This was our new kitchen! And we are quite happy for the most part. I think a new backsplash will do it for us and hopefully not deter a buyer.

Butternuts painted looks really good. We have a 6 foot section of backsplash next to the fridge that I may try to paint first.

If paint doesn't work, what do you think of these tiles? I just got back from Home Depot with two tile samples. I'm leaning towards the 3x6 cream one,

I agree that your backsplash matches the styling of your cabinets. Don't remove it or change it out. Also, I wouldn't paint the backsplash. I once toured through a "renovated" condo where the owner painted their kitchen counters. Definitely a DIY job and it only devalued the place.

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I like the 3 x 6 cream better. But do it for yourself.

We sold a house in the tumbling market in 2009. Every agent we interviewed except one told us to redo our backsplash and counters. We went with the agent we liked best, and she happened to be the one who told us not to change. Our buyers were relocated about 5 years later and they sold the house with our backsplash & counters. That house has sold twice with the backsplash and counters several agents told us would kill the sale...

The backsplash is not only not in style right now, but it is very busy and not very attractive (to my eye). I think the cream rectangular tile you showed in your photo would look beautiful with the stained wood cabinets and do wonders for making the kitchen more serene and aesthetically pleasing.

MIke, I think you are taking wise steps. You will hear many individual anecdotal stories. Yes, there are houses that sell out of the norm. But, facts support that clean, bright, unbusy, neutral, uncluttered sells best.

The tile is not only dated, it is very busy next to the granite and it reads very pink.

Could you please take more photos of the tile with the granite. Maybe a couple from a farther away, etc. I am leaning towards the cream.

I do not recommend painting the tile in your price range.

Yesterday I saw posted here a few kitchen makeovers. GRAY GRAY GRAY they made me feel cold and BORING. Your kitchen is warm and rich. Dated is in the eye of the beholder. I would buy your kitchen over theirs ANY DAY ALL DAY. I do not believe the stat about 80% recoup. That has not been true in my anecdotal experience. What is true:What ever YOU do because YOU would like it--your buyer will not. They will wish you had changed out something different, and they will make it their own once in.

I wouldnt change the backsplash, it does go well with your counters and with your kitchen. However, if you look to the first couple of pictures you posted, you will notice the under cab lights are on, and the lights over the island are on. Look at the lighting from your island. Then look at the lighting from your under cab lights. The island has a white light, and the bulbs in the under cabinet are yellowish. Change out the bulbs in the under cabinet lighting to the same color bulbs as you have over the island, and your backsplash and countertops wont show that garish yellow color.

We bought a newer house and updated it extensively. We sold it last year and thought it was in great shape. Last time we drove by there was a dumpster in the driveway and every indication of a massive interior renovation. My point is, people will have their own taste so I wouldn't put money into anything unless your realtor thinks it is important. Put the new kitchen into your next place.

Mike, here is the remodelling info site I mentioned above. Kitchens renos recoup less than the 80% I recalled - around 60%.

I don't care for either tile you selected. You are going from busy to plain... try to find a middle ground...

A tumbled marble would be nice...

The irony is , it looks like they have tumbled marble already. Just some mosaic along with it!

What style is your house? If your house is a colonial, a tudor or any other traditional style, than a traditional kitchen will be ok with potential buyers. People make the decision to buy depending on the curb appeal and the state of the kitchen. Your kitchen will please potential buyers who are looking for a traditional style house.

I like the size of the cream tile, but it looks like there are splashes of a very light almost white in the granite, can you pls place your samples on top of the granite and take a photo. The smaller tile may be busy looking..

Love your kitchen and backsplash. I agree, it may not be the trendiest, but if I were your buyer, I would buy it FOR your kitchen. I love it and have always been drawn to that color palate and look. I'd buy your kitchen in a heartbeat. I'm adding my vote to the majority, only change if you want the change, but I don't know if you can easily change just one element without setting off an entire cascade of changes. I love it the way it is.

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To me, it looks outdated. I would update with a classic tile, clean and simple.

@silken1 - You are right - they do have the tumbled stone splash - but its 4x4 diamond pattern with mosaic and dark inserts... the color is really nice with their counter and cabinet style and wood trims. They keep their counters pretty clear so the splash is a focal point. The ceramic subway tile , frankly, is boring - unless they install it in a herringbone or something interesting - just my opinion...

We now have cream subway tile and on the advice of the installer, white grout. We already regret the grout, no definition. We are looking at maybe a grout stain? Maybe a grey or tan so you can see the lines? Opinions?

Mike, your new tile looks great! Leave the grout as it is.

I agree, you did a wonderful job, Mike! I love the way the cabinets and granite are featured now, while the backsplash takes a supporting role. The room looks very sophisticated and warm.

The discreet grout means the colour and texture of your tiles take centre stage. Very nice!

