For sheer looks, I like option 4 best followed by option 1.

I like option 4, but then I'm planning a big old wall of subway. I think the different materials behind the shelves in Option 3 might not look great (but what do I know . . . )

4. A wall of subway tiles is never wrong in a contemporary or traditional home. If you want to make it look more contemporary, you could line the tiles up instead of staggering them.

Three is my favorite. But I also like #4, although it would be contingent on extending it to go around the door too (it is weird how it stops in the middle of the wall and doesn't go around the door).

I truly do not like #2.

#4

Option 4 would definitely look the best in my opinion.

To me, shelves don't have the same weight/physical impact as a cabinet and shouldn't be used as an endpoint for tile. I'd play carefully with the placement of the shelves too. I'd want them deeper and lower to make them easier to use if the range is in use. And easier to clean since they will attract dust/grease. So wall of tile/option 4 for me.

4, then 3.

I like number 4 best followed by number 3.

I think option #4 would look great, #3 would be my second choice

#4 , then #3

I like # 3 then #1, then #4. I plan on using just a paint backsplash, but will be putting up SS floating shelves. Your wooden ones would look great too. (hubby would even like the bright green if you go crazy!) In your examples, I think #3 matches the sink side tile work balance of your kitchen best.

However, depending on your true ceiling height, # 4 does make the area appear taller. I do like the counter top lined up next to the door, rather than it coming up short.

For option 3, instead of moving everything over 2", can you use wider door casings? I'd at least draw that to see what it looks like. To the right of the door, a wider casing would scribe to the wall and eliminate the little strip of green wall as well.

But you'd have to see if wider casings work at the other doors in the room as well.

I like #4 too, and maybe paint the area around/above the door white so it blends in.

Ditto ediblekitchen's advice. I see Jillius's concern but painting the rest of the wall to match tile color should eliminate that issue. Second choice #3.

I like 3 best, then 4. I don't really like 2 or 1 at all.

If the range is going to be off centered, could you put the larger space between range and fridge? Seems like it would give the cooking area breathing space, and a landing area adjacent to fridge.

I like 4, but instead of making everything wider to hit the door casing (which makes the door look squeezed as well as reducing your exit size), just tile down to the floor in the little cranny. You might have the same issue on the sink side too, right?

Or do the entire wall!

Thanks everyone. You guys are awesome. It sounds like 3 and 4 are definitely frontrunners. It's funny that no one likes 2, because after the wall of tile that seems to be the most common way this is done. I do agree that it looks a bit fussy.
The walls will be white. I would never have the guts to go with lime green. Maybe the kitchen exterior door though... ;) The ceiling is 98"-ish (Its currently 97 but that includes tile, backerboard, and 2 layers of old linoleum)
Kimberley - the shelves are at 18" and 30", and 12" deep. They can't be lower than 18" because of clearance requirements for the gas burners, and I wouldn't want them deeper because they'd be in my face too much. I'm short but I don't think I'll have a problem reaching things.
Pippa - the stove is off center, but that was done for functional reasons, not because of limitations in ikea cabinet sizes. Putting the stove in between 24" cabinets means losing 9" of valuable counter space on the right, and the trash pullout. (That may seem like an odd place for it, but it's opposite the dishwasher, and is where the existing freestanding trash can is.) We have 18" on the left side of the stove now, and that seems to be enough.
The door casing is the original skinny wood ranch trim. The sketchup model looks misleading because I didn't make the molding 3D. In reality the casing almost butts up against the frame for the water heater closet door, so you can't really even see the corner back there. We can't really change it for wider stuff without modifying the water heater closet trim, plus we'd also have to notch the countertop at the door to the dining room or move that door over. I was planning on just stripping the dirty old orange shellac off it and refinishing it with new poly or clear shellac.
More mockups in a bit once I find a subway tile texture that is actually white...

Did I miss your mention of under cabinet lighting - underneath the bottom set of open shelves?

Shouldn't affect which configuration you choose but can affect when/how you have the backsplash installed with holes where necessary for the undercabinet lighting.

(I like the lime green. It's just paint!)

I like the lime too, I just don't have the courage of my convictions lol. I am seriously thinking using it on the back door. Or maybe the shelves?
No lights under the shelves, only under the cabinets on the sink side. I just checked by holding up a cookie sheet on the wall at the right height, and even with the current single fixture the shadow hits the wall, not the counter. Ha, lighting is the next thing on my list to ask for help about.
So, updated options based on everyones comments shown with white walls:
Option 3A

5

I like 3A best. To me, the entire wall of tile looks too heavy. And although I love color, for an uncluttered look I prefer a wall color that is similar to the tile color.

5. Much cleaner looking.

5 is very cool if you like cool things. What is through the door on the right?

3b or 5

blfenton - that is the water heater closet. It's not an actual door door, more of a very large cabinet door with grates in it.

