Hi there! First, have you checked the Finished Kitchens to get some backsplash ideas? I would check there for lots of pictures.

As far as your window treatments, why not consider a wooden/bamboo roman shade?

Undercabinet lighting? You don't know what you are missing until you get it, and then you can't imagine live without it!

Kitchen table--looks like it fits, can't really tell how it flows with the space. Only suggestion might be if you would prefer round.

Good luck and make sure to post more pictures!

Thanks beekeeper's wife. I've spent hours on finished kitchens blog but still stumped. Will definitely think about using roman shades and you're getting me sold on undercabinet lighting.
Please keep the suggestions coming. Txs.

Lowes has a great bamboo 2" blind that would work. It's bamboo like a roman shade, but works like a wood blind.

A slate tile would work on the backsplash. If you want to change the table top, you could go with a slate tile top. I wouldn't recommend a granite top, too heavy.

Thanks steff 1. I couldn't locate the Lowes blind you referred to and do you have any picture of/link to the slate tile you have in mind? Thanks again. Any more ideas?

Any more ideas/suggestions? TIA.

Bump

Top-down/bottom-up window shades give you privacy in a kitchen while letting the light in. You can raise them from the bottom, like a regular shade, or lower them from the top, so they only cover the bottom of the window. They can be made of anything--wood, fabric, bamboo, whatever.

Thanks Marcolo. I've never seen one of those. Where can I find them? Any thoughts on the backsplash question. TIA

I have seen the bamboo blinds in several Lowe's stores, but they are not on line.

I like them because you can see light and some of the view even when closed. We don't need a lot of privacy in the back, so they work really well.

Open

{{!gwi}}

Closed

{{!gwi}}

For the new top, ou might also check craigslist or resale shops for a wood top that would fit. Granite would seem to be too heavy for the base and too much matching. The tile top option could be wood cut to fit and tiled with slate or other tiles. If you went with a cabinet peninsula, then a granite top would work.

Another idea for the backsplash could be light tumbled stone with a feature of slate or black tile to tie it together.

Thanks Steff 1. I'm liking the blinds. My only concern is privacy. My kitchen windows look into my neighbor's kitchen so I need something that will provide privacy, particularly with the lights on. For my backsplash, I came across the daltile glazed porcelain tile below with the granite insert, what do you think?

Here is a link that might be useful: daltile canaletto

Bumping my thread with the hope of getting more responses.

Try tucking the table all the way into the corner with the seating on the two remaining open sides (rather than that one chair wedged between table and wall). Place a lamp on the table at the corner and it will draw you to that eating spot. I love the warm look of a lamp on a kitchen table.

The table is a nice size for the space and has fairly clean lines. I'd try tablecloths before switching out the top. Maybe consider painting the chairs a very dark, (almost black) brown that would echo your granite color.

Can't help with the backsplash - I still need one!

Thanks, Celticmoon. I believe I'll change the position of that chair. It scrapes the wall as it is.

I vote for keeping the table and maybe refinishing the top although it looks fine to me. I opened my kitchen / dining room and use my table for baking a lot. It is made out of maple and is lower than any of my counters so it is much easier for me to roll dough. My husband is 6'5" so he asked that I not lower any of the counters. If my kitchen were bigger I would have lowered a counter but it isn't. The table works great.

Our house is less than eight feet from the house next to us and our windows look into their windows. On that side of the house we have that plastic film that is textured. It really lets in the light but keeps you from seeing one another. I am not a big fan of window treatments in the kitchen area -- probably all those years I spent hand washing our kitchen curtains as a kid. My mom had me do it monthly!! LOL!!

Thanks Maria410. Where did you get the textured plastic film? Any thoughts on backsplash? Thanks in advance.

Hi there, so glad you bumped up. We had so many issues with the site and it does move too fast sometimes.

I like the tile with small matching granite insert, it looks nice a relates well to your existing finishes.

A bamboo blind over the film might just be what you need.

Can you tell me what your granite is?

Thanks.

Thanks Steff 1 and Marytw. My granite is dakota mahogany. I have pictures of my kitchen in my original post. Here's a picture of my countertop and ginger maple cabinet.{{!gwi}}

Dakota Mahogany is one granite that is really hard to match a back splash to. Because you have the granite piece part way up the wall you need to go with a mosaic. I think a glass blend from Oceanside Glass glasstile.com would tie everything together and the reflective qualities and cabinet lighting would really brighten everything up.

Here is a link that might be useful: Artfiredearthstonetiles

Here is a laminate flooring backsplash I did a while back. It was in a mobile home. Notice my sink is in the counter island so I didn't have to worry about water damage. http://s797.photobucket.com/albums/yy259/OrangeGuy66/MobilehomeKitchenRemodel/

I am still learning how to include photos....let's try this one more time!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Backsplash

Thanks for all your suggestions. Tilequeen, it now makes sense as to why I'm yet to find a backsplash that wowed me. Johnorange, won't the laminate be a fire hazard? I guess I'll just have to keep looking. Please keep the ideas coming.

You can get bamboo blinds with a privacy lining and also with a top-down, bottom-up feature. I just ordered a blind like this for a bathroom that has a toilet right by a window. They sent me free samples that only took a couple of days to get. The Lowe's blinds were similar but much pricier. I don't worry about privacy in the kitchen so I ordered the same blinds without the privacy lining. I have bamboo blinds all over my house and love them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo Blinds