If it were my decision to make, I would take out the travertine and replace it with a very light gray slightly shiny square tile. I wouldn't choose any warm/beige/muslin tone at all. I would pick a color out of that beautiful granite. That would pick up the tones of the counter and the gorgeous accent tile without competing. I don't think it will feel too cold with those lovely warm brown cabinets. Could someone photoshop that for her? You could take a few tiles to take home and try. It seems a shame, after you have spent so much time, effort and money on your kitchen, to put up with something so major that rubs you the wrong way. I'm sure the accent tile and granite were quite expensive, but the field tile doesn't have to be. Good luck!

Okay, I'm not so good at photoshop, but here are a few options. Do any of these look reasonable, or at least the right track? I'm still working on DH - he says he likes the whole thing, including the travertine, but if I really hate it enough he would probably let us think about redoing it.

Original:

Staten:

Prairie sand:

London fog:

Antiquity:

I guess I am the only one that likes it.

I think when the appliances are in and you have some accessories on the counter, it will be fine. But that's just me, I've always been a bit of a rebel!!

Of the above, I like the original best. The deeper color is so much richer. The lighter colors really change the overall feel. All I can say about which exact color would be right is let the granite be the guide. But as I said already, I like the contrast in color and texture that the stone offers and my biggest concern is that it connect/coordinate with the granite's colors...to show off both to their best advantage, instead of having a possible fight for attention.

I'm not loving any of them. I think something in the gray family might work better. I'll have to look for some ideas when I have more time.

okay, I know I'm probably the only one, but neither the blue or the travertine is working for me. If I had to choose one to keep, I think it would be the travertine. The blue just stands out too much. I would like to see some softer colors, so that the focus is more on the beautiful cabinets.

Laurie

I like the original better than the new choices, too.

I like the original best. It looks like something you would see in a farm house in France or Italy.

You know what....it's beginning to grow on me a bit. lol! I think I'd live with it for a while before making any changes. Once you get your cabinet doors on and bring in a few blue accents (maybe a couple of decorative blue places on stands sitting against the BS in other areas), it might all tie together well. I really don't think the field tile is what is bothering me....it's the blue just stands out too much. It it were blended with some blue accents, the whole thing may come together beautifully.

I like the light gray "Staten". Can you post a photoshop of your other picture that shows more of the kitchen in that color?

I want to see it with your doors on.

I'm just not loving it, sorry :( I seem to be in the minority of those who don't care for the blue, but that, I know, is just personal taste.

Trying not to let my taste regarding the blue tile overshadow an objective view of the combination, I still can't like the blue with any of the beige colored choices above, along with the greys in the granite, & the dark cabs.

I guess it seems like there's too much going on color-wise, and texture-wise, and when you add the angled tiles next to the vertically-placed blues; well, it's all just too much.

I'm sorry; wish I had a magic wand for you, but you asked for honest feedback, & clearly there's something about it that bothers you. In this case, I would say don't second-guess that feeling!

Thanks everyone. If you have any possible suggestions let me know and I can Photoshop them tonight. I'll try the light gray in the bigger picture, too, astridh.

I think part of why this is hard, as everyone said, is that you don't have everything finished and accessorized to tie it all together. I think finding a gray might be the best bet, I don't know. I know it wouldn't be awful to live with what we've got, so that's still an option. But it was really the travertine that I had a hard time with, I think the rough/tumble look just isn't me. I'll have to ponder some more, I guess.

I wonder whether a dark grey from the granite would work, maybe I will give that a try, too.

I've looked at this thread about 10 times and the more I see it, the more your travertine is really looking good to me.

But if you are in a position to change because you're not happy, have you thought of talking to the Pratt and Larson people about what they would recommend? I have found that they are very helpful.

And OT your bathroom is gorgeous! The Costa is stunning. Who is your fabricator?

I too have come back more than once, and the combo still hurts my eyes. When designing, each element should be able to stand on it's own, and then contribute to the overall astetic. Waiting until it's done to hope it's going to look ok....well that does not work. It's not right now and waiting won't help that :o)

It will be much worse when you paint the walls gray if you leave it this way There's just more and more disconnect in that idea.

But how about going with a soft gray field tile (and it should be shiny, I'm sorry but it should). If you did a soft gray, then paint the walls gray, it would flow so much better than it is now.

Hey there... normally don't post in this forum but wanted to throw some ideas at you....

