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Kimberly Young Anyone have an opinion on maybe a subway tile of some sort for the back splash? Or I was thinking natural stone. Help! Help!

Dezign Studio Inc Would you prefer a contrast in painting your kitchen or do you prefer neutral ? Do you have any ideas or pictures of a southwestern look? could you upload any ideas if any ?If you are looking for contrast, you can go with green and have natural stone for backsplash.

rawketgrl Here are a few suggestions that might go with the southwestern theme...What is nice is you can really go any direction here as long as the undertones are green. These look like they have a green undertone on my monitor but you would have to see them in person to know for sure. Order samples or take a small chunk of granite and wood with you. Or at least a few very good well lit pictures to compare with.

http://www.glasstilestore.com/

1. Torpedo 1/4 X Random Wood Onyx
2.Wood Onyx Diamond Marble Mosaic
3.Loft Horizon Macadamia Frosted 2x16
4.Wood Onyx 1/2x1 Classic Brick Marble

LOVE LOVE your cabinets! Since you have such great wood in there I think instead of another color I would just continue the dark floresta verde granite all the way up the backsplash. But that is me.

Make sure you have lots of light under the cabinets!

Very pretty kitchen. Have fun.

Darzy I think you already have enough wood grain "natural" elements going on with the cabinets, floor and counter. Soooo, how about a classic look, with a twist to go with your pretty granite? Black subway tile backsplash (subway tile is classic) and will complement the granite and contrast with the wood cabinets and floors.

Darzy Then, classic "rustic" hardware to complement the wood and granite/backsplash.

rinqreation Just a few of my suggestions:
1. Tavertine backsplash, the lightest you can find, large tiles (to keep it modern).
2. Glass mosaic with an oily gloss.
3. White glazed tiles in oldworld/brick/subway look (because walls are easier to paint)
4. A blue of green (sea-colors, azur, celadon) tile in either a modern shape or handshaped.

nursee11 WOW!!!! Who ever built this home in the 1800's had some really great ideas. I'm sure there were updates throughout the years. If the cabinets are real wood and made of good construction and can hold up to the new designs of dishes, then by all means a good sanding and a "light" stain. Trust me i'm not a professional but i do like the dark/light and visa/versa look. You have dark countertops so go with light cupboards. i wish you could have seen my kitchen prior to my remodeling. My husband was deployed for a year to ST.Paul Island, AK (deadliest catch show will give an idea where he was.) I designed the kitchen the way I wanted it to be. I opened up a support wall and took out the soffits at the top of the old cabinets. They were solid wood, but was unable to restore them. I did all this while my husband was away, because there would have been many "disagreements" as to design and colors. The only say he had was the countertop. He wanted UBBA-TUBBA with more green and gold specks. I traveled the state of Florida looking for the "color" he wanted. I also did all this while I was working as an RN in an ER. As the cupboards and soffitt came down, another problem, found bare wiring behind the old cabinets. I researched and found a great company. The guys went above and beyond the wiring. I would recommend them to anyone. Not sure if I can name them, but have their info if needed,yet another expense.My kitchen was only 5 feet wide x 60 feet long and considered an island kitchen. I hired a man to help with ripping out the cupboards and opening the support wall and reinforcing it. He repaired the ceilings. I tore out the old tile with a tile jack. My arms shook for days. My husband finally figured out what I was doing when I took a picture of our dogs and sent it to him. That's when he got the choice of the granite countertop color. He found out by seeing the black side of the new appliances in the kitchen. I hate to say this but I made a mistake of buying stainless steel appliances. I love them when they're clean, but they show every fingerprint that touches them. The best idea was to have my garbage can built into the lower cabinets. Time is now running out and home depot worked relentlessly to get the new cupboards up and get the granite company to template it all. I extended my kitchen from 60ft long to 120ft long with an additional 2feet wide. The additional length was made of glass cupboards on top with easy-reach cabinets on bottom. All my lower cabinets are pull-outs and the drawers under the counter-top stove with NO knobs (which I love) are deep pan drawers that close by-themselves. Great if you have a husband that doesn't like to close drawerslol. Getting back to your situation, sorry for the length of mine, but am very proud of what I did while he was away. If you could make the cupboards on the right and left of your sink, glass inserts it would really look beautiful. Place under cabinet lights that dim and gives a beautiful aviance ?spelling, at night. I' m not real happy with the ubba-tubba granite counter tops but it was the only idea my husband was able to put into the project. The day before my husband came home i had the electricians, the counter-top installers and home depot rushing to get it all done before i brought him home!! He was very pleased with all especially the ubba-tubba. He said it was like walking into a new home. Good luck, and remember if you are going to do it, do it right the first time. My first suggestion would be to have the electrical checked before messing with those beautiful cabinets.
Michelle Leaton

