Why was your stove not centered between the two upper cabinets?

If the stove isn't centered, then even if you have them redo the accent tile it will still look off-center because now it's not evenly between the cabinets. Both of those would drive me crazy so if the stove can't be centered, I'd just remove it carry the same backsplash throughout.

Don't think you'll notice it once everything is done.

I guess it was "off" by just enough that nobody noticed until now. My house is old so the walls aren't straight so with the new install the discrepancy was just enough to shift things over to now have this issue. Ugh. Thanks for your advice.

leave as is, you will not notice it later on

He did it the correct way. It would be much more noticeable if they centered it to the stove.

If it were mine, I would have the center piece taken out and just run the regular backsplash tile across. That would not bother me then.

ETA: I must also say, I really don't like any of the stuff put behind a stove. Centered or not. It just looks weird to me. I like the same thing that is under all the cabinets to also extend behind the stove. It looks less busy and contrived.

Leave it be or have them rip it out and just run the same tile as the rest of the backsplash.

that would bother me. but that back piece is too busy anyway. I'd take it out and run your subway tile across the whole wall. that border edging, herringbone, diff subways, and your granite,,,,too much going on there.

btw,,he could have easily brought out the right edge piece to match the left. not a big deal. Although your wall tiles bordering it wouldn't have been the same on both sides. it's a choice.

park a lovely copper kettle on your cooktop and its all you'll have eyes for.

i agree, the best choice would have been no back inset. but a not centered between the cabinets inset would have been horrific.

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If it is really driving you crazy I would remove the accent area and continue the tumbled brick tiles all the way so nothing has to be centered...honestly I think it will look better you have enough going on in that area..the hood should be the focal point...very pretty!

It might bother you forever (or it might not). If it will, redo it, keeping in mind that there's no good way to center it between two things that have different centers. (Actually, if you just made it a few inches wider than the cooktop yet still centered between the cabinets, it might not be noticeable at all that they don't quite line up--it's just that it ended so close to the edges that makes it stick out to you.)

But nobody else will notice, especially with aforementioned kettle or even a nice-looking olive oil bottle on one side. You have to stand directly exactly in front and not off to the side to realize it's not centered.

Well you have a pot filler (I’m guessing that is what that is) and that isn’t centered, does that bother you?

Since it’s a choice between centering the backsplash between the cabinets or having it off-center, I would absolutely prefer the first. It’s weird that the range was not centered between the cabinets in the first place, but it’s much less noticeable to have it the way it is right now than to change it.

Oh--I just noticed a potfiller maybe? Betcha that will also distract. Don't even need the kettle.

The top cabinets are off center to the stove/bottom cabinetry. The wood hood should be centered to the stove and in turn the center panel of the backsplash. May have been an error in the design or the installer may have left out a filler. If it bothers you then remove the center and carry the rest of the field tile throughout as others have said. Most people will not notice until you point it out because you know the error is there. try to live with it and get some ise out of it and maybe let it be a project that will be revisited in the next year or two. It is not drastically bad but if you are a stickler for symmetry then rip it out. No sense in the back splash ruining your idea of the new kitchen. good luck. let us know what you decide.

I think you should take it out and run the subway tile across. I agree...I think it's a bit busy. However, what bothers me MORE than it being off center? The center design doesn't have enough breathing room. You usually see a couple of rows at the bottom and top...it looks crowded to me. Maybe that's why it seems so busy. There's something 'off' about the whole scale of it. I'm thinking the hood is squatty due to your ceiling height and possibly should have been installed a little higher? This hood might not have been the best choice based on ceiling height. It doesn't look like there's 30" clearance there for your pro rangetop, which I believe, what they recommend.

Black Russian. One half vodka, one half Kahlua. What problem?

Thank you everyone for your advice! I will live with it for now. If it still bothers me in a few months or a year I"ll replace it with subway tiles.