Oh, I also wouldn't mind if they have a bit of milkiness to them so that they aren't completely "clear".

Sorry, I don't have the answer to your question. But wanted to point out I think one of the reason's Hoffman's kitchen (one of my all time faves!) works so well is the subway tile is a classic form so it's a mix of modern and traditional in itself.

I Googled your granite and since it appears to be a mix of neutrals, I think you could pick out any one of those colors for the tile. I know I've seen light tan colors before. Check out the Ann Sacks tile website for ideas. Then hopefully find the same thing for less someplace else! :)

Good Luck!

Oceanside Glass has some, but they are the small mosaic tiles and decorative elements, not subway:

Here is a link that might be useful: oceanside

Is this what you had in mind?

Here is a link that might be useful: glass subway tile

Hakatai has 1x2" recycled glass tiles, only available in a blend but they have a couple of clear/white combos. If that size isn't too small for you, it might work!
{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Hakatai Glass

Check out the glass tiles on Modwalls.com

Thank you SO much!!!

Oceanside has some pretty ones. I like the White and Oxygen non-iridescent ones called Elevation (thin, skinny and long).

The Hakatai mini-subway tiles are gorgeous...definitely another option!

I didn't quite want to echo the "modern take on traditional" backsplash that Hoffman has. Our kitchen isn't quite as classic traditional as hers.

Hmm...I'm sensing the need for a backsplash mock-up soon. Need to talk with our designer! Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it.

Smilingjudy, here's a pic of our granite. It has whites, creams, taupes and bronzes, but I want to stick with white in the backsplash so the granite stands out. Maybe we could do something special above the cooktop with a mini-mosaic with the non-iridescent and iridescents. Add a bit of sparkle. ;-)

{{!gwi}}

Your slab is gorgeous! What a great choice. I am very familiar with Oceanside Tile. My boyfriend is getting it for his backsplash. He is getting the Geoligie (or however you spell it) in the 1" X 2" vertical in Black Hills. It is stunning tile. I just love it. It would go well with your slab.

The elevations ones I have seen at our local tile showroom. They are gorgeous! However, they stick out quite a bit and are huge. It is a very modern look. It would be quite the modern twist on your kitchen. I understand that look as I am going for that look myself with my black cab for the sink and the full granite back splash.

You might want to find a local dealer to see the tiles in person. Again that pewter and silver shine travertine tile in any of the geologie patterns would be gorgeous!

Thank you mustbnuts! =)What do you mean about the Elevations tile looking huge? My husband really likes this look. I agree it is super modern...we'd have to be careful and make sure that it doesn't look odd. I found a local dealer that carries Oceanside. What is the style of your boyfriend's kitchen - cabinets, countertop?

I really like your idea of doing the grey/pewter/silver colours. Maybe I could do white everywhere else then a mosaic blend with white and pewter/silver above the cooktop, to really play up the greys in the countertop. I l-o-v-e greys!

These are the ones we were thinking of - which one do people think would go with our kitchen? Our perimeter cabs are white recessed panel, desk area and island are dark wood stained, our floors are a medium brown hardwood oak, granite is above.

1) Option 1 - Elevation.

COLOURS
White:
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Oxygen:
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SIZES
I would go with the 5X10 or maybe the 2.5x10 (which may be too modern).
{{!gwi}}

2)OPTION 2- Tessera. If the Elevation is too modern, maybe some type of mosaic above cooktop with something in a larger size (maybe the 5x10) for the rest of the kitchen.

COLOURS
White non-iridescent:
{{!gwi}}
Oxygen non-iridescent:
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Veil non-iridescent and iridescent blends of Oxygen and White:
{{!gwi}}

SIZES
I would go with maybe 1x2 or 1x1 above cooktop.
{{!gwi}}

Option 3 - Facets. Or perhaps we could do a mini-brick above the cooktop.

So many options...I think I'm finally experiencing it. PBS - Pre-Backsplash Syndrome!!!

{{!gwi}}

i like the veil blend and the hexagon tiles (but i'm a total sucker for hex tiles), but it's hard to know what would work without seeing your space.

Edlakin - good point. Would drawings help? These are not the final-final as we tweaked some of the cabinet and drawer sizes for better symmetry, and we did all flat-frong drawers, but gives you a good overall idea.

Hex tiles are pretty...but too modern for us I think.

Aerial View.
{{!gwi}}

Cooktop and Sink Wall - White painted recessed panel.
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Oven and Fridge Wall - White painted recessed panel.
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Desk and Pantry - Maple stained brown raised panel.
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Island - Maple stained brown raised panel.
{{!gwi}}

Good luck, redroze. Glass tile is beautiful, and Oceanside tile is especially great. I found the whole backsplash decision-making really overwhelming, but finally settled on glass tile, mostly 3x6, with a border of 1x1 mosaics. Behind the stove, we are using 4x4 in a diagonal pattern, which seems to be a favorite arrangement from everything I read here and elsewhere.

We're doing it ourselves, and I posted pictures on another thread.

Have fun deciding. Take your time and get samples if you can to play with at home.

I think you're right hmsweethm. I need to get some samples and play rather than having you great folks on the board come up with a backsplash schema with not enough context (or time)!!!

I did go to a glass tile place during my lunch hour and found I didn't like the rainbow shine of the iridescents. They had some beautiful "silk finish" ones that would make a great focal point.

Thanks!

I just realized you haven't even done your kitchen yet. That's good, because it means you have more time to decide. A lot of the online tile places will send you samples, some of them for a small fee. I think it's well worth it. Order all the samples you need to play with. Some of the stores will too. We got our Oceanside tile at Expo, and you can buy as few tiles as you want. It may be worth the investment to buy the tiles you want in the finishes/colors you want so you can touch them and hold them up to your counter and your cabinets or your samples of these things to help you decide.

There's nothing like living with this stuff for a while, in the environment where you'll actually install them, to help make up your mind.

I love the Veil choice.

The Hakatai is very white, with just the merest hint of green. The iridescence on the mini-brick I don't think will work with the granite. It flashes hot pink and blue green, and will be too busy with the granite's movement. They make a 1' square called Crystal that comes frosted white, or clear without iridescence. It's only about $13-$14 a foot in the clear. It's in the Ashland-E group.

Thanks Blondelle! You revived my post - I'm guessing that you're doing glass tile as well?

I'm actually going with a glass tile called Stilato from Artistic Tile, that's in a white (with a tiny tinge of green) called Wolfgang White. Of all the hunting I've done it is the whitest tile I could find in the style that I want. Have a look at cat_mom's kitchen - it's the same tile as hers.

I totally agree with you on the iridescent tile. It's pretty, but a bit too rainbow-y for what I want.

Redroze that tile is gorgeous, but still too busy for your granite. Your granite has so much going on that to have all those different sizes and patterns going on in the backsplash will fight your granite for attention. You need a quieter granite for that tile, as it will be the star, not the granite.

Here is the Hakatai. It's 1" X 1". Probably about a 1/3 of the price too, and won't compete with your granite!

Thank you for the suggestions! I decided that I will wait until after our cabinets and granite are installed, before I buy the backsplash as I want to get it right!

do you see thru the"clear" glass tile and need to prep sub surface