The ivory compared to the Light almond looks dirty and the desert stone looks rather pink (atleast on my monitor) so barring other choices my vote is for light almond. I like the crispness of the light almond.

I agree that the Desert Stone gives off a pinkish hue. The lighter one matches your grout so it ties in.

I do like the crispness of the light almond as compared to the ivory. The travertine, at times, does have a pinkishness (did I just make that up?) to it - in real life, the sample of the Desert Stone-with its slight bent towards pinkishness- is just about a near match to some of the colors in the travertine. It does, as palimsest suggest, pass the squint test.

My husband suggests that it would be better if the outlets/switches do not blend in; I suggest that it might be better if they practically disappear.

As an aside, it's interesting how different people view colors. We'd painted my kitchen with a green color which, to me, had a bluish tint. I was the only one who could see it - I always felt 'chilly' in the kitchen. We repainted after remodeling the kitchen with a yellower green. Now I'm happier in there- my husband acknowledges the difference, but barely.

We sort of have come to the conclusion that eye color makes a difference in color perception. I believe I've come across a study to that effect. I have brown eyes - my husband and our grown children and their spouses all have blue/green/gray eyes.

That is my dilemma in a nutshell - it's my brown-eyed craziness!

Helene

I think if you go to the trouble to do a decorative backsplash, in most cases the outlets should blend in: they are not part of the decorative pattern, they are a utility.

The Tile Shop sells travertine/stone switchplates and outlet covers. They are really $$$ though (IMO).

I prefer the lightest one (light ivory?) With all the things you have on your counters I had to really look to see even where the switches/outlets were.

Update: I bit the bullet and ordered the Desert Stone outlets and switches through a local lighting store - Capitol Lighting. I came very close to pricing found on the internet, and the store was offering $25 off a purchase of $90 or more.

Much of the stuff on the counters in the original full view picture is no longer there...I was actually trying to minimize the look of the outlets - I guess it bothered me more than I thought!

The order should be in by next week, and I'll post another picture after install. Hopefully you'll all be searching to find the outlets and switch plates in the new picture! Thanks for all of your help.

Helene

For what it's worth, we have Lutron outlets and switches in our living room where the PO did some work---they are wonderful, and we're going to put them in the kitchen too. Worth the money, I think.

Probably they sorted something out in the intervening... *12* years!