My preference would be the lightest color in the counters making sure it works/blends with Chantilly Lace. Keep it simple due to the pattern in the counters.

I agree with chloebud. Keep it light, light, light. As close to Chantilly Lace/the lightest shade in the countertop. I think it will make your kitchen sparkle.

Agree with chloebudd about keeping it simple. I'm not sure I'd go with a picket tile that possibly emphasizes lines (adding a diagonal to the vertical or horizontal line depending on installation) with a counter that has a soft swirly pattern. Do you know what I mean? In any case, you cannot choose a vertical surface by comparing it flat against the horizontal one. You need to set up the tile perpendicularly against the counter and see the combo from further away.

With the movement in your countertop, I also would keep it simple. What is the style of the rest of your house?

Thanks guys! I was just saying that to my husband about the tile emphasizing a crazy line pattern with the more swirly countertops being an issue for me regarding the picket tile. That's why I was wanting to match the grout with the white tile so that it wasn't so in your face but I'm having a hard time... I don't want subway tile but I do like the simplicity of it. I even considered for a hot second white on white penny tile but I really want it to blend in rather than trying to steal the show.

I would pull one of the darkish colors from the granite -- either the darkish grey or brownish-grey specks -- and use that for a backsplash.

Here is fantasy white with subway. Looks good.

While this may be obvious, a lot of people don't consider this: even if you are extremely minimalist, you will have something on your countertop. Each item you add is another pattern.

Is the cake still available?

Good Question CDR! Umm.... Maybe I can snap & attach a picture of the view from the kitchen and you can get a feel? Sorry- super new to this!I appreciate the input.

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Unfortunately, my teenagers just literally polished off the cake ;) Thanks for the inspiration picture and I agree that it looks nice. Do you think subway is overused though? Maybe it's just in my head? I like to be unique so the idea that everyone and their neighbor is doing subway and has been for the last handful of years is a turn off but I also do like the simplicity. Perhaps a skinnier version set vertically? I'm definitely overthinking this. ...And driving my husband nuts- ha!

Do you even need a backlash? A question worth pondering because paint is washable. And there are other materials that can serve as a backsplash besides tile. :)

Looking at your additional two pics, I like the white wall colour and the white under the cabinets so my vote is a white that closely matches the cabinets. I like all sorts of kitchen styles but have to say that I'd find it difficult to tire of a simple backsplash. Is there any particular reason you don't want subway tile? Let's face it: backsplash tile is usually the element that "dates" a kitchen first.

When we removed the old countertops with the 4" backsplash it revealed a MESS behind them and we needed to re-drywall a strip of wall so covering them with a backsplash would be the best solution at this point I think. The subway tile aversion is literally just because I think it's so overused. I do like CDR's suggestion of a matte/hand crafted texture subway though.... that could maybe be the compromise? Especially since you seem to also be leaning that way. Food for thought! Thanks guys!

Your kitchen is not modern, so I would not suggest a stacked subway.

Are you adding pendant lights above the island? That can add a lot.

Well that can be said about everything. White cabinets? overused. Stainless steel? Overused. Wood floors in the kitchen? Etcetera. So what? Not to use appliances now?

That all doesn't matter too much-after all, not to do something just because many do that, is another side of the coin, when somebody does something just because many do that. I understand you very well by the way, I'm often like that myself. Very often. But you want a beatiful whole, and I think a simple tile will contribute to already beautiful whole, rather than taking away from it. So what if others use it, if it works the best in your context? If it brings out beauty in granite, which is gorgeous?

What I would do, if budget allows-would find a hadmade tile, they have quality and character that make even the simplest thing interesting and begging to touch. My husband hated subway as a concept-handmade made it for a nice compromise

(I wanted a pattern btw-but pattern I liked would make it for 5K backsplash in a very small kitchen. I could afford any pattern-I didn't have stone with movement)

I understand the aversion to subway tile because of overuse because that's the exact reason I avoided using it in my kitchen 15 years ago. Guess what? The tile I chose is now "dated" whereas subway tile is still being installed in new kitchens today. (Now, to be clear, I don't give a flying fig that my chosen tile is "dated" but it would register with any potential buyer.)

