I really love the look when you go around the corner, only to the depth of the upper cabinet. It looks very polished, very nicely finished. The size/scale of the tile matters for this type of look. (If you're using a large format tile, I wouldn't recommend it.) You would then use a bullnose tile or a deco edge to end the tile.

I am leaning towards bringing it around to the window wall at the same height but I do have a granite riser/sill under the window so will this look okay? Absolutely fine. I love the the look of a herringbone backsplash in a solid neutral color but is that going to be too busy for my kitchen? It will be lovely with the right tile and grout combo. What is your tile budget in $/sf? With your cabinet and granite neutral is key, but lighter neutrals are going to be better choices than more saturated hues. The images below are from Fireclay Tile and show Feldspar, Gardenia, and Tusk. Gardenia is one of my favorites, as is Tusk, and both are part of the Foundations line that runs $15/sf for several sizes including 3"x6" tiles. You can order samples from the website, or look for tiles of similar shades at local tile showrooms. Keep in mind that you will likely want bullnosed edge and/or trim pieces available for whichever tile you choose.

I have a similar question five years later: Is the 4" matching back splash now out of style? And how long will it stay out of style? Doubt that it would be possible to get a full matching back splash 14 years after the home was built. I am considering removing the 4" back splash and going with a complementary tile or, perhaps, a colorful wallpaper. Thoughts as to how long the short back spash will stay out of style? (I'm old enough to remember bell bottoms - the first time they were in style.)

Joseph Corlett, LLC thanks for the advice! You and daisychain01 may be right. I do think that in such a small space stopping at the edge of the sill could keep the kitchen from looking like it's taking over the living room. d_gw I know, I've seen those dilemmas too! I appreciate the warning. I'm thinking it was the lighting, and the angle since the tile will of course be on the wall, not flat on the counter. I'll post a pic later of what it looks like under the window. I'm not actually trying to match the cabinets, but just have something that flows well together. The tile color is Riverwash so it can have subtle blue or green tinge mixed with a muddied gray depending on the light. The countertop has a little green in it, so I'm hoping that once I bring in my accessories it will be a good backdrop to pull it all together.