I'm definitely not an expert, but I think that tile might be a little busy with the stone? It is beautiful, though.

I don't know what you were quoted for the arabesque tiles, but I just got an email from Mission Stone and Tile in Nashville - I priced out some tile with them and now I'm on their email list.

Anyway, the email had a picture of Bee's kitchen, which made me smile. (especially after she assured me that they had the right to do that! HA) They're having a sale on it right now. I deleted the email, but I think it was something like $16.95 a sq ft.

If you're looking for color - check out Fireclay tile. That's where I'm buying mine and I LOVE their stuff.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Mission Stone

I agree with ayerg73. BA is a busy granite and should be the star of the kitchen. Maybe you can do something decorative above the range for DH, but IMHO you do not need anything else when BA enters the room!

Ditto with Ayerg73 and ellendi. I am no design expert either, but had to say I LOVE the look of your kitchen, your cabinets, layout, floor choice, and of course the granite! I do agree that the crackle would be competing with your BA, which you don't want.

Happy Easter everyone!
yes, sadly, I know the green crackle is too much for the granite.

Here's another thought...we will have quite a bit of flooring left over ...and the floor tile looks GREAT with the bianco. What about doing something with the floor tile and maybe some creamy biege subway and/or that 6" decorative tile from the third photo??

I just bought some sample arabesque tiles and, with shipping is was not a good price. I need around 75 sq feet so even at $16/sq foot it's still quite a bit. Also...I'm thinking it might be a nightmare to install around the outlets and shelving under the windows....sigh.....thanks.

Please add more ideas if you come up with any!!

Janine

Beautiful cabinets and kitchen - looks like we are about at the same stage.
Currently I have backsplash freeze (I have posts on BS roaming around)

I agree the sparkle is too much - one diva per kitchen as my fellow GW point out.

You have a lot of back splash - how about going with 6x6 cream tiles set as diamonds and periodically insert a sparkly color - I would not use the pure white - it is too cold for your counter top.

Good luck and hopefully we will all figure out our BSs!

yes, I think the BS has been the most difficult part of the choices to make! You want it to dazzle but the granite diva must dominate! lol. My builder would really like me to make a decision ...especially if the BS has to be ordered. But, I need to *see* everything together to decide and that is just too hard to do without the key player (the granite) in place!

I agree that stark white tile will probably be too cold. The cabs are whiter than they appear in the photo (due to our icky lighting that's getting replaced with LED)...but, it is not a stark white either.

Please keep ideas coming!
It take a village to remodel a kitchen!

Janine

If DH wants a color and is nixing white (in whatever version works with counter and cabs in the right light), IMO you can only choose one of the colors that's in the BA. I haven't seen in it person, but I'm seeing chocolate brown, variations of gray and/or taupe nd a hint of...is that mauve? Going with the mauve would be interesting, but, for me, anyway would detract from the classiness of the white/brown/ BA palette.

So...that means brown (disdvantage..would mean a lot of it, with it on the floor and BS), taupe (calming/neutral, but boring and it feels a bit like just splitting the difference between the white of cabs and brown of floors), maybe a gray or silver tone (if that works in real life with the BA) or...white.

But perhaps you could satisfy hubby with a hint of color instead of all color?
How about two or three rows of 2X2 chocolate brown glazed ceramic tiles, topped by a row of a white decorative listello (2X6, for eg.)...something like the square decorative you liked in your third picture, but a narrow rectangle instead. Above that put plain white 4X4 glazed ceramics, set diagonally or in an offset pattern.

Just learn from me- keep it simple!!!!! I would do plain subways in a creamy color. Trust me- that granite needs to be the star!

Agree with CKGM. Your kitchen is going to be stunning. Tell hubby there is lenty of color on the floor.

Thank you all. Melissaster: you have a good eye! the mauve color is actually more of a cinnamon but you nailed the other colors in the granite!

I've decided not to even really think about the BS until at least some of the granite is in. My slab gets to "visit" tomorrow for mapping before it heads to the fabrication yard.

I really think I'll be able to go cream subways and cream decorative for a timeless look....we decided to do the window ledge in granite so I think that will break up the white enough for hubby. I think he's looking for more of contrast than color and the shadow of the embossed tile should do it as well as the darker cream....I'll keep you posted! Here's an updated photo from today with some hardware and plate rack in. I need to replace the melamine shelving in the display cases with glass though:

I also saw these tiles today that go well with the granite...I think it might be too busy though!

