I agree with A Kitchen That Works - I think the same granite used as a backsplash tends to make a kitchen feel really closed in.

You mentioned something about the alternative being 'standard height'. If you mean the 4 inch backsplash in granite and a contrasting material for the rest of the wall, you may want to consider just doing the granite to the wall and doing the backsplash over the complete wall. The photos celerygirl provided are a great example of this.

Not sure what your cabinet style / color is. I agree to have a contrasting backsplash and not going with the 4" granite on the wall for a cleaner look.

Thanks !

For a cleaner look, don't install the 4" high granite backslash. Install your tile backslash from the top of the counter up to the bottom of the upper cabinets.