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dark backsplash in white kitchen?

16 years ago

I'm on my 3rd month of "picking" a backsplash.

I have white cabinets and appliances, new Venetian Gold

granite counters and a mid-tone bamboo flooring. The walls

are a goldish yellow.There is only one small kitchen window and not a lot of light. I've narrowed it down to a

4x16 white subway tile (with some glass accent tiles) or

a dark charcoal 12x12 grooved tile. The charcoal goes well with the granite but I'm a bit concerned about it looking like a black hole. It may be too much contrast. Anyone have pics of a really dark backsplash against white cabinets? Any ideas of how to break it up so its not as overwhelming?

thanks for any help !

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Comments (5)

kitchenkelly
16 years ago
Hi teeka,

Picking the backsplash is the hardest thing, isn't it? And I didn't even know that I needed one until I joined this forum. lol. I have a dark backsplash and I really like it. I don't get alot of natural light but I have undercabinet lights and lots of overhead lighting.

Here are some pics. I think it DOES look like a black hole in the pics and especially at night, but I still am happy with my choice. I also added accent tiles to break it up.

Good luck!
glad
16 years ago
this one is fairly dark. i saved it because it is very similar to colors/tones i want, except i want a white or very light stone color backsplash. i have a galley kitchen and also want to focus more attention on granite than backsplash. if you want the splash to be the focal point, i think a darker one could work.

GW rejected this as a link, but hopefully you can copy/paste
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035533881@N01/1375840017/in/set-72157601995051324/
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I'm okay with quiet as well, but the misses likes the texture of glass and the colors as well (we inherited Travertine Noche floors, so much more of a yellowish/tan color that we would have selected our selves, which is why I think the accent tiles tiles with the tan glass will fit in and help bring everything together. The tumbled marble tiles are 4x8 and the glass tiles are 1x1, so we are thinking of a runner of either 3 tiles or 2 tiles high around the room (maybe 2 marble tiles up), otherwise we'll figure out some other way to inject the accents. I guess I'm not sure how the runner glass tiles would look around a very neutral setting. I wouldn't want it to stand out too much, but we only have about 12 linear feet or so of backsplash wall space.
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I feel a little bit of a contemporary vibe, so I'd do something like eam's first photo. That's kind of interesting because it repeats the shape of the distant mountains. There are others shapes that undulate like that with a smoother curve. If you don't feel brave enough to do a shape, use an elongated subway to cut down on busy grout lines. I like 3x8s and 3x12s, which would give you a more flowing movement than 3x6s to mimic the mountains. I wouldn't do anything different under the hood because you have so little area to tile. You also don't want to stop the eye--keep it moving around the room to the windows and view. It looks like the uppers over your peninsula stop short of the end of the counter, so where will you stop the tile?
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White marble countertops will look beautiful with those floors. Marble has been used for centuries in European kitchens with rustic floors - so that is quite appropriate. One thing to think about though is how your kitchen integrates with the rest of the house. What is it’s age and architectural style? You can use classic elements like white marble and white cabinets in any kitchen, but if it were a distinctively 50s home, for instance, I would try to think of some detail or style element that would be a nod in that direction. Or conversely, you can update fixtures etc in adjoining rooms to subtly balance the newer style of the kitchen. People love modern farmhouse with good reason, but I suspect that in 20 years some of those kitchens will look like they were dropped randomly out of the sky into houses that were anything but.
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wdstkdaisy
16 years ago
kitchenkelly .. your kitchen is gorgeous and the dark color sure works!

teeka, I also have light colored cabinets (pistachio green and cream color) w/bordeaux granite. I sweated over backsplash color/design (does anyone not?:) Here's how I made the final decision: I looked at my favorite china and based on that, chose to go w/handmade Portuguese tile (expensive ... but probably not as expensive as it seems).

I did 5 variegated shades of white subway tile w/ borders with colors that picked up one of the aubergine colors in the granite the green to compliment the cabinetry - this a very pretty yellow wash in the background of the border tile. The mural behind the range is multi-colored and the design is copied from an antique (17th century) Dutch tile -- it has greens, yellow, pinks and blues - it's really lovely - flowers and greens and a little yellow bird in the middle of it all (I ordered from Solar antique tiles in NYC). It's almost complete and I simply love it!

My point is not ness. to go w/Solar (although Pedro is a genius) .. but, to take something you love and use everyday (like your china) and let that be your color guide. Maybe you want to consider subway tiles w/a simple band of color (golden?) border to bring it all together? Think of a basketweave china plate w/a simple gold rim / both elements compliment each other. Also, look at the sky high expensive stuff and get inspired. Country floors, imo, has gorgeous tile ... but is so far over the top in price that it's ridiculous. Use them for ideas, not purchase.

Mainly, have fun and don't settle for anything that isn't beautiful.
biner
16 years ago
kitchenkelly-love your backsplash and counter. could you tell us what they are. thx
kitchenkelly
16 years ago
Hi biner,

Thanks. The backsplash is Oceanic bluestone by Thorntree. The granite is called Aquario (I think it may also be called Surf Green, too.)

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