TILES, TILES & MORE TILES

Finally up to date on the blog.  This is happening as I write this.

I CAN'T FIND A TILE THAT MATCHES BOTH THE CABINETS AND GRANITE!!!!

I have been looking for backsplash tile for at least 7 weeks now.  It's so long, I've lost count.
I am BEYOND frustrated.  I have been to every tile store in my area and in any area 50 miles away.  In fact, I've been to multiple places, multiple times.  I have brought home at least 50 tile sample so far and none of them work.  It's INSANE! and I'm sick of this.  I want to be done because we can't paint until I pick backsplash.
Backsplash is holding up the rest of this project.

Up against a black board, all the tile looks great.  Not alone....nope, no siree!

There are ALOT of tiles here even though it doesn't really look like it. There are 30 samples in the bags alone.

All of these are glass on the counter.  Nope, none worked.

These are leaned against another wall in addition to the tiles around the table.

GLASS - All glass turns a green tone because there is green tones in the granite that to US looks black.  Nope...it's dark, dark green, so it turns glass green.  So long coolness...

MATTE - Cannot have a matte or honed tile because then it looks like we've thrown mud on the wall.

SHADING - All tiles go a shade or even two shades darker in our house.  I keep bringing lighter and lighter tile home however they go too peach or yellow when they are so light. 

GRAY - Gray tones seemed to be a good thing, except they go dark on the wall and they tend to make me feel like I'm in a cement prison, even if it's shiny.  It's so bizarre.

BEIGE - Beige tones look warmer, but beiges go yellow and orange too if you didn't know that already.
I need the lightest of gray/beige.  Of course, they have more colors like this to choose from at the most expensive place in the area.  They still aren't perfect though...if I had found the perfect one, I wouldn't' be typing this.  It would be up on the wall already.

WHITE - White looks too stark, however I did use temporary glue gunky stuff (that is easily removable) to tack some white tiles on the wall just to see what it would look like....
1) in white,  2) brick set,  3) stack set.

It's a a bust....I don't like it, but I'm glad I took the time to do it so I know for sure I don't like it.

Brick set - I'm almost warming up to this the more I look at it.

Stack set - not right at all for this kitchen.

I have been consulting my neighbor who is an interior designer and she agrees that this is difficult.  She comes over and helps me choose when I have about 20 for her to look at.  Everytime we are baffled at the end because nothing works and then I have to go get another batch.

The one I thought would be perfect, although expensive, looked great when only one 3x8 tile was leaning on the wall.  Once I got 4 tiles and stacked them...it was too yellow.  I was so disappointed.

Here are a few that aren't horrible....except the farthest left tile. That tile is too dark.

Same tiles farther away.

Just for entertainment's sake, I thought I'd show you the snakeskin tile that I thought was going to work, but when it's on the wall, it goes alittle yellow.  I need to get more tiles in this color to see how yellow it goes though.  It's the coolest tile ever, but spendy.

(This tile is not included in the pic above)

And, another spendy tile that is perhaps do-able in color, but it might go a little dark. 
It has a water-color affect so the tile is two-toned with some lighter gray/beige and darker gray. 

(This tile is center square tile in the pic above)

See what I mean???? It's so frustrating!  

Striking out so much is taking the wind out of my sails and I'm burning out big time. 
I still haven't put stuff in the cabinets yet because I don't have handles to get into the cabinets. 
We are still living like we are camping and it's affecting my health as I'm now anemic with very low numbers.  That's also adding to the feeling of being burned out, but I'm not sure which is REALLY making me feel like I don't want to do this anymore...the fact that this has gone on for so long or that I'm anemic, which affects mood.  Ahhhhhh!