See the attachment.. Here's an idea for your backsplash

http://www.aliciatappdesigns.com
Any image on tiles

How about a sleek stainless steel look subway tile type? I'd install behind the refrigerator a little bit so it looks like the whole wall is tiled.

I do like that idea!!

Love that idea too, thank you!

I like the herringbone idea. cream colored subway tile or ceramic stone like would both work. Keep it simple, and in the warm tones

I agree to keep it simple. I am not one who likes to add much pattern or "busy-ness" to exiting granite. Nice colors already so i would just try to blend. In fact, I am looking at the same thing. I need to add a backsplash. My granite is black with small flecks of pattern. White fairly ornate cabs which have a mocha wash. Very light grey walls. I don't want the backsplash to compete....just blend and finish it off.

Check out the Motawi tiles for kitchens. http://www.motawi.com/portfolioType/Kitchens

Another idea- I like to add interesting decorative liner/ listello details to add some interest. Here is an example. I created this listello out of 1x1 mosaic and then added in 2x2 custom relief tiles for one of my client's kitchens. It adds a little bunch rather than going with the plain subway look.

A small space is fab with some hand made tile be bold

Check out these relatively inexpensive moroccan-style tiles over on HomeDepot.com. I think they'd probably look great in your kitchen! :)

http://www.homedepot.com/s/webapp/catalog/servlet/Search?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&keyword=lantern+tile&Ns=None&Ntpr=1&Ntpc=1&selectedCatgry=SearchAll

Your space and color choices leave a great many options open for you. From our perspective, I'll share with you what our clients most look for. The suggestions people have posted are wonderful. Keep in mind the back splash will be exposed to water, and certainly dirt, from washing dishes, watering plants, and so forth. Make sure the surface you choose is well sealed, and cleans up easily. Subway tile seems like the obvious choice, so many color options, well priced, and cleans beautifully. Best of luck! It's a beautiful kitchen!

Wyland, love the liner idea. That's beautiful. Not so much detail that it competes with granite.
I notice there is no existing granite backsplash (as in my photos above). Should I remove mine before doing something similar to what you show?

If you don't choose wisely, liners can date a kitchen - popularity peaked in California in the 80s. I'd stick with clean and simple, (love the subway tile ideas and metallic Darzy suggested) and I would remove your existing little backsplash, mkhodges, before adding another.

I would fill the entire space with nice glass tile. Because of the granite, I would keep it light and clean. Tile not too small 3x6's running horizontally. Look at this image.

Your kitchen reminds me of mine! Here is the backsplash I choose. I found it at an outlet store. It is a natural stone, and pulls out all of colors in the granite.

What about this?

Respectfully, I'm afraid listellos/ deco liners were not around in the 80's. The first listello/ liner trend didn't started until early 2000's and were very simple in the beginning. When obtaining a professional interior design degree, students are required to take Art History, Furniture History and Architectural History. History shows a typical 80's kitchen was laminate countertops with laminate backsplash or white 4x4 tiled counters with matching 4x4 tiles. You would often see "Z" bricks (sliver of thin bricks) or wallpaper on kitchen backsplash.

I like the idea of stainless steel, it adds a modern crisp feel

Your cabinets and granite are beautiful. A soft cream subway tile would be a lovely finishing touch.

Liners, all kinds, were all over California in the 80's and 90's then solid granite or granite tile came to the rescue. In the 80's it was ceramic tile liners, in the 90s it was stone liners. Laminate was history here by the late 70s in all but entry level housing. In any event, this kitchen wall is too short for a liner, IMHO.

A light brown/neutral color back splash would look great with your cabinets!

Anything subway. Personally, I like the glass tile look (look at some of our pics) in subway. 2x8 is my preference. With that granite, travertine works too.

Travertine all the way up.

Since your cabinets are dark, i'd recommend backsplash that's on the brighter side of the color spectrum so your kitchen won't look too dark and heavy

More on Listello/ Liner History. According to my Emser Tile, Bedrosian Tile, Walker Zanger vendors they all have said that the majority of the decorative listello/ liners were introduced back in the US around 1998-2000. Each distributor was located in California back then. There were a few stone chair rail liners for counter edges available only a few of years before that.

