Here is the elevation of the wall with the backsplash (ignore the arrow):

We have grey cabinets with matching crown molding above them but no crown anywhere else in the kitchen. The rest of our house has white crown and we debated what to do for consistency. Since our kitchen is closed off we decided the crown didn't need to match the rest of the house. One of my do-overs would be a moroccan-like tile on the narrow wall behind our range. I was afraid to go bold everywhere but wish I used some color there. This pic shows it ending against a wall without:

The white cabs will be fine (although I would definitely consider a lwashed out version of the turquoise in the small stars for them). Crown matches the cabinets. Do you need crown around the rest of the room? If so, it probably (probably!) can be a non-cabinet color because the cabinet crown will be so very different and they will be two different entities. If the tall cabs next to your tile are the only ones that get the stacked treatment, it'll be easier.

I'm more concerned that the marble won't work. Have you put it together with the tile to see if it's doable?

I'm more concerned that the marble won't work. Have you put it together with the tile to see if it's doable?

Agree with this. Personally, I can see the rest of it or the room with the marble or with the tile, but not with both.

I think the tile with the marble (not marble but marble-like surface - I love the look but am not up for maintenance) will work. See the pic. But adding white cabinets to it (imho) feels like too much white...

Fori - I don't really NEED crown molding elsewhere in the room but was thinking of doing it because I like the look. There is another set of tall cabs in the kitchen but nothing else. Like this. So I can either continue the cabinet crown molding around the perimeter of kitchen (which is separate from the rest of the house), or not.

Would you please post the whole layout of your kitchen? Depending on your layout a combination of white and colored cabinets might be a good choice. Also, what sort of light do you get in the kitchen when you're there most often? If it's a pretty dark kitchen then I would go light but if it's bright and sunny you can get away with a bolder color.

I like the idea of pale blue or pale green or pale blue-green cabinets, but I also like the idea of just doing black hardware on the white cabinets to tie into the black in the tile.

It's not just that it matches the black, but tile has a "lots of little things" (as opposed to large, big, wide things) quality to its pattern. And black hardware would add a "lots of little things" quality to the cabinets that would help balance the tile.

Julius - what a neat idea! I would have never thought of this!!

Here is the overall layout - not a very good picture but gives you an idea. It will get a fair amount of light. I say probably because the whole thing is still getting built along with the house in which it is.

I think with just those few blocks of tall cabinets that you could treat them sort of like furniture and give them each their own personal bit of crown, and then give the rest of the room a regular crown treatment that is in synch with the rest of the house.

Black hardware works!

I still don't like the marble. I could see soapstone or Something White (with less interest than marble) but not most marbles. But there are a lot of marbles and I bet you could find one that works. Just have a backup plan!

i am not a fan of the counter u picked out... i think i would do the white cabs and black counters to tie in the tile. that tile must be the star or u will have too much going on in the kitchen and your eye can't rest anywhere.... i love the idea of the black hardware on the white cabs... some choices: soapstone, absolute black granite, virginia mist granite (my fav), black quartz or white quartz. then accessorize for additional color. blue and yellow will look fab.

For those who don't like the idea of marble, do you object because of the color (white) or pattern (veins)? Would a calmer white quarz with little variation work, for instance? I actually don't plan to do marble, just something that looks like it.

With that tile, I would consider a turquoise cabinet like the one Russ is using. It's a little rustic old world looking much like your tile.

Heather

It's the veins. And the overall feel...I guess?

There are marbles that are super white (I want to say Thassos but that is probably not it) and while they're lovely, they look pretty much like a manmade stone which would probably be preferable for maintenance issues.

By the way, does your tile have black or is it navy? it looks different in the different photos.

Agree with those who think you could do better with the countertop-tile combo. I think a counter without a discernible pattern would really let the tile shine...

agree with fori., i don't think marble or any look alikes will compliment your tile and vice/versa.

Fori - the three small stars are black.

OK - so with this backsplash, what do you think should be the countertop/cabinets colors??

Aha!! Gray cabs!!

I would do white counters on the perimeter and choose a color from the tile for the island. That way the cabinets surrounding the tile don't compete with the tile and the island provides a splash of color that ties in with the tile. Any of the colors (light turquoise, blue, or yellow) would look good depending on how dramatic you wish to be and what the color palette is for any adjoining spaces. While I normally love black cabinets I think a black island would draw attention away from the focal point (the tile).

I would use simple black hardware everywhere and save some white paint in case you change your mind and decide to paint the island white too. Finally, I would save some extra tile and get it made into wood bordered trivets. They would look great on the marble and would help protect the marble when using the counter as a serving station.

I don't mind marble either, except the example that Nadya shows appears to be more beige and it doesn't go with the tile. A marble (or marble-esque quartz) with gray instead of tan would be better.

My tall colored cabs have matching crown. Did you think about mixing colored cabinets? Here are mine - I did blue/green lowers with white uppers, then a dark navy/gray on one wall.

Marble is pretty. So long as you are aware that much of it etches and are prepared to live with it that's fine. If you have not done so, you should take a piece home and test all kinds of common food substances on it to see what happens and whether you can live with it....

the example that Nadya shows appears to be more beige and it doesn't go with the tile. A marble (or marble-esque quartz) with gray instead of tan would be better.

This. If you look at the picture that Jillius posted, that's okay, but the marble isn't beige-pinkish. I personally would still prefer a solid color counter with that tile, but if you want a marble look, something more grayish-bluish and without very heavy veining would work.

Yes, agree completely. Gray-blue tinted marble-like surface would work better.

I am also beginning to think that white cabinets would be a no-go with this...would really want some color under the countertop to balance out the intensity of tile.

The thing is that I was always obsessed with oriental tile patterns but I never thought that using them will also dictate a certain cabinet color. For instance, out of all the choices below (the last photo shows my chosen tile installed), I really think either blueish or gray-ish cabs will work. If I was really brave, I'd do navy blue, but I'm not. What cab color would you do?

I also thought about doing different cabinet colors but I fear it would add to the overall busy-ness. Although my kitchen does have very clear zones (island, perimeter, breakfast nook flanked by glassfront towers) so different colors would not be illogical...Btw, I will be ordering painted doors from Scherr's, so COULD do different colors...decisions,decisions!

You know, Nadya, if you aren't familiar with the "too many clowns" theory, you might find these old threads useful, if you haven't seem already:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2502565/the-tile-that-changes-everything

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2670515/only-one-clown

Oh, and I think you could go with either white or a color for cabinets with your tile.

I would definitely go with a subtle color based on a color from the tile. Blue, yellow or the turquoise would all work -- which are you drawn too? Perhaps you need to stop by a paint store with your tile and pull some swatches. Black hardware is an excellent suggestion too. My cabinets are not white, but a light complex greige-ish color. The crown molding matches. An important element is that the ceiling is not white either but is a different, pale color than the walls and cabinets.

Installed, the tiles are very very busy so the other elements really do have to be very quiet/simple yet have enough presence to balance the room, which is why I think color on the cabinets and walls will be important. I feel that white cabinets would accentuate the white lines in the tile and increase the busy feel.

Nadya, this old reveal thread just came up and it reminded me of your plan: dark lowers (she has black)/white uppers with moroccan-look tile behind the range. You might want to check it out if you haven't already:
robo's kitchen