Easiest way is to go to the tile store and see if they already have some mosaics with your colors in them...could be glass, stone, tile or some combo...then you can use them as accents or borders....

We did six colors. I played around with color combinations at the tile store, and ended up with six because when I pulled any one ot two colors out the combination didn't look as good. They were 2x6's, and the hard part was coming up with a pattern that looked random but didn't have the splotchy patches of the same color that you'd get with a truly random method.

Love your kitchen, love the towel, love the colors, but IMHO arabesque with the subway doesn't work at all. If you do arabesque I think you need to let the shape be the star and not confuse things by introducing other shapes and colors.

If you want to add those colors (and they are great) into the backsplash I would give up the fancy shape of the arabesque.

Absolutely love that towel and the color combinations in it would look beautiful in a backsplash with your cabinets, flooring and countertops. I agree with writers block about the shape/color of the tile issue. If you do go with several different colors, you may wish to stick with a singular shape so that it doesn't distract from the overall look of your kitchen. As AnnieD said, head to the tile store. I would love to see what you come up with! Love the color of your cabinets. What color are they? Did you have a hard time finding that color?

I love your colors but agree with the other posters that the shape combination doesn't feel quite right. Ann Sacks has wonderful tile! Have you looked at either of these Ann Sacks stone mosaics?

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Oldbat-luv the towel and the colors will enhance your kitchen!
Many of the mosaic companies let you design your own - but what about a tile that has various shades. Grazia rixi butter and their green tile might be interesting. Heath tiles feel great to touch and feel and great quality! I was never able to match the Heath to my kitchen but if I lived in California, I would be knocking at their door. Wendy is very helpful.
Unlimited budget- Motawi tile has some interesting variations. And then there is Jeffrey court..

I looked at them all and still in the ABB club. Hopefully will hunt tomorrow!

Beautiful kitchen for your beautiful NE house!

PS who makes your kick plate. I need to find one for my OCD DH

Now if you could just get that first mosaic in javamom's post in the colors of the one in Annie Deighnagh's post....

I put in a 3 color backsplash using 5x5 winchester tiles. If I had to do it again I would have tried to get at least one more color to work in there. 3 is hard to get a random pattern and in my case I had to use a wider grout line and it looks a little country to me.

If your colors are going to contrast a lot I would lean toward using the stronger accent colors only as liners or decoarative pieces within a monochromatic field tile.

Winchester tile shows a lot of multicolored tile projects - I'm linking you to a site that you can browse and see if you like the look.

I went to Michael's and got card stock that was a surprisingly good match to the tile colors I picked out and tacked it up on the wall. Plus we photoshoped to see if we liked it. Still, the grout lines were something we just weren't prepared for.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winchester tiles

AnnieDeighnaugh - Thanks, those colors are great and I see how multiple colors can be combined. But... we're not looking for a mosaic backsplash (we spent 2 years tiling our master bathroom and shower with mosaic tiles... never again!).

sas95 - I like how your colors turned out. They blend very nicely.

I'm wondering how the backsplash would look with 5-6 colors, in the ogee or paseo shape? So same concept sas95, just different shape. (I'm waiting for my first set of samples to come from fireclay, could send them (whomever) the towel to pick out matching colors).

Writersblock - you recommend NOT mixing colors with the more distinctive tile... I'm listening but I'm also interested in how this would look:) Maybe I'll photoshop.

Notlazysusan (great name btw) - Cabinet color is 'Crystal White.' We had BM color match it and have used the same color for all our trim work, really like it.

Javamom - Those are nice, thanks, I hadn't seen those. I've looked at some of the watercut mosaics but these have two things against them - we can't afford and they're mosaics :)

a2 - I've been looking at shaded tiles/tiles with variation too; have a nice selection from Heath and am expecting my samples Tuesday from Fireclay. (10 pounds... will I get full colorways?!) Haven't looked at Motawi tile and Jeffrey court yet. DH makes the toekick, if that's what you meant. The footpedal came with the Hafele unit; I'd love to find something in white metal, to match the register behind it.

