Can you show over the stove from farther back? It does look look bad to me.

Not bad at all. The counters and cabinets match and the tile does not look white but I like the slight contrast. I looked at crackled tile for my kitchen and was told it will stain so I backed off.

Tile color looks just fine in all photos except the close-up near the window, and that could be a time-of-day thing. Have you considered replacing just the area behind the stove with stainless steel and leaving the rest of the tile? Not everybody likes the look, but some really do.

Your kitchen is lovely. Up close the tile does have a yellow tinge (in one pic) , but from afar it looks fine. Live with it for a while then perhaps redo behind the stove (which we don't have a pic of). ???

Here is the area behind the stove. From a distance you really can’t see, but up close you can see the dark spots. I regret using a crackle tile and really want to replace with a smooth normal subway tile (either white or light grey). I would actually consider having stainless behind the stove but grease could still splash to the side of it and continue to make indelible spots on the crackle tile.

My backsplash looks more cream at some times of the day then others. When I step back it looks fine, like in your picture. The backsplash color looks like a good match with the cabinets too. Bright white might look off in a different way.

I am sorry you are dealing with the grease spots and I don't have any advice on that:(

Sometimes in some light my backsplash looks like this - it is not the norm and I don't even notice it now.

https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~57088087

I think the backsplash is beautiful and would not rip it out. Maybe just add some more sealer to the tiles near

the cooktop?

Really, it’s spectacular. I agree that you can just clean the tiles and add more sealer. Super easy. It’s a spray bottle you can buy at home depot (or a kitchen store).

All your distant shots look beautiful!!!! Maybe put a plant in that corner so you don't focus on those colors up close. How much would it cost to re-tile? I think that $$$ could be better spent on a lot of things, like a weekend (or week) away or a bunch of massages. Enjoy your beautiful new kitchen!!!

I would love that kitchen. Don't change it.

If you are doing messy cooking, just prop up a piece of foil behind the cooktop so that it doesn't get on the tile.

I noticed that your grout is also stained and that won't change if you have plain subway. Are you sure they sealed the crackle tile and grout with the correct product?

Try to re-seal again and ignore what's already there. That is a truly beautiful kitchen, you managed to get your white kitchen to look rich and warm ... yet bright and sparkly :) Love your floor and rug too...it all works so great together!

Your backsplash is actually perfect for your space, herringbone and all...and with time each part of your kitchen is bound to develop a "patina" anyhow, so I would just enjoy it now and save yourself the unnecessary stress.

First of all, well done on a cohesive and elegant kitchen remodel! It’s extremely common to have doubts like this after completion, especially when the palette is so pale (and gorgeous, I might add—so refreshing to see something other than bright white.) You’ve probably spent many months making hundreds of decisions and then scrutinizing materials and workmanship. The first few spots and scratches are going to hurt. Then you’ll get back in the mode of cooking and living in your space, and you won’t even notice them. The texture of the crackle brings some depth to the material, and it’s beautifully installed too. Enjoy your kitchen!

p.s. may I ask what countertop stone you used? Very nice!

I agree with Scottiemom on this one. Your kitchen is soooo beautiful, I love your choices.
The first scratches and scrapes in a new kitchen are so painful. I had a crackle tile in my old kitchen and I didn’t have any oil spots, but I did have a range with a backguard, so maybe that’s why. I would not spend the money to replace the tile, at least not right now. Have fun cooking and enjoying that beautiful space with family and friends :)

Thank you for the compliments. I think that the oil spots are not normal wear & tear. It’s impossible to get the spots out because it’s as if the oil is trapped beneath the smooth surface of the tile, which was sealed. I like everything from a distance but it seems like more spots will be showing up, there were a few new ones a few weeks after the initial handful were noticed.

scottie mom, the counter is quartz (MetroQuartz brand, color: Danza)

Know that depending on the light the tile will never completely match the counters. One they are 2 different materials and two, they are on 2 different planes. One is horizontal, and one is vertical.

I think the match is fine.

About the grease spots: get two of your extra tiles. Seal one with the sealer the way the installers did. Apply a penny size worth of cooking grease to each tile to see how it looks after a few hours.

Its very pretty overall. I'd have it sealed again. I shouldn't be staining like that.

So smart Apple pie!

its not going to get less spots that’s for sure. It’s bugging the heck out of you. It would bother me too. And of course it looks fine from a distance. But we all don’t use our kitchen from a distance. You have the ability to change it, do it now and get it over with. It’s a huge hassle for sure, but then no more oil problems, ever.

Have you tried putting a baking soda paste on the oil spots?

I wonder if they got stained before installation (oil from hands, sweat, construction dust, etc) and the sealer enhanced or highlighted the stains and locked them in?

We think it was from cooking- very hot oil possibly did it. That is the consensus so far but they’re checking with the tile manufacturer as well in case there have been similar problems.

I’ve always heard crackle tile can be a problem. I don’t personally know this, but hearing of your problem is not new. You have a beautiful kitchen and I hope something works out that you actually like long term.

Since you feel your option is to replace it, I would live with it for a while. In the back of your mind, you will replace it but at least you will get something out of this install if you don't jump to replace.

I think I will get a quote for having it re-done with a simpler tile and then decide. Thank you everyone for the ideas. (my husband won't even consider putting a stainless steel sheet behind the stove, which could have been a solution. oh well).

Stephanie, it’s a beautiful space. Crackle is not without it’s maintenance issues, regardless of the manufacturer or the quality of install. You might call it a living surface that will “patinate” over time, meaning it will never be perfect once you start using it - which is exactly what you are experiencing.

Stainless would definitely look out of place, but a sheet of your counter material behind the cooktop would be completely in keeping with the feel of the space.

When you rule that out, come on back and we will get you the right tile, probably Fireclay Tile, possibly in Calcite.