I have the exact same color thing going on in my kitchen. I am also a person who loves color. My plan is to use the backsplash tile to visually link the kitchen to the LR beyond and the attached dining room. LR is a warm sand color and the dining room will be turquoise. Tile will be a mix of the two, some bend of blue and amber glass. I think your most important decision is whether or not you want the backsplash to stand out as the focal point in the kitchen or if you want it to just be a part of the whole. For me, the splash is what brings my kitchen splash! I need it to be fun and interesting and more than a little blingy. You have to figure out where you are on that spectrum and choose the medium/style accordingly. Similarly, you have to decide how much color you want/need. For me, the stark white is just too sterile. There are some really nice "clear" glass tiles that throw a bit of green or blue or gray. Or, if you're drawn to the ceramic, you could get a soft gray or taupe like you mentioned. Ann Sacks Ceramic Basics has a number of really lovely, soft-but-not-pastel colors in the field tile. Sees like everyone who was still looking for a backsplash over on the kitchens board made a New Year's resolution to get it done, so there are a lot of threads right now. You might take a peek over there and see what people are looking at...whether any of it appeals. I assume you have already looked at the FKB and Inspirational Backsplashes slideshow? Here is a link that might be useful: Ann Sacks Ceramic Basics

It's hard to tell from one photo. I don't mind the backsplash but I don't like the greens pictured with either the tile or the counter. The counter says "blue" or "gray" to me, not green. Could just be the picture though. Can you shoot another good clear shot of just the countertop?

Thanks for the ideas and pics remodelfla and jb1176. I took a look at Lisa's oatmeal tile and subway backsplashes, and really thought they both looked beautiful in her home. I've actually been leaning towards using a plain white subway, but I believe my husband would like some color in the mix. I also really like (but not sure these would look good in my kitchen): ljsandler's diamond backsplash... meg's subway tile... Would a white subway or diamond tile work in my kitchen? I don't have as fancy a kitchen as Lisa, LJSandler or Meg. I'm still open to color, but I've visited a few tile stores and am having a heck of a time finding a tile that really picks up a color in the granite. There are so many beautiful stone tiles that just look too gold/yellow to suit this granite. Sigh, this little decision seems to be consuming so much of my time lately.

New to this so posting the details of my kitchen backsplash quandry choosing here. The first photo is one where I liked the backsplash posted by Me Agirl on another post of Quentins. Does anyone know the specifics so I can get it in Canada? My situation is that we have Cloud white shaker cabinets, statutario quartz counters, tile flooring with white, beige, grey, coppery patterns, buttery yellow wall colour, dark walnut colour birch island. I wanted to steer away from subway tile but I see that it has a lot of versatility. The backsplash will go behind the range (not in the pic) and along this side counter. Is the backsplash in this photo too small? I don’t like busy patterns, like a warm feel. wanting to go for more modern but not trendy. is this kind of backsplash hard to keep clean?