If you have heaving, then the glass-granite would be a concern. There should be a gap between the two, and that gap should be caulked, not grouted. The bowed wall, if the tile is over drywall, the bump could be a drywall joint compound "speed bump". But it should be gradual and not sudden, and a bump like that shouldn't cause lippage. I have seen installers who simply don't press tiles "flat" into the thinset. Some press more on the top edge of the tile, a few press more on the bottom edge of the tile. Those habits can result in "vertical lippage", but the tiles are usually consistent on the side edges. It's a backsplash and it's decorative. So a little lippage here and there, while not desirable, it's not really going to affect function. But if there are lights that reflect off the splash and it can be viewed at a low raking angle and it looks nasty? Then perhaps a "poor worksmanship" line has been crossed. The kicker though is the lack of a gap between the bottom course of glass tile and the granite. In your photo, is the cut glass tile at the j-box cracked? Might just be reflection/refraction. And for grins, the tile setter should have used a cement-based powdered thinset that is mixed with water to set the glass. Not a premixed mastic.

I always try and lay the tile out on the floor or tape it to a wall (a sheet of OSB and some brads will support large format tile) and try different configurations. I usually take pictures and do some composites in Photoshop until I am satisfied. For my bathroom above, I probably went through 10 different tiles before I found the look I wanted. I tried everything from a natural gray lime stone with fossil inclusions, driftwood colored wood look tile, several porcelain "stone" patterns and what I finally settled on. I also tried vertical, running bond and the simple stacked pattern that was really the only option for the tile I selected.

anap2400 - We went with a sonoma tile. I think it is stellar penthouse crackle in a 3x9. Here are the pictures. My inclination would have been more contrast with the countertop/tile, but the decorator convinced me that I wanted contrast with the upper cabinets and the tile and I think she was right. You really see the backsplash tile when looking from across the room -- you don't see it when you are looking at the countertop (like in the 2nd) picture.

Hi Chispa, House is a townhouse built in 1996, trying to modernize the look. As far as decorating style, I like modern/contemporary, nothing too funky. Something that would be cohesive with the rest of the kitchen, and bring the kitchen to life a little. It's very white right now.