I just spent a little time on the fireclay website; here are some ideas with multiple colors.

I like the colors of the samples tile you have, but I agree the arabesque tile needs to be the star and not in a variety of colors. Are you willing to do something just behind the stove - like a major focal point? If so, that is probably your best bet for being able to incorporate more than one color. That's the route I went and then did a solid subway in the rest. I did a small bit of crackle glass too because I feared the subways would be too boring. Not sure if I would go that route again but I do love my medallion focal point tiles behind my cooktop.

Hi skyedog - thanks for the link and please post a picture of your backsplash. The Winchester tile is lovely.

I've spent a fair amount of time looking at Encaustic tile and most recently, Fireclay's Cuerda Seca. I love the idea that I could select the exact colors I want. I'm not sure how I would like the finished product though and this would definitely be a very expensive choice.

Here's the cartagena motif from Fireclay, in sort of similar colors. I think it looks lovely like this:

But when I photoshop it in, it does nothing for me. (I think the edges are a little too harsh).

I'd be happier with the seed brown or a lighter gray tile that was thinner (like a 2 x 8) on the bottom with a yellow pinstripe and then the arabesque. Most fun to me would be to find something that had a readable Moroccan pattern and put across the bottom only.

Or just the arabesque in yellow - maybe with cream grout. Or reverse that.

Definitely do not stack the two sizes together unless you've taken your heart medicine before looking at the estimate. That's because its one whole tile and 4 cut tiles of the arabesque per module - lot of extra tile to buy and a lot of time doing cuts. Where outlets are would be a nightmare of cuts.

I don't know if you saw my earlier threads about my recent Fireclay tile installation, but it has several colors:

Even though I had accent tiles with a design, you could just do solid color accents with the colors you like to have a simpler design.

The photoshop image is showing too much yellow. The white in the yellow squares is not visible. But, it is also too much of a good thing. Try just one row of the tile on the bottom and a "solid" above with a pencil rail somewhere.

I knew I kept these for a reason! You can pick your colors, but here are two examples of fun things to do...

Would it be possible to break up the backsplash by making the area behind the stovetop somehting else so that it would not be too much on the eyes? Maybe use that beautiful fireclay blue and yellow tile behind range abd something more subdued on the rest of the walls?

oldbat--what kind of drawer pulls are those???

Newsouthernbelle - I haven't yet figured out what I want to do behind the stove. I will have a simple shelf (glass or tile, not sure) so am not sure I want a 'focal point' back there.

bmorepanic-will think about your ideas. DH and I may do the tile work; so it's just our time involved. (Oh yes, and the expense for the extra tile of course).

gregincal - Thanks, I'd forgotten you used Fireclay tile, congrats on your completed project. Very helpful to see the tile combo you selected.

dekeoboe - you're right about the colors. I'll try out your suggestion for the single row.

williamsen - no, no - no tiles from architerra! I am way too impressionable :) Definitely some bling and zing there!! I really like the lower image with the interesting combination of tiles.

annsch - I don't think I want to break up the expanse; rather, want to highlight it with the right tile(s). This was the honeycomb tile, which I decided against because it doesn't pop with the counter (that, and the $$$$$$$), obviously way out of scale here, but doesn't it look fun?

And more true to scale...

My point being, the same pattern across. In looking at the above two tiles, skyedog, I see what you mean about using the more monochromatic tile for the bulk and contrast for the accent.

Drawer pulls are RH Bistro.

I love your cabinets and counter. Such gorgeous soft colors!

I'm not sure what you are wanting as far as backsplash. Some of the your options look more tonal and then some look to have more pattern. Brittany & Coggs tile looks like it might fit well with your style. They were quite helpful when I came to my backsplash selection and design.

Here is a link that might be useful: Brittany & Coggs

Oldbat, I truly hope you find what makes your heart and wallet sing ;) Looking at your posted photoshops got me to thinking/googling. I did stumble across a couple of tiles that "spoke" more than others now that I see what tickles your fancy. Sorry I can't seem to post individual pictures from the site, but I do like the first, second and fourth sets with your colour scheme. Like I said, I do hope you find just the right one that speaks.

