I'd never thought of pre-drilling a tile before installation, but that is a brilliant idea! I have some of those spade ceramic bits and what I have used them on, has been fine but I tend to break into a sweat before I even start drilling. At least starting out, I'd work slow, and agree don't use percussion! I had a glass shelf to install in my beautiful finished bathroom, I have to admit I put it off out of fear, now I'm divorced and it's my ex's bathroom, it's her problem! I am just doing up a small bathroom myself and will be using quite a lot of tile, I had assumed those bits of mine would be ok but might look out for the diamond sort, in case. Handy to have, anyway...but predrilling? Sounds like a great idea, and if you have a drill press, even better. I'd put rubber or something underneath...

I wanted to include a few photos. I forgot to say that I think my situation may be a bit more complicated because I also have the 4" soapstone backsplash. Moreover, how far beyond the upper cabinets that the soapstone countertop sticks out varies by about 1/2" on the two sides of the stove wall. So if I align the tile with the upper cabinets (as I most likely will), it will still look a tad uneven between the two ends. (Hope this makes sense). Here's the one end of this wall with tile aligned with upper cabinets: And here's the other end, where the soapstone would stick out a tad farther. Let me know what you think.

I can see why white glass tiles wouldn't work because they are generally more green than white when applied to the wall. Sure you could do plain white porcelain tile if that's what you want and think you like. I think the issue you have is trying to match the white of a porcelain tile with the "not white" of the whitest of your herringbone. That's why I suggested the same marble as the herringbone but in a larger format tile. If you like a glass tile, you might try looking for a light grey glass tile that would come close to the greys in your marble ( I keep calling your herringbone marble but maybe it isn't). Here are a few samples....some of them I think are too dark but you get the idea... These first few are from Tilebar and you can get samples for $5 so you might try ordering a few to see if anything works for you. These last 2 are from Emser. These both are the same tile but two different colours of grey. You can see that the lower one is much more blue than the one directly below. You won't know until you can see them in person if one of these might work. If you are going to use glass tile, pay careful attention to the material used to set the tile and the grout to be used. The manufacturer will have specific instructions on those things. I cannot comment at all on the waterproofing questions that folks above are asking you....but the point I'm making is if you put a glass tile over that red waterproofing, you're going to see the red through the tile if it is light coloured and I don't think you're going to like it. So do your homework and be sure you know how to proceed if you choose glass in the end.

I had the same issue with my kitchen, where to stop the backsplash. I was very concerned about the blank wall above the counter. Although, my concern is different than yours, these decisions are difficult. Then, without consulting me, the tile installer finished the job. It was a condo remodel in Naples, FL and I live in IL. It was during Covid and I had no way of being there. As it turned out, I’m happy with the way it turned out. I guess the installer is knowledgeable where to stop it. I would agree with the idea of not putting tile to the ceiling. Good luck.