I am doing the 3 tile set that is the "art nouveau iris" with the deep purple and green. It will be surrounded by some vintage fireplace tiles I bought a few weeks ago and then a black liner, so the vintage tiles (1 x 2s with faux crackle over light purple and green splotches) will form sort of a mat, like in a picture frame. I am hoping they help feature the middle. Our field will be gray subways capped by black bullnose edges. Luckily, our bs is a small area, so the cost is not overwhelming, but we want to make the most of the tiles we do use. The center and vintage tiles were a splurge, but I think they make the look :)

Hollysprings, why does the wall need to be really flat? Currently there are several holes left in the wall where the backsplash will be and I am not sure the contractor was planning on covering them up. Surprisingly, he has not been around all week to ask. robbbcs3, parapan and zenolite look like cool products, but I am not sure an acrylic product would be good for a backsplash behind a cooktop. millworkman, actually the cost that is contracted for runs $35 a sq foot. If the contractor can pull this off, I think it is pretty reasonable. We are talking about two areas for a total of about 53 sq feet so if I were to pay in the $55 - $60 range, it would be much more expensive and not very affordable. I have looked into some other options with my kitchen designer. We can just do 4x8 inch glass squares or we can go with a more retro matte ceramic tile (the house was built in 1952). We are looking to do modern, clean lines so these options would make it a bit more busy. We can also order cut glass squares to size like in this photo that would eliminate a lot of the grout lines: [Modern Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2105) by University Place General Contractors REIER Construction I am waiting to hear back from the designer on the costs of these other options.

Etched glass has a rough texture that grabs everything and is difficult to clean. It is inert and cannot be enhanced or coated successfully. You might try a grout haze remover if repeated vinegar and water cleanings have failed.

If your choice were only between to 2 you originally posted, I'd choose the one on the right--the cream one. From the photos it looks like it works very well with your quartzite. The gray one is "off" just enough not to look pleasing. However, as many have noted, either one is more difficult to clean than a smooth surface. What sort of cook are you--very neat or more devil-may-care? If you are very neat and do not splash much when you cook, then you may get away with the split-faced marble, but if you are a more exuberant cook, you may find it a challenge to clean. The mother of pearl is very formal and quite busy, so it's going to compete with the counter tops as well. Personally, I would use a smooth crackle tile in a tan/beige tone to work with your quartzite. Simple is always good.