I'm not sure why horizontal rectangular is better for a swirly counter than vertical picket, especially with its grout lines deemphasized? I think the picket shape would be cute in this kitchen and is just a little bit of a shape break from the subway pattern.

I think it would be a mistake to stack subway tiles or use a skinny rectangle vertically (?) in your kitchen - which is transitional, not contemporary.

Match the picket to the Chantilly rather than trying to find and pick out an undertone from the counter. It's much easier. If the Chantilly works with your counter, a tile matched to the cabinets will work with your counter too.

All good points!

CDR- see I was thinking I was more 'modern' in my style but I honestly have no idea what I'm talking about haha! The bathroom off the kitchen has line art black and white face wallpaper with white herringbone tile on the floor so here I am thinking I'm all modern/funky with a touch of minimalist. ;) I guess I have random style! But good to know stacked tile is not a good option for the space, thank you! At the moment we weren't planning lighting above the island since the can lights are randomly placed (which drive me nuts) but maybe something to consider down the road.

aprilneverends Thanks for the comments as well. You're right! Everything is overused these days. Not sure if we have the budget for handmade tile but I have found some inexpensive places that look more textured that might be worth looking into! Thanks again!

You have a lot of strong horizontal lines going on given the style of your cabinets and the style/orientation of your hardware. Will you be changing the hardware at all? Regardless, I would look for something that bridges the style gap between the soft swirlyness of your new counters and the straight lines of the cabinets. Maybe a cool shape (arabesque, fish scale) or mosaic pattern (like a kaleidoscope mosaic) in solid white with white grout?

Thanks barncatz! Good to know that people that know what they are talking about are telling me to back away from the stacked tile! Ha! Noted:) When you say picket, are you partial to the elongated (2 x13) or the smaller mesh backed option in my pic- just curious.

I love rounded , soft shapes, and think it might work well in your kitchen, so one can go for a shape but then one looses the effect of the shape a bit if the grout is too much like a tile color..

Also the question whether you like shapes like lantern, or fish scale...I love arabesque, but I see a bit of wainscotting (beautiful!) in the dining-and I think arabesque might read wrong in your house..And all samples you've picked-they have stronger lines, less fluid.

Oh, and now I want to see your bathroom!

I agree in the right space that an arabesque can be beautiful but I don't think it'd work in mine especially if I'm wanting the backsplash to blend rather than draw attention. My husband was drawn to a tile we saw that had a fish scale pattern but I wasn't quite sold. I think that's the problem- too many options!! (Like I mentioned before though I did actually give penny tile a quick passing thought and still keep it in the back of my mind) I just like a solid but interesting texture look so that could really lend itself to many options I suppose including subway tile that's more textured.

Thanks for input! Here's a couple not great bathroom pics...

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Oh thank you! That's really cool, I love your choices. you'll have a beautiful kitchen(which is actually great already), don't worry:)

I think if you do a white tile that matches your cabinet color and use matching grout, then you can do any shape tile and it will look nice.

If you want a tile that will blend in, why go for a picket (which draws attention to itself) and *then* try to hide the very thing that makes it unique by matching the grout to the tile?

Before very recently, I'd never seen the picket tile. Now, all of the sudden, it is everywhere, which to me implies that it is very trendy and will be very dated very soon. If you love it, go for it, but then to make it blend defeats the very purpose - and you won't even really see what you love about it.

I think the picket "trend" has been around for 3 years.

I agree with something simple because your countertops are so pretty. But I’m not a fan of a busy backsplash Ever, especially after you start putting stuff on the countertops. It gets real busy real fast.

I have little to nothing on my counters, so I would never choose a too plain backsplash! So think about how YOU live and not the rest of us commenting here!

You make a great point Carrie B- what's the point if I'm trying to cover it!? We've been living with the drywall disaster backsplash for 2.5 weeks now and are just wanting to make the decision on a backsplash so we can start enjoying the kitchen. I can definitely see picket being 'outdated' soon enough for sure.

