My vote is still the polished onyx. The 3rd from the left. I think your space will be great!

Let me clarify, the onyx mini brick!!

After seeing them from far away, my votes are for the polished onyx or arabesques. I voted against the arabesques originally but seeing them again at that distance makes me like them with that counter.

(oh, and I did a complete remodel but am still jealous of your counters. :) They ROCK.)

Thank you everyone!

The arabesques are $23.65. I have't actually figured up the total cost, but I'm hoping that's doable since I don't have much backsplash. It's funny, because the last time my mother was here, she made a comment that the color of the arabesques looked off. She was here today and said the color looked better this time. She even mentioned that one of them looked a different color than the other, which I now notice in the picture I posted. I guess the light really affects the glass tiles.

Msrose, just to clarify I don't think yur cabs are the elephant in the room and I hope you didn't take that my post was implying the same. I just think glass and sparkly ("fancy") are too modern for the traditional style. The countertops are fantastic and the star for sure so they should be the star.

I suggested stepping back for another pic so we can see all the elements, but now I'm confused by what BS choices I'm looking at! They get kind of lost against the wall where the BS was removed! Picky picky.:>)

Of those I like the 3rd from the left the best, but you're right, close up it does look whiter which still coordinates well with the counters, but would some other shading help to pull in the floor and cabs?
Would like to see a larger brick pattern in that material and I liked the bricks Corgi and Teachertile posted.

I'm not wild about the 2 to the left for your space. I like subway, but that one looks like glass; is it? The other looks too dainty. Those are what I mean by looking too modern or fancy. 4th from the left looks too gray. Love the arabesque shape, and it looks like it coordinates well with the countertop color, but not sure about with the other elements. It looks like it's partially in shadow. What color is it? This is tough!

Do you still have the onyx that was on the black board? That had more variation in color and I'm curious to see that one in the line up.

island - They're calling the arabesque cream/beige.

Unfortunately, I don't have the one on the black board? I went back to get a sample of it Saturday and they were out of it, so they gave me the square version, which is the one you said looks too gray. Even though it's supposed to be the same stone, the colors are definitely different. If I decide that may be "the one", I'll go back and see if they'll let me bring home the floor sample at closing time and take it back first thing the next morning. What worries me if I ordered it in the brick is that it could end up being the same color as the squares. I even mentioned that to the tile guy and he assured me it would have the color variation like the sample. If it is all supposed to be the same stone, why would one have the color variation and not the other?

It's finally here!!! My Vihara sample from Sonoma Tilemakers. I know this is going to be too busy for some of you, but I think this is what I had in mind. The only thing I'm wondering about is the paper on the back. I usually see tiles with mesh on the back and it's on securely. It's like the paper is slightly sticky and some of the tiles around the edge were already coming off and wouldn't stick back on. I'm wondering if it will be more difficult for my tile guy to install.

Coloring looks right on and really pretty!

I like that tile! I think the paper is on the front. Your tile guy will have to be careful not to put the thinset on too thick so that it doesn't ooze through the front where the grout is supposed to be. If you don't mind, how much does that run per square foot?

LOVE the TAJ, it is amazing...!! Wanted it for my kitchen reno but it wasn't in my budget... LOVE the Vihara, great job I think you are done!

The Vihara rocks! I really think it might be perfect. It has a little more contrast/color variation than the others which I think will be great in your kitchen. It seems to have the floor color too? I wish I could rip out my. entire. kitchen too! But I'm going to have to settle for fixing the backsplash and repainting the cabs.

Oh! I had no I idea I was looking at the wrong side.

So, could your average tile guy get it right or will this be a tricky install? I don't want to end up with a bunch of crooked little tiles?

What about grout? Would you go with a lighter, contrasting color like these or a color similar to the tiles?

I do think this may be the one. If only they'd mailed me the sample alot earlier, it would have prevented me ordering so many other samples :)

This post was edited by msrose on Thu, Apr 18, 13 at 17:35

I really like this one! It sounds like it feels like the one to you as well...Can't wait to see the final pictures!

Our mosaic had that same paper and I didn't hear too much cursing from our tile guy (lol)

I don't think it's an uncommon installation (although I could certainly be wrong). And for what it's worth-when you posted that Vihara it was obvious that it was the right one.

Good luck and PLEASE show us the finished product!

Wahoo - that's IT!!!
So excited to see it installed. : )

I REALLY Love this one! I think you should go with a groute that is similar color to the tile so it blends into the background, but it's such a pretty tile so you will still notice how great it is. We used Laticrete and are very happy with it. We found that the grout dried very much the same as the plastic stick samples. Grout can be a whole other pain in the ass decision!! Haha

leela4 - I'm so glad to hear that!

teachertile - I'm so glad you mentioned the type of grout. I had forgotten I had questions about the type. I've heard people mention epoxy grout. Is that what Laticrete is? If it's better, why wouldn't all installers automatically choose it?

