<p>In the process of building our second nest and I have yet to choose a kitchen backsplash. The cabinetry is Omega Melbourne in Oyster Caramel (creamy) finish. The counters will be granite in a color called Magma Gold (has lot of movement in it with colors of black, rust, white, gold and grey). The hardware is oil rubbed bronze pulls and the flooring is oak hardwood with a dark walnut stain. This kitchen is part of a large great room (with open dining room and livingroom). I have been reading up on the home forums on the garden web (very confusing) and all the new magazines on kitchens and baths in Barnes and Nobles. I don’t want the backsplash to be either too busy or too boring. This is a beach house. I don’t want it to look too old world or too country (just beachy). I want timeless, not trendy. Of course, tumbled marble is always “safe” and I could do it on a 4 x 4 diagonal or in a 3 x6 subway tile but I was wondering what else might look great? Ideas guys?</p>
<p>Maybe glass tiles…to match the water color…or sand color (if those colors) match the kitchen…</p>
<p>We’re just bring up the granite ( cinderella blue)behind the wall with the fan, and also using the granite for the backsplash and painting the rest…</p>
<p>We just like the granite better than any tiles.</p>
<p>It is really personal taste.</p>
<p>At our home in Florida, our backsplashes are the same granite as the granite counters. That is how most homes are done here. It is very unusual to have granite backsplashes where we are building our second next (the Jersey Shore). I do like my granite backsplashes here because they are so easy to care for. Not sure if doing granite backsplash up north (when the other high end homes don’t use it for backsplashes) would be a good idea.</p>
<p>Well…I have no idea…</p>
<p>I am sure others more familiar with your area will chime in.</p>
<p>“Maybe glass tiles…to match the water color…or sand color (if those colors) match the kitchen…”</p>
<p>I like this idea. Use epoxy grout, and you will never have to seal the backsplash. Easy care and fantastic look.</p>
<p>We’re in the midst of a reno and I chose a creamy colored subway tile for my backsplash with a matching pencil tile finish. It’s a large kitchen with two islands and a lot of counter space. The granite is called Top Star, and like yours, has a lot of movement and color. The cabinetry is cloud white which is a lovely creamy color. We wanted the granite to be the main “pop” in the room so that’s why I chose the subtle backsplash.</p>
<p>Have been working with a kitchen guy who recommends a mostly neutral homogenous tile backsplash with random accent colored tiles. We are still noodling on cabinets and counters so not to the backsplash yet. But I like the idea of understated with a little quirkiness thrown in.</p>
<p>This is what I am dying to put in a kitchen backsplash: [Centerpiece</a> Tiles - Fossil Art Stone tile Green River Stone Company fossil murals fossil tile Fossil Backsplashes](<a href=“Green River Stone Redirect”>Green River Stone Redirect) You can see them integrated into kitchenbacksplashes here: [Residential</a> Portfolio Green River Fossil Murals Fossil Tile Fossil Backsplashes](<a href=“Green River Stone Redirect”>Green River Stone Redirect)</p>
<p>The backsplashes with leaves are quite nice here: <a href=“http://tileswithstyle.com/kitchen.htm[/url]”>http://tileswithstyle.com/kitchen.htm</a> The seascape ones however are a bit eyepopping. I like the idea of that leaf border done with neutral colored things from the sea.</p>
<p>In South Florida, just finished the backsplash in my dad’s house and chose a natural stone in a neutral small mosaic pattern. The counters are a tan/brown granite and with light colored Beech cabinetry and the stone tiles look great. We used glass tiles in the master bathroom, but we were worried the glass would date the kitchen, so went with the more neutral stone. In my house, also in South Florida, I chose 4 inch Noche travertine tiles set on the diagonal, with bronze accent tiles. Our hardware is oil rubbed bronze, as is the faucet, so the accent tiles tie it all together. We have granite countertops, black with brown/gold, with a 4 inch granite backsplash and the travertine above it. My SIL just put glass tile over a solid granite backsplash. She thought the solid granite looked too boring. They chose a rounded glass in sandy tones that looks pretty cool.</p>
<p>I put a cream subway tile with matching ‘flower border’ in my kitchen and still love it after 6 years. </p>
<p>This has been on the market for probably 10 years and the people at the tile store recently told me it’s one of their best sellers (despite the fact it’s pretty pricey). This is it:</p>
