<p>Patsmom, I’m another who wouldn’t use the granite backsplash. I have a tile backsplash that goes all the way down to the granite. I was originally concerned with the seam where tile meets granite, but it has held up well.</p>
<p>My concern would be the 2X2 tiles - isn’t that a lot of grout? Although my grout looks great (yea for dark grout) after several years, I notice you live in FL, you have our kind of weather.
We did a hallway from the kitchen to the dining room in 6X6 tile that matches our larger kitchen floor tiles. After much agonizing, I finally used the leftovers of the 6X6 on the backsplash and edged them with some rather expensive handmade black edger tiles. IMHO it looks good and those floor tiles are a super practical backsplash, non-absorbent porcelain and wipe clean. Our floor is laid on the diagonal, but the backsplash is running bond, the same pattern we used with the 6X6 in the hallway.
Gardenweb is a great resource.</p>
<p>I didn’t read all of the above responses, but I would really rethink the color of the tile…the granite is very cool in tone with the pink, gray and black colors and the tile is very yellow in the base color…a big clash…you would be better off choosing something also gray for the back splash or just white, just make sure it’s a cool white not a warm white. If possible take some of the granite to the store and look at the matches outside. Just like you probably wouldn’t wear a gray and pink outfit with golden tan shoes. I you don’t have any of the granite to take to the store buy one piece of tile take it to the granite and look at them together, you will probably see what I mean right away.</p>
<p>These are great responses, thanks, everyone! The consensus seems to be to ditch the 4" granite backsplash, and after searching the gardenweb forum for posts and photos all day long, I agree with it. </p>
<p>@srw - the colors in the links don’t really represent the actual materials all that well. I know what you mean about the warm tones vs. the cool tones, but the tile color is not as warm as the picture, and the granite color is warmer than the picture, so they really do go together better than it looks.</p>
<p>So far I’ve been doing my shopping with small samples of granite, tile and wood, and it’s very hard to visualize how it will all look once it’s installed. I won’t make a final backsplash choice till after the countertops have been installed. </p>
<p>And I’m glad you’ve all pretty much agreed that diagonal backsplash tiles are something to avoid. My installer will be much happier and I didn’t like the look that much anyway.</p>
<p>bulletandpima, thanks for your commonsense reminder of the fact that renters are not going to care as much as I do, and the object is to spend less and try to recoup the investment. It is a higher end neighborhood so we want it to look good, but we don’t want to put the quality of materials in there that we’d use on our own home.</p>
<p>patsmom, we’re in the process of re-doing and I am backing away from real travertine in our own kitchen, much less a rental. It’s pretty porous and will need to be sealed regularly (they say that about granite and lots of people don’t and get by fine, but travertine is very soft compared to granite). Grease can penetrate the travertine behind the stove.<br>
Another vote for a plain tile or no tile - and then if you want to sell in a few years you could come back in with whatever is “in” then.</p>
<p>I have the same granite and also maple cabinets that we used in a weekend house. We used salltilo tile on the floor and the ‘blush’ color matches the blush in the granite. We also went round and round about a backsplash and actually painted from our cabinets down to the granite and tiled with brushed stainless tile behind the sink up to the sink window. Applilances are black and stainless. I’ve had that for 8 years and the walls rarely get splashes and that kitchen gets a real workout. Behind the sink, yes, lots of splashed goop, but the brushed chrome tile is pretty easy to keep clean. We also used epoxy grout.</p>
<p>In some of our various overseas and out-of-state postings, we lived in rentals which didn’t have backsplashes–what a pain! The paint was never strong enough and you couldn’t keep the grease cleaned off. So I guess I’d vote for the tile.</p>
<p>Actually not all granites have high absorption co-efficients and therefore will not need to be sealed. It looks like the OP’s probably should be sealed, but many of the darker granites (Verde Ubatuba, Blue Pearl, Black Galaxy, Verde Peacock etc) will not absorb the sealer and can actually be streaked or etched if a sealer is applied. To test, drip water on a piece of unsealed stone; if it darkens, then it should be sealed. If there’s no effect, then sealing is unnecessary.</p>
<p>If you have granite left over from the slab, you may want to consider doing granite backsplash all the way up to the cabinets. It may turn out cheaper, and it is very pretty.</p>
<p>I know this option is not on the table, but I put in stainless steel. A few companies - notably in Brooklyn - make tin ceilings and stainless backsplashes with various patterns. The stuff is cheap, comes in reasonably sized sheets. The only issue is that it’s steel so it isn’t easy to cut through for outlets. A roofer friend helped because he’s used to metal. Sticks up with ordinary adhesive.</p>
<p>I havent read the entire thread but I think a white, subway pattern tile from counter top to base of cabinets, gives a clean and timeless look while inexpensive to install and maintain. Plus white electrical plate covers blend very nicely.</p>
<p>We have granite slab counters-cant remember the ‘pattern’ name now, but mostly black with chunks of brown, we love it.
We put matte 4" tiles, cream colored, from counter to bottom of maple cabinets. Set square not on the diagonal.
The contrast of shiny granite and matte, rustic backsplash looks great to us!</p>
<p>You will wonder why you did it and everyone else will wonder if the tile layer was drunk or what. </p>
<p>We once bought a house that had wallpaper with a trellis pattern laid on the DIAGONAL. Hard on the eyes, especially first thing in the morning. Plus I think it wasn’t straight anyway. Hard to tell…</p>
<p>Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I’m going with the majority here and doing tile for the backsplash instead of the 4" granite, and the tile will NOT be set on the diagonal. I’m still picking out the tile, though – hard to make a decision. We’re getting way over budget on the remodel and since this is a rental property, I’m having to go with what’s least expensive but still stylish and practical.</p>
<p>H and I just returned from a trip to NE Florida where we looked at a lot of model homes and resales in a community that we liked a lot. It gave me a chance to see some very nice kitchens and I got some good ideas there.</p>