I would have had the counters and backsplash installed before the vent hood for the easiest install in the hood area. I like having the backsplash go to the ceiling, but with the hood in place, you are looking at many cuts for the upper area which will increase the cost. I would paint the upper area to match the backsplash.

I would stop the tile under the hood. I would not tile above the hood because there is no obvious place to stop the tile. I think tiling above the hood works best when the area is contained by adjacent cabinets or walls.

Why do you have staggered cabinets / With your hood IMO the tile should go to the ceiling no fancy design behind the stove and no to travertine tile IMO it detracts from the counter top

@Patricia Colwell Consulting I like the staggered cabs. The last ones were all same height and I think it didnt give it any dimensional interest - just looked like large boxes hanging on the wall.

Why no travertine? What would you choose given my theme is a mix of industrial & modern mountain lodge? I chose travertine because it would be neutral and blend (but still be somewhat nice to look at) without distracting from the 10 foot long sedna island focal point... but I have been debating the backsplacse centerpiece and thinking maybe I dont do that at all, just a simple brick pattern,

if I do the backsplash to the ceiling... how would you handle the 7 inches of 'open' area between the crown and the ceiling where the tile would not have a naturally defined border?

thank you for your input!

Industrial mountain modern lodge...perhaps stainless steel subway tile. I love travertine but that seems very far away from industrial feeling material. I was on the train of stopping at the hood but if you go with a metal, then I’d go to the ceiling and above those cool staggered cabs. And no backsplash centerpiece...you can always find a black fireplace back to place there if you need some interest and want to pull in some black from your island. I also love the soft reflectivity of a metal backsplash. Whether it’s an Edison bulb or candle, very different effects, it looks cool.

@Lidia while I like the idea of a metal backsplash, I think it would draw the eye to it, and distract from the black island w/ 6" posts holding the granite on 4 corners - being the room focal (photo of island granite is in first post)?

@Patricia Colwell Consulting you suggested not using travertine, what would you use?

Why no travertine? What would you choose given my theme is a mix of industrial & modern mountain lodge? I chose travertine because it would be neutral and blend (but still be somewhat nice to look at) without distracting from the 10 foot long sedna island focal point... but I have been debating the backsplacse centerpiece and thinking maybe I dont do that at all, just a simple brick pattern,

The reason no travertine is because two different stones do not play well together. They wind up clashing and travertine has a pink cast to it which will not work with your gorgeous island stone.

You have way too much going on with the wood cabinets, the black island with that gorgeous stone, the perimeter cabinets with the black stone and now you want to add a third stone for the backsplash?

Ideally if one picks two different colors for cabinets, it's best to pick one stone for both the island and the perimeter.

Ideally if one picks two different stones, it's best to keep all cabinets the same color.

However now that the stones and the cabinets are a done deal, and you have the staggered cabinets on top of that, do not add travertine. It doesn't go at all. Pick a color from your island stone in a ceramic tile. I can see choosing a greige from the island stone or the brown or even the gray. That will actually feel more industrial than dated travertine.

I would tile only up to the hood because there is no place without the cabinets going to the ceiling to end the tile if you go to the ceiling. It will look like a mistake.

No to travertine. It's neither industrial nor mountain lodge; it's Tuscan and pink beige. Pink beige undertones and orange beige ones of cabinets will clash horribly. Color variations of travertine and the highly figured granite will fight each other. Pink beige is about the most difficult undertone to decorate around since it doesn't play well with much. Travertine is also porous, so it requires much more maintenance (sealing) and can still stain.

One star only - counter or backsplash, but not both. Choose a quiet ceramic tile, in a tone from the granite, for the backsplash. One of the lighter colors will prevent the wall from looking like a black hole.

Hi...I was thinking the metal backsplash would actually blend with the hood and help make the outlets disappear and coordinate with the other stainless steel in your room so the island would stand out as the gem in the room. I agree with cpartisit since my personal preference is an uncluttered look. In my current home I actually installed a dark greyed mirror as my backsplash and I’ve loved it for the past 10 years. It subtly reflects all my other choices and doesn’t commit a color or texture to the space. My countertops are black granite so the surfaces play well with one another. I’m not saying it’s right for your space but I tried it alongside tile and went with (gasp) a mirror. Perhaps get some larger samples and bring them home, please grab some stainless just to try :) and live with each for a few days before you commit...you might surprise yourself. Have fun with the process, good luck and please post pics of your finished dream kitchen!

SOLD ... you all rock. I'll look to find a subtle color tile for backsplash, pulled from the granite island. Tile up to the hood, not to ceiling. No built-in centerpiece.

@Lidia can you post a pic of your setup? I'd love to see how the dark grey mirror looks.