Kimberly Young Oh my. Thanks for all the responses and ideas and help! I guess when I say "southwest style", Design studio inc, I really mean "rustic". I love some aspects of the southwest decor, such as the fabulous designs of the rugs, the clay pottery, etc. But not so much all the colors...ie the teal and bright blue.

With that said here is the warmth, texture and ambiance that I am looking for. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X-FY7SOy678/TxB64iEOlmI/AAAAAAAAEj0/5ihDmj10oss/s1600/southwestern+kitchens25.png

I had an interior designer tell me the yellows and golds would look best on the walls. There is green in the granite counters. all be it very subtle, but I don't want to do "green" anywhere else. If that makes sense. I want to find some kind of back splash that has the green/gold/yellow tones to it but also flows with the graanite. I was looking at something like you showed me here rawketgrl,
Torpedo 1/4 X Random Wood Onyx. I lean toward this also because we are adding rock to the fireplace and the living room is now opened to the kitchen. ringreation, I love the look of travertine, but the expense to them are too much than we want to spend. If I did put a tile that is light color, should I go with one that leans more to the yellow tones or the beige tones?? I am realy like the subway tile look...just finding the right ones is difficult. The glass mosaic would seem to "busy". I would rather for the design be sublte and not hugely contrasting. If that makes sense. :)

Darzy, I love the hardware!! That is exactly the look I was going for. Also the lighting would be wrought iron...over the bar, table area and sconces so this would flow really good, I think. As for the black subway tiles, gulp, that is almost outside my comfort zone. Lol. Seems like it would be really dark in there, even though we do have the lighting under the upper cabinets. But I am going to be getting samples of all that we have talked about here to see what we like. And I bet some will be surprising to me...as I have found out in this LONG remodel.

Nurse11, you are so smart! Doing this while your husband is away!! Haha! But he did a lot of the work, so gotta love the input of his too! We had all the electrical in the house redone. And actually had the entire downstairs down to the studs. Well all except the bathroom and two walls in the living room. So the entire kitchen was redesigned. Exciting yet exhausting. This we have done while living in another state and having two babies!

So I have a lot of samples to go out and get!! Thanks again for all the mind opening suggestions!

redesign-gallery Try XStone or Laminam. Great stone surfaces on fabric. Use inside or outside. Great for bac ksplash without the cost of a mason or tile setter.

nicholapoppyscarlett y not use slate window seals cut to length

nicholapoppyscarlett y not use slate window seals cut to length

hollybar Of course a classic subway would work,ceramic or glass.Or maybe take a look at an Arabesque tile? Ideabook: Renovation Detail: Arabesque Tile A subtle glass mosaic or a staggered marble blend? So many options could work well,I'd just stay fairly light and not too much action to distract from your cabs and granite. Georgette Westerman Interiors Woodinville Retreat Historical Colonial in Pasadena
Hope you post when the project is finished. I love looking at pretty kitchens.

Loretta Callejas cabinets are traditional looking, countertops look country, floor traditional, back splash if you use glass will be adding a third style which is contemporary. stick with stone as neutral as possible. lots of wood grain in floor, counters, and cabinets. also black granit very contempory white wall, stands out neutral colors. put in your backsplash then paint walls to warm them up to blend. use a pop color in accents of color like clock, vase. island in center of kitchen with pot rack above would bring the kitchen together.black cabinett with butcher block top.

jeniecegoellner With the natural color of the wood, you might need a deeper, more saturated paint color. Either that or keep it really simple beige and brin in fun bright oranges, yellows, reds, and browns in decorative accents.