Here is a link that might be useful: Just adding a couple of other ideas

You're completely ignoring the red/amber tones in your light. That's a permanent fixture in your kitchen. A towel isn't, even though you might like it's colors. You might like another towels's colors in the future. The main reason that the towel "works" in your kitchen is that it ties in the yellows in your floors and the blue/grays of your marble. Those area also permanent fixtures in the kitchen. Play up those colors a bit in a subtle way, such as a creamy yellow field tile with a marbled red/amber glass deco liner and use a gray tending towards blue grout.

Hi hollysprings, thanks for weighing in. Good point about the red/amber light tones. The light is silver most of the time (when off), lava red when on. I think of the lava red as more of a decorative element than a permanent color but the idea of a 'marbled red/amber glass deco liner' is rather appealing. (Sources for this, anyone?). I'll definitely mock up your suggestion.

Thanks for the Brittany & Coggs link, Doonie. I hadn't yet seen their tile. I tracked down a link to your backsplash - WOW!!

Countrycottageklutz - lots of examples to explore on that site, thanks. I recognize a couple of very $$$$ ones already....

I also like what doonie posted. It's literally texture.

btw, how are you liking the range top?

This doesn't have all of your colors, but I think it looks fantastic and might fit well with your lovely kitchen.

[Contemporary Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2103) by Denver Kitchen And Bath Exquisite Kitchen Design

Hi bmorepanic - like it very much. Here's the embarrasing part (I should start a thread with this topic)-I am cooking far less than I used to :(

We still have plenty on our punch list and I'm afraid we got into the bad habit of eating out during our almost year long renovation. So... when I cook on it (and don't get me wrong, I certainly use it daily), I'm very happy but only a couple times have I had the majority of the burners going. I LOVE the size of the thing; I can take two cookie trays out of the oven and use it for cooling racks and still have ample room to cook on the other end. I've only used the grill for roasting peppers so far; but it's summer and it's easy to use the grill outside.

Thanks javamom. Love that tile and had a brief fling with it :) but at around $120/SF, and needing a minimum of 35 SF (probably much more with a pattern like this), we broke up.

Off to NH today to look at fireclay tile in person... please keep your fingers crossed I find something.

Saw this today and thought of you. Would make a lovely focal piece and let you use plain tiles for the rest! You can get it in 30x30 or other sizes.

I love this one! Wish I could use it.

These are from marblemosaics.com. They have a ton of beautiful stuff in your colors, try the geometrics, medallions, and borders sections for sure. Be sure to price the right size before you faint from sticker shock on the larger pieces!

OldBat - You have so much to work with! I am watching to see what you choose. I think a tile with subtle variety and accents such as gregincal would be better than the patterns.
I think you can do the arabesque but does it fit with your NE house?
Did you get your Heath samples?
You have so many options. When you are done, maybe we can offer extra samples to anyone working on backslashes.

I started out wanting back painted glass and meandered to ceramic tile - so going with 5 inch tiles with an accent row and maybe some medallions over the cooktop.

I hope to be out of the ABB club soon!

I love that honeycomb tile to scale ; ) ...classy! Looks great in your kitchen, too. Sorry about the $$$$ though.

Thanks williamsem, great colors. I'm torn because most of the time, I think I don't want a focal point behind the cooktop.

a2gemini - thanks for hanging in here with me. You're so right about the samples; way too many. 5 inch tiles and an accent rows sounds close to my latest plan too. Am considering 2x6's or 2x8s mounted vertically, with some sort of an accent row as well. Accent row would be around 4 inches below the bottom of the upper cabinets, probably in the same color as the tile.

[Contemporary Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2103) by Phoenix Interior Designer Deb Allen, ASID

NP OldBat - one of will get out of the ABB club soon!
My current work schedule is so busy, that it is hard to call anyone.
Tomorrow - 6 AM to over 6PM - now tell me why I am salary vs hourly...