Wait until everything is installed in your home. Context will be the key and that will be using the entire package as a guide not just cabintes and tops.

The best tip my interior design friend has given me concerning backsplash selection is to pick a middle tone in a countertop and use that as a color guide for selecting a backsplash. Since your countertop material is busy I would suggest a non-patterned tile. Good luck!

After the counters are installed bring home samples of tile. In the beginning just bring home as many samples as they will let you take and then start eliminating the ones which are clearly wrong. If you get down to a couple and then can't decide, update your post with a picture showing the choices for people to vote on. You will also want to show pictures of the whole kitchen so we can get a good idea of the context. Always look at the tile samples perpendicular to the counter material since that's the way they'll be installed. There are plenty of posts on this forum from people who regretted buying their backsplash tile too early, so wait until the counters are in. A builder may get impatient, but if you're remodeling it is not unusual to do the backsplash even months after the other work. You can still use your kitchen in the meantime.

We looked at and had samples sitting on our countertop for over a year before we decided on the tile. We love it! Take your time.

All good advice, but nothing wrong with collecting ideas.

I agree with Norwood about picking a mid range color from the granite.

Inhave Giallo Ornamental with white cabinets and it was very difficult finding the right backsplash. This was 15 years ago.

The right choice transitioned from the white in the cabinets to the cream/taupe/brown of the granite.

Looks simple, but it took forever to find the right one.

Grazia Rixi in cream.

Yours will be easier because the ornamental probably already blends nicely with the white cabinets. Mine clashed which is why there was an issue.

The other consideration is your floors. This is why I love hardwood. It is automatically a neutral.

I agree @wildflower. Just not sure if I should do a rectangular subway or the picket shape.

Whatever it is I want the grout to match

Thoughts?

If this is the proper lighting for the kitchen, that tile is making the cabinets look dingy on my monitor. You want to make sure whatever white/off white you choose doesn’t make the cabinets suddenly seem “off”.

Thanks you.

Buy the color is white dove does that matter? It’s a warm off white.

the counter and cabinet are hard to unite with white/creams. try a glass tile in a subway shape and the lightest of gray....bring a few in

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This looks nice. But I thought I read about issues with glass tile that’s why I didn’t look at it.
So I’ll look at some light gray, cream and off white subway tile in glass and porcelain/ceramic. I hope I can find something that looks good. I really didn’t expect for the counters to have so much black in them. I wish they could magically be lightened.

Should I do a staggered pattern or stacked subway? Grout same color as tile?

find the tile first. your doorstyle is traditional...I'd lean to subway in standard , traditional configuration......there's no need to deviate. Grout : just depends ......in the "light" tones there are quite a few options..silvery/ off white/ pure white/ light sand / very light gray...etc. If you have a lot of white trim..as in the window casings and elsewhere maybe more whitish grout......but you can make a case for skinny grout/ hardly noticeable....... glass tiles with thicker or thinner lines ?? either can look good....time to sort that out when the options are before you. I think you have to bring in more tiles at this stage. I dont dislike those older/ more speckly granites ..you just have to work w it.

Have you considered a light taupe? The right shade can marry the countertop to the cabinets and not fight with your beautiful white.

I was thinking light taupe might look good because it’s in the countertops. Then I got worried because I will have dark wood flooring and didn’t know how that would look.

My walls are also white dove if that matters.

Thoughts on backsplash samples?

The color of the large one looks great with your countertop and cabs. The size is more modern with your traditional cabs but would work if you can't find that shade in a smaller size. The middle sample is too dark and doesn't compliment your countertop well. The sample on the right is a bit better than the one next to it but I always advise going simple with hard finishes and adding color and style with temporary things you can swap out like window treatments, artwork, accessories, rugs. Just my 2 cents ;)

far right for sure!!!! I'd be ready to do that one like tomorrow. Need time to figure grout however.

Your pic with the horizontal glass tiles is too busy. Get plain subwaybtile in a lighter gray or brown shade from your granite. Don’t try to match the white of your cabinets; it won’t look right. When you find the right shade of subway tile, use matching grout.

From my monitor, neither of the glass tiles work.

Tile bar has these:

https://www.tilebar.com/manchester-taupe-3x12-ceramic-tile.html Also comes in ivory

https://www.tilebar.com/manchester-hexagon-taupe-4x8-ceramic-tile.html Also comes in ivory

https://www.tilebar.com/sample-portmore-white-4x4-glazed-ceramic-tile.html This square white has multiple shades and might marry all the colors in your granite.

I was worried about the far right looking green. I also wanted to warm up the space some. I wish I did t pick these counters because they are cool dont ya think?

@redryder I like the first two. Should it be that cream color or the dove gray?

Cream is my advice. I’ve been following a color expert for a couple of years and she has really helped with my whole house renovation. She is a huge proponent of classic and timeless hard finishes, and accessorizing with things that are much easier to swap out as your taste and the trends change.

https://mariakillam.com

Online photos may give you ideas, but you must have a large remnant of the counter to take with you to the tile store to see how it actually goes with whatever backsplash you are considering.

@Tara L - I couldn’t figure that out either. Get a sample of both! Tilebar is $5 for 5 samples.

I like the look of a backsplash made of the same material as the countertop. If you can’t get the same stone, a tile that has the same overall tone as the countertop would be my second choice.

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Honestly I don’t like this granite enough to make it my entire backsplash.

This is tough because I looked back and everyone gave me completely different comments 😩🥺

I was also told that the really big cream tile will make the cabinets look dingy. The cabinets are white dove and so are my walls.