finally someone who didn't play it safe! nice color! how bold would you like to go? I could give you easily, 40 choices. I've put some nice color tiles below. Also check out Encore tiles. they have some beautiful crackle glass options that would work.

I swear, if one person suggests white subway tile, I'll lose my mind.

wait,,,there's more:

I love the scale pattern above, or these arabesque, below. beautiful coloring w/your cabs.

you could also do a cement tile in black and white

beautiful!

Larger scale white tiles, e.g. 6x6, or 4x4 staggered, or square white on white pattern. Or something black and white.

As much as I like he tiles above, I'd stay away from small busy pattern. Just doesn't read French/European. One possibility would be a patterned 4x4 tile. Will post pics from French sites shortly.

I think I'd continue with that black. Not necessarily this style though. Smaller might work better since you have the large tiles on the island.

beautiful kitchen, love that dark purple in the background too..))

like black plus white..or another pattern incorporating maybe black plus white plus one more color(blue? purple?) or smaller tiles(like. two by four?) of like colors of the same pallette maybe. gradual thing. just a bit of variation. or like this suggestion of black too unless you find it too much for the space.

a hint on a budget, for more specific suggestions? I love Tabarka and Pratt and Larson and you name it..yet the only place I could afford it, in the end of the day, was the edge of two steps lol

not too shapely and elaborate too unless you can afford it-not too much space, lots of cuts..take it all into account

same with herringbone etc. love the pattern. try to simulate it though before you decide. you have a low sitting window there..take all the details into account

again love what you did by now, I'm sure will turn out amazing

can't see your floors?

Love your cabinets. What a beautiful color. My favorite suggestion, is the 4th picture in BethH's first post. Whatever you decide, I hope you'll share pics when your kitchen is completed.

The fourth one shown is my favorite too for it's quieter tones and a nod to the next room with the light purple plus lots of light tones. I would definitely choose that one.

I adore arabesque (and lantern. and other spanish -influenced traditional shapes-after all it's my favorite style ever, if I have to choose) but it doesn't spell modern to me.depends of course of what one means by modern because often people mean different things by that -some mean certain style, some mean something being more recent, contemporary.

here's Fireclay tile blog..I liked glazed bricks on the first pic..second as well-shapes but less fluid shapes, more geometrical ones..and I strangely like this sweater pattern..I think last from the top? the one they call prep school. it might be too much and one needs to make sure they have enough space on their backsplash to pull it off. yet it exudes certain warmth..as if it was a sweater..:)

https://www.fireclaytile.com/blog/

(as for the brand itself. I never used Fireclay myself, it's not inexpensive either, yet many people on these forums did, and remained extremely pleased with their quality. take a look at what they offer..they have many interesting products. including a lot of black plus white designs, some with a lot of contrast in the pattern, some, paler, more "barely there" of an effect)

Just looked at some French sites, searching for bistro style kitchens. Here are some suggestions:

Glass

And then French turquoise kitchens

Personally, I'd probably go with a plain white but definitely add some wood, rustic light fixtures.

Sometimes, taking a simple subway tile and adding an interesting pattern is really all you need to create a "mood". The West Side Market in Cleveland, Circa 1912, has the most interesting, simple tile walls.

perhaps these cement tiles in the Terrazzo Zebra collection would work.