I would go with a classic white subway tile. It will never go out of style and always look classy. As for the cabinets, although I do like white kitchens I'm starting to see lots of beautiful kitchens with medium stain cabinets like yours. Have you seen the kitchen by Minnesota designer Todd Hansen in the Jan/Feb 210 Better Homes and Gardens magazine "Kitchen and Bath Ideas"? It is my current dream kitchen. It has white/cream cabinets for uppers and a light/medium wood (similar to your oak) on the bottoms. A few ideas: 1.) leave the bottom cabinets as is but paint the upper cabinets a white/cream color 2.) don't paint any cabinets but put a few glass panel/glass doors on your uppers. Either solution will solve the problem that you don't like all the graining on the oak cabinets. Most people in your kitchen looking at the cabinets are going to notice the uppers more than the lower cabinets. If you change out the uppers you will create the look you want. No matter what, I agree with the other posters that you should wait and see how you feel when your island is painted and your new counters are installed. Be sure to show us the pictures. It is going to look great. You have a very nice space to work with.

Maybe: glass! 12x12 mesh! I think would look great! http://www.duratileusa.com/productslistByModel.aspx?CategoryID=9&selection=10 duratileusa: got to Vistors: once in there: look to the left: PRODUCT CATEGORIES: there is different types of glass: and neat splash ideas! Just my suggestions: good luck!

Boxer.. The house is a spanish ranch with Adobe bricks. The kitchen is currently rustic and will hopefully end up a happy marriage with rustic elements like rough cut exposed beams, wood t&g plank ceiling, and classic elements like large (57" red hood with polished stainless bands). I was originally thinking warm white cabinets. DH still likes that idea.. Now I feel I need some color..so inspired by an earlier post where I got a lot of pale painted cabinet ideas.. I am thinking pale green with yellow tones (as opposed to gray tones). The light in the kitchen is filtered with windows, and french doors and 2 big skylights. see rustic planks and beams on the ceiling the courtyard from the kitchen DH liked the idea of carrera slab as a BS.. I am not sure how cost effective that would be. It would kind of have the mirror opposite look of the soapstone I think.. Creamy with smoky veins Thanks again for inspiring us visually. I am just amazed at how you have organized all this info.. Hosenemesis: I agree about waiting till the counters are on.. but I am not good at the visual elements of the kitchen and really wanted to filter my choices. The tile stores make me feel small and stupid :)

didn't have time to read all the answers. I have no backsplash and have never regretted it...been over 6 yrs. It is painted with BM matte...which has ceramic in it. It is as beautiful now as it was when first painted. I love the fact that I can showcase other things ...art etc in my kitchen and no competition. Also if I ever want to change it is as quick as a paint brush...expense is minimal..paint only ! All in all I think it is serene as you point out . Here is one pick. Since I have a lot of high heat cooking in my kitchen..built in deep fat fryer as well as gas cook top I can definitely speak to the longevity of paint only. c ( more at this album )