I like 5, too. I don't think it looks heavy, and I actually think it's a more simplified look in a small space - you don't have tile starting/ending, paint angles, etc.

I missed this earlier, but we have almost exactly this situation and went with 2. However, had our budget accommodated it, I'd have done 5 in a heartbeat! We priced both 4 and 5 and both were out of our budget (and I didn't like 4 without the extra wrap around the door). So it was a good solution for us to reconcile budget and aesthetics, but if your budget allows for 5, I'd definitely do it. Here's 2 in our kitchen (we actually still haven't put the two smaller shelves to the right of the hood up--we finished this kitchen in 2011!--but in theory they are still in the works! FWIW I expected but have not had grease issues on the shelves--the tile behind the stove is another story but does wipe down easily. I would tile all the way to the hood if we were doing it over, though (long story on that!)

Thank you, that's really helpful. And I really like your kitchen - that stove is so cute. Is your floor linoleum?
Budget isn't a huge issue because it's DIY and I have a bunch of leftover tile from my parents. I'd have to get a few boxes more but I think it's only $5 /sq ft stuff. I'd have to factor in all the extra pizza and beer it would take me to get through doing the whole wall ;)

Thanks--yes, that's Marmoleum Click tile, though it's hard to see here. In your shoes I'd definitely do the whole wall--we were also DIYing but just the cost of the tile was nuts to go up our walls (though we also have 9' ceilings). It would have looked amazing, though! There was a GWer at the time who had a tile wall like that (maybe it was circuspeanut's old house, if she's still around?) that I coveted every time I saw it!

Help me - what's the difference between the As and the Bs?

In the B options everything is shifted over 2 inches so the counter ends at the door frame and the tile doesn't run down between the cabinet and the door.
I was worried it will look weird to have one side have tile running to the door frame but on the sink wall have it end at the end of the counter and have a small strip of paint showing, but then I realized that I CAN replace the casing on the exterior door with wider so the tile/counter dies into it. Actually I have to replace it anyway because it's nasty vinyl stuff from when the door was replaced and it's notched out around the existing counter. Maybe I'll even hit pay dirt at ReStore in the next couple weeks and find a nice wood back door to replace the crappy metal one.

5 (photo below from another GW post)

I thought I'd bump this thread now that the cabinets are in and I have actual photos to see what people think. No counters yet and I need to refinish the trim and change out the overhead lights.

Here's how it looks now. We did end up moving things over so the counter will die into the door casing to leave space for a wider CD fridge later on.

Still on the fence about whether to stop the bs tile at the bottom of the vent or run it to the ceiling.

Other undecideds

- running bond vs stacked.

- should the floating shelves match the cabinets, be painted, or be made of salvaged wood from the old cabinets (will be slightly darker and redder than the new wood)

I vote for tile all the way up. Pardon the poor photo but I'm attaching it just to give you a look and help you decide. I think the shelves would look nice if they were a little darker/different than your cabinets. Mine match but in your pretty kitchen I'd switch them up. Good luck!

My vote running bond all the way up. Salvagend wood shelves would be a nice accent as long as they were different enough not to look mismatched.

Here's some reference photos for the 2 options I'm considering:

Mill Valley Home · More Info

The Victorian · More Info

Katie & Drew's Kitchen · More Info

1840 Stone Home Renovation · More Info

Sleek White Tiles at the Range · More Info

Southern CT Beach Home · More Info

This last one isn't too relevant because of the high ceiling and chunky shelves, but I'm throwing it in anyway because it's one of my favorite kitchens ;)

Loft Apartment Notting Hill · More Info

Your ceilings don't look as tall as most of these. Tiles to the ceiling. I think matching shelves are always nice but expected. I like the idea of reclaimed wood and agree they should be enough different to not look like they're just mis-matched.

My Houzz: Home Full of Boys Achieves Order and Inspiration · More Info

I vote for running bond tile to ceiling and the darker, salvaged shelves.

klcharles - beautiful kitchen!

2/3 running bond (must have a real name! The stagger that is in your #1 Mill Valley.) or stacked, all the way up unless your ceiling is really out of level. Gotta check that first.

It's called staggered brickwork I believe.

If the salvaged wood shelves aren't dark enough I can always stain them lightly to give more contrast.

Funky - 3 or 4 of the examples have around 8' ceilings, same as mine (I counted tiles), but only one of the vent height ones.

mo- thanks for the picture - I hadn't seen that one and it's very nice.

fori- I never even noticed that backsplash was 1/3 offset. I'll play around with that.

I'm partial to stacked these days, though it looks more retro/modern. Something about it just appeals...

It seems like in the kitchens where the tile doesnt go all the way up, it works best when the cabinets (surrounding the range/hood) also dont go all the way to the ceiling. But, in your case the cabinet to the left of the range does go all the way up to the ceiling.

So, I also vote for tile to the ceiling. And the staggered brick, but like steph said the stacked would also look nice, just a different "feel".