I agree with the others, the ceramic and travertine wouldn't be my first choice together, BUT I think if you accessorized with similar blue pieces, it could really be a stand out. Here are a few things I found quick. Mind you, I realize they aren't the "right color" blue, but you get the idea =)

{{!gwi}}

This is all driving me crazy :-) First, Marlene, the fabricator for both bath and kitchen granite was Classique (http://classiquemarble.com/) located in Salem - we were quite happy with them. I love my bathroom :-) Maybe that's why the kitchen is giving me such a hard time, because I don't love it every time I walk into it like I do the bathroom.

So, we had an emergency meeting with our kitchen designer at the house today. She's more than just a KD, really I guess an interior designer? I don't know the word, but she's on staff with our GC and has helped us with various design decisions. She says that in person it looks fine, and she thinks in the context of the room will work - tying some of the light and dark, cool and warm elements together. I am not fully convinced, but all along DH has steadfastly loved it, so hmm. She did say that the travertine looked more yellow in the pictures (I sent her the same ones I posted here) than in real life, probably because of the flash. I took another one today in daylight with no flash, see whether you think it makes a difference:

I think I still want to do some Photoshop with a gray to see how it looks, especially in the overall. Igloo, do you think the Staten I tried before is soft enough?

KD also did make me feel better that the travertine will be smoothed and sealed, so it won't be quite as rough looking as it is now. I like that for sure, as my gut concern I think is the rough/unfinished look of it. And the white splotches I saw and disliked are part of the thinset, not the tile, so will go. Those things will help, but I don't know how much.

Such a struggle when more than one person will be using the kitchen and don't agree :-) And DH does use it, I work fulltime and he's home with the kids, so he does a decent amount of the cooking. I don't want to totally discount his opinion, but I also don't want to hate the kitchen.

Still don't like it. Also, that travertine will be "smoothed" by the grouting material so you'll have even more splotchiness in color.

If you don't like it do something NOW. I told myself I could live with / learn to like the stain on our cabs. Yet every time I looked at them I wanted to cry. Finally, 9+ months later (fortunately still in progress so it's not too terrible) I'm doing something about it and I'm ecstatic.

Like Morton5, I'm really seeing the Italian/Spanish/Mexican look with unglazed tiles and glossy ceramic mixed. Although I can see the point of changing things while you can, I know the process I went through when I scrutinized every selection as it went up. I particularly fretted over my backsplash tiles, because they had much more color than I expected, and when we put them up we could've done better with mixing so that I didn't accidentally end up with all the darker gray tiles in pairs. I felt they really stuck out like a sore thumb and ruined the look I was after. Anyway, I was more tired than I was aggravated, I guess, because my lack of motivation to get right onto changing them evolved into resolving to get used to them, which has evolved into total acceptance of how things turned out. Exactly like the pre-install picture in my head? No, but nice anyway and I don't obsess over the fictitious vision any more. And there are things in our house my dh picked out that I wouldn't have chosen, and still wouldn't if it were my choice. They're not wrong, just different. But I no longer worry about it and let him be proud and happy with the decisions he made to contribute to the home we share.

I agree with rhome and morton5 - the kitchen backsplash has a very mexican/spanish/farmhouse aspect to it. Admittedly with fewer "loud" colours, but the brightness of the blue against the more natural looking background and the richness of the glazed tiles vs. not - like rhome, to me it strongly harkens of Spanish designs. Now, admittedly, that is said without seeing the kitchen finished with doors installed etc. so the impression is much more forged from the backsplash and some of your corbels etc.

It doesn't look "wrong" to me. I will tell you that I really trend towards the very sharp contemporary, minimalist spaces so while spanish and mexican and french etc. aren't to my taste exactly, I will say that your pictures do not look wrong. It is a different story that you don't like them.

On that note, I personally didn't care for the colour combinations that you'd mocked up earlier on. Now *those* looked wrong LOL! I thought, when I first saw this thread, that perhaps a white field tile would be your answer but upon seeing Staten, I really don't think it is. IMO, blue is a tough color to work with (trust me, I know this from personal experience trying so hard to get a room painted a blue that I didn't find unsavory!) - blue printed tiles even more so. Other than Spanish what other directions could you evoke? Delft? Victorian? Anything else? And I'm hard pressed to see how to execute Delft with the panorama behind the range.

On the plus side, you are very close to the end! That's cause for celebration!

I think its a lot better in this photo and it really might look a lot better in person than it does in the photograph. Its still not my cup of tea, but I might like it better in person.

Once I posted a picture of my before bathroom on the forum, and my after, and some of the posters liked my before better. I'm not kidding. The before was hideous in person, but I guess you couldn't really see the colors and textures in the photo. We may be missing something from the photo, plus you don't have the doors up and the appliances in. So we don't have the whole picture.

