If you check out Zipdee's kitchen and what she did, it might give you an idea. Her hood is a bit wider than her stove also.
Go to about half way down the thread and you can see her photo of kitchen with the back wall finished and backsplash in place.

Here is a link that might be useful: click here

I wouldn't do anything with it until you've decided what you're going to do with the rest of the backsplash.

The link below should give you lots of ideas. Click on the column to the right for more pics.

Here is a link that might be useful: blog

I like zipdee's -- but hers had natural boundaries of the hood and the window trim. I agree with annz -- I think you have to decide what the rest of the backsplash is going to be.

I actually have a picture in my mind of slab stone the width of the stove, then a small mosaic backsplash that continues on up the 3" strips to the ceiling. You might try a mock-up that way with the strips being the same gray as the backsplash and see if you like the look.

Well, spoke to a guy who has done stainless steel backsplashes and it looks like we can do it for a reasonable cost so we're probably going to go with that for the rest of the kitchen. I think we're going to skip the 4" granite as well (unless that's a terrible idea - opinions?). So going to wind up with high-gloss white cabs, black absolute counters and a stainless backsplash. The rest of the kitchen has been painted a light grey. So any more ideas? I'm liking to 30" version... maybe I could just leave those 3" strip painted grey?

I should probably mention we're going for a sleek, contemporary look.

Thanks for any thoughts/opinions.

Can you get a 3" strip of trim to paint white like the cabinets? I think the gray strip will look odd, but maybe not.

I just think since your bottom cabinets meet the stove, symmetrically, it would look best if the uppers came out to the edge of the backsplash.