I'll add that we have no plans to move in the near future, so whatever we choose we'll have to live with for at least a while, but I also hope that our choice will not scare off potential future buyers.

I clicked onto your link but it brings me to a sign in page.

Bummer. I thought that this folder was public. Let me poke around a bit...

I just made the folder of pics public. If you can't see them, please let me know.

OMG that chalkboard blend is so interesting and ties in your granite with your cabinets so perfectly. I don't think it would be too busy. Your kitchen seems more on the cooler end of colors so I see what you mean about the birch blend bringing in more warmth. I think it is really pretty too but didn't stop me in my tracks like the chalkboard.

Sorry I'm no help! Can you tape a couple of the mosaic sheets up to the wall and stand back and look at it from farther away?

Both will work - you have great taste. At first I thought I would prefer the one you do, the silver birch, because it's warm tones echo those of the floor. But when I put the elements next to each other, I prefer the contrast shine, and stronger colors of the chalkboard. It has warmth, whites, greys, metallic sheen, and iridescence. Your granites call for a statement bs, something a little bolder than the birch.

Either way, you have grey granites, white cabs and a grey backsplash - what other paint are you going to use? The birch limits you to earth tones. The chalkboard opens you up to earth tones, shades of white, taupe, copper, greens and even purple.

I understand that you want to keep things neutral to offer you the option for change in the future, but the one thing your kitchen could use right now is a color other than grey. BS tile gives you the opportunity to add some now, not just some day. Here are two glass mosaic options that harmonize with your greys but also add a lot of needed color, and will animate your space. Choosing either could narrow you paint options in the future, or open them up - depends on how you look at it, really.

http://www.glasstileoasis.com/item.asp?item=13181

http://www.glasstileoasis.com/item.asp?item=18123

I may be the lone dissenter. I think that the mosaic will be too busy for the granite. The granite has a lot of speckles in it. If it had more movement, I think it might work. Although, when I look at the other pictures, the granite seems more to be more uniform in color. But, I still think it would be too much. Your kitchen isn't huge (mine isn't too), so I think it may become overpowering. I guess my question is this... is your countertop your wow item or will it be your backsplash? Then, pick accordingly. :)
Good luck!
Kim

I love the backsplash on the right.I think it will make your kitchen pop!

Here's the more colorful board for comparison. If I'm not mistaken the perimeter granite and island granites are different, with the perimeter that the backsplash will abut, quieter and darker than the island grey that is lighter, has more movement and is at the center of the image.

Thanks, everyone, for the very helpful input! I'm now leaning towards the chalkboard... I just *like* it better, and I think it helps to emphasize the contrast between the light/dark colors and cool/warm color tones in the kitchen better.

FWIW, the granite is steel gray all over. I think the one overexposed pic in my link is throwing people off and making it seem that we have 2 different granites; we don't. I only included that one to better show the granite detail, but the granite does not actually look that light IRL. (EAM44, you used that pic for your mockup.) All of my other pics pretty accurately show the actual granite color.

Thanks again!

Another vote for chalkboard. The BS is a small enough area that it should be too crazy busy but just plain fun!