You can start at the big box stores. The tiles they have in stock are usually some of the cheaper options. They've bought in bulk and can pass savings on to the customer. You can buy a sample square foot or two, take it home and see how it looks with your cabinets and countertop. Keep the receipt because you can exchange it. They also have other lines of special order things. I don't know if they allow you to take samples home overnight or not. Also, check the internet or yellow pages for stores that specialize in ceramic tiles. There should be several in your community. You can borrow samples of them for from a few days to a week...with a credit card number to make sure you return it! Be careful, because you can really go KA CHING KA CHING here. Don't take it home if you can't afford it! They usually don't keep as much in stock, but can usually get things in a week to 10 days. The last place to check is at a builder's salvage store. They often stock discontinued items from a big box store and are quite discounted. They are less likely to accept returns or exchanges. You'll have to purchase your samples. If you find something you like, act quickly; they won't be able to get more in stock. It is important to bring your samples into your space. I usually have something up 10 seconds and I'll know if it's a no or a go. Another idea is to go to the Kitchens forum, find the finished kitchen blog, find the type of cabinet or granite you have and you can see what others have used with similar choices or browse and find something that makes your heart sing without costing an arm and a leg. This should get you started.

Almost every tile distributor/manufacturer/retailer has some lines of natural stone tile...from the more upscale to Lowes and Home Depot. What you're asking for seems pretty typical and should be able to be found almost anywhere. It sounds like what you want would be tumbled travertine or tumbled marble, unless you want it shiny, then it's polished marble.

It sounds like you're looking for a brick and mortar location in which to browse, and I can't really help you there. But in my experience the best way to choose a bs is to search through magazines, online or print, for kitchens with similar finishes throughout, and get an idea of what look you like. Browsing can be fun, but picking a store instead of a look limits you to what items they carry and the prices they want to charge. Good luck!

yep that's my kitchen. Sorry it's not in your budget, but gpraceman does have a good idea about granite tiles. I have seen these used in place of granite slabs for the counter, when a budget dictated it. "To Me", they did not look that bad. I had to redo the area of the granite where the cook top is, due to a bad choice I made about cooktops, a 36" semi-circle Caldera. It died in about a year and the company went broke, so I had to replace it with a rectangular induction cooktop, Hence the granite rework. Well I could find Granite remnants (Arandis Gold) for next to nothing, (I paid about $75 for a little less than a half slab. So you may be able to do that too, and then have it cut to sizes you want for the tile, myself, the bigger the better, and the less grout lines. Thanks for your kind words about my kitchen, it is pretty unique, and as we tell folks here, Do what makes you happy, after all, it's your kitchen. For those of you that do like tiles and grout, that's great, as long as it's what you want, and you're not following others or doing what you "Think", might help sell the house later. Gary