If your tumbled travertine is properly sealed, I would not fear cleaning issues. And if your kitchen is small, a single material will give you the continuity you need. But if the choice is truly between SS and granite, I'm with feeny on using the SS.

Guess I'd have to say the style is a bit eclectic. Cabinets are paneled and trimmed in a traditional style with glass on some of the wall cabinet doors, but the appliances are stainless, and the flooring will be bamboo. Thank you all - I really appreciate the suggestions!

Subway tile is another possibility in that it's easily cleaned and a classic look.

You're right not to use the travertine - whether or not it's technically possible to seal it isn't the same as whether it's a good choice for most owners. I agree with crazylife's comments - stainless if you want to tilt more toward modern, and a neutral ceramic tile if you want to be a little more traditional. I'd avoid using a piece of the counter top granite.

it's obvious you should seal any natural stone... but should you go with stainless you will still need to seal the grout!

better yet, tell your installer you want epoxy grout such as spectrolock or urethane grout such as starglass.

Hi World Contracting,
Could you possibly clarify your point about the grout with the stainless steel? I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. I was assuming that maryinparadise was talking about a solid SS backsplash that connects to the range and extends up to a shelf or to the hood--the kind they sell as an accessory. Are you talking about something else?

Lol

I was assuming ss tile with a grout joint :)

It might get expensive, but you can considering another piece of granite as backsplash.

this is what i thought of when i heard stainless steel...

I totally understand! It's possible maryinparadise was thinking of this too, but if so I would want to clarify that I think the combination of a travertine backsplash in the rest of the kitchen and stainless steel tiles over the range would be too busy, and it is not something I would recommend especially in a smaller kitchen. In general I prefer a consistent backsplash throughout, but the solid stainless steel backsplash that I was imagining is more like an extension of the range than a separate backsplash material.

I would choose a solid stainless steel piece for the backsplash for ease of clean-up and continuity of the cooker space. Live with it for a while. If you want to change it later, I would choose a very neutral tile. Let your cabinets and counters "do the talking."

Actually, David's, ( Dytecture's) posting of the Kight Frank LTD kitchen is gorgeous and spot on for cabinet colors and granite, so I just changed my mind. The stainless behind the range would work very well in a traditional kitchen.
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Thank you so much - what a wealth of knowledge and beautiful ideas here! For the record, I was thinking of a solid panel of stainless steel for the range backsplash. It seems a majority of the comments confirms that to be a good idea. Thanks again!

Easy clean and fire safe SS works for me.

Love the streamlined kitchen look in eharder's photo... Is there an extractor fan above the electric hob arae? Many thanks in advance

The microwave has a built-in hood, filters, fan and lights, although the lights were dismal. I added 2 and replaced the originals with some decent ones. The SS back splash was less than $100.00 from a steel supply house.

Check out something like these: http://www.edenmosaictile.com/