You have such a nice feel/calm pallet to work with - you could do anything. A light gray/grayish white subway (handmade would rock, but probably not in your budget), or a greenish/white/gray. If you are bored with the subway (and you already have the running bond with the brick) you could get a different size brick (smaller/larger) to 2" mosaic or may latest love is the square tile (3, 4 or 5") - yes kind of 80's retro but beautiful with a beautiful tile. You could go dark - a beautiful colbalt blue or a funky/ fun green.

A large format tile could be fun. If you want to stay neutral I used a great porcelain tile in my bathroom that was about $9 sf but is polished to look nearly like glass. It comes in a putty color ("bloom white") as well as color that is nearly white.

The photo doesn't do it justice - the color is like BM Revere pewter

I think it would work and is fun and not super $, but I might be more inclined to do something with color...

I am interested to see what others come up with.

Here is a link that might be useful: glass like porcelain large format

Do the subway tile and put a border in with something more "exciting" such as a glass tile. You can buy full sheets and cut them into 4" strips and lay them in a border for the pizzazz. I used a plain subway tile and then did glass just behind my cooktop. Here's a pic of it not finished. My whole house has an "arts and crafts/asian/modern feel to it; hence the bamboo look.

Obviously my kitchen isn't done yet. The glass tile sheets were I believe $10.50 each but because they didn't have the dark accents in them, I redid the whole thing. I took glass tile sheets, pulled the tile off, cut the dark tiles from sheets with dark colored tiles and glued the pieces onto a new mesh which the tile installer put up. In the center where it has mostly white tile, will be the range hood to hide it.
{{!gwi}}

What about the pale-to-medium blue from the large picture? Looks excellent with orange-ocher hues.

Here is a link that might be useful: monochrome small ceramic - cheap, too

Have you already received your Welcome Packet from the Bianco Antico Club? I can't remember...if not....WELCOME!!!

Finding the right backsplash for this granite is NOT easy. You would think it would be the easiest thing since everything does go with it. From the whitest whites, to the creamiest, from the brightest/hottest greens to the hunter greens, and so on.

As you probably know (if not, I'll post a picture) I have a Beveled Arabesque tile. I won it in a contest. It is white and the shape is what makes it so special. We were on the endless hunt for our backsplash. I found a tile that we loved, it was by Mandala, The Sinu Collection, in Stingray. If you have the opportunity to see it, I suggest you do so. It goes so nicely with this granite. It is a taupe with variations. I believe srg215 (do a search, and you should find her) took my suggestion, went out saw it and fell in love and had it installed in her kitchen. Looks great. The reason we did not go with it was because I painted the backsplash area a color that was similar, just to get an idea how it would look. I decided that in my kitchen the darker tile would just darken things up too much--so my search continued. I had many a beveled Italian subway in there for testing. Then, on a whim, I entered a contest and bam, my kitchen was chosen. Even though I loved the Mandala tiles, I am so happy with my beveled arabesques--they really create the uniqueness I was looking for.

BA is a complicated granite because you don't want anything to compete with it. It really is the star in the kitchen. Anything too small, like a 1x1 or even smaller would just add too much busy-ness. If you look at the Mandala tiles (and there are other colors in the Sinu Collection) keep in mind that there are different sizes available. We were leaning to the larger format 4x12s. Trying to minimize the grout lines.

If you can't decide on the general "light or dark" backsplash--I suggest you paint back there and see what your eye likes. I was convinced I wanted the darker tile, but once I painted it that color, I knew--it had to be light.

Here is the link to Mandala, I can't get you right to the tile, so open the link, and click on the following:
Products
Sinu
And then there are things under this, "collection", "field tile", etc.

but you have to see them in person to really understand.

Let me know if you want to see a photo of my backsplash. I feel bad posting it again and again--

Here is a link that might be useful: mandala tile

First of all, ridiculously good information! @Sparklekitty: I *LOVE* that 7x19" tile you linked too. I think it might be to big for our application, but it is soooo pretty.

@cpartist: Are you kidding me? You hand made that? Very impressive. I'd love to see it with your hood installed too!

@beekeeperswife: Thanks for the welcome! The granite really is pretty. We were tempted to save a few hundred bucks and go with a more uniform (read: bland) granite, but I know now this was the right choice. I think we are leaning towards light.

We headed to HD this morning and picked up a few basic white subway tiles and a mosaic they sell for $5 sq ft. The subway tile is an easy fallback, but I know I would want a contrasting grout. But then I have contrasting grout on the polished porcelain floor (by mistake- oops!) and contrasting squares below and rectangles above might be weird.

I'm leaning toward that glass mosaic at $5 sq ft. That's a pretty descent price and still very neutral/light. Thoughts? Too cookie cutter? When it comes from HD, I always stop and think if it's a good idea in *my* kitchen.

I like the glass tile but not as the whole backsplash. I would as suggested before do the subway tile (or how about a solid color glass subway tile?) and use the glass tile in a border running around the room. I would do it probably 2 rows high and then if you have a cooktop area, you can do an insert like a picture using the whole tile.

I think the glass tile alone will be too busy with your beautiful granite.