We have the island trim on our range. Although with Capital it isn't totally even with the counter, but it is just a couple of inches high. I always knew I wanted to see tile meet the counter back there. I might not have known anything else about what I wanted, but I knew that. Mine is not a feature back there, but it is still tile. I also have a pot filler which in a way is like a "feature", and might not have looked right with a range with a raised back.

Since I broke all of my links to my photos last night, what the heck, here it is again:

Wow, your kitchen is beautiful! Thanks for posting the pic. Looks like you have a gas stove, I am jealous. We have to have electric, so I am thinking stainless slide-in ceran top. But there is a HUGE price difference between the freestanding and slide-ins, so I am pondering if it's worth it, just to not obstruct the back a few inches.

I think the problem comes in when someone wants a backsplash feature behind the range, but then uses a range with the controls in the back, coupled with either an over-the-range microwave or a fairly low under-cabinet hood. You end up with 10-11" of space, which just isn't enough for a feature of any kind.

Our backsplash doesn't include a feature above the range, but it does extend all the way up. I definitely sought to avoid a range witht he controls in the back. First, because I wanted it to appear more built-in; second, because I was pulling the cabinets forward to make a deeper countertop on that wall. With the "flat" range it was easy to have a flat, usable piece of quartz behind it to fill that gap.

jakabedy, that's very nice, I love the clean, uncluttered look. I can see how a freestanding would interfere and look "off". Seems it IS worth investing in a slide-in.