Another photo...

Yeah, wow. This is Fireclay Glazed Thin Brick in Cotton, a satin glaze that will allow a little color variation. I would lay it in a herringbone pattern.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fireclay

I love the Fireclay Thin brick. What do your cabinets and floors look like?

What color are your cabinets?

Cabinets are hickory finished in cinnamon. The floor is multi colored - I will try to post photos of both.

I like the suggestions of Fireclay Glazed Thin Brick in Cotton, in the herringbone pattern. Hopefully I can find a sample locally, and bring it home for a look.

I really appreciate the help - thank you!

Hickory cabinet with cinnamon stain

Flooring...

I'd look for a warmer neutral so there's not such a stark contrast with the gold. A few of us spent months looking at tile for a similar granite for michelew90. I'll link to her last thread, but there's three more with a lot of tile ideas. Her cabinets are white but the principles are the same. She found a lot of nice choices in crackle tile, especially in Encore Ceramics and Quemere. I don't think you need any more movement or interest than what crackle in a tile laid straight will give you, not with that granite and hickory cabinets.

Here is a link that might be useful: michelew90's backsplash quest part 4

Thank you may_flowers! I followed the link, and yes, the granite looks very similar! (maybe even the same...the photo with the bits of purple lead me to think this). I like the color direction - I also liked the tile Ainelane suggested...I feel as though I at least having a better starting point. Now to tell myself NOT to rush!

Was there a final picture of michelew90's kitchen?

No final photo. But if you do a web search of her name, you'll find the other threads with lots of photos of Encore and other tiles. After a lot of trial and error, she decided on Encore Smoke, which is probably too dark for your cabinets.

Toni if you follow the link I posted you'll see how to order a sample online.

I disagree with may. I think you need a little contrast with your bs. Everything else in your kitchen is brown. It's the design equivalent of a jeans suit. It'd be nice to lighten things up. While you're on the Fireclay site check out the glazed field tiles as well. Lots of pretty colors that aren't brown/beige.

Good luck.

I checked out the firefly site; lovely options, and up to 5 samples, shipped free! I took a piece of my granite to a shop in our area, and had some lovely help. While not the firefly product, we played with the colors, sizes and shapes. I think I actually may have narrowed it down to a tile with a hint of grey to it, and brought a sample home. We've had no sun for days now, and although the lighting in the kitchen is good, I wish I could see how the daylight will impact the look. Again, trying to tell myself not to rush. I don't get why this has been so difficult!

I sincerely appreciate the suggestions.

Still no decision (the husband factor -lol). Another idea suggested was to either include metal tiles randomly throughout the backsplash, or perhaps create a metal backsplash (metal subway) above the cooktop only and the more neutral colored tile for the rest of it. I'm having a hard time visualizing this - despite a search through another site. Many of the photos I saw included lovely gas ranges/cooktops, and it looks great! However, we opted for an induction cooktop (safety factor - children with special needs and a hubby who is a stroke survivor...)
Thoughts?

how about your granite as the BS...
no grout and super easy to clean
we have it and love it on our cooktop wall
we have a granite very similiar to yours
it looks fantastic
i know its the priciest option but for us it was so worth it
on our sink wall, we put un-honed travertine....
we like the rough look with that granite, i did not want another shiny surface...it does not show "pink", just beige... we did 6x6 tiles

Can anyone find photos of Igloochic's kitchen? She used to post here and had a granite with similar colors. She used a gold ceramic backsplash tile from Status ceramics. There is another poster, nore recent who used a similar granite, but honed or leathered. Does anyone recall that poster's name?
Okay I found a link to that last one, but there should be a completed link. Must run though. Sorry.

Here is a link that might be useful: Poohpup's kitchen in progress.

Found this link, and I hope Poohpup doesn't mind!

Here is a link that might be useful: Hope this works

Maybe Fireclay Creme Brulee glazed brick?

{{gwi:2142846}}

I think random tiles throughout the backsplash is dated and you don't even need it. Your kitchen looks like it's an average size, so it can only handle so many different finishes. You made your bold statement with the granite. You have all medium to dark values and now you need a lighter value in a warm tone to work with the dominant color, golden brown. I'd just use a creamy tile pulled from the granite.

I think that even though your cabinets are hickory, they're styled traditionally, so I wouldn't take the rustic route.

Thank you so much for the input - and the links - it's so helpful to see what others have done. I'm thinking you are correct may_flowers; I was feeling pretty good about the simple, cream-tone I brought home, but then, as I said, hubby wasn't so sure, and others made suggestions. I'm leaning back toward simple. While I appreciate the beauty of the many kitchens on the site, we had a focus on functional and simple. Will hopefully reach a decision by the end of the year, and can post final pictures then. There are several 'little things' that will hopefully be corrected by then as well.

Guys always seem to gravitate toward the dramatic granites and a stone backsplash. I think it's the Fred Flintstone in them.

Finally back on the site! I got a bit 'lost' over the holidays - have since managed to have the backsplash installed - I will try to capture a decent photo or two to share (assuming I'll figure out how to post it to the 'merged' site).

I didn't get a straight-on photo out prior, but in answer to your question May_flowers, yes, the stain is quite uniform, and the cabinets do look like cherry - yet showing just enough of the Hickory grain (not to mention the hardness of Hickory; with four boys, a dog and additional kids coming and going, functional and durable were key!)

waiting to see how it turned out. I was for just a creamy BS. just enough not stark white... your granite looks a lot like my sister's. she says she doesn't know it's name... but it IS the star.