love and your track record proves that you make very good decisions. Don't listen to me.

Thanks for keeping us posted.

Wow, the whole thing is stunning! So happy for you that you had a positive experience with the fabrication. Where did you finally end up going for your stone?

I prefer backsplash #2--I think the pale green brings in a lovely new element.

beautiful! i love your choices and really can't wait to see the backsplash! i really can't decide which i prefer. love the metal inserts in the first one but love the shape of the second. sorry i can't pick one over the other but hurry and finish... PLEASE!

Your kitchen looks fantastic, wow. Great job. I love the quartzite. Of the two samples you posted, I vote for #2, however I agree with plllog, I think both might be a bit dark. I think a simple opaque glass backsplash would look fabulous and not compete with the richness of everything else.

Enjoy your kitchen!!

Very nice kitchen. I would think with its simple modern lines -- including the strong element of the cabinets' wood grain -- that you would want something similarly simple. As in not multicolored and not such small tiles.

It's very elegant right now and I don't think the tiles you've chosen complement those choices.

(sorry!)

Can't believe I missed this all day. REALLY, REALLY BEAUTIFUL!!!

I LOVE the first tile combo. I usually prefer rectangular tiles, but you have so much long, linear flow going on already, both vertical and horizontal, that I like the squares and the visual action going in that whole field. I think you have enough things that come off as solid color to handle the busy-ness.

Gorgeous! And I love that it is so unique. You have picked some wonderful finishes. Great job!

While I like both tiles, I would put neither in your kitchen. I would go for something light and not too busy, to balance the other dark elements and keep the cabs as the star.

I don't normally chime in on backsplash decisions since I had such a difficult time with my own and there are so many more talented people on this forum. However, your kitchen is a complete opposite of mind but really grabbed my attention and I just loved, loved tile #1. Your kitchen is beautiful. I personally think #2 will fight a bit with the grain in your cabinets and the colors don't seem quite right with that beautiful quartzite. I don't think #1 will be too dark but if it is a concern, maybe you could buy a single color sheet of mosaics and switch out some of the ones in #1??

All in all, as others have said you have made excellent decisions so far so I'm sure whatever you pick will look great. Trust your instincts - they seem to be spot on!!

Wow! Your kitchen looks beautiful. Can you give us newbies some info on your counter tops...they look beautiful. If I have followed this thread correctly they are quartzite? Do you have a close up shot, they are fabulous and may have me rethinking my countertops. Thanks.

hoboken- I loved the pics of your kitchen without the stone in and now love it even more... LOVE IT!!! I think either tile choice would look great, but I'm partial to #1 because it's special. Not as common. You are starting to see lots more of the long skinnies and I like that the squares have so much interest mixed in. Funny, the long skinnies are what I just put in my own kitchen, but I still favor #1. I do hear what folks are saying about fearing it will be too dark... How about filling the counter to cabinet area with the glass subways you first thought of (in the light taupey color that matches the glass in #1) and then running #1 as a 6 inch accent strip a third of the way from the bottom? Then it wouldn't all be so dark and heavy, you'd get light from the glass tiles reflecting and you'd get more bling from beautiful #1!

Gorgeous Hoboken --

Like so many others, I love tile #1. What a fabulous zingy blingy tile with so much going on!
And for that reason, I think it would be totally wrong for your kitchen.
The wonderful wood grain in your cabinetry deserves to be the highlight.
Anything zingy and blingy on the backsplash is going to compete with that and dillute the impact.

I also really like the shape of the #2 tiles, but have reservations about the colors.
I wouldn't introduce a new tone in the backsplash...

I'm with Plllog about a single toned backsplash, or possible a very subtle tone on tone.
Something that blends right in with your beautiful quartzite and lets the wood grain remain the star.

I just LOVE your kitchen so much. I love the cabinets, the stainless steel appliances, the counters and that gorgeous floor! I love all the windows you have. Can you give me more details on the floor and the cabinets that I just adore?

I like both backsplashes a lot. I wish I could be of more help but they are both gorgeous!

Really, Really Beautiful! Your cabinets look so rich! I love the appliances, the sink, that gorgeous range, the cabinets above the sink - love it all!

Just looking at the backsplashes by themselves, I love #1, but I, too, wonder whether it might be too dark in your kitchen and think that #2 might be a better choice.

Your kitchen is fabulous! It is elegant, sleek, classy, inviting, and warm all at once. You have made such fantastic choices all along, I feel certain we will see the perfect backsplash, so my advice is to trust yourself once again. Having said all that, and since you asked, I'll add my opinion. I would use the same quartzite as those unbelievably gorgeous countertops and do a single slab, full height backsplash in that. Simple, sleek, and elegant like the rest of the kitchen. Over the range, I would do an insert mosaic using the #1 tiles, either in a simple rectangle, or a harlequin shape diamond mosaic with simple, thin, SS frame.

Can I chime back in and say that I totally agree with smilings most recent post?!

#1 here.

I don't have a picture, but my friend used either the same or very similar to your #2 choice as two rows of accent tile with light brown travertine type of tile. It looks very nice.

I also love both tiles. We have the small mosaics in blue glass, and although I love it, it is very busy when you look at it on a large scale, so I have to be careful what else I do.

Gorgeous space! What did you decide on the backsplash? Maybe you've posted elsewhere, I couldn't find it.

Jojogirl - our backsplash is sitting in boxes waiting to be installed. I'll post as soon as it's in - thanks for asking!

Another vote for #2. it complements rather than competes but it is still a wow factor.

Was wondering if the backsplash was installed yet since I would love to see pictures. I love your kitchen so much and I know either backsplash would look great.

Both backsplashes go beautifully!
1. seems more classic and warm (very rich looking)
2. seems more modern and fresh

I guess the ? is what look are you going for?

I think I like #2 a little bit more than #1 - it is bright, fresh and cheery while still being calm. I like it on the horizontal better than the vertical.

Honestly thought both go beautifully and you can't make a mistake by picking either one.

I like both choices, have a slight preference for the second but noticed the floor tile goes in a different direction than the backsplash would.

Did you ever post the link to the first backsplash? I would love it...for my kitchen!

Can you please tell me the name of the 2nd sample? I loved it but can't seem to find it anywhere. Which one did you end up going with? Do you have photos to share what it looks like?
Thank you very much.

In trying to locate an old thread I came across this one - interesting to see the dilemas we went through last time... all to come again this time no doubt. I feel bad because I never updated the pics when the tile went in, so just in case there is anyone who voted and never saw the finished product... here it is:

We also managed to find a dining room rug which nicely tied in the colors of the cabinets and the backsplash.

Lastly the other question I never answered in this thread (sorry) is that both tile choices came from www.glasstilestore.com and both my choices are still available.

Probably too late to be of any help/ interest to anyone now, but when I found the thread I decided to update it!

Now back to searching for the other thread! Wish the search function worked better!