I hope it's not hard to keep clean. That said, after along time living with white walls we only had a couple of spots on them over the course of 4 years. We just don't seem to "splatter" much. We're not too concerned. Thanks, wi-sailorgirl. On the end of each run I used a wetsaw to make perfectly straight cut. I spaced it 1/16" from the trim. It looks like this on the refrigerator side, and looks identical on the other end. I also bumped into the trim around the window, so I did the same thing there = spaced by 1/16" and made a nice crisp cut using a wetsaw (rented it for 1/2 day).

Thanks - filler behind the trim is pretty much what my GC and I had come up with, also. We also talked about routing out the entire backsplash area a little to recess the backsplash, but that would be complicated and more costly. Is there 5/4 trim stock? We have to replace all the trim anyway - changing from Ranch style back to original Colonial style. The other problem is that the current sill(the piece that sticks out at the bottom of the window that you can put things on) on one of the windows is exactly 1.25" deep (to the wall), so extended trim and granite will be flush with it, and we don't want to try to extend that sill much because of crowding the faucet. I'm afraid that may look odd.

Another recent thread on 4" stone backsplashes. I don't like them in general, and wouldn't do one if you plan to tile above. As mentioned trailrunner is one member without a bs, just paint. Anywhere you don't plan to put tile, even along the side wall if you have one in your kitchen, your installers should caulk any gap to prevent spills from running in. If you go without the 4" strip and are considering just paint above, make sure you tell the templater as they template your counters. They should make notes of that on your template so the stone is cut closer to the walls than it otherwise might. Here is a link that might be useful: 4

Hey, Cloud! Is yours the blue kitchen, by chance?! When they did the first installation and I had my doubts, I start searching GW and found someone's beautiful blue kitchen w/ full granite backsplash, and I was indeed trying to find shots of well done installs. I couldn't quite find a close-in shot among your earlier photos...thanks so much. So helpful. My two windows are undercabinet cutouts (about 4-5" of space between window bottoms and counter), and while the installer offered a lip/sill as an option, I was looking for a cleaner look to the facade of the backsplash -- plus, more corners sticking out just meant more that would risk getting chipped. I can just see us sliding our glass salt/pepper shakers across the cabinet and constantly hitting those corners. :) Below is a profile shot of one of the windows...latest version. I could've cropped the pic more closely, but then you'd all miss seeing my refrigerator in the background that's been parked in our family room for six months!!!! Maybe it hurts less to insert some humor into all of this. This was their 'best we can do, ma'am' on Monday. I'm just noticing NOW that they left the upper joint completely uncaulked! And see the gloppy line silicone at the lower edge? They didn't even try to tool it. The company owner, who was there, said that since it seemed I was so bothered by seeing the black line in between granite pieces, he said a bead of caulk would be better. Ugh...I'm just so done. Life really is too short so, yes, I'm picking my battles and trying to move on....obviously more difficult than it sounds, as I sat bolt upright in bed at 4 a.m. this morning, thinking about my kitchen. Here's another question for ya: the end portion of your backsplash that faces the window? Is that as glassy-polished as your countertop surface? See the end edge of the window, the piece on the left? All of the straight edges in my kitchen look just as dull. In this pic, you can see side by side the difference in glossiness....normal? Edited/Added: or, maybe, is this similar to wood and its end grain? And that the flat surface of the granite can be polished to glassy smoothness, but the end/edge surfaces, not so much? This post was edited by javiwa on Wed, Feb 4, 15 at 10:32