Marble can be tough to deal with in the kitchen. I think I'd keep the lovely granite and find a mellower backsplash -- maybe something in a pale gray or tan glass, specifically chosen to match the tones of your counter.

The busy backsplash is the problem. Bite the bullet and fix it now. Keep the granite and choose a better match for the backsplash.

A plain subway tile would be so much better than what you have.

Can you show a close-up of the granite?

You seem to recognize the problem now but how did you come to choose this combo in the first place?

The marble counter will look bad with the backsplash. It won't fix the problem.

If you decide to keep the backsplash, choose a dark countertop.

The granite is very nice. However, it's not just color that's clashing between granite and tile - it's also scale, intensity, shape/form and feel. The scale on both is similar, whereas when two "patterns" are combined, it is best to have the scale be noticeably different. Both are intense, strong looks, but so different...the granite is warmly organic, while the tile is strongly rectilinear. Etc.

The consensus is clear.......to let your granite shine, you need a simpler backsplash that will complement and support the granite, not try to elbow it out of the way. Yes, it's a bit of a cliche for today, but I do recommend subway tile in a color picked from your granite. Definitely try actual samples in situ before committing. To give it a bit more interest, you could go for a different scale (maybe 4" x 8"), aspect ratio (3:1), or layout (stacked, herringbone, vertical running bond). Good luck!

Yes, the vein in your granite is as much brown as gray -- you need a warmer backsplash. Get some samples of various grays -- Floor & Decor has some great options right now in subway shape. Pure Wool might be your choice, but I've seen some nice pale grays at Lowes too, like Silver Cloud, which is a bit cooler. Floor and Decor also has both grays and whites that have sparkle, both crackled and iridescent types, which would be worth a try. Get one of each and pick the winner at home.

The granite is beautiful. Please don't replace it.

I totally feel your pain. When I was getting started I picked a glass material for a display in my showroom that ended up being way too busy. The problem is that on the little sample I was using to order from, I loved it. I even had it next to the cabinets and counters and still loved it. It wasn't clear that it didn't work until it was fully installed.

I didn't want to fully scrap everything and just start over, so I kept the glass in the focal points and used a natural stone everywhere else. This worked for me for a couple different reasons. First was the cost. By far the back splash was the cheapest thing to replace, and by keeping some of the glass, it wasn't a total loss.

Next was the look. I really liked that glass and I didn't want to scrap it completely. Using the glass in the focal points wasn't just a great compromise, it was what I should have done all along. Saving the glass for a few key areas made it stand out without being overbearing.

I like what I see when I look at your picture, but I can tell that spread across the entire kitchen it's too much.

My advice would be to do one of two things:

1. Use the glass in a few key areas- Most of the time the focal point is the range/cook top/stove area. If you like the glass, use it there.

2. Replace the back splash- If you hate the way they look together, even if it's only over the range area, then I would replace the back splash. It will most likely be cheaper and the granite you are showing is beautiful and much more practical than marble in a kitchen application.

I've included some pictures that show the use of glass. Hopefully this helps.

Good luck,

Jeff

I would keep the granite counters and consider a stainless steel subway tile for the backsplash.

I think that would look great!

What if you turned the tile vertical instead of horizontal? They actually blend nicely.

The two blend perfectly in my opinion, but if it's something that you can't live with forever, then the best route would probably be to remove the countertops and replace them with the marble if you have room in the budget for that. I absolutely love marble and I think the carrara would go nicely with the backsplash. Don't get scared off by the comments about marble. I have designed several kitchens and I can assure you that with the proper sealer,marble is just fine in a kitchen [when shopping around ask about the DuPont sealers for marble/granite]. From a decorating standpoint, you could also try bringing in some of the ice blues and grays from the backsplash into your decor to blend it all together more.

Think about which one you really don't like more...the backsplash is probably an easier and less costlier fix than the counter tops. You could easily pick out a wonderful glazed tile (light gray or white) and do a subway pattern using 6 x 12 or 2 x 12 or even 6" rectangles and the look would be classic for ages. With that said I love carrera marble which is used in many professional kitchens and I use in most of the work I do but even with sealing it can leave marks but that is somewhat the beauty of it. I was once told that if you spill red wine or vinegar use a little Soft Scrub with bleach and it comes right out. I use it all the time.

Your granite is beautiful...why not use it on the backsplash too :)

I agree with other posters that the overly busy back splash is the problem. I would suggest you install white subway tile to solve the problem.