All kinds of wild and unusual tiles have been in common use for thousands of years. The antiseptic look way pre-dates your house so in the year it was built they were more likely to have used color. Rich, bright, deep color. If you want white, there's nothing wrong with it, but don't feel obliged. Ceramic/porcelain tile would likely be more authentic than marble, and you can get ceramic/porcelain tile with much more consistency of color than natural stone.

For what you're talking about doing to the marble, people have done stranger, but it does seem like an awful lot of money to pay when you could just buy something else. I've paid my tile setters an awful lot for cutting and setting tiles one by one just as I like them, and helping me to design on the fly, for what is basically a folk art, rather than sophisticated look. With something like that, or for your job, you're basically paying by the hour, even if they can estimate their time and give you a solid quote total. If you do it, you want experts who'll do it right, and they don't come cheap. I don't know if it'll get up to $500sf, but probably over $100.

Have you looked at Thassos? It's much whiter than Calcutta. Maybe too light for you. Or Carrera. Why not keep looking?

Hi Theresse,
Have a look at Deko Tile's Calcatta tiles online. Some people don't like their Calcatta because it is from China and doesn't have nearly as many veins and movement as other Calcatta tiles out there. It might be just what you are looking for.

My kitchen was finished last week in our 1889 home. I was going for sort of an industrial/period look and I love how my (Chinese) Calcatta hexagonal backsplash turned out. Carrera was way too grayish with our dark cream cabinet paint, and Statuary was too white. It is much creamier than Carrera, with VERY light beigy-gold and gray veins. (I didn't get them from Deko but theirs were similar.)

I'll bet you will be able to find something wonderful without going to all the trouble and expense of cutting down tiles and throwing away batches which are too busy.

Good luck! (My right- click is broken so I can't post a pic right now--sorry!)

Thank you pllog!

According to my admittedly limited research, white subway tiles were primarily what was used during 1913 (not colored tiles just yet), or else white or cream-colored wainscoting. I know the colorful tile was used on fireplace faces though, as is the case on ours - but I think the whole sterile kitchen and bathroom look was going on in 1913 (?). I know my house originally had it cause not only is 2x6 white subway tile in the original bathroom upstairs, but the previous owners, who I am friends with, remember it having been in the house at one time. The previous owner now in her 80's moved in with her parents in the '40's when she was a teenager. There was only one family that lived in the house before them, which is kind of neat to know. I'd love to find out more about them someday if possible.

All that said, if I had the time further to obsess (I'm already taking LOADS of time away from my kids to obsess over every detail that I am already!), and the eye/confidence/creativity, or a designer, and the money, I'd do something much more fun and much more "me" in a NY heartbeat. But alas, I don't. Maybe someday. The following cut/paste link is to absolutely inspiring backsplashes, which you'd probably love: http://finishedbacksplashes2.blogspot.com/

It would be impossible for me to do if the tile were to get up to $100/SF. How did you come up w/ that calculation? Oh dear - I'd better do the math again! I was told that by going to a fabricator with big machinery, it wouldn't take that long at all for a back splash my size - but that was just one person who said that; he could have been wrong.

One consideration for a backup plan for me has been white or off-white minibrick. I think with a non-matching grout - e.g. a noncommittal but darker sand color (sand having both tan and grey in it?), all those little lines would be more interesting w/ the stainless than the bigger subway tile (or, maybe that would also be the case w/ standard 2x6 tile w/ darker grout?).

I wish I could find the link I've lost to ceramic minibrick (if that's the word for it) that's attractive to me. I imagine they didn't have that size in 1913 though (does anyone know?) but it's still a nice classic look. If I find it on my other computer I'll post it!

I've looked at Thassos which does seem too white. The in-person samples of calcutta are too grey from a distance (I don't want it to match my stainless counter so precisely) but yes I have time to keep looking. I also still pine for the Walker Zanger lightly crackled and glazed 2x6 tile I was all excited about when I thought I would do a honed black counter. haven't ruled that out completely, but it's $25/SF.

Thanks!

shanghaimom - I just saw your post, thank you!

I DO like that tile. My concern is that after honing it, it may become all white, but I could call the company and ask, as well as ask for samples. I'm also concerned that it's not local so I can't take a look at the pallet and such, but if it's known for that, that's another matter.

I'd LOVE to see pics of your backplash! Please write back and post a link, would you?

What I said about the style is a generalization about the trendsetters. Obviously, if you want to hark back to the original look of your house, with the information you have, it sounds like that particular tile will do it for you. Most of the backsplashes in your reverenced webpage are very now looking.

Yes, if you have a recutting fabricator there it'll cost a lot less than if you have a craftsman do it. I was including installation, but when you go custom with tiling it can get expensive.

But why can't you afford the Walker Zanger? It's only $182.70 more, total, than the marble that's the wrong size and color. Can you get it all recut, perfectly sized, honed, and sorted for whiteness, for that much? Can you make this year's coat work for next year too? And spend your coat money on the tile? It might be a larger difference if you have to buy by the box, and aren't using most of your last box, but if you pine for it, is this really where you want to pare $200? The backsplash is so visible!

Have you looked at these two sites?

http://www.mosaicoitaliano.com/

or

http://calacattamarble.com/

they have the 2x4' tiles with mosaicoitaliano having tumbled ones

I love Calacatta marble. I was a huge fan of Carrara and have that in one of my bathrooms (I bought that online) but when I ordered samples of Calacatta from www.thebuilderdepot.com there was no comparison the Calacatta with the clear white base and bold veining is just so unique and pretty. Even online it is still 40% more than Carrara - I bought 3x6" polished Calacatta for $12.95SF, along with 2" Calacatta polished hexagon for $21.95, Chair rail and skirting round the bottom. Calacatta has the look - but again it is more expensive than Carrara, but at $12.95SF it is still a fraction of what you pay from a traditional retailer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Calacatta Subway Tile $12.95 Square Foot