My thought is don't rip out what you have just put in(granite back splash)build from there up. And altho I do agree larger tiles make rooms look larger I think that is a rule for the floor the back splash is at eye level and I think the smaller tiles look good in that space. I would say pay close attention to the grout colors that you choose. I have heard that mosaics (not all) look cheap with white grout. Like a school project. I just put in 3/4 mosaics of mixed media and they are in the grey tones and I picked a grout in similar shades it looks good I would not have liked it with the white, even tho the rest of the room is white.

Amazing transformation. I’m curious to know the dimensions of your old kitchen and dining area. The layout looks very similar to the kitchen I had in my first house. I think mine was quite a bit smaller, though. It was problematic because there were 3 doorways plus a radiator in this tiny kitchen and I’ve always thought over the years how I would have remodeled it and like you, I definitely would have taken down the wall to the dining room and probably would have relocated 2 of the doorways.

Thanks Joseph. Had checked the install guideline and code, no issues there. The 3 burners that are 20k BTU are in front back burners are smaller, plus sufficient space around 8 -10 inches to wall. Thermador has a fan in back to dissipate heat.

I used a kitchen design firm, Arete European Kitchens in Austin. I had a good idea of what I wanted and they helped me realize and refine it. They did a great job in both the design and install.