<p>[Walker</a> Zanger](<a href=“http://www.walkerzanger.com/gallery/bathrooms/index.php]Walker”>http://www.walkerzanger.com/gallery/bathrooms/index.php)</p>
<p>While I love, love, love the glass tile, it’s rather trendy right now. This is just my personal philosophy but with major things like tile, counters, cabinets, flooring, etc. I try to stay as classic and neutral as possible because these are such big investments that you are pretty much stuck with them for a very long time. It’s much cheaper and easier to update the look of your house with accessories, paint and accent pieces than to redo your tile.</p>
<p>mathmom those fossil tiles are stunning. That reminds me of a kitchen I bookmarked years ago:</p>
<p>[Finished</a> - Before/After pictures (finally!) - Kitchens Forum - GardenWeb](<a href=“Finished - Before/After pictures (finally!)”>Finished - Before/After pictures (finally!))</p>
<p>seiclan your granite sounds just gorgeous and should be the star of the show. Your backsplash might have to be just a little boring so it doesn’t compete. Have you considered just painting the walls and living with that for a few months? It’s much easier to pick a backsplash when all the other elements are in place and when you can see how the light is going to look in your kitchen. Really there’s no rush to get a backsplash in, unless your fabricator is nervous about uneven walls and wants to cover up gaps.</p>
<p>What about tumbled marble, with some decorative tiles mixed in?</p>
<p>Thanks so much everyone for the excellent suggestions. I think that vballmom may have a point about having the granite be the star of the show. Maybe we will wait until it is all in place and then decide. I love the idea of the cream subway tile. I saw one on the walker zanger website that has a crackle to the finish which is really pretty. I also like the beveled edge type. I will try to get a sample and see how it looks in the kitchen when all the other elements are installed. </p>
<p>Alwaysamom - where does the matching pencil tile go?</p>
<p>seiclan, the pencil tile goes on the perimeter, the side/top that does not abut the counter, the cabinetry. Without you seeing my kitchen, that’s the simplest way to describe it. 
The subway tile I chose did not come in a finished edge. Apparently, this one is always paired with a pencil tile at the top/side. It looks really pretty with everything - the granite, the cabinetry, the flooring, and the paint color I chose for the walls. Definitely get some samples that you can look at IN the kitchen. I waited until my granite was in, then looked at several samples before making my choice.</p>
<p>I like a simple tumbled marble with a strip or two of glass tiles in your granite colors.</p>
<p>seiclan,
Check out the wood grain tiles at Walker Zanger! These are, of course, usually used on the floor, but I think they would be a great quiet way to add a little texture an d warmth on the back splash.
You could choose a color that matches the dark floor, the cabinets, or something more in the tones of the granite, even a pale sea green.
Kind of like “subway with a little texture”!
Have fun!!</p>
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<p>The cream colored with the crackle is the one I have. It’s called Gramercy Park. That particular walker zanger tile was used in Sally Field’s kitchen on the set of Brothers and Sisters. It’s very attractive in person. Slightly more dressy than a standard subway tile. Just make sure you get a light colored grout. I made the mistake of letting the tile guy talk me into a more gray grout. It looked terrible, all you saw was the grout lines when you looked at it. We manually removed the grout and had it redone and it looks fantastic.</p>
<p>OK…odd one here. We are also getting new counters…probably granite or quartz. We want the counters to be the highlight. I’m going to probably paint the backsplash with a contrasting color to the walls using a semi gloss paint. I have a couple of things hanging on the wall on that wall now and don’t want to tile.</p>
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<p>This is what we did and we love it.</p>
<p>I have the same kitchen/family room arrangement. We had existing white classic cabinets and replaced the white square tile counter tops with New Venetian Gold granite. For the back splash I used gold/caramel subway tile–it really made the granite pop. The tile is Ann Sacks “yellow”. I repainted the kitchen/family room walls in Devine (local NW paint) Oak. It is a warm and rich cream/yellow with gold undertones which did not fight the caramel color of the tile. We need our happy yellow here in the Pacific NW!</p>