"natural" highlights

I have naturally dark brown hair and want natural looking highlights. I do not want the chunky type in which you can see the 'stripes' of color. I want the kind that has an overall look, almost like a single process.

I brought photos and described this to the colorists, but the last few times I got highlights, I came out with the "stripy" look.

What is the procedure to doing foils? In the past I've noticed that the colorist only foils every other section of hair. She takes a section and weaves the part to be foiled, . Then they take the next section and leave it my natureal color (no foil), then takes a section and weaves the part to foil. So inbetween each foil, is the whole section not foiled and the hair of the next section that was weaved out to remain my natural color.
Should they be leaving a whole sections my natural color? I would think that is why I look stripy?

Someone please tell me how to explain what I want to the colorist. As I mentioned, even photos don't seem to get my point across.

If you don't want a drastic difference in color between your highlights and natural hair, you could do low lights and highlights together.

This way some of the hair would be dyed a lighter color while the rest a darker color (but lighter color than your natural color).

This might work if the highlights you are getting are much lighter than your natural hair color.

Doing this would cause more hair to be colored if you don't mind that, and I don't know about you, but I've always noticed my low lights have come out rather orangey (I have the same color hair you do).

I am sure a VERY good colorist who LISTENS could give you the tone you want without the stripes.