Another point is that we all have opinions, which are just that- opinions. There is another thread on here about some cabinets that someone thinks are beautiful and wanted to know what we thought. I really dislike them. Others disliked them also, and some thought they were great...

I"m bound and determined to help you find something you like snowy.... make that something you and your husband will both love.

Its hard to tell without it getting photoshopped but here's one I thought might work from Jeffrey Court: {{!gwi}}
It may not be gray enough though.

Another Jeffrey Court... a little grayer:
{{!gwi}}

Deeper gray:
{{!gwi}}
Marble:
{{!gwi}}

I'll stop with these for now. How do you guys feel about glass?

rhome410: "They're not wrong, just different." I think that's it. There are many things that Hubby has picked that fit into this category. Comes with picking a husband who is strongly opinionated and has vastly different tastes than me. BUT, there are things that go beyond this (such as the cab color in our kitchen). It wasn't a case of "that's not my taste but it's OK" but more a case of "OMG this is horrible - it's exactly the look I said I absolutely did not want." Big difference. I think that's what the OP needs to decide - is this a case of differing tastes or is it something that looks bad/ugly/off/unhappy?

I have been looking at your pictures since you first posted and can totally empathize with you! I agree with the others, but could it be that something is just "missing"? I may be way off...but what about swapping out the bordering blue 2x2 tiles... with a darker brownish tone (to soften the transition of the two colors, yet pull in the warmness of the cabinets and the brown tones in the granite)? I would hate to see you tear it all out if your husband likes it sooo much and you just aren't sure. That way, you're just making a small change to incorporate both of your tastes. :) Just a thought.

Otherwise, I had been agreeing with the others about switching the travertine to a gray color, but I think it would need to be the darkest gray from your granite to really make the blue "pop".

I know we have to keep hubby satisfied but I just think that the problem area is the blue tile. the travertine looks great. Can you perhaps have that blue tile made into a cutting board thingee(not that you would use it to cut).
Your azul blue was in the higher price range for granite so why not let that be the shinner in your kitchen?
Another option would be to use the dame granite as a backsplash behide the range and put the blue tile in it. I don't know if that optiion is affordable but you would not need to ripe out the whole kitchen, just behind the range wall.

What do you think?

This feels like a treasure hunt - let's find the gem that will bring this kitchen, snowy, & her dh all together! ;-D

I'm 100% w/ igloo's thoughts: shiny tile, light grey, & keep everything flowing together w/ wall color.

I like the 2 greyer tiles that remodelfla posted - can one of you talented folks photoshop those into her kitchen?

You guys are great, thanks for all the ideas and support.

Dixiedo, good idea on the accessories.

Pbrisjar, sorry about your cabinets, but I'm glad you're making them better now. I am glad that my issue is the backsplash - that and I guess paint are a lot easier to change, whether now or later, than something like cabinets or countertops or floors.

Rhome, mindstorm, chinchette, you are right that this may not be my ideal vision, but I can live with it if I have to and choose to. I am actually less stressed about this than I was - we'll make a decision and I'll be okay with it, and I'll be glad to have my new kitchen no matter what.

And good point that there's different and there's wrong. This is maybe somewhere in between. My husband and I actually have reasonable similar tastes most of the time, or at least close enough that when one of us feels strongly enough about something the other is generally fine with it. Thus the blue tile, which I may not have picked myself but he found and I am okay with it (although it's turning out to be hard to match things to :-) The travertine is definitely "different", but I'm not sure yet whether it's "wrong" - that may require sealing and grouting to know, which is unfortunate since then it's harder to go back. But the roughness of it is I think my biggest issue, and that will apparently be somewhat mitigated. I think it's possible that could take it from wrong to "not my first choice, but definitely livable".

remodelfla - Thanks for the tile ideas, I will try things out with the more gray one from Jeffrey Court.

Jules - I am torn on a gray color, but I think a lighter one is better? I'm afraid with a very dark it will just blend into the dark of the cabinets?

Teddas - Thanks for the idea, but the blue part is his dream, and I'm okay with it, so I don't think it should come out. I think you have my granite wrong, though, the azul blue must be someone else - ours is blue eyes, which has some blue in it but not so much blue that it gets too high up in the price ranges.

And Moonkat, it is kind of a treasure hunt, you're right :-) Okay, this post got long so I'll do another one below with my Photoshop attempts.

