There are lots of Italian rectified grey tiles floating around--various shades of grey...try going to a high end tile shop. Some of them mimic stone, some don't. And rectified tiles *do* need grout between them; it's just that you can use thinner lines because there's no angle to the sides of the tiles.

The Porcelanosa store did not have a sample of their rectified porcelain carrara. I have no idea if they have new carrara products that just came on the market and this was the reason why it was not available. They ordered me some samples and I should have them by the end of the week. Their rectified porcelain carrara looks more white than gray from the catalog photos. I'll post a photo when I get the samples. I did see a sample of their crema marfil porcelain next to real crema marble and although the match wasn't perfect, I thought it looked pretty good for a procelain. I want to use the rectified porcelain inside a steam shower and am thinking of using real carrara on the floor, countertop and outside shower trim. I definitely don't want to use a fake looking carrara, so we will see.

Laurie, sorry for so many pictures but I downloaded the pictures from the camera and just had it download all to Photobucket and I was too tired to delete pictures. Next time I share, I will send in less so people will want to view. But I appreciate your nice comments. That is why I sent the way before picture to show that my kitchen is a big improvement from when I bought my home and the mini blinds broke from raising and lowering them. The wall color was also too white for the appliances back then. Since the wall color looks nice in the foyers with my other tile called Akoya Bone that is a little darker, I feel once the tiles are down, it will look nice also. I am not sure how the blinds go yet but I will worry about that next. But I really am liking the tiles and feel they will enhance my kitchen with that outdated in bad shape Linoleum floor gone. I also love that little table. I was dating a guy when I moved into my home and we were looking for a small kitchen table for my kitchen and he kept trying to push me to go with cheap tables at stores that I hated. He finally told me that the deal for the table that was too big for the kitchen was a great deal and he will take me to Ethan Allen to show me what expensive prices are like so I will see that the table and chairs he is showing me were a good deal. The minute I saw this table and chairs, I fell in love and despite how expensive the set was even with the great sale this store was having at the time. I bought all four chairs and the insert to enlarge the table. I am able to add two more chairs from other rooms if I have 6 people at the table with the insert in the middle of the table and it fits in the middle of the kitchen. But I am glad I can then make the table small again for room to walk and cook. The table is so well made and is solid wood with even the side rails for lowering the sides made of solid wood. I went back the next day to bring one of my drawers to see how it matched and bought it. I have always been happy with my decision. I always wished my cabinets were made out of the wood that the table is made out of. Not sure what it(forgot since I did not know much about wood almost 14 years ago but remember it being a nice wood and it was solid wood and not oak so I was happy it went with my cabinets despite not being the same wood). I love the Wheatback chairs so much. I am so glad I did not try to save money and get the table that did not match my cabinets and was too big for the kitchen. Some things are worth investing in. Like you invested in the cabinets and put other purchases on hold. I feel that was a wide decision. I also love your tile floors backsplash, wood floors and baseboard trim in the other room. Again, thank you for being there for me and making me not feel alone during my home renovations. I can't wait to post new pictures when the tile floor is down and then to work on other parts of my kitchen project.

We had the issue that a lot of the grays we tested in our BR were looking very lavender. Ended up going with silver chain (BM 1472) at 50% form. If you like one of the colors you have tested above, you could try it at 50% perhaps.