Very do-able, and if I were doing subways [I'm not], I'd definetly go with a herringbone. I 'get' the running bond look, but I've seen it so much lately it doesn't have much impact anymore. But combining with the tin could be a little tough: tin tiles [I assume we are talking about the embossed ceiling tiles] are generally too large and the wrong size to integrate easily. So I'd do the herringbone with no accent all around the room, then switch to a more 'picture frame' look with subways, chair rail and mitered corners over the range. I'd choose the tin tile [or tiles or medallion] now, and have it glued to a flame proof MDF for mounting. Then I'd screw [using the pattern of the tile to camoflauge the screw heads] the assembly to the wall and have the tile laid to fit around it exactly. This will give you the option of unscrewing the tin tiles at some point down the road and replaceing it with a mosaic or other accent piece without disturbing the subway frame. Since the tin could be painted, you could change it to match your accent color as often as you please. If you wanted to get *really whacky*, you could even buy enough tin now for several different centers, paint/finish them differently, and change them out with the seasons. But choose the tin carefully: it needs to be interesting, but not so textured as to catch grease, and rigid enough to take a good scrubbing without squishing.

I'm shopping for subway tile now and this thread was very helpful- thanks to all! Let me apologize in advance for the following ramble... if there's anyone else doing a remodel with subway tile perhaps this will be of interest. Mine is actually for a bathroom but the color discussion in this thread is so relevant, I hope it is still on topic enough. Now to decide not only whether it's Home Depot gloss white (US Ceramic, I think... though since we started shopping I think they are transitioning to selling a cheap version of Daltile only instead - which is fine that might work for us too. They no longer carry the US Ceramic we originally sampled in the store by us... though they do online). So... HD US Cermic Gloss white vs. Arctic White Daltile vs. Arctic White Matte Daltile vs. their slightly offwhite version. This is for a bathroom, pretty much floor to ceiling on 3 walls, with polished stainless steel and chrome fixtures, and ikea plain white cabinets (Applad doors - not quire as white and shiny as their ulta-mod Abstrakt). The Daltile HD option is a good one because it is 1/3 inch deep, which means it will match the depth of the carrera marble accent tiles we are thinking of using. It's actually hard to find anything but really common/cheap (and cold/too modern even for us) glass tile to match the 1/4 inch depth of the cheapest US Ceramic 22cent tiles that we thought we would use. I welcome any opinions/thoughts/advice/experiences... Has anyone used matte subway tiles? How do they compare in looks overall to gloss? To be honest I thought the matte finish might make it look LESS cold and sterile. My dad (the tile guy) thinks using subway tile and chrome is going to make my bathroom look like a gas station... I think the marble accent tiles (3x6 carrera hampton pillow top from TileShop is what we're leaning towards) will warm it up just enough. They are just a little visual interest for a border band around the middle of the wall all around the room. Also, the accents in the room are teak wood - the shower drain grill which is the length of the shower pan floor, the shower seat, and probably the shower mat and waste bin, etc. etc. Which also warms it up! Finally, I will be installing a crystal light fixture on the wall facing you when you walk in, to warm up the light in the room, provide some sparkling and "shadow interest". I am hoping the white tile, polished finishes, marble, crystal and teak will all harmonize well! I also hope putting marble and crystal accents in our second bathroom in our 50s postwar suburban bungalow won't be too high-minded an d out of keeping with the house... We are trying to be subtle and keep things in line. The rest of the basement model uses harmonizing and quality finishes... the upstairs has basic nice elements, hardwood floors, quality furnishings --transitional style-- but nothing as high quality as the work we are doing ourselves in the basement. Hopefully the handsome but mundane subway tile will bring down the tone enough to make it in keeping with rest of the house :)... Nicole Nicole

As glad posted, we used gray grout, but I'm not sure what kind or what color. The tile guy just presented me with the choices and I picked one. I didn't write down what it was. I used flat white subway tiles in the upstairs bedrooms and the first tile guy I had grouted it white (after I had repeatedly told our builder I wanted gray grout). To me, it looked terrible. To me, the pattern is the point of the subway tile and if you don't use a contrasting grout the pattern is lost. Needlesstosay, the tile guy had to dig out all the white grout and start over. We had a new and much better tile guy by the time we got to the kitchen and the laundry.

I have white-white cabinets, white marble and white subway backsplash. I did put a a blue and pewter liner through the splash though. I like a white or light splash -- and I chose glossy tile to reflect the light even though I was adding under-cabinet lighting. If you want to go with either of the two tiles you have in the picture, I like the darker one better. The lighter one looks dingy -- just off on my monitor. The darker one seems more in keeping with the colors in the marble. At least as I am seeing them. I can see it being nice too, especially with good under-counter lighting (I hate baking in a cave, in case you haven't noticed a trend here). Which way to go? Hard to say without the layout and seeing the amount of splash, how it all ties in together and with other spaces -- and without knowing what kind of feel you want. I think that last one is especially important. Look at your inspiration photos and compare them to the space you have and the feel you want -- the look you love. Look for more photos, especially with a color in the splash (I know I've seen a few with various blues or greens in white kitchens). I did the colored pencils and copies of my drawings for several different choices -- they helped me double check my choices, but they were especially important to DH since he couldn't create mental pictures of how things would look together. That really can be helpful.