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How long are you planning to live in the house? If the project is for you and for the long term, why not do it the way you want? I'm used to doing projects for sale, and I do listen to the designers. But my home is not designer stuff for sure.

You can get porcelain tile and ceramic that looks like stone instead of shiny ceramic...maybe try that? I don't think I'd put shiny black tile with stone counters either, but I would put one of the prettier textured tiles that are out there. I always worried about putting stone on a backsplash just thinking of cleaning behind my stove after cooking or frying something.

It's also not a bad DIY project!

Hello and welcome to Home Improvers,

It seems to me that the designer, contractor, and the tile shop owner don't have your best interest in mind. They are there to assist you, not force you into something you don't want. If you intend to stay in this home, install what you want. Don't be pressured by anyone. There are many backsplash options out there, glass tiles, metal ones also. I'm sure by looking on line you can find something that would make you happy.
The following info should be kept in mind about marble, this is for floors and counters but it if you use it as a backsplash the sealing and cleaning will apply

Marble, like most stone tiles, has high maintenance requirements. It must be sealed and cleaned regularly; for cleaning, use only a mild detergent solution or a product specially designed for marble. Never set your drink down on a marble surface (it will leave a ring) and wipe up any spills immediately as they can stain or etch marble's porous surface.

Good Luck

Marble is actually a material that is considered undesirable in a resale situation. You can get a man made substitute with the marble look without the marble defects. Once marble stains it is ruined.

I have a granite shiny black countertop. I am looking at some of the interesting new glass tiles for my backsplash. Do what you want and not what contractors or decorators suggest, after all YOU will be living in the house, cleaning the kitchen, looking at the backsplash every day. They will not be there.

Here is a link that I like for glass tile ideas:

view link

Thank you everyone for your meaningful replies. I sincerely apologize for the delay in responding. The project is now complete and I am totally satisfied with all my choices. The kitchen and the bathrooms look fabulous. Everyone who comes to visit cannot believe the difference between the old look and the new look. I did indeed ultimately make my own decisions and all the men admitted I chose well. The tile shop owner now has named a design after me that I came up with for the master bath shower. He is very impressed and is adding it to his suggestions to clients.

Well it's nice to hear from you. I'm very glad everything turned out well for you. If you can, take some pictures and post them we would love to see how your project turned out. Wow, a design named after you, very impressive.
Good Luck on the rest of your projects

How about metal tiles, the type you find at Home Depot and Lowes? They have an embossed subtle design on them but are all one color like silver metal or copper metal.