Wow! Great job! I suggest you paint the window and door frame the same cream color and swap out the pendant lights for something more current. Beautiful kitchen!

I think it looks way better. Great job and keep the grout. It will be too busy if you make it darker. I think it is a nice, clean look.

Mike this look so much better! You don't want a dark grout, that will make the space look busy. If you want more color/movement/interest in the space, choose items that can be changed easily by future buyers.

-Example: if there are blues in the adjacent room, add a short blue valance, change the shades to blue and add blue dishes in the glass cabinet

-change the hardware on the cabinet doors

-you might also consider adding glass to more of the cabinets.

great job! paint the walls, don’t touch the grout.. looks perfect

Wow, you're moving fast! It makes the kitchen look so much brighter and simple/elegant. How did you remove the old tiles? Did that involve new drywall?

Great job on the new tile. Don't change the grout color.

My only negative to the tile work is that at the end of the island you pulled the tile past the counter to the door edge and it looks awkward. I'm surprised the tile guy did that since it wasn't like that with your original tile.

I think it looks good that way. Otherwise there would have been an awkward strip leftover between the tile and the wall. I hope the tile is still in style when you are ready to sell the house Lol. Are we all sentenced to changing the backsplash every five years when the styles change?

I think a slight contrast in the grout would have been nice. The doors have beautiful detail to them.. this backsplash just lays flat for me ...

But more important is whether you love it!

Leave the grout colour alone

I think the backsplash is very current just as is with no grout contrast. At least that’s what I’m seeing everywhere....

Good catch, cpartist. This does look awkward, One solution, at this point, would be to run the tile down the wall to the right of the base cabinet. It also depends on how you treated the tile in other areas, like by the windows. Can you show a photo of that?

Finally, if you pain the walls a lighter color (I would go with a white that is not stark white, like white dove, etc), the tile break will not look as obvious.

Not loving those pendants...do swap them out.

And paint the walls. That color is very 90’s and doesn’t work with your fresh new look.

For what it's worth, I liked both the before and the after. The pendants still look fine. I think if you add some accessories in an accent color and plants it will look great. Perhaps a tray or bread board behind the stove too. And a bowl of fruit on the island.

It looks a lot less busy. I would not add contrasting colour to the grout lines. I agree, that the bit that extends past the counter, should have probably been done differently. Now that it is done I wonder if adding a few small pieces upward between the door frame and the cabinet to the height under the exhaust fan would make it look more balanced. it wouldn't take much to do. Also I do think the pendants should be changed to something more modern.

Regarding the sliver of tile that extends beyond the upper cabinet--it's done and it looks fine, even if it shouldn't have gone up to the door frame. (I think we're splitting hairs now!)

Also, while the pendants wouldn't have been my choice, they are very nice and work well in the space too. Again, I think the room looks wonderful!

It does look nice, but I didn't mind the before either. I also think changing the paint color would help. We've painted most of our house a Sherwin Williams "burnt oyster" it is a warm brown/gray. I think it might look nice with your granite. It blends well with a lot of colors. remove the valance. Bring in color with other accessories and a rug. I'm also suggesting you move your kerig to the other side of the sink closer to your table. Where you had your monitor if you aren't bringing that back. and set that spot up as a coffee station. We did that at my moms and it works really well. In its current corner it takes up valuable prep space.

We changed the glass on the pendants for a little color and added a similar color valance.

Thanks for the update, Mike. The pendant shades with color are a good idea if they tie into something (family room colors?).

The previous choices you made I thought were good ones.

However, the style of the valance is dated. Let's talk about the valance. I see you have a window shade there. First, do you need the window shade? If not, I would just remove both the window shade and the valance.

if you do need the window shade, then I would buy a box valance and hang it similar to how you have it hung below. Since you have crown molding, a shade that is hung by the top of the crown is not going to work well. Also, the new valance you chose is too high for the window. A valance should be no more than 1/4-1/6 the window height. Yours is 1/3 or more.

Lose the valance.Looks like the very old lady in a room of twenty something folks...............: )

I agree--the valance is not attractive. If you need a window covering, try a natural shade in bamboo, grass, matchstick, etc. for a nice texture.

Another vote to lose the valance. The new pendants are adding nothing to the space. The originals were better.

Something like this for pendants...or just go back to what you had.

I agree that you should remove the valance and go without one. And I liked the old pendants better because I thought they went really well with your countertops. Unless you plan on bringing in more of the new color into the room I would return them.

voting for losing the valance as well...

Both the before and after backsplashes are good. The current grout is fine. Lose the valence...it is the fussiness of the valence itself that detracts from the rest of the room. If you want to tie that color in, get a Roman shade.

Piling on with PPs: lose the valance; and the original pendants looked better.

In order to help you further, please provide photos of the adjacent room (presuming it is open to a family room). Thanks.