Love the granite. It reminds me of one another poster had put in ( I think it was lisa-santiago??) that I had bookmarked I liked it so much.

I think you have alot of great choices for a backsplash. What is your flooring? And, do you want traditional, more contemporary, prefer stone, like glass? That'll help drive the direction of what to start looking at.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your kitchen and granite! Beautiful! Really, really pretty!

Backsplash depends on what style you want to do, but it looks more country with the style of pendants you chose. You could do marble tile, subway tile in the color of the background of the granite or another color in the granite. Either would be very pretty with your choices.

Want to see finished pictures! Can't wait!

What a gorgeous stone. I too see lots of ideas in my head. I personally would use a soft silver gray glass, pulling color out of the granite, or a white...both of which would give a modern feeling, which I get from the pretty pendants...but your kitchen is rather ageless...so what are you looking for? Modern or traditional or more ageless? :o) (I mean ageless in the very best of ways!)

Beautiful granite. Look a lot like a granite called "Delicatus" that I admired in my area. Looks lovely with your cabinets and like the pendants you chose too.

Your options are wide open with white cabinets and neutral granite. You could go serene with a light backsplash or do a punch of color for something more dramatic. Sorry I'm not much help as I can't decide on one for my own kitchen.

Thanks everyone! I went to the tile place today and have a bunch of samples. I will add them tonight. We live in SoCal close to the beach so I am thinking a Coastal look - beachy - simple - zen - peaceful:) See, I have 4 boys under age 8 so I need some *peace*;)

Thanks for the responses - looking forward to hearing views on the samples ...

I dont' know about this particular tile for you but I thought the colors might look really nice with your granite.

{{!gwi}}

Just an initial thought...

Thank you, remodelfla ... I love that sample - the colors are terrific. I had done some playing around on oceanside tile website and came up with something similar (I added this to my photobucket pictures, also) ... but when I put that by the slab - I wasn't sure. I am thinking there is so much going on in my slab that maybe I should choose something more simple.

Below is the link with photos of samples that I found today. Any comments on these? I also really like the Heath Ceramics matte tile in Dark Beach ... but need to call to see if I can get a sample.

Here is a link that might be useful: House - Photobucket

What cool granite! I really like it with your cabs, too!

If you are thinking about Oceanside glass tiles, I would look at the elevations section and see about the whites, clear or gray blue colors. It is hard to tell without being next to your granite. Your granite has so much motion in it I think I would go simple on the tile and not have too many grout lines or small pieces.

Gorgeous granite! Adorable kid! For a backsplash, try white or beige with possibly some dark (gray/brown/black, whichever looks best with your granite) accent such as a pencil line or little diamond accents. I'm not sure whether those little Oceanside tiles will look busy and compete with the granite.

Beautiful granite! I've never heard of Lennon before - do you know if it goes by another name? And I was wondering where it falls in price range.

For the backsplash I see something fairly simple but with mocha or bronze accents. I'm not good at photo programs so this is a very rough cut and paste of tile ideas I had saved for myself against your stone - I'm not sure if any of these are a great match, but maybe it will give some ideas. Obviously the scale is all wrong. From left to right the tiles are:

1. not sure but I think it's from this forum
2. Daltile urban metals in bronze w Baja Cream 6x6
3. Yikes, not sure! I think it was from the RI Tile site
4. Daltile Paredon in Andes Gray
5. something I saved as devi2, must be from the FKB
6. On top, Daltile Crema Marfil
7. On bottom, Daltile Anchero
8. Jeffrey Court antique alpaca travertine w checks and antiquity cornice and dome

I think I'm liking 2 or 3 the best, and 4 the least. If you're interested I'll see if I can find the source for #3 again.

{{!gwi}}

Your kitchen is wonderful!! Can you share the name of your lights? What type of applicances are you adding. I have two red heads (now 18 and 20). I am sure you will get great use out of this kitchen.

Thank you everyone! It's so nice to hear positive comments - this has been a long process - and my dh and I don't have any experience doing this - we both work in health care!! This forum has been so helpful for me - everyone is so kind and generous with their advice!

mustbnuts & bluekitobsessed - yes, I agree about the oceanside glass - I think it would be too busy with my crazy granite. And thanks, bluekit, for the compliment on my little one;)

sandsonik - THANK YOU for doing all of that work! I wish I could do that! So ... I actually really like the one that is your least fave - the 4th one! I also really like 1 and 3. Although, recently I have started leaning more towards white or marble - just to keep it light and simple. I really appreciate your taking the time to help me!

ggkell - Thank you! My lights are amazing! I love the pendants they currently sell at Restoration Hardware - but we are trying to keep costs down so I didn't buy those ... and then, while in Lowe's looking for ceiling fans, I found these pendants! I actually like them more - and they were each $35!! They are called Oslo by Portfolio. I will also have one above my sink. We got a deal on GE Profile - all SS. I have 2 red heads also - 8yrs. and 1yrs. :) My other 2 have my dh's dark hair! Thanks again!

SO ... I am thinking calacutta marble (subway), or the white or dark beach (2 x 8) from Heath Ceramics. I read the thread from redroze about skinny subway tile - and love that look. Am thinking that might work for us - simple yet different - any thoughts?!

THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!