We chose Laticrete epoxy grout because it is more resistant to staining, is easy to clean & already sealed. Installers don't like it because its more difficult to install. It dries quickly. Our tile guy wasn't thrilled with our choice, but he did an amazing job with it! It is more expensive, and some say its unnecessary in a kitchen backsplash, but we didn't want to take chances with a highly used kitchen.

Msrose- Can't believe the grayish square tiles in the line up are the same as the little onyx bricks on the black board that you're holding in your hand upstream! Agree, they look completely different in color and the amount of color variation. Scary if they they are, cuz who knows what you'd end up getting.

Would still love to see them in the line up, but holy smokes that Vihara is GORGEOUS and goes so well with your quartzite!

And did I read that right, what we see is the BACK of the tile? Does the other side look exactly the same? So pretty.

Do you have a link to that tile? Is it actually shell, onyx or ? Wondering how fragile it is. Does it come in more than one color and if so what color is that?

island - It's actually glass, but it the closest thing I've found to Pipdog's onxy tiles. It may not look like hers up close, but I think it will give me a similar look. Each color comes in iridescent or silk. My sample is silk and looks kind of like a frosted glass.

I looked at one of the tiles that fell off and I think it looks the same on the other side. There's no way to know for sure unless I take them all off and then I would end up with a bunch of loose tiles. I don't understand why they use the paper instead of the mesh that holds them together.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sonoma Tilemakers Vihara Annica Silk

Found an explanation for the paper on their website. I have a question about the second paragraph. Since the tiles are only attached by paper and you shouldn't get the paper wet, they're saying to cut the tiles individually. Wouldn't that be a tedious job to cut all those little tiles individually?

PAPER FACING
Please note that Vihara glass tiles are âÂÂPAPER FACEDâ for the ease of installation and for overall appearance.
Paper facing is used on Vihara glass because they are transparent or translucent, where mesh backing will
not work. Please be certain to mount Vihara glass tiles with the paper facing out, to be removed after
the mosaic has been seated into the thin-set.

CUTTING
⢠Vihara can be cut with the use of a high quality wet saw with a diamond blade designed for
cutting glass. Pieces should be cut individually to avoid saturating paper facing. To prevent rough
edges, glass tiles must be cut in an extremely slow manner.
â¢

This post was edited by msrose on Thu, Apr 18, 13 at 22:46

This will be easy to install, but it will bevery difficult to keep the thinset from getting in the grout lines if you have to wait to peel the paper off.

The Vihara tile is beautiful with your counter! I think the colors look better in your kitchen than any of your other tile samples. Is your Vihara sample the 1/2" x 1 1/4" size? If so, did you consider the 1" x 4" tile? It seems less busy, if you were worried about that.

If they're held together only by paper and fall off easily with the sample is it difficult to keep the individual tiles straight during install?

teachertile - I talked to my tile guy a little while ago and he said the same thing. You have to let the thinset dry enough that you can pull the paper off without pulling the tiles off, but if you let it dry too long, the paper will be stuck in it. It really started to worry me. I sent him the pictures I took about 2 hrs ago and I haven't heard back yet.

juliet11 - It's funny, because in person the bigger tiles looked a little busier even though you would think it would be the opposite. I like the smaller tiles better, but I'm thinking it might be easier to work with if I use the bigger tiles.

Another issue is these tiles are skinnier than most, so I'm worried about it not completely covering the gab between my countop and wall. Could they fill that in with grout?

The very bottom edge where tile meets the counter should be filled with caulk. If you fill it wit grout it will crack. If its not a huge gap the caulk should be able to fill it. You can get caulking to match your grout.

Thanks, teachertile.

If I go with the vihara, I need to figure out what to do with the inside of my windows. My tile guy thinks it would be too busy to carry the small tile inside the windows and suggested a bigger tile. The lady at Interceramic disagreed and said she would keep it the same. Neither one was looking at this particular tile, just talking about small tiles in general. I can't copy the pictures, so I've linked to sonoma's website where it shows viraha next to some solid colored tiles. Would you use a solid tile inside the window or continue with the small tiles?

Here is a link that might be useful: sonoma tiles

One more question! My tile guy originally suggested using bullnose for the window, but this tile doesn't have a matching bullnose. I've been looking at shower niches to get some ideas. The lady an Interceramic mentioned this Schlueter trim piece for the corners. I would get a matching color instead of the silver.

{{!gwi}}

Do you think this is the cut edge of the tile we see here? If so, why does it look better than my old tile? Is the difference that this one is white and mine was reddish and uneven? I wonder if the cut glass edges would look even better and I would be okay with just it? This also gives me an idea of what a busy pattern looks like inside the windows.

{{!gwi}}

Here's an example of a solid tile on the inside, although mine would just be on the sides, so it wouldn't be as noticeable as this.

{{!gwi}}

I think the stainless edging would work great. I probably wouldn't tile inside of the window just because of the grout and moisture. I think I would just paint that the same color as your kitchen. That's a hard call.

