What is the stain color of your cabinets. You have some old and new ones both? Important in a small space to tie it all together. I like backsplash A but it reads yellow or sand tone and cherry cabs usually are reddish and darken even more red. Gotta work with your wood. Out of trepidation due to all this I might just get a white subway. Be realistic.

weezel - Me, too! They will be my splurge on this reno!

herbflavor - The kitchen cabinets are white white white. Only the DR cabs under the counter are medium (not dark) cherry.

I like the pendant, but I think all your tile choices are very busy with the counters and blend too much with them rather than complement them. If you like sparkle maybe look at some crackle tiles that are more monochrome but not so "basic?"

Just my opinion of course.

Good idea, DrB477!

The choices seem very textured...how difficult are those going to be to clean?

rantontoo, they are glazed and very smooth.

I love the rectangular tile with the counter, and I don't actually think it's too busy. Almost, but not quite, too busy. If YOU think the combination is too busy, would you (or could you) choose a different counter? Silestone has a lot of offerings with very uniform color.

cawaps, I did look at other quartz, including more uniform colors. None grabbed me. I think it will be easier for me to find a similar BS tile that's less busy. I like the 2 sizes of rectangular tiles and the way they're stacked. I may have to just dial down the "sparkle" and get a more uniform color.

I really like the tile in the original counter picture. The shape fits well and it isn't too showy. If you want a little more sparkle what about a mother of pearl instead of the crackle? Or maybe glass tile.

What's the brand of that pendant? It's absolutely gorgeous! I love a bit of sparkle too and that might look good in my kitchen.

Gorgeous. In the same way you have two cabinet types will one wall show more? Or is part of the purpose of the bs to unify?

traci - I found the pendant on Shade of Light. Here's the SKU: PE14236BZ-01.

practigal - I'm not sure I understand your question. Will one wall in the kitchen have more BS than another? The largest continuous BS span will be the refrigerator wall 83 in. x 19 in. The BS on the opposite wall (unseen in the model above) is 58 in. x 19 in. I expect the cherry cabinets will probably not be very prominent behind the DR furniture.

Plain glass subways in 3x6 or 2x4? The 2x4 also comes in the darker
brown, but the 3x6 does not come in the taupe. Both images are mock ups
and do not attempt to represent actual grout lines.

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I really like the mixed height rectangle backsplash with your counters, the mixed colors in the diamonds alternative is too busy. I think the textural richness (sparkle/crackle?) in the mono-color option is just the right amount of interesting, but not too busy.

Cambria is not super shiny, and all the tile you looking for is very reflective... I would better come up with some simple design and use lighter travertine... would definitely add some darker brown accent to catch that darker brown colors of your Windermere. Something like that: http://www.footcap.com/5/2014/02/Wonderful-Traditional-Kitchen-Design-Applied-Travertine-Tile-Backsplash-models-countertop-ideas-granite-contemporary-Granite-Countertop-with-Medium-Colored-Cabinet-in-Wood.jpg but the grout should be lighter gray

Thank you, OZ. Knowing my (lack of) attention to clean up, I fear that travertine would get pretty...ummm... disgusting. Thinking more of a smoother material, but like the color coordination.

Here's the tile I'm currently auditioning:

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IRL it really goes well with the putty color in the Cambria. It's a
2.5x8 inch glossy ceramic - a little shine without the glare of glass.
Also, I got worried about glass tile potential problems with correct
mastic and breakage wrt cutting for outlets/switches.

When I return samples tomorrow to the shop where I found samples A and
B, I'll check colors available for A and see whether an accent could be
possible as suggested in the xpost.

Now, to stack or to offset the above, that is the question. ?????

Don't make your back-splash darker than the background of your counters, which is bage....

I love B (that might make me unusual). I think it's absolutely gorgeous together.