Here are some magazine articles on the typical kitchens of the 1980s & 1990s which were published in 1987 & 1994. I don't see any listellos or liners in any of the photos.

1980s KITCHENS
1. House Beautiful Magazine- Article featured in the February 1987 issue. Article titled, “Kitchens of the 1980s”.
http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/kitchens-1980s-0609#slide-1

2. 1980s Kitchens and Interior Spaces- http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/?cat=104&paged=2


1990s KITCHENS
3. House Beautiful Magazine- Article featured in the February 1994 issue. Article titled, “Kitchens of the 1990s”.
http://www.housebeautiful.com/kitchens/kitchens-1990s-0609#slide-1

I'm sorry I know I'm being a butthead, but I'm a stickler to detail and history. I know California and New York can be a head of the rest of the country by about, they say 5.4 years. So what is California installing now on their kitchen backsplashes? It would be nice to be a head of the game.

In terms of this kitchen being too short for any decorative listello/ liner, it looks like it is the typical 18" high backsplash to me? I'm not sure why it would be too short for a liner detail.

Hello asiadf,

I notice that you have an electrical wire hanging out of the wall. Were you think of adding under cabinet lighting?

Here is another idea for you. What about a tiled niche? The niche creates a shelf to display decorative items. Add a LED puck light on top of it to light the area. I would make it about the same size as Alicia's Mural above (Which is beautiful mural by the way). I have posted and example of where I did this on one of my kitchen projects. (See Photo #1).

Or create a backlit niche with a Lumicor or 3Form resin panel. Add an LED light behind for energy efficiency and it will also light up the sink area. (See Photo # 2,3 & 4).

Our Noir Liberty tile would look great in your kitchen. You can see them here- http://www.granitetransformations.com/southjersey/products/mosaic-tiles/colors/liberty/

The rich cabinetry would and light counters/paint would all tie together nicely with a darker backsplash.

Hope this helps!

I see pictures of off set tiles and think, what a pain in the *%$#%^ that would b to clean. Think Easy.

Natural tumbled stone in tan with light cream mortar. The center tile is there to bring together the stainless steel in the room.

Thanks for all of the great advice!!! I appreciate all of it. Does anyone have a good suggestion for where to buy subway tile? We might be leaning toward that, it came up in a lot of suggestions!

Make your small BS a work of art for your kichen

We have been doing a few Stainless Steel (18 Ga) sheet metal splashes in some recent custom homes. It's clean and reflective of light, so it makes a closed area look bigger. There also is a stainless subway tile out there. jeffkullconstruction.com

Do you feel like these colors go well with your décor? A customer just sent these photos of their installation to us today. The tile mural was made based on a photo they emailed to us, and the printed tiles are completely washable.

Personally, I would make it simple, warm tones, traditional pattern, little bit larger tiles. Keep the foucs on the cooking

Just a non-tile suggestion (though I do love my tile backplash)....how do you feel about faux tin? You can buy the panels for pretty cheap (or get real metal for cheaper) and it's easy to install. I made my own faux tin backspash in my bathroom and it came out really well. I used these instructions: http://theinspiredroom.net/2012/02/01/diy-faux-tin-ceiling-tile-back-splash/

You could have the entire area filled with the tin (and they have brassy/warm colors as well) or you could just do a big square behind the sink (a friend of mine has that behind her stove, it looks nice.

As for tile, for what it's worth, I have similar cabinet/granite colors in my kitchen with small blue tiles. I like the contrast with the brown.

Agreeing with mkhodges to keep it simple. because your cabinet and countertop colors are pretty intense already

I'm in agreement with those saying tumbled marble. In fact, I've done atleast one backsplash that would look TERRIFIC with your cabinets!

Forgot to add the pic!

That's tumbled travertine with a red granite tile accent. Some other suggestions can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.545925585479950.1073741831.165818890157290&type=3

anthing with the color Tuscan clay.

You should keep the backsplash simple and not add any accent tiles or you'll be starting a new dilemma. Many mosaics and accents can technically match on a tiny sample but it will clash big time with the granite when you see it in its full glory.

Normally with those colors you're working with you want to stay in the 'tans' such as travertine or simple watercolor tan ceramic tiles like those from Sonoma (3x6). To me, less is more. Simple, not too busy.

Subway pattern