katie... what you want is large format subway tiles. I found from builders depot 6x12 calcutta for 12.95 each... so $26 a sq.ft... not awful.

Here is a link that might be useful: 6x12 calcutta

hmmm... no, they don't look like the right proportion. i think they're probably closer to 3x12. the 6x12 is definitely more of a block. i'll take a look over there though, so thanks!

You can always have them cut in half. We did that with the 12 x 12"s for our bathroom floor (black marble). We wanted 6 x 12" tiles and could not find any at less than 3 times the price.... Cutting them in half worked out very well.

kate... I totally get the look you're going for... and love it myself. How about 2x8?
{{!gwi}}
This is from a place I found googling called New York Stone

Here is a link that might be useful: 2x8?

On tv I saw people use marble thresholds as a backsplash...roughly 4x24....bought at lowes or HD....looked great and maybe even cheaper too....

Hi Kate~

I don't have any backsplash info, but I love your idea.

I was happy to see your post. Are things moving along?

I was glad to see that your cabs flanking your sink have glass on the sides. My cabinetmaker just talked me into that and I love the idea.

Tell me about your island lights, too. Remains, Circa? I am shamelessly stealing your lighting choices...

Hope you are nearing the end!!

Katie

thanks for the replies -sorry i was MIA for a while. i've been crying, screaming and threatening divorce. it's not been fun around here. i cannot believe how our GC has taken advantage of us and has stolen our money. i'm so depressed i don't want to leave the house or get out of bed for that matter. just so sad. it's really unbelievable because we are so close to being done. just a few items for the electrician, the mason and plumber. i will worry about paint after we get a CO.

ANYWAY: there is a very reputable tile shop nearby (aka: very expensive) and i have enlisted their help. i can get the 4x12s @ $36.90. not cheap, but pretty close to what i was going to pay for a slab backsplash. i have samples of my counters plus i'll bring in pics so they can select from the closest tiles. my only other question/concern is whether these long tiles will work in my space; given the area around the sink windows which are very narrow.

any opinions??

and katieob: i really love how the glass on the cabinet sides worked out. it's one of those details that don't scream but catch your attention nonetheless. the lanterns are from williams-sonoma home -from 2008. the kitchen was barely on paper, but i walked into the store, saw the lanterns and ordered them on the spot. they were exactly what i was looking for so i went for it. while not available through them anymore, they aren't anything that couldn't be found with some looking. i was surprised to find they are 14" wide. i was looking for "chubby" lanterns but found it difficult to go by specs from a website or catalog. i really thought i needed something much wider but the proportions of these really work for me.

i'm hoping to post a finish soon. there's still so much for me to do in the other rooms but i just don't have it in me anymore. it hasn't been fun for quite a while now. ;-(

thanks for the replies -sorry i was MIA for a while. i've been crying, screaming and threatening divorce. it's not been fun around here. i cannot believe how our GC has taken advantage of us and has stolen our money. i'm so depressed i don't want to leave the house or get out of bed for that matter. just so sad. it's really unbelievable because we are so close to being done. just a few items for the electrician, the mason and plumber. i will worry about paint after we get a CO.

ANYWAY: there is a very reputable tile shop nearby (aka: very expensive) and i have enlisted their help. i can get the 4x12s @ $36.90. not cheap, but pretty close to what i was going to pay for a slab backsplash. i have samples of my counters plus i'll bring in pics so they can select from the closest tiles. my only other question/concern is whether these long tiles will work in my space; given the area around the sink windows which are very narrow.

any opinions??

and katieob: i really love how the glass on the cabinet sides worked out. it's one of those details that don't scream but catch your attention nonetheless. the lanterns are from williams-sonoma home -from 2008. the kitchen was barely on paper, but i walked into the store, saw the lanterns and ordered them on the spot. they were exactly what i was looking for so i went for it. while not available through them anymore, they aren't anything that couldn't be found with some looking. i was surprised to find they are 14" wide. i was looking for "chubby" lanterns but found it difficult to go by specs from a website or catalog. i really thought i needed something much wider but the proportions of these really work for me.

i'm hoping to post a finish soon. there's still so much for me to do in the other rooms but i just don't have it in me anymore. it hasn't been fun for quite a while now. ;-(

Dear kateskouros--Without knowing your specifics, I can identify so much with what you wrote about feeling taken advantage of by a reno (especially the longer it drags on) and feeling depressed and unable to cope. Ours just wrapped up at 18 months and I know yours has gone on much longer.

More than angry at our contractor, I finally realized I feel betrayed. Whether we were "wronged" I still blame myself for the amount of money we spent, which went way way beyond what we budgeted, because I didn't do a better job getting a handle on the early problems/lack of schedule/and change orders & budget creep.

I thought all my research/time on kitchen forum would better prepare me (I'm sure it did) and insulate me from "typical" reno problems (unfortunately, it did not.) We did not live on sight during reno to "speed it up"---ha ha ha!---and ended up with an additional year of carrying costs that we did not budget for.

I don't know if it will help you to hear that someone else is going through something similar, but I am just trying to forgive myself and move on. After all, I've never done this before and I did the best I could.Hopefully soon these bad feelings will subside and I'll be able to enjoy our beautiful home. At the moment I am shell shocked and am having trouble even imagining moving in and living there now, because everywhere I look I'm reminded of the painful process/mistakes I had to fight over, etc. But it is getting better.

From what I've seen, Kate, your kitchen is AMAZING and your home is amazing I'm sure. You may have paid a heavy emotional/financial price, but hopefully the memories of this experience will fade and soon you'll be able to really enjoy the spaces you've created and allow them to nurture quality relationships with family and friends. Thinking of you...

I bought crema marfil 12x12 for about 7.50 a SF and my contractor cut them into 3x12 for an extra $300. I had about 75sf of backsplash.

Good luck! sorry it has been so traumatic.

kate, your kitchen is looking so gorgeous! Hang in there.

Just want to register a bit of concern about using calacatta tiles with the calacatta slabs - the tiles will almost certainly be from a different quarry, may-be a different country -- they might wind up looking just enough different from your counters that it looks like a bad match. Be careful -- sometimes you cannot predict looking at a couple of tiles how the entire installation will look. If it were me I would probably not risk it and go with a ceramic tile. I personally think that would look better any way and would let your counters be the focal point and the star.

sayde: yes, i know it will be hard to match. but the tile shop i'm using is very reliable and will bring in different samples in order to get as close as possible. and if it doesn't work out ...i'll move on to plan C.

thanks for your kind words. i will NEVER do this again!

I am sorry for your woes and identify with those feelings. A good part of our expenditures were due to a single bad contractor but more got piled on top from people who filed false invoices claiming time they never spent, overcharging for work and refusing to fix poor work. Angry, sad, guilty, betrayed, stressed past the point of confusion into immobility were some of the emotions we had to deal with.

I hope I'm not mistaken or overstepping, but our experience is those feelings will recede. One day, you'll walk into your kitchen and just have a cuppa with simple enjoyment. Maybe not this year :) but someday.