We used Modwalls' "Backgammon" tile on our backsplash. Great price, excellent service. Yes, the tile has a texture. We have not yet sealed ours, nor have we cleaned up the last of the grout left by our less-than-careful tilers. Quality of the tiling seems to be key; make them read the installation specs! Here's our backsplash: We have painted the walls a deep pumpkin pie color (BM Aura-Masada) and now the tile really pops!

Folks, there are huge differences between ShowerGuard and Dimon Fusion -- they don't even do the same thing. Dimon Fusion is essentially just a permanent version of Rain-X and like Rain-X keeps glass from streaking, spotting up, etc. It is a coating applied to the surface of the glass and will (eventually) wear through, although I think it is debatable whether you wouldn't wind up spending more on repeated Rain-X treatments. Both keep water from pooling on the surface under tension, and thus tend to decrease the amount of soap and harmful mineral deposits that remain on the glass after the water evaporates. That mineral residue will eventually pit the glass surface and cause the permanent "clouding" of the glass that no amount of scrubbing will ever clean off. And of course, your glass will look spiffier between real cleanings with less streaking, spotting, etc. ShowerGuard is a completely different beast. First, it costs almost twice as much as Dimon Fusion and can add 25% or more to the cost of the glass. Second, it does absolutely nothing to minimize water spots, streaking, etc between cleanings. Water will pool on it just like ordinary, untreated glass leaving streaks and spots unless you squeege. BUT, glass treated with the ShowerGuard process will never pit and turn cloudy like untreated glass because the glass surface is sealed at the molecular level so the mineral deposits can't get in do their number on the glass. It is also permanent. Its really about what you want and what you want to pay -- if you don't mind the constant "wax on, wax off" then go with the Rain-X. If you want to save some elbow grease, go with the Dimon Fusion. But both leave a risk of long-term glass damage, so if avoiding that is the most important, go with ShowerGuard (although you will need to squeege or live with occasional water spots).

Tempered glass is really only susceptible to shattering if it's hit by something that can scratch or chip the edge glass. Most items in a shower are soft; plastic bottles, elbows, even boney elbows. Metal shower heads can be hard, but they usually don't have much mass behind them, so they'll usually just deflect off the shelf if they collide. Though I don't have glass in my own showers, I've installed plenty of glass shelves in houses. In showers, medicine cabinets, and the one that always makes me cringe: in kitchen cabinets. I give the owners of the homes I've built an annual call. No one has ever told me about a broken shelf. Every few years one of the glass shops has a "let's break glass" demonstration. I was placing an order at the shop several years ago when they had a demonstration. I stuck around to watch, it's pretty amazing how much abuse tempered glass can take. I'm not scared of using tempered glass, but I respect that it still is glass.

Really do appreciate the advice, but the grout will be white. I've given thought to using a gray, but it just looks too "eh" for me. The contrasting look is why I chose gray tile in the first place. I love it. I don't care for matching the tile color with the grout - at least not for the type of tile that I have. And for the record, it is a very medium-gray. I had samples of darker gray and lighter too, both, when I was deciding on the tile. The medium was just right.