Skip it.

Most kitchen designs do not benefit from that accent cooktop tile. In fact, it usually interripts the flow of the kitchen. IMO only traditional style kitchens, think Tuscan, really work with an accept picture frame tile.

Buy a sample of the marble. Put spaghetti sauce, cooking oil, and whatever else you cook with on it and leave it overnight. The result should tell you why it's better to use a porcelain marble-look tile on a backsplash rather than real marble.

A much more functional use would be to plan for a recessed tiled-in niche over the cooktop and not just a picture frame. Great spot for frequently used cooking items like olive oil, or for tucking away cooking utensils.

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skip it

agree to skipping it. I think it's already dated.

Thank you everyone for taking time to comment! I am a little surprised by all the suggestions to skip it but appreciate the honesty :) I am a little sad about possibly skipping it because I really love that it is bringing some ”fancy” to my kitchen. But if I am being honest in my heart I’ve wondered if this will date my kitchen. Also I would skip the niche regardless because it seems annoying to clean.

Another vote for skipping it. I've never thought it added anything to a kitchen.

I thought long and hard about adding one to our backsplash. In the end, I opted not to put it in. It would have been similar to what Jacqui posted above. I made the right choice, and I would not have wanted to try and keep the grout on the mosaic clean. I have other stuff on the counters above what's in the picture, and I think it would have not been showcased as I had hoped.

If you choose to center a feature, the cuts of the field tile at the corner may end up with slivers instead of larger cuts. Because you can not center the field tile on a feature and an ideal corner cut both.

The size of the feature will be determined both by the frame pieces and the size of the feature tile both. You don't want to end up with less than a half cut on a feature tile pattern.

You have to work closely with a great tile contractor to have a great result. Take the average $1500 subway tile backsplash, and add another $500-$1500 for the feature. It takes time to plan, and time is money.

I think the tile you like for the feature accent would make a better overall tile than a feature panel. But it depends on the counters, and how busy they might be. You don't want to get into the plaid pants and striped shirt scenario.

Live Wire oak thanks for be description and things to think about WRT cut. I have two installers coming to bid this week, I have a better idea of what to talk to them about now.

There are other places in the kitchen for "fancy" :)

I agree with the others that you don’t need a framed feature behind the cooktop. I do not agree with Sabrina Alfin Interiors’ rec of a niche. That’ll be one more cleaning chore to add to your list, cause instead of one flat surface, you now have several niche surfaces to wipe down, plus the items inside the niche will need to be wiped. Plus, oils and spices do not do well with exposure to heat. Plus, who wants to reach your arm across bubbling pots or splattering pans to get to the oil or spices.

Here is a link to a recent thread on this subject of accent tile behind the range. I really liked Chispa’s suggestions and pics she posted. [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/accent-tile-behind-range-pop-of-pattern-or-keep-it-simple-dsvw-vd~5588685[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/accent-tile-behind-range-pop-of-pattern-or-keep-it-simple-dsvw-vd~5588685)

is not a fancy choice is tacky

M Miller thanks for sharing that link, the conversation was very helpful. I think the framed tile idea is just about dead lol, just need to talk with hubby about it. The other thread suggested doing the subway in a herringbone pattern, which I’m going to marinate over. Just for fun ive attached a photo of the subway tile that I like with the countertop. Excuse the bare drywall!