I have to say that I think the subtler choice would less busy and more elegant, while referencing the counter nicely.

I like the darker one better, and if it will accent the island, even better. Your countertop is quite calming, so I think a bit of pop in the bs is nice. But both are nice.

I like the darker one better. At least on my monitor, the more subtle one looks very blah.

I love the darker of the two.

I like the darker one the best.It has more contrast, the second one seems too blah...

I'm no Photoshop expert, but I'll pretend like I am. Here ya go.

are you going to seal the tile? We were considering both choices you are considering now. Please keep in mind that once you seal the darker one - the brown natural stones are actually onyx and will be almost black, very dark brown. Sales person sprayed sealer on that sample for us. It became very dark. It will be even busier. You might get tired of it when you walk in the kitchen every day. Every one is going to look at the BS, not at your espresso island or gorgeous counter tops. If you want the BS to be the star of the kitchen - got for the darker one. If you rather people see where you spend the real money - go with the calmer one. Hope it helps!

There has to be at least one in the crowd, but I like the lighter one/second one better. I think the darker one overpowers the counters and cabinets.

Thanks so much everyone, especially anenemity (you are indeed a photoshop guru if not expert!). From the photoshop the dark does look quite busy (although I realize the pattern will be more random). Ecat I didn`t realize they were onyx, they look like grey-brown travertine to me. The tile store said to rub some water on it to simulate a sealer... when I did that they still look brown.
Hmm, not a fan of that photoshop. But need to compare apples to apples... would it be too much of a pain to photoshop the creme brulee (lighter)� (that`s supposed to be a question mark but my keyboard has changed to French suddenly!)

I really like the lighter one better, it feels very peaceful.

All I know - they sprayed sealer on it (not just water) and became very dark :) Same is going to happen to the stone on the lighter sample - it will become more saturated in color, but just not as dark.

No one ever got tired of a boring backsplash?

I find these pictures online may be too far off from the real thing to render judgment. However, I will say that the darker tile seems to have yellower undertones while the lighter tile has pinker undertones. Failing to match the right undertone to your counters will cause a lot more unhappiness than violating the law that requires the most banal backsplash possible.

Ha Marcolo... it was because of this forum that I abandonned the dreaded tumbled travertine/marble subways!

The undertones are the same family: the creme brulee (light) has ivory and grey-ivory travertine and taupe and browny-taupe glass (can you tell I'm not a colour person?). The capuccino (dark) has the same ivory plus a medium grey-brown travertine, plus the same brown-taupe, medium brown and slightly lighter ivory glass. So the dark has one additional colour in the pattern, I guess that makes it look busier.

Again, thanks to everyone for comments... I hardly ever open the backsplash threads as I can never form an opinion, so I appreciate all yours!

Here's my try. I'm not as big a fan of bold/busy backslashes, so I prefer the lighter one.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I like the lighter one better. It's really pretty against the counter and cabinets.

Another vote for the lighter one. It seems more subtle, the darker one more chaotic. To me anyway. Good luck with your decision and I hope you love it.

The photoshop pics helped a lot. The lighter one gets my vote.

Me too. I like the softness of the lighter one and the way it lets the countertop share the spotlight.

Obviously the second mockup looks better here, but--meaning no disrespect to gregincal's heroic unpaid and meticulous labor--I'm not totally persuaded that the second mockup looks like the real tile would at all. I don't see the chocolate tones in it.

Plus, please remember that the patterns created by photoshopping are way more regular, repeated and psychosis-inducing than the actual tile would ever be.

Thanks so much gregincal and everyone! My straw poll of the neighbours is helped immensely by the photoshop pics! Again, I appreciate all your help.
(PS: I'm leaning toward the light. Sorry to winp out marcolo!)

Lighter, regardless of mock-ups. Lighter.

Of these two options, I like the lighter one too BUT, BUT, BUT and you didn't ask for this, I think long narrow glass tiles might be too trendy for your kitchen.

Are you totally opposed to 3x6 matte or crackle tile that so many people are doing (yes, I know, also trendy but they are a better match for a more traditional cabinet style and color.) Or doing something with a unique shape but all one color - maybe grey? As the photoshop renders show, this backsplash will be very, very busy. All this IMHO. I don't want to hurt feelings.

Perhaps I am just being too influenced by a designer's color blog that I have be devouring lately. She posted about this exact thing (linked below) and also a great one about the undertones of beige - which are either yellow, pink or green - that is what Marcolo was getting at, not just are the related beiges.
http://colourmehappyblog.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-everyone-should-know-about-beige.html

(I might add, the photo used in this blog post is none other than GW's very own Beekeeperswife's kitchen.)

Here is a link that might be useful: Trendy backsplash advice from designer Maria Killam

Regardless of which tile works for this backsplash, I wouldn't listen to a word on Color Me Happy, which has devolved into a never-ending river of spam constantly trying to sell newsletters and reports and every other piece of cr*p she can shill. Her endless "Three Mistakes" and "Four Disasters" and "Seven Secrets" blather is the online equivalent of junk mail.

Thanks NSB, for the alternate view. When I started looking I too was concerned glass tile was too trendy, especially for my look. Then I saw this picture in another thread and was quite inspired by it (credit to stark0621):
{{!gwi}}

Thanks for the link. It's an expensive/very visible addition to the kitchen, and I don't want to choose wrong. I don't want my kitchen to scream "2011" in 5 years, however all kitchens do that to a certain extent.

Yes, all kitchens will eventually be seen as trendy from another era. We can't escape time.

I have to say, I do like the photo you just posted. Are your cabinets that creamy/dark? In that photo, the BS blends in pretty well and has a very earthy look and feel to it. Your cabinets and counter tops both *seem* more white and therefore the BS will stand out a lot more. OTOH, the grout color will make a huge difference. Sorry to be a nay-sayer. I guess I just wonder what else you've considered (and I am SURE there has been a ton!)

If the mosaic was confined to a feature, then I'd vote for the darker one. I think the lighter one will give you the look you like while not overpowering the room.
Your other choices are more relaxed, so the question is what you want the bs to do. Do you want it to liven up the kitchen or continue the vibe already there? Either goal is worthy, so you just need which one fits you better.