Side note if you looking for colors for rest of house with a southwest feel. Adobe Straw fromBehr paint is a fantastic color. It kind of a netral beige color with just a hint of pink stone color coming through. We have it in our downstairs living room with dark brown couches and cold accent pieces and it looks great, especially with a lot of natural light.

z2728 I also have 1896 farmhouse that we gutted and redid. I used a color called silverdrop- it is a silvery white. I also used a color called blonde beauty which is a very pale yellow. I think either would look great with your cabinets.

blindsdirectcanada A shutter would work perfect in that window!

yoder178 I would add talavera tiles or colors of the southwest on your backsplash, Maybe an indian style area rug on the floor. Pull your wall colors from the tile or rug. I would also paint the bar area a different color from the same color scheme. Good luck.

Rustica Hardware Nice kitchen! You may want an island for prepping with all that space. A butcher block prep area would be useful. You can have one built or purchase a table that you can move around. Attached are some ideas to consider. http://chopbloccuttingboards.com/

kuyperkitchen have you considered stainless steel or back painted glass for your backsplash?

Genevieve http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vXfl2z_QSng/TxB_qw8BcTI/AAAAAAAAEnM/w6tYJQQVr6I/s1600/tuscan+kitchens2.jpg

http://decorationideas.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/tuscany-kitchen-decor/

aniluap2 Kimberly, you've done a great job so far but I agree with Darzy that you need to have a little more contrast for your backsplash or it will all begin to look drab. Dear Genenevieve on HGTV has done a few remodels of kitchens and she is a big fan of glazed morrocan tile which is somewhat rustic and would blend well with SW style. They come in beautiful patterns but they also make solid glazed colors. You could set them in a railroad style to reference the vintage kitchen with a more exotic tile than plain porcelain or you could even greate a pattern by setting them in a herringbone style. Google morrocan tile and look for the rich color selection of glazed subway tile. I would be interested to know what you think.

vixenhouse This is good stuff to follow! I am near the finish on my 1890 Victorian..no ruffles, NO cabbage roses! Need suggestions on the countertop for the kitchen. High gloss white custom cabinets, white drop in sink, maple floors, and blue/white Brunschwig & Fils geometric wallpaper. Restored 1928 gas stove on legs. Don't like granite, worried about water on butcher block, thinking cobalt blue high gloss tile for countertops. Any ideas???? Running into very rude salespeople with no help. Help?? Thanks.

judyg Kimberly, you have received so many wonderful suggestions. I just offer one…a paint color. It is Farrow and Ball Blue Gray # 91. It would be just a gorgeous color for you walls. Pair it with Darzy's subway tiles.
http://us.farrow-ball.com/blue-gray/colours//fcp-product/100091

marcene60 Might I make a suggestion of a book called "Essential Southwest" published by Phoenix Home and Garden magazine for inspiration. This book presents a very updated rustic style of desert decorating. There are some fabulous kitchens photographs. We own a log home on a lake in Western Canada and I purchased this book to help me keep the warm, inviting, liveable home we wanted to create. Have you ever considered a Heartland stove for your rustic kitchen? We put a navy blue one in our log home and it is the heart of our kitchen just like the original wood stove that I remember from my childhood in my grandparents home.

gaypet I just completed a backsplash using sheets of moss green pebbles. Client wanted the feel of a river bed.
They were small pebbles so it did not overtake the feel of the kitchen or feel busy & heavy.

TAP Designs This is a back splash I did which mixes classic marble with rustic stone...a little time consuming to install but definitely one of a kind.

soehind how about blackboard for backsplash?

lindamedley I have a rustic lake house with a very similar kitchen layout. Hardwood floors and pine cabinets with a paneled pine pitch ceiling. I used large natural slate tiles for the backsplash with browns greens and golds with some blues. The walls are painted. a seafoam green. It is very open concept that gobbets the kitchen family room and breakfast. Sorry I don't have a pic since I am not at the lake but works wonderful. Also. I have the butchrtblock counters but no granite. I also used the large slate in the bathrooms for floors and walls. Tons of compliments. Hope this helps.

rutholeary Have you given any thought to a copper backsplash? The contrast and ambience would be spectacular. Whether you use tiles or sheets, it would tarnish to bring in verdigre color. I've seen a backsplash done with pennies that was too cool. Since the government's thinking about discontinuing pennies this could turn to a collector's backsplash. For your application though I'd go sheet copper.

barbararothgeb With all the wood and dark counter I would put a silver patterned tin backsplash. It would be actually quite authentic. Any metal would give you a better look than stone I think. I used talivera tiles on my backsplash and I love it. So many options with Mexican tiles.