Idecore54 thanks for saying the countertops are pretty and I agree- busy backsplashes make my head spin! I started the day (before this post) thinking 'subway tile over my dead body!' and now we're seriously considering going in that direction!

Here is what I advise clients: when choosing items that are more expensive or more permanent, go more neutral. You can always change out smaller features as you want to change or as style changes. So, in your kitchen you could change out hardware, pendants, stools in a few years (and keep in mind you still need stools and pendants).

Look how different these kitchens feel, yet essentially, the bones are the same kitchen.

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Great advice- thank you! Our last home we were really bold with choices but definitely want to go more neutral with this home. I think you've put the nail in the coffin in helping us decide to give subway tile a fighting chance! I found a 2 x 10 textured subway tile that we're going to grab a sample of and go from there.

I know people say to paint and install countertops before choosing tile but knowing that we'll need to repaint our cabinets anyway, I think we'll match the cabinets to the tile. Is that dumb? 99% sure we'll go with Chantilly Lace giving 1% to Decorators White as they both go well with the countertops.

We actually tried stools at the island but they were *really* close to the refrigerator so it looked too squeezed in...

So you have a kitchen with very little light and are going with a brighter white and white tile with a light countertop. "The kitchen gets minimal natural light so the brighter the better."

Has anyone ever explained how white works. White has very little color and looks white vs gray or black because it is reflecting lots of light.

If you paint the inside of your closet white and step inside, turn off the light and close the door it doesn't look light and bright.

When you have low light conditions white has nothing to reflect. This is when you should have rich wood tones or mid toned colors that can hold their beautiful with or without lots of light.

It snowed here recently, so I just went out front and took two pictures.

The snow isn't so pretty where the sun isn't reflecting off the snow.

White on white kitchens look beautiful when they are flooded with natural daylight, or you have a lot of lights turned on. They all look beautiful in professional photo shoots, but most of us don't have studio lights in our homes.

Why do you have an overhang on the counters? It does look close to the frig.

Beautiful kitchen.

I love many of the options suggested.

My favorite tiles are the handmade too but might be too expensive. Although Wayfair sells Heath tile so maybe more affordable than I realize.

Trikeenan

Heath Tiles

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Thanks Boxerpal (my favorite breed!)

CDR- My husband wanted a large island and we do host a lot so although we debated over it for a long time, we ended up extending the countertop a bit for more prep space even though we knew there was a really good chance we wouldn't fit stools. It was most likely a weird decision from a design standpoint but practically we're happy with a larger island.

Haven't read all the comments but the reason to use picket tile with a matching grout is to create a textured, not patterned, look.

I don't agree that subway (rectangular) tile backsplashes are classic and picket tiles are trendy. Both are classic shapes in functional ceramics. A picket is just an elongated hex, another shape you could consider.

One way to create texture is to use a combination of matte glazed and gloss glazed tiles, which I did in my backsplash. (Matte glazed tile feels and cleans just like gloss, it's just not a shiny finish.). Here's a link to an article from Fireclay Tile, with photos, talking about it:

Mixing matte and gloss finishes can be a beautiful, yet quiet way to add texture to your spaces.

https://www.fireclaytile.com/blog/full/design-trends-4-ways-to-mix-gloss-and-matte-tile

You mighy also take a look at Alyse Edwards tile. That company likes to play with basic subway by introducing waviness or borders or texture.

Funny, that was my original inspiration photo for the picket. I just purchased a few sample tiles and will compare a bit more when they arrive.

V board (tongue and groove) installed vertically and painted your cabinet color. Maybe 2 wood beams on ceiling that are in the same tone of your wood floors to help them relate. To finish off upper cabinets, bring them to the ceiling or make a soffit of molding to reach ceiling.

@Jennifer Hogan you hit the nail on the head about white tones.

@May G your cabinets would look really lovely in a deep jewel blue tone also and it would compliment your wood floors as well.