IMHO I would like a simple cream tile, but if you want to go dark, there is a tile that Beekeeper's wife recommended and someone did use. Something with stingray in the title?
The above would be too busy.

I would suggest doing a crackled subway tile or a simple subway with a single or double line of a shiny mosaic or glass tile. I am obsessed with this look in the kitchen on the link and that is my inspiration for my kitchen, but I think you can still get this look with white subway tile instead of marble like she used

Here is a link that might be useful: back splash

These selections are way too busy. You need a single color backsplash. Have you seen Kitchenaddicts backsplash? her granite is white delicatus and her backsplash is a crema marfil. It is beautiful and doesn't fight with the strong pattern of a granite like BA.

Here is a link that might be useful: KA's backsplash

kamkar: that is a beautiful kitchen. I can see why it's your inspiration!

brianardarnell: another gorgeous kitchen. I really like the crema tile alot! I'm trying to picture it with white cabinets as it looks really good with the dark wood but I'm afraid once again that hubby would want more contrast with the white cabs.

We decided to put granite in the window sill so that, along with dark floor and hardware might be enough for him.

I'm still leaning toward creme subway ...maybe set in a different pattern here and there ...with those 6X6 embossed creme tiles....

But...still going to wait til granite is in to decide. I just can't see locking myself into anything til that's done.

Thank you everyone...please more to chew on if you think of anything else!

I'm with everyone suggesting a simple creamy tile. Your cabinets look very white, so a cream will add texture without busy-ness. I have a creamy crackle subway and the crackle is very subtle once you get all the tile installed; you have to get in very close to discern it, but I suppose it adds interest. That beautiful glass tile looks a lot like Sonoma Tantrum. It is incredibly beautiful in person, with gorgeous colors, but a little would go a long way. Maybe an accent here and there.

The only diva in my kitchen is me, and that's stretching it. I usually err on the side of plain and quiet. At first I thought doing that in my reno was a huge mistake but as I add a vase of daffodils or a bottle of olive oil with a colorful label, I've discovered that I can brighten up my neutral canvas very easily and, most importantly, changeably.

Linelle, did I miss a posting of your kitchen? If not I hope you post soon.

We recently installed a backsplash--walker zanger tuilieres. I remember seeing a yummy chocolate color in this line that would really pretty with your BA. I tried to copy an image from their catalog, but I was unable to. You could look at the walker zanger catalog online. I think I paid about 16$ a square foot. The one we got was a 2 3/4 X 7 subway tile with a slight crackle.
Congratulations on your new kitchen!

I have been MIA since installing our BA the first week of December. I am still pondering what to put up for our own BS. Its hard isn't it?! People that stop over say "color" but when I sit here and look at it, I still think plain white subways or something solid white but with texture/pattern. I don't really see another color for the BS in my kitchen.

I am following your thread, hoping to get a few ideas for my own kitchen. I did find a few things at Hamilton Parker that worked, jotted them down before returning the samples, and cannot remember where I tucked that paper away at! As soon as I find it, I will return to tell you which ones matched our slab of BA and you can check them out for yourself.

GOOD LUCK :-)

Hi Missy~
yes! it is very difficult! I am feeling the same as you....my granite isn't in just yet but with as busy and sparkly as it is, I keep leaning to plain ceramic tile with some decorative embossed tiles of the same ceramic. Probably in a cream color rather than white to add some dimension. I'm thinking maybe to do vertical tiles under the window sills in some way to break up the pattern..but maybe not. We decided to do granite in the sills so that will add some dimension to the overall look as well.

Now I'm deciding pendant lighting. Will the decisions ever end?? lol

Thats exactly where I am at. I looked yesterday at Lowes and Menards (only two options in my town) for lighting over our island and for BS tiles...nothing, notta. Guess it will be online our out of town shopping for me.

I found my slip from Hamilton Parker. Here is what I jotted down...Stellar crackle finish in smoke, otter, and creamy crackle were all good matches. And Crossville color WT07 good match. Honestly its been a few months since I had these tiles home, I don't know which one was my first choice anymore! I just know we wanted to stay under $20/sq ft for BS and these are the ones that matched in my price range. There were several gorgeous options there, just too much $$ for me. If you have a Hamilton Parker in driving distance, check them out!

The pricing for BS is all over the place! If I go plain subway tiles....the hand made look ones rather than the crisp edges, the BS would only be about 3.50/square foot plus install! Then, if I go crackle type glass, it can jump to over 20/sq foot ! I have about 75 sq feet to do so that is something to think about.

Granite is going in as I type!