A backsplash is where looks are everything. If you like it, it's fine!

But, you still should take one home and beat it up a bit, just in case. :)

I set a maximum limit of $20 sq.ft. I've got a bunch of samples at my house and the main difference that I can see between HD and handmade is thickness and range of colors. I'll admit that I'm persuaded to believe that you get what you pay for. I picked up some $7.50 sq. ft. marble tiles and they were crumbly along the edges. When I asked the tile store about it, they said, well, yes, that's why they're $7.50 sq. ft.

I've found most of the spendy ones are hand made, the lower cost ones are factory made. So it all depends on what look you want, as they both can be OK. That is not to say all factory made ones are low cost, there are lots of other factors.

I fell in love with a hand made crackle glazed tile that was made in England, so it was a pretty penny to purchase (they did not order it until you paid for it). I decided that the look was not really what I wanted in the kitchen, and at the price I would have needed to love it.

So instead I got some subway from Lowes, probably around $2 a square foot. I'm not totally in love with this either (could not find anything that was "perfect") but I am very content with it and what I paid for it.

BTW - most tile is very easy to break when not set. The grout adds a tremendous amount of break resistance to the tile. (I just busted up about 40sq feet of the stuff) Most are quite easy to break right out of the box.

If you are talking ceramic tile...not porcelain or stone...I believe the chief difference is factory made vs. hand made and thickness. And I don't think either matters when it comes to durability, only to the way they look. I admit that I'm no expert and there's a chance that thicker tile would somehow be more durable...probably on a floor, for example. But for a backsplash that's properly installed and grouted, don't think the difference is worth a tinker's damn. So...if you like it best, go for cheap and splurge on something where it WILL make a difference either in durability or how much you love it.

Ann Sacks tiles can be very very interesting. If your heart-throb tile is so distinctive that it will "make" the room and you need about 30 sq feet, that's not an insanely big expense, although it ain't cheap, is it?

But if you can fulfill the same look because you're not considering one of the really distinctive and exclusive Sacks ones, or if an acceptable alternative look happens with the cheaper tile, then there's less reason to buy the more expensive stuff.

What can you do with the $850 difference?

Thanks everyone! I'm usually a believer of "you get what you pay for" so that's why I'm a little worried about buying the cheap tile. However, it's the perfect color - I can't find another one that coordinates as well as the cheap one! It's either the cheap ceramic subway or white dolomite marble in 2" x 6". We'll have dark, distressed wood floors, white cabs with vintage finish, raven caesarstone on the perimeter and cambria torquay on the island. Our family room and kitchen are one big, long rectangle so they need to coordinate. Our family room has mostly cool colors - blue, gray, white and espresso. Any thoughts??

When people compliment your kitchen, don't tell them that the tile was not expensive. Make up a lie if you need to. Or just do a coy smile. Start practicing it right now.

(D.H. insists on telling people 'Florantha found this floor tile at 50 cents each. Isn't it great?' and I want to kick him. At least he can pretend, can't he?)

If you like the looks, go for it.

used $3.50 a square foot tile in my showers, and it's great. One looks like tumbled travertine from across the room, and the other like tumbled marble.

My backsplash will be about $2.50sf cream matte subway tile from Lowes. With the granite I bought, anythng else would be wasted because the granite is a LOOK AT ME one.

What you are paying for with Ann Sacks and the other high end tiles is inefficient production methods and low sales volume and a lot of expensive advertising and showrooms. Not 10x the quality!

Perfect color would be a reason to splurge, but lucky you -- you don't have to. It's also the perfect reason to get the less expensive one. It is probably machine made and flat, square edges and easier to install and can have minimal and smooth grout lines.

Atomics,

Thanks for mentioning Olympia tile and its great price of 1.80. Turns out there is a tile shop near my house that sells Olympia and other tile. I never new this place was there as the building just looks like a warehouse. Well its open to the public and I'm going there this week.

I looked up the tile you mentioned and I like it. Don't spend extra money just for a name.

I dont think durability is super important in a BS...the BS doesn't get much wear and tear....go for it and treat yourself to something else!

I decided the right color was what I was after. The tile I chose is $12 and the next best was $4. The pricy part is installation, the same for whatever 3x6 subway I chose. I decided spending more on tile would still be within my budget.

Thank you all so much! As much as I'm embarassed to admit this, I think I'm talking myself out of the cheaper tile. Course I'm finding a few other selections of tile that I'm digging that cost more. I need to stop looking at tile! I'll keep you posted when I finally make a decision. And, by the way, this is the LAST decision I'm making regarding this kitchen :)

atomics, it's my last choice too, besides appliances which I'll purchase over the next year or so.

When I realized how much nice tile could run, I decided to set a $20 sq. ft. limit. There's a lot of nice stuff to be had for that price. I knew I wanted a subway of some kind and a basic design. I found a lot of tiles I liked in the $12 range. I didn't want a couple hundred dollars to come between me and a tile I really liked.

Stopping having a look at tile is easier said than done. ;-)