You need to post a picture of your entire kitchen.

Thanks for the reply. Are you able to see the pics in my post?

Yes, now I see the pictures, will look at them and comment later.

I see the two pics. They don’t show the entire kitchen. Stand further back to take the photo.

I’d replace both the perimeter granite, and the backsplash. Both are very dated, and have no relevance to the black granite on the island. The green vent hood also seems a haphazard choice. I don’t see any green elswhere in your kitchen.

In your shoes, if you can find the tile to extend it, I would continue the existing backsplash down to the new counters, and then limewash and matte seal it! It is definitely too dark for the fresher kitchen you are hoping to create. Backsplash has more of an impact on the overall look of a kitchen than counters do, because it is at eye level and on the wall plane.

Option B if you can't find the tile - remove it, skim coat the damaged drywall to be smoothish or at least a softly textured plaster effect (this is DIY possible, I have done it) and just paint it like the rest of your walls. Paint is a fine backsplash option- today's quality paints are very durable and wipe up nicely. To cover the gap at counter and wall, you get a SMALL (not standard 4" as it reads builder grade, more like 2-3") counter material backsplash strip.

A designer would NOT leave the dark backsplash, nor would they combine a 4" strip + tile.

Thanks...the hood is painted a charcoal color.(no green) Is it cheaper to remove the tile or cut out the drywall? What countertop/backsplash would you recommend?

Thanks @Julie S. Unfortunately, the tile isnt available anymore. Did you hire someone to chip off your old tile or do they cut out the sheet rock? That sounds costly

If you do remove the tile, I think it will be easier to simply cut out the tiled drywall and replace with new drywall. taking the opportunity to add receptacles or other electrical. By the time you remove tile and mastic, the underlying drywall is likely to need significant repair. You'd want to remove the cabinets so that the cut seam can be on a stud.

Take the tile out do not rplace and just do dthe 4" that you had with the other granite . BTW IMO quartz is adown grade from real stone like granite . I aslo do not like the finish on the island at all You could just do that same granite on the peremiter

It completely depends on how thoroughly your particular tile was adhered to your particular drywall. That runs the gamut, but it will always leave some damage to be repaired even when it comes off relatively easily. Don't guess about how much it would cost to remove tile and/or remove/replace the drywall - get a couple quotes. Try removing the tile in an inconspicuous spot to get a sense of its adhesion. If you aren't confident to chisel off the tile and mud the wall yourself (but watch a few you tube videos first) get some quotes! You have no idea how expensive or cheap it is, not really. Also it's a handyman job - you don't need a super pro.

@lisedv Thanks for the pics! The white countertops make the kitchen look bigger. Which do you prefer?

Both can be nice, it's your home so go with what you prefer!

The quarts on the counter and up the splash looks great in a rendering. But I wonder how the quarts and granite tops in the same kitchen will look and feel. Not just the colors, there is a visual quality about the two that often seems different. Additionally, running quarts up a splash is not an inexpensive endeavor.

Do you love the black island or are you just trying to salvage one thing in your kitchen to save money?

If you are keeping it just to save money, I wonder if swapping out the black island for a wood island top makes more sense. Wood countertops are the least expensive material out there.

I'd consider a wood top island, the quartz counter, and painting the tile splash. Or removing the tile splash, having a quartz counter with 4" quartz splash, and just painting the wall and not having a tile splash.

Or do the same but with a corian top to match the color of your cabinets. I have a wood top on one side of the kitchen, corian top to match the cabinets, 4" splash, and walls painted. It makes the space so light and bright.

Thank @Kendrah. I cant get more tile to extend the backsplash. Would you paint the current backsplash and add another 4" quartz or granite backsplash so there isn't a 4" gap?

There's just TOO MUCH going on. Pick a lane either brown or black #1. Totally agree your best look (and least expensive) is DIY demo the back splash and just go white paint. Which do you like the most the brown permiter counter or the black on the island? They don't have to be the same but they do have to play well with each other. One has to go and move toward the other. I am liking the idea of embracing the island and totally reimagining the perimeter counter/back splash.

@arcy_gwThanks. What about lime washing the current backsplash a creamy white and replacing perimeter with granite in a light /cream with soft black veins to speak to the black island counterto? This would require adding another 4" countertop backsplash so we dont have a 4" gap between the backsplash and countertop.

I have a terrible backsplash I'm wanting to get rid of. When I learned what was involved in demo-ing it I said no way! Too much money and too much mess. (My walls are plaster so it was much more complex than drywall, which I assume you have.) I decided to try paint it instead. I figured if it looks terrible, I'm not out much money. It seems a smart first step for you to try as well.

