Because your granite is busy, I would skip the fleur detail. A diamond shape tile or a square on the diagonal is going to echo the floor tile (in my opinion, that is good). Are you keeping the small granite backspash? If you are, I would consider a small border at the end (like the pencil rounds in the diamond picture) in a black to transition the countertop to the tile (or you could use a color from the floor tile) and skip the other details.

Rubyfig thanks for the response. I am not keeping the splashgaurd. I have promised my husband some sort of accent with the fleur de lis or something with some reds in it (that is what he is requesting?).
I was thinking of framing the area under the glass cabinets and putting in a few to make him happy! I really love the look of subway (him not so much) but he likes the 4x4 as posted above.

You are right, the granite is busy and it doesn't "flow" the way lots of other granites do...it is full of dots. The floor tile is busy as well. The yellow of the Ken Mason tile brings out a green hue in the granite that I actually like but the 4x4 doesn't go with the modern floor tile. I'm so confused!!!

Hi, I have fallen in love with Raffi Glass' basketweave "flowing sea" tile and want to use it for my backsplash in the kitchen (unfortunately, I don't have a picture, but it comes in sheets of 12.25 x 10.75 and is composed of approx .75 x 1.25 wavy tiles). Do you think I'd be crazy to do use it? I'm worried about the ease of cleaning vs. "straight" glass tiles.

mclean... I remember you saying you wanted a backsplash that gave off a more clean lined modern vibe to go with your kitchen. A fleur di lis pattern is anything but that IMHO. If you want to pull out the green tone in your granite and use the yellowish beveled subway, how about a very light yellow/green glass mosaic used as an accent. For example: Susan Jablon has a frosted beach 1" glass in a color called celery green that is very soft. Not sure how it would go with the color tile you chose but just another idea.

OR!... if DH wants a reddish accent... here's a Tantrum tile accent from Sonoma in a reddish color that looks like it would go awesome with your granite and the yellowish tile.
The color is called Burnt Umber:

Here is a link that might be useful: susan jablon celery green

I have a ton of sonoma samples here in the house and I have looked at the tantrum line. I love the color Earth. I know the Fleur de lis is not very modern...you are right I am saying one thing and doing another!
The Sonoma tile is beautiful but it doesn't have the depth that the Ken Mason tile does and for whatever reason I got hooked on that color. Okay, it seems I need to say goodbye to that tile....
My second choice it the Sonoma/Stellar in Otter. It is a crackle subway or the 4X4 if my husband has his way. I would like to border something out under the glass shelving. It will measure 17"h and 23"w and then I need something to put in the bordered area.
Again...thank you for all your help,
Leslie...no time for proof reading the kids are yelling for dinner!

You know mcleanl, your cabs are not really modern, so I think your DH has a good point, but I completely understand where you are coming from too. Do you maybe have a few pics that also show us the floor tile.

dmax....I suggest you start your own thread. You'll get more responses that way.

Good luck!

Thanks for sticking with me you guys....everyone around me is so sick of hearing about this backsplash!!
So Rubyfig I am posting some more photo's including the floor. You are correct the cabinets are not modern but the floor sort of is. Please let me know what you think. It is funny, the kitchen seems so much darker in person that it does in these photos.

I don't see "modern" at all in your kitchen! But both the floor and the granite are pretty busy, so the backsplash should be calm as in no texture in my opinion. That would not negate using a very little accent.

Thanks fern4....I agree that I need to calm things down but do you think I could get away with some kind of accent, picture framed out under the glass cabinets?

It is hard to find a color of tile that looks good with the cabinets and the granite. The one color that seems to go well with both is a fine crackle in the Sonoma/Stellar line. You don't see the crackle unless you are really close...do you think I could get away with that....and one more thing...subway, 4x4 or 6x6...diagonal or straight?

Thanks again and I really value every opinion,
Leslie

Mcleanl:

Have you ever thought about using the same tile that is on your floor - for
part of (or all of) your backsplash? Many people take the floor tiles, and have
them cut down to a size that works better (dimensionally) that the 18"x18" or
16"x16" tile that you have (can't tell exactly from your pics).....

They'll take their leftover floor tiles and cut them down to a 4"x4" or a 5"x5" or
whatever the size is that turns them on, and they'll use that tile for the backsplash
and/or include a liner or other material that is dimensionally the same size
(like the ceramic tiles you are liking) and integrate that into a "custom"
backsplash design....

just a suggestion - it would certainly create a valid "color bridge" from your
floor and up the walls..................

kevin

It it were mine, I would SS the back of the stove (1 plate) and paint the rest in a color and shade that matches the lightest floor color. Else SS the whole back.

Hey Kevin,

The floor tile is everywhere, it has been put as wainscoting in the powder room next to the kitchen, in the cabana bath shower on the other side of the kitchen and on the fireplace, the front foyer and in the great room. A tile guy actually built this house and did all the flooring he just never moved in! The tile is beautiful but it is very busy and when you add the granite in there it just gets a bit overwhelming.