Thank you so much, everyone, for weighing in with your opinions. I am definitely not good at this sort of thing, and have a horrible time picturing how it will all look in the end. It's nice to have other expert advice! Initially, I was very excited about the travertine. The sample I have is nice, but I am definitely concerned that it might blend in too much with the cabinets and not give that 'wow factor' that I'm hoping for. I've always been drawn to slate, but as rhome said, I really want the kitchen to have a warm and friendly feeling. I tried to balance the warmth of all of the woods with the coolness of the dark grey Basalt Slate countertops. I guess it would be nice if the backsplash could bring everything together. Slate usually reads very cool to me. However, I really like the visual interest of the Falling Water pattern, and it seems to have some warm colors. I'm waiting on a sample of the 'Earth' color pictured above, and this one, called 'Prairie'. Remodelfa, how do you always find the coolest tiles? :) I really like those Java Sticks and the irregular edges. It also has the warmth I'm looking for. Another possibility added to the mix! So now, how in the world do I choose?

For practical reasons, I don't like marmo click in the kitchen, the reason being that the layer of lino on top of the cork base is very thin, and I've had some gouges/dents. Now that I think about it, the gouges didn't penetrate to the cork, but it just seemed like the cork was too soft for a kitchen application. One of my friends also had click in her kitchen and said she wouldn't do it again, for the same reasons I mentioned. So, I would recommend one of the options that includes the sheet marmoleum. I like it paired with the funky yellow and white BS. I also like the idea of a plain yellow backsplash--it creates a nice chunky colour -- I think the term is 'colour blocking'. Slightly warmer than than the straight white BS. Really, I like all your options :-) but I highly recommend marmo sheet rather than click. You can do 2 graphic elements as long as they are completely different in scale (this is what I read somewhere). Marmoleum feels and looks wonderful!

Do you have any inspiration images? I know you think you've found great options, but I think it might be helpful to you to read some of the collected wisdom here on bs selection and start your search with fresh eyes. This is proposed as a backsplash addition to the New to Kitchens FAQ. To the age old question, "Do I need a backsplash?" the short answer is yes. You need some sort of backsplash in wet zones to protect your walls, cabinets floors and subfloors from deterioration due to water infiltration, and in your cooking zone to protect your drywall from cooking oils, spills, odors, and cleaning chemicals. That said, plenty of houzzers have chosen not to have a backsplash, or to delay the choice for budgetary or other reasons. Search for threads with ABB (all but backsplash) in the titles to check those out. How does one choose a backsplash? First, like every other process here, we encourage you to do some research on your own, then post your particulars and ask for feedback. One fundamental question you must consider before all others is whether your counter material or your backsplash will be the focus of your space. Consider images of kitchens with busy counters, and those with commanding backsplashes, and decide which you prefer. Bold counters and tile rarely work well together. To Wait or Not To Wait Buying your bs material when you buy your other finishes might prevent delays down the road and could help with electrical outlet placement. Drawbacks include that you are making decisions on colors and finishes based on samples, sample cabinet fishes, sample counter swatches, etc... and that samples don't always represent the final product accurately. Waiting to buy your bs materials until you have had your counters installed allows you to see sample tiles in your space in your light throughout the day with your actual installed materials. If your cabinets are warmer than you expected, or your counter cooler, you are free to search for a bs material that can pull things together. The only drawback to waiting is that you may have to wait for tiles to be fabricated or to arrive, causing possible delays in the completion of your space. The majority wisdom on this site favors waiting if that is possible. Regardless of which approach you choose, you should consider your bs as one part of a whole picture of your beautiful new space. Inspiration Images These really help you to focus on what your kitchen as a whole will look like. They also give the folks responding to your queries an idea of what looks you like, so they won't recommend white subway tiles if all your inspiration images feature handpainted Mexican tile. Google images of kitchens with your other materials (white cabinets, walnut floors, etc...) and select which ones you like the look of. What type of bs do they use? The idea is not to copy the look, but to get a feel for looks you like, and communicate those looks to others. Budget Finally, we'll need an idea of a materials budget. Installation can account for half of the budget for a backsplash, so take that into consideration in your planning, and deduct accordingly, and let us know how much you want to spend in $/sf for your materials? It's not very helpful falling in love with a handmade tile in a custom glaze if it costs $100/square foot and your budget for tile is $10/sf, but houzz members are fantastic at finding similar (and occasionally the same) tiles for less money. Without budget numbers it is very difficult for us to truly be of help to you. How we can help. The way it works is that we can recommend a surface (usually tile, sheet glass, metal, slab stone or laminate), advise against a choice (color, or busy-ness are the usual reasons), provide you with layout and pattern feedback, and images you might have missed of materials that have worked for us or caught our eye. "How can I find a bs tile to go with my green floors, counters, and purple cabinets" The answer might be that you have to paint your cabinets or change your floors to make it right, or maybe some houzzer somewhere will show you an image of a kitchen with a painted tin backsplash that pulls it all together. It has happened before. Some houzz members are great at photoshopping images together to give you an idea of what a small sample of tile might look like in your space. It is time and effort on their part that can be truly helpful. Remember to say thanks. I hope we can be helpful!

Flemish bond is great for a floor or patio, not for a backsplash. Both SW 6155 Rice Grain (bottom) and SW 6154 Nacre (top) are yellows, although Nacre is classed as a pastel shade, so the tile color you're looking for is a cream that pairs well with your stone which is largely brown - shouldn't be hard to find. The tile below is Fireclay Tile in Ivory but you can approximate this glaze in almost any other tile. If you have the budget for it, consider a pretty shape. Your space reads young and joy filled. Consider something fun like a mini star and cross, or an ogee drop.