Yes, I understand that you would still need to have a new 4" splash beneath it, which isn't ideal. But life isn't ideal when you are working on a budget :) I think perfectly fine is a good thing to aim for. Find a countertop that looks perfectly fine with your island, and then run a perfectly fine 4" splash beneath painted tile.

Here is a pic of my tile splash in progress. My painters primed it two days ago and will finish painting it later this week.

Before

With a coat of primer

Kendrah, please show us your kitchen when they finish painting the backsplash. I am thinking of doing the same in my kitchen. Do you know what products your painter is using? Thanks!

Or is it worth spending several grand more to demo/replace all of the tile and redo all of the tile backsplash in a less busy light color and extend it to the countertop?(without a 4" backsplash)

It won't be several grand more to demo old backsplash mosaic tile and replace with a different tile backsplash that works with whatever you select for your new countertops.

You won't know how much damage removing your current backsplash tile will cause to the underlying drywall until you see how well it is adhered to the drywall.

When I wanted to switch out my existing backsplash tile for a different one, the guy I hired said it would be cheaper to just remove the tile + current drywall and then install new drywall vs. removing the current tile + prepping the existing drywall before installing the new backsplash tile. It was a really quick process. It also was pretty inexpensive to have done.

FYI - that is the same way that the tub/shower combo surround + two other shower surrounds were also done in three of my bathrooms. The contractor simply cut out the existing tile surrounds + added in new insulation + installed new CBU + waterproof membrane in order to prep the substrate for installation of new tile surrounds.

I would not add another 4" piece of granite (or whatever countertop material you select) - if you don't want to add a new tile backsplash, I would either use a 2" piece of countertop OR a piece of countertop material that's taller than 4" (4" ones just look very dated/builder grade).

If you want to install backsplash tile, please do not have a piece of your countertop installed on the wall.

Do not whitewash the existing backsplash tile, that looks like a handyman special, (sorry to the person who has done this in their home)!!
Replacing it should be goal, from the countertops up to however high you decide. I agree the countertops should be a simple white (warm white) with either a hint of veining, or a small speck so it looks like it belongs with the black granite.

Painting the splash seems like a good idea if you are really tight on cash. It does seem a shame to pair it with a bramd new counter top though. I’d get quotes on costs and see if new tile is feasible.

Here is my splash painted. I’m thrilled with how it looks. For many reasons this is a much better option for me than demoing and adding new tile.

Painters used one coat of zinnzer zero primer. It is low odor and made for all surfaces including tile amd glass. Then one or two coats of Aura paint, Ben Moore.

The uniform color makes more obvious these wonky areas of tile. But once canisters and what not are on the counter, I don’t think it will be that noticeable.

Before

Kendrah, it looks great! Do you recall what sheen they used? Matte, eggshell, satin?

Kendra’s I love what you did! It looks amazing.

you want an update. replacing the countertop will barely do 1/3rd of that. sorry, but the backsplash has to go. (and either pick a tile to the countertop or do the 4" splash. not both)

yes that current backsplash is too busy. and outdated. No, white washing it will not make it better.

Do a lot of the work yourselves and demo it. shop for your replacement. you can find simple tile all over the place. sometimes online people sell leftovers or tile they bought they no longer want.

I had a similar before shot in my kitchen.

every day I'm glad I redid everything

I don't mind the island granite, but the wood trim island?? replace it trim molding in the same color as the cabinets and paint the rest. honestly, the style belongs w/another kitchen.

and do the panel end on the right cabinet too

I'd prob get rid of the green color and paint the hood to match the cabinets.

or, replace w/something softer (less 2006) like this one

add wood trim around the bottom

unless you want to play off the black on the island. then you could do a tile like this

before picking a tile if you go that route, get the countertop installed first. where is this quartz you're looking at ? why keep the current black granite island? between those two items and you current outdated splash, it's not going to look updated.

if you want to keep this island as is,

don't do a white/gray marble looking quartz.

do the matte charcoal Silestone quartz,

or a matte Virginia Mist granite

Or, get a diff island altogether if you want the white/gray marble

The backslash was painted in eggshell.

Paint your backsplash the same color as the cabinets. Then see if you like your two current counters enough to keep them as they are. It could change your entire feel of your kitchen long enough to get you to a point where you are ready to purchase new countertops for the perimeter and island, and a new backsplash.