You will have tile thickness issues vs. Taj Majal thickness at the cook area.. I would do one or the other. Note that quartzite will be far more prone to staining,..... so possibly reconsider in quartz, or simply tile all and keep Taj. to just the tops.

I am thinking of doing the same. We are using Pure Quartzite for counters and a herringbone mosaic calacutta for the backsplash. Our fabricator suggested using the Quartzite for the area behind the cooktop. I'm trying to visualize how to incorporate this with the tile. Have you decided on which way to go?

Tan Mahal is one of the most expensive stones around. Better price what you think you want, and then move on to something more practical. And cheaper. Like back painted glass or sheet steel.

I really appreciate the comments. I am leaning toward the full tile backsplash, a simple, clean look with no mosaic or otherwise behind the cooktop. Btw @Sophie, I have already purchased the Taj Mahal.

I don't yet have a sample of the TM to take with me tile shopping. I meet with the fabricator later this week to go over the template, and then I'll get a piece we don't need for the countertops. Decisions, decisions -- wondering if it would be good to choose a honed tile as a contrast to my polished Taj Mahal on the counters. Thoughts? I love a shiny tile, and glass, but maybe less shine is more.

I even like a tumbled travertine, but worry about it being porous and staining, not good behind the cooktop? I have a whitewashed brick fireplace, full-wall hearth in the adjoining family room, so thought it might be an option to bring that rustic look into the kitchen via the backsplash.

Did it. Love it.

All stone might stain or etch. The gamble is finding a good fabricator. Quartzite is tricky. 100% quartzite is harder than granite. The veining and colorations, the very things we seek, are the impurities can that weaken it. A great sealant is everything.

Some shady manufacturers will try to pass off marble or marble mixtures as quartzite. Some fabricators don't use a good sealant, or don't do a thorough job. Quartzite gets a bad name. What's a buyer to do? It is such an expensive product!

The only thing you can do is consumer research. Google for hours. Look up ratings on all of the stone/counter top dealers in your area. Know all about counter top materials before you go shopping. I'm lucky because my husband is a geologist. He knows stone and how granite, etc are formed in the earth, but countertops are not his specialty by any means. In all cases, at the many slab yards we visited, he knew more than any salesperson. That's frightening considering the expensive product they are selling. How can you really trust them?

I've lived with my Taj for 2.5 years now. I'm careful with it. I wipe up spills as soon as I see them, even water. Quite frankly, I'd do that with any counter top. However, life happens. I've discovered tomato sauce splatters and drips the next day. They wipe right off. Standing water has not etched my Taj. I think it's perfect. I don't think my kitchen looks dated at all. Quite the opposite. I do get comments like 'calming' and 'serene', which was my goal. The main reason why I did not choose granite is because I find it too busy to be the backdrop for my work space. I think it is beautiful and find it very attractive in other people's kitchens. I'd even frame it. But where I'm working, it's too much. I like it calm.

And Taj's calmness makes it pretty neutral. It goes with practically everything, so choose whatever the heck you want for a backsplash. I always cringe when I see granite paired with small tile. All those grout lines paired with the all the speckles of granite is bad pattern mixing to me.

Taj is expensive, but there are lots of pricier things out there. Maybe it was the geologist in my husband, but he did see one slab that he practically salivated over. And crap, it was much more expensive than the Taj. It was too dark for my tastes to do the whole kitchen in anyway, but I relented and used it for the island, which is smallish. I opted to make the island base a very dark brown to visually handle the darker counter top, and it does make a nice focal and counterpoint for the overall lighter kitchen. Verde Borgogna - I've seen it referred to as both granite and quartzite, but my husband is pretty sure it's quartzite. I'll dig up that photo.

In the end, sealant, sealant, sealant!

Glare from the lights might make the Verde look a shade lighter. It's a dark green. But it still goes with neutral Taj.

@Marie Franco, what did you end up doing?

So sorry for not posting my final decision! I ended up going with a smooth subway tile with a super-subtle crackle finish. Taj looks to be very neutral so you'd think it would be easy to find a tile to go with it, but that was NOT the case. Not. At. All. I do love the subway I finally found. I still like the look and ease of cleaning of a full quartzite or granite backsplash behind the cooktop. I don't think staining would be a problem at all with the Taj Mahal, as long as you're sure to get a true quartzite, and not a marble. And of course you need to be sure it's sealed properly and continue to reseal every year or so, depending on how much you actually cook. It's very easy to do; takes no time at all.

Very nice! And those lighted upper cabinets are a really nice touch.

You have made a nice choice for your backsplash. I did do what you originally wanted to do with Perla Venata and glass subway tiles surrounding it. Very happy with the results.

Is your Taj honed? I'm purchasing our slabs tomorrow and like the look of honed. Any opinions on honed vs polished for Taj Mahal countertops?

The gleam on Taj enhances the beautiful tones and movement. Not to mention easy cleaning!

Thank you, Jan