My vote is to match the trim to your tile and put a matching solid tile inside the window.
If you are still on the fence, can you buy extra tiles and tape them to the side to see how you would like it.
Also, smart move to look at niches. I would not have thought of that.

I've been following your post and am excited to see your backsplash up! Have you put it up yet? How difficult was it? Most importantly; do you love it??

Your counters are gorgeous and your bs choices are all ones I've been considering since I love Pipdogs so much. Please share your pictures. Also, did you go with Annica color? I'm looking at the Puka iridescent tile as a possibility if I don't go with the mother of pearl. I'm so confused.....I can't decide!

I just read this thread - having not been following posts as frequently due to remodeling fatigue. I am just about through installing Vihara Puka Silk 1" glass mosaic tiles for my kitchen backsplash - being grouted today. I LOVE it. I will post pictures when it's done. I almost went with the iridescent but for my kitchen it would have been too reflective. You will love your Vihara tile!! It did take a long time to install, but my installer did not have any problems with it. It's just very precise - make sure your installer is patient. In terms of your window, we didn't have that issue, but if you'd like I can take photos of what this tile looks like wrapped around a rectangular column in our butler's pantry. Very exciting - I think this is a great choice for your kitchen.

I vote no for metal trim. It might get dented too.

Just a small update. I called my tile guy last Friday to tell him about the tile. I wanted to make sure he was comfortable with the job since it was different with the paper instead of the mesh. I also asked if he needed to charge more for the job. At first he acted okay with it and told me he didn't need to charge more and then he realized the paper was on the front of the tile and not the back. I offered to send him some pictures so he could see the exact tile. He's an older man that's been in the business since 1969, so it seems like he would have seen this setup before. Anyway, I didn't hear from him all week, so I called yesterday (Friday) and left a message. I told him I was planning to order the tile today, but wanted to make sure he was okay with it before I did so. So far, no return call, so I'm not sure whether to go ahead and order it and hope I can find someone else or wait to see if I get a phone call.

Why would be think the paper would go on the back? That is a little concerning.
Maybe you can find someone else to install it? You have to use it - it's just perfect for your counters.

I would try to find someone else that is comfortable with the install. This project is too expensive and delicate to chance it. Too many people on here have ended up with bad installs that have resulted in a terrible backsplash. Plus you should not have to sacrifice what you want.

Well, I think it's going to work out. I went to the place that sells the tile and they also install. I'm waiting to get a quote, and I'm sure it will be more expensive since they're kind of a speciality shop, but hopefully it won't be too outrageous. I just couldn't imagine trying to find something else I like as much as this one.

corgimum - The price is $24.

Post pics when it's done. I can't wait to see it! Have you thought about grout color? That's yet another important decision to making the tle pop.

teachertile - I was originally thinking of a darker grout, but in the end, I decided to go with a warm white. The original picture I saw of Vihara had white grout and the sample in the store was grouted in a warm white and looked good next to my granite. I think it will lighten the look of the backsplash, whereas the darker grout may have darkened the overall look. Crossing my fingers I made the right choice!

Im a fan of going with a similar color/shade as the tile. If you go dark it would just draw attention to the grout instead of the tile. A warm white will look great!

I just read all the posts and saw you chose the tile I felt was the right one for your kitchen. The Vihara sample from Sonoma Tilemakers is perfect for your kitchen and goes so well with your gorgeous counters! I think you are going to be in love! I also would have chosen the warm white grout! I can't wait to see pictures!

I hope you do the Vihara--it looks AWESOME! Can't wait to see photos of your amazingly pretty kitchen. The Taj Mahal is really really beautiful and a fabulous choice!!!

I really feel the backsplash is going to make everything work in your kitchen. I absolutely love it with your counters. I was at a neighbor's house tonight and their darker oak cabinets like yours but in their family room to house the TV that matches the coffee table and nightstand looked so nice as the wood went so well with everything else in the room. This is what I feel will happen to your kitchen when the backsplash that ties in the gorgeous counters ties in everything as it does nicely also with your cabinets. I can't wait to see pictures!

Anyone have issues with the glass mosaic?

This post was edited by yolo56 on Thu, Aug 15, 13 at 20:48

did you end up using mint or cameo encore- both would be beautiful with TM quartzite

msrose, I'm sorry I missed your questions about my backsplash. I wasn't around for a few months so I wasn't checking GW regularly. We used white grout and the onyx definitely had a shine/iridescence to it. I just saw the photo of what you ended up choosing and it looks amazing! I hope you're enjoying your new space.

Thanks, pipdog!

msrose, I want to see the finished picture !! Surely it's done since it's been almost a year (not like me who picked out the backsplash about 6 years ago, but it's not done yet, haha : )

Hope you're loving your backsplash tile! Please post a picture.

Please post a photo! Doing same countertop and need visual of backsplash!