Struggling to figure out the backsplash too

I prefer a light counter, but you could also go dark if that is your preference. In general, I think a simple backsplash, like subway tile, looks best with wood cabinets. It does not have to be subway tile, but not busy.

This is my wood kitchens idea book - maybe something will appeal to you. These are both new and older, refreshed kitchens:

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/75202366/list/wood-kitchens

Nice kitchen! Will you have stainless appliances? As another poster suggested, I would also go with a light stone, maybe a carrara marble-like quartzite?

Here are some nice kitchens with darker counters and lighter backsplash

We are in the planning stage for a kitchen with natural cherry cabinets and are considering Costa Esmeralda Rose - green with rose/tan veins. There is also Costa Esmeralda which doesn’t have the prominent rose/tan veins, but in our location this is twice as expensive as the rose and we like how the rose/tan ties in with the cherry. Probably will go with a creamy off white subway tile (likely more matte, maybe with a little texture) for the backsplash.

Such a broad question will undoubtedly garner a broad number of responses.

Do you like flow or movement in your stone?

Do you favor light or dark colors in your stone?

What is your budget per sq. ft. for stone?

What stone is available in your area?

I would first answer those questions and then take a sample of your cabinet to the stone yard and look for slabs that meet those answered questions. Grab a sample of the ones you really like and take it home and look at it in the space for a couple of days (daylight, night time, lights on, lights off). That will help you narrow it down to your final choice.

We answered all those questions and ended up with Colonial Gold for our maple cabinets.

I am not a fan of Costa Esmerelda with cherry cabinets. i like them with lighter cabinetry.

I would look at River White, Gold Antique, Sienna Bordeaux, Santa Cecillia.

You need to decided if you want light or dark. I prefer lighter.

What are everyone's thoughts on brown fantasy?? Also, stainless steel appliances.

I love Brown Fantasy. It's a quartzite and in my area, it's $$$$, which is why I didn't get it : (

My brown fantasy looks amazing...love how the cool and warm work together. Mine is leathered and very beautiful in person.

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Looks great! Do you find the leathered hard to keep clean? I’m worried the leathered won’t look good on island since it’s so large. Also, what’s difference between quartzite and granite?

We used leathered Fantasy Brown in our powder room, on a light maple vanity base, and I love it. We also used a polished Fantasy Brown in the kids bathrooms, but this slab looked more green than brown which is why I chose it and I like that too. We also chose a leathered Fantasy Blue (which is drop dead gorgeous) in the master bath on cabinets similar in tone to the kitchen. I have used leathered or honed anywhere I can, it prefer it to the polished look, I do not find it hard to keep clean. Also, for some reason the Fantasy lines are in the inexpensive group here in Virginia... it is also considered a granite, but you can see veins of quartz running through it.

I love the Fantasy Brown, especially honed (too bad my husband doesn’t ☹️). At the granite yards in our area it is classified as a “hard” marble - I think this is one where the classification can be different from yard to yard.

I love the island. The first easy question to answer is: light or dark? Then just keep subtracting what you do not like.

Here's one with light, just since nobody included one. I love the Fantasy Brown too.

My island is 10’ x 36” and I love the leathered look for the island, although I was also anxious before I put it in. I’ve had polished and leathered and the leathered is easier to keep clean looking (water spots are not noticeable).

Looks great! Do you find the leathered hard to keep clean? I’m worried the leathered won’t look good on island since it’s so large. Also, what’s difference between quartzite and granite? Lots of threads on this topic - they are totally different.

There's no such thing as a "hard marble." Fantasy Brown is usually marble, with all the pros and cons of the stone, most notably etching. Check out the posts by Karin Kirk, a geologist, who explains in detail the difference between marble, quartzite and granite. Her Houzz name is karin_mt

Here's a link:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4426353/the-definitive-guide-to-quartzite

Quartzite (as opposed to Quartz, a manmade material) is the best for the island. comes in whitish or greyish, and looks like marble. this is a very hard, or harder than granite material. I like to hone it. Use it with black honed granite on side countertops, and a backsplash a color close to the quartzite island counter.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><md>Do you think it would look good if we use the same granite throughout? I’m not very risky. Lol. I’ve been looking for a fantasy brown stone w more browns and less black. The one I posted above seems to meet that color. So backsplash should be more closely matched to lighter parts of island? I’m very design challenged.

I would go with a very light colored , even white granite and use the same material as backsplash ...it gets too busy otherwise ..or as you can see in one of the photos ..where it displayed a dark patterned backsplash ...it gets too dark in your kitchen . Beautiful cabinets should be the star in your kitchen and a white or light plain granite will emphasize the beauty of your cabinets and make the look clean and timeless .

Still trying to figure this out. What are your thoughts on these 2 slabs? Like 1st or 2nd one better??

Color is Blanco Gabrielle. Appreciate so much everyone’s advice

I like the 1st one.

Did you get your granite installed? I like Alaska White Granite as well.

After a long process we decided to go with Fantasy Brown. Hopefully it will be installed next week

I think you will have a beautiful and functional kitchen. Waiting is a test. Please post photos

Forgot to post a finished pic. Now on to backsplash.

Looks great! Replacing our dorado Vicenza with Fantasy Brown in a few months. We also have lightly stained cherry cabinets.

What are your thoughts on backsplash? I’m trying to decide between these two colors. Both grey, but one lighter than the other. I’m leaving toward the darker one in 3x12?? If I go with the lighter one I can only get it in 4x12 (which I thought might be too big) or 3x6. I have no idea what to do.

lighter one is better. there is enough off white and brown in counter I'd steer toward bone white or away from gray is the point. cabinets are rich brown...get a cleaner white ,,,need not be stark...oyster? just not feeling the gray tint.

For your kitchen with the wood cabinets, I'd pick the lighter tile.

What about size? 3x6 or 4x12. I was thinking 3x6 would look better.

Thanks for advice. I was concerned the lighter one was too close to the wall color. I’m not a fan of the white. Thought the gray tint would pull out gray in counter and table (see pic below)