so what should we do? End the back splash where the granite and cabinets end?

The refrigerator should abut the countertop and side of the cabinets. Is there a gap between the fridge and cabinets? I think that is what looks a little off. Ideally, there is no gap and the backsplash stops at the end of the countertop.

Yes, there is a gap now, but we could just move the fridge a little bit to the right and it would be abut. So I tell him to cut the tiles parallel to the granite and cabinet.

Good idea. Will there then be a gap on the other side of the refrigerator?

The purpose of a backsplash, other than aesthetics, is to have a washable surface for splatter. Going behind the fridge therefore does not make sense.

i see that the full tile on the bottom row does not quite reach the end of the counter. The tiler may have to end just short of the counter edge as a tiny sliver of tile at the end would not look right. Or use a thin pencil type tile border. What has he suggested doing?

I don't know. I will leave it up to him, since if he leaves a tiny sliver he can always cut that too. Now, I see that he may have done this to disguise his own mistake of alignment, but I am not in the mood of asking him to reap all the tile already installed.

Or, to his credit, it is perfectly aligned on the other end and he could not repeat that on this end (I cannot tell, as I am not home now...)

Yes that's it - he should have started at the fridge end. I think it would look odd to cut little slivers. Just finish as he said and move the fridge over if possible.

Thanks for the picture, I am having the same backsplash installed tomorrow. What grout color are you using with this, just a plain white?

white grout.

Not sure what the other side of fridge looks like distance wise - hopefully there is no counter on the other side - then you could move the fridge to the right where the nearest tile ends (about 2" or so?) and frame in from there to the counter. Not only will it make it neat and tidy especially for items falling into, but also give a feeling of a built in.

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Alysia, at Lowes

I had to look for at more than one store. But found them...