I vote for the lighter tile as a transition between your white cabinets and dark counter surface. I think we need to see your floor and ceiling though to get the big picture. Can you do a red/black brick veneer as backsplash or will that clash with your decor? How much area are you doing? Can it wait a while so you can finish everything else and do this last?

I love the lighter one. IMHO the darker one looks muddy and doesn't accentuate your countertop.

I vote for the lighter tile as well, it is lovely and ties everything together well.

I vote for the lighter one. Very soothing the thinner, horizontal tile layout and pale blue/greens. Also, the edges are much cleaner than the more rough square tiles. We have something similar in our backsplash.