Okay, here are some more pictures. First, the same photo again of the backsplash surrounded by the gray tile that remodelfla suggested:

And then, I tried to photoshop into the picture I have that shows more of the kitchen. This was a lot trickier and outstripped my PS skills pretty quickly - so all it is, is the areas hit with color. It gives some idea of the overall look, I think, but it's not ideal. I filled in the backsplash area, the cabinet doors and oven space to get rid of the white, and put the same gray from the backsplash onto the walls. What do you think? Does either picture give enough of an impression, given the blocky colors, to help at all?

I like the photoshop close up using the gray tiles, but the overall look of the room from a distance is cold. I like the warmer brown tones better with your cabinets. Also, in the photo you took without your flash - your travertine is much softer in color and blends better with the blue than they did in the photos with the flash. I know its really hard to visualize what your room will look like when done, but if your designer feels this can be pulled off - I would trust her opinion and go with what you have.

Did you try what the different sealing products would do? Honestly I don't love any of the PS pix's. Personally I'm not a white subway tile type of gal - but that's just me. (Really any subway tile for that matter)
You said your afraid of the backsplash blending in with the cabinets. If that happens doesn't that just make the beautiful blue pop? And isn't that what both you and DH want? I'm still trying to concentrate on keeping what you have but "bettering" it so both of you are happy.

I don't like the whites or grays. I think once everything is in your kitchen ... cabinet doors, appliances, etc ... you'll be fine.

Thanks for the thoughts. I haven't tried the sealing products yet, we only have the one tile right now but are working on getting more. We can't do anything in the house for the next few days anyway (staining/sealing hardwood floors) so that should give us some time to think and try things out.

I am also not a subway tile person. I don't really know why, but it's just not a look that appeals to me. Good question, though, on the backsplash blending in. I guess I'm afraid that things might get too monochromatic with dark cabs, dark backsplash, darkish granite. So yes, if they blended the blue would pop more, so maybe that would be good, or maybe it just wouldn't be enough contrast in the whole room?

I know, I'm not making any sense, first I say the travertine is too much contrast, and now I say I'm worried we won't have enough :-) There must be some sort of happy medium, right?

I had an idea though I don't know how expensive or feasible it would be and forgive me if it's already been mentioned and I didn't see it. Is there another slab that matches yours? Or do you have or could you get leftover remnants? You could either do a solid slab backsplash with your lovely blue inset or if you find remnants; have them cut into tiles and then do the blue inset? Just throwing another wrench in the mix. Hope I didn't confuse you even more!

Thanks for the suggestion, remodelfla. It hasn't been suggested, and that's a good idea to remove the contrast. They did have another slab when we chose ours - they actually had a set of 9, although who knows whether there are any left now.

I have agonized a lot over this, and I guess for now I am back to my original position of I don't love it, but DH does, so we're leaving it for now. He tells me I'll like it more once everything is in and accessorized, and that may well be true, especially when the travertine is sealed. Of course it may not, but he promises if I do still hate it we can take it out, "it's never too late" he says. Famous last words I'm sure, because I know inertia takes over, but I'm willing to give it a try.

Thanks everyone for all your help and thoughts and ideas. Hopefully you will see me posting soon raving about my new kitchen :-) I'm just looking forward to having the space and being back home, so the backsplash is really a minor detail in comparison.

I do not like the white backsplash with the blue at all. I think there would be way too much clash with the cabinets. I thought the backsplash should not be a color that is too far off than the cabinets. I would remove the blue and do a similar design and replace it with a warmer brown a little darker than the rest of the backsplash. I think someone else mentioned that as well. If you really have to keep the blue, I honestly think it looks quite nice and maybe when the whole kitchen is in including the appliances it will really show itself positively.

I keep looking and looking at this. I am just not feeling any of the choices with your granite. I am stumped. I love the travertine with your cabs. I love the blue tile but think it is too "country" for your other choices. The white color in the blue tile looks to be more beige and not go with the gray tile (which would have been my first choice with the granite as it goes with the background of the granite). I like the travertine and the blue tile together but not with your granite as I see more of the cream/beige tones with both of those together. Your granite has the gray tones. Too different color palettes. I am stumped at the moment. Normally, I say wait for the grout as it pulls it all together but again, I am stumped. Have you thought of going with a darker blue color? Maybe pick up the navy tones of the blue tile? Blue can be a very difficult color to work with.

All I cab add to this discussion, is the suggestion that you find a way to get a darker tile--either by sealing / staining the travertine, or by replacing it with a simple tile in deep grey. The blue is a definite style choice, and needs to shine.

Update, we've gone ahead with it. I find that I still don't love it, but it does look better now that the travertine is sealed and grouted. My main emotional reaction was to the roughness of it, so now that that's gone it is better. Not my first choice, but better. And as DH has said all along, he really does love it.