I like the marble. I think the white or lighter shades look better. IMHO :)

I would use glass with that. The 1" x 1" in the Crystal is very well priced from Hakatai. Or I would use a 1" x 3" or longer subway tile in either the gray as shown, or if your granite has enough warm, charcoal brown in it a glass tile in that color. Would be stunning with your white cabinets. Gorgeous granite BTW!

You know, I really liked #4 on its own too, but thought it might be too busy for the granite - it seemed the consensus here was to keep it light and simple. I think something like #1 works well and if I did #2 I think I might move the bronze bricks up on the wall as an accent line rather than right against the granite. I suspect it might look better that way.

kelleg - I really like the marble, as well. I want to check to see what sizes it comes in - am thinking long and skinny ...

sandsonik - "I've never heard of Lennon before - do you know if it goes by another name? And I was wondering where it falls in price range." Sorry - I missed answering this - I don't know if it has any other names - but when I was looking I found (through all of you wonderful people!) a bunch of other names of similar stones ... I paid $14/sq.ft. - which I think is amazing! The first place I found it was going to charge $17.50 - but they sold it out from under me!! That was the reason I was looking everywhere for it - happened to find some at a slab yard 3 miles from my house!!! I hadn't checked there before - had heard they were overpriced - :) It always pays to look!! I agree with your idea about #4 - but it is so pretty - brownish/grey - which is gorgeous! Thanks again - I could have never been able to do what you did!

blondelle - thank you for your photoshop ideas, as well! I love the look on here - but in person my slab is pretty shiny and I wonder if the glass is too much. I found that they reflect off of each other - and not in a good way. I don't know ... some designers have told me if the granite is shiny, try to keep the backsplash matte --- and if the granite is honed, use glass or something shiny for backsplash ---- is that accurate??

I am also trying to stay as warm as possible - and I feel like my granite choice is right on the line. My dh wants to paint one wall a grey/blue- which looks amazing with the granite - but might not work with some of the backsplash. That is one reason I am going towards white matte ceramic (Heath) or the Calacutta marble. Am I going in the right direction?

Sauceyc, you can also get glass tiles with a matte finish. They are very elegant and you still have some depth of the glass. If you want to go warmer, choose a brown grey tile. The 1" recycled clear glass square mosaic also comes in a matte finish which would be gorgeous with your granite. The clear glass 1 X 1's aren't that shiny though as the glass surface is irregular, and they won't reflect. They are only $13.68 a foot, and you can find them for much less, I'll bet. You can even tint them whatever color you like, by using a colored grout to set them with.

Okay everyone ... went back to the tile store and picked up a few more samples. I am still waiting on samples from 2 places that will be mailed. I have narrowed down my decision, though ... they are pictured ... plus a few I'm waiting on!

1. A brownish/grey glass tile - frosted/matte - or a mixture. I was hoping for a 3x6 subway or 2x8 but couldn't find any in glass at the tile place - so a website (modwalls.com) is sending a few samples - a few tans, whites and brownish-greys ....

2. Ceramic tile in 2x8. I have one pictured here - it's the 3 small ones together - just look at the color of the far right tile - and the size would be different. I also have 4 samples coming from Heath Ceramics (THANK YOU REDROZE!!!) - the man I spoke with (Jon) was kind and helpful. Hopefully those will come soon ... I need to decide!!!

3. the ones pictured:)

Sorry ...I'm really not good at making these house decisions!

Here is a link that might be useful: backsplash ideas ....

Great granite!

I think you should try a tumbled travertine - light color but not a smooth stone - it would give it some variance. Or try the ceramic.

The glass stuff looks too shiny to me.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for your thoughts! I think I have narrowed it down to subway size or 2x8's - just not sure if I'll go with ceramic or frosted glass. My gc will be upset b/c he'll now need to wait for my decision a bit longer:)

Any other thoughts, ideas, photoshops ... ALWAYS HELPFUL and APPRECIATED!

Thanks!
Kathy

Hey Sauceyc - I haven't read this post when it finally clicked in to me what it's about. (Call me weird, whenever I read the title and saw "Lennon" I thought it was an off-topic post about John Lennon or something!!!)

Your kitchen is gorgeous with a capital G! LOVE, love, love you granite, cabinets and pendants.

I am so grateful to help you and hope you will be happy with the Heath ceramic tiles. One point that I got from a poster on my post - grout lines and variability in colour. I am getting in touch with my Heath contact to determine how much variability there is in the Chalk White (Overlyoptimistic advised that it would likely be minimal for white tiles), and whether we need to do a 1/4 grout line like Overlyoptimistic said. SW_in_Austin said she has handmade tiles and used a thin grout line, but I want to be doubly sure and wanted to make you aware of these two things.

Funny, it's like we have twin versions of kitchens with the similar cabinets, granite, and two pendants over an island!! LOVE it!!!!

Hi redroze .... Thank you so much!!! I appreciate your information on the tiles. I have been reading all of your threads - I'm a little obsessed about this decision:) I knew about the variation which doesn't really bother me - I'm not sure if I'll be using a shade of white - or the dark beach - (if I end up using their ceramic tiles instead of the frosted glass) ... I hope to get my samples today ... :) I'll let you know, of course! My gc said that he could probably do smaller grout lines that 1/4" ... more like waht SW_in_Austin said. And I do agree with what she said about human hands touching it (or whatever ... she wrote it so nicely!).

Thanks again for your kind words on my kitchen (granite, cabinets, pendants) ... our kitchens were possibly separated at birth!

Looking so forward to seeing yours finished ... mine, too!!