Something in a slight off-white, like a beige or light grey, depending on the other colors in the room, would work nicely to not only show off the pattern, but make it a little easier to keep clean. You don't want to go all the way to black, because that'll overpower not only the tile, but everything else, as well. Here's a pic of white subway tiles with black grout:

Bill thanks for the photo. I love the look of the black but NOT for my kitchen. ( I have bathroom questions for you regarding Hex tile)

What color is alabaster grout?

Redroze your kitchen looks great. Like the lights..where did you get them? how much? how large?

thanks

Thanks Alterit! You can find all the info on the pendant lights on my blog.

Light gray is traditional.

HTH.
Blue

White or light grey would be traditional and seem to be okay on vertical surfaces, dark grey to black seems to look best on floors with white, IMO.

My Subway Ceramics Avalon white tile was installed today (yeah!). I picked a white shade of grout called "alabaster." It should be a very subtle look. I did also think some of the grays would've looked great if I'd wanted more contrast. My tile guy had something like 30 colors of grout to pick from!

If you want the traditional look go for a very thin grout line, 1/16th of an inch if possible, with a light/medium grey grout.

I agree, the picture Bill V. shows is overwhelming, but with a "pencil line" of grout, it looks pretty sharp.

Don't rule out anything but white on the basis of that one (agreeably shocking) photo. There is middle ground. Just have a good long talk with your tile guy first, so neither of you has any surprises.

Good luck!

chachashea do you have a picture of your subway tile with alabaster coloured grout?

stay close to your counter color. Do not add other colors in the grout.

They put on the alabaster grout this morning and I love it. If I can figure out how to post a picture, bellcrest, I will.

For my bath I used light gray, Laticrete's Silver Shadow:

Thanks, that is very helpful.

Here is my first ever attempt to post a photo. Subway Ceramics in Avalon White with alabaster white grout. Counter is Minas black soapstone; faucet is brushed nickel.

chachashea, I'm considering the Subway ceramics in Avalon as well and I have Minas soapstone, so thanks for posting the pic. Any chance you can post another pic of the subway tile from further away to take in more of it and include your cabs? Also, how was the install? Did your contractor order it or were you able to order the tile directly? Thanks.

I will try and take another picture farther away tomorrow during the day. My contractor did order it. The tile "master" and his tile "boy" put all the tile up yesterday and grouted today. Of course my kitchen is only approx. 12'x12'. I like the nice tight grout lines he achieved. It looks very similar to the original subway tiles I have in my bathroom.

Your tile guy did a great job with the grout lines! Can't wait to see the pic tomorrow. You must be excited for how quickly it's coming along!

I did Horus Art white subway tile with a herringbone pattern calcutta marble tile behind my stove- White sanded grout. My cabinets are painted BM White Dove.
It came out beautiful. Hope it helps!

Here is a link that might be useful: Marble Herringbone and White Subway Tile

The pictures of the tone-on-tone subway tiles here are beautiful. Thanks to those who shared their own.
Just wanted to add the following: Black grout will give your kitchen a totally different look. Not only that but strange things can happen with dark grout. Check out the link below to see an amazingly weird illusion that can be created with black grout. I saw this in San Francisco and was mesmerized at how square tiles could me made to look so strange.
Maybe someone with an avante garde kitchen will use this and we will all get to ooh and ah over the result!

Here is a link that might be useful: Crazy Tile Illusion with Black grout.

I have the Subway Ceramics Avalon / Minas with a medium gray grout. And a Shaw's white sink, if anyone is considering that, by the way.

(My contractor could have ordered it directly, but at his request, I went through a tile store, and by the time everyone had put their sugar onto it, it was OBSCENELY expensive.)

I'm not an installation expert, but at least with the Subway Ceramics, the installers use little plastic spacers between the tiles (I think some others have their own spacers?) when they put them up, they don't do it freehand, so how much grout you get is a function of 1) the limits set by the curvature of the tile and 2) what size spacers they use.

So you might be willing to go a little darker with a smaller grout line, or with a handmade tile that refuses to go close together, you might want to stay light.

The traditional color is close to concrete. But most modern people don't seem to like that, so do what pleases you!

Here is a shot of the kitchen from the next room. The hood is still covered in protective film, it is stainless. There is a tile cap above the black pencil line.

i am getting ready to put in a backsplash, but cant decide what color grout. From the pics above, i really like the white grout and the one with grey. But my counter top is a tan/brown granite. With that said would i be better off doing a creamy or beige color grout?

I would not want to see the grout. I'd choose it based on the color of the backsplash tiles, not the countertop.

Redroze - I know this thread is old but do you still like your backsplash? It looks gorgeous!

chachashea is that alabaster color the mapei line of grout?

redroze How is your white grout holding up? I'm thinking about doing the same - white tile, white grout.

What color grout??

I have white cabinets with butcher block look countertop. I'm using 3x6 white subway tiles and not sure to go into the light browns or light greys for my grout. My appliances are stainless steel and wall color is light grey and floor is vinyl with white grey light brown color. My island top is white quartz with rustic hickory bottom. My cabinet handles are a antique silver.