The blue is hard to match - we've got the blue flecks in the granite, and the blue of the backsplash picks up on them. So there's a bit of a blue theme. And I know the French country look is a bit different for the rest of the kitchen, so I guess we'll have to be a bit eclectic there.

I think it looks better with the cabinet doors on and all the white gone, and other than that if DH loves it I guess I can live with it.

Wow, that looks great. Now that the cabinet doors are in I focus a lot more on the beautiful wood. My eyes go to the blue tiles and the other tile seems to just blend in, which is good. It looks like a warm and inviting kitchen. I totally understand the reasoning for not changing it. And it keeps Dh feeling like he got something he wanted.
I bet it feels good to move on and focus your energy somewhere else.

Ya' did good snowy! ENJOY!!

I agree. It did come together and now you can move on and enjoy it. I got totally focused on the backsplash and now that Im done I can step back and enjoy the total kitchen and not get hung up on one aspect. I think having a DH happy is important, too. In my recently completed project I tended to make all design decisions and should have checked in with DH more often. Luckily he is happy with it but he is a function over looks kinda guy. Step back and enjoy your kitchen for what it's for: bringing friends and family together to share good food!

Thank you for posting an updated photo. I too think it looks very nice with the cabinet doors on and the grouted tile. One you get your accessories in your finished kitchen (decorating!) that will tie your blues and brown tones together too!

It looks lovely.

It is looking much better with the doors on. What beautiful cabinetry you have! Some nice blue accessories to tie it all together and you have hit a home run! Congrats! Beautiful!

I think it looks great! keep it, your DH is right. It's different, unique and it definitely adds a great focal point. Be proud, to be honest , I'm tired of the same old, same old, this isn't the same old and adds pizzazz, but still very classy.
(I'm dutch, so maybe the delft blue thing is a nostalgic thing for me, but your particular backsplash made me consider something different for what my initial intentions were)

Thanks for all the handholding through my angst! I'm glad many of you think it looks okay now. As I said, it's not my very favorite, but I'm feeling much better about it. DH loves it, I'm okay with it now, and I got my way in a few other things (like our bathroom). I like the idea of it being unique - I am definitely pretty traditional/ conservative in style, so overall things are probably a bit boring. It's nice to think that we've added a little spice to things in the backsplash.

Anyway, thanks again. I'll post finished kitchen pics hopefully soon - we're a couple weeks out. At least construction finished, it'll probably take me a while to find accessories and window treatments.

I'm really liking it a lot! The blue tile is really gorgeous. What I also like is that it's unpredictable and eclectic. I think it has a nice relaxed feel, as well as luxurious. That's a tough combination to achieve and I think you did it well! Honestly I find that if everything is "too perfect" a match, it's hard to live with since all the everyday things of life jump out as being "out of place". But when you've got a beautiful mix like you have, things blend in and look homey, not out of place. For the really ugly stuff of life, throw them in some dark baskets. I think you did a beautiful job!

Wow. I too think it came out really well. With the grout in, the travertine recedes in a very luxurious way to emphasize the blue which is very polished. The room looks really good now. The travertine is an astonishingly good blend with the cabinets!
Congratulations! And do say the same to DH, too, since this was his brain child.

And do post pictures with your gorgeous counters, too.

Looking back and forth at the original and most recent picture, I think the main difference for me is the unfinished/rough surface and also all the white that was on the travertine, from the thinset. So maybe with that gone and the grout added, it blends much better.

Thanks for the kind words - will definitely post the finished version soon. The painters are here the next few days doing the final touch-up (we added square footage in addition to the kitchen redo), then Friday they install carpets, next week there are various other minor details and then I think we will be done!

Snowsha,
I didn't post when you first put up this thread, but I should have then. I would have been the minority voice saying that I liked it. Blue with tan or browns can be so stunning. There's something organic and unusual about it. I liked it then, but thought that maybe I was the only oddball. Well, I liked it then, and I like it now. As you get accustomed to it, you're going to realize that it makes your kitchen unique amongst many others that have a certain sameness to them. I think you'll find that people who come into your house will soon be confirming that in a very positive way. I think your kitchen looks lovely and not in a cookie-cutter way. Hopefully, you will grow to love it as much as your husband. You're a sport to compromise with your DH--especially since it's in the kitchen.

Snowy - I really didn't like the combo at first (& admitted that I wasn't a fan of the blue tile either) but it is all coming together quite handsomely!

Apologies for any of the thoughts I might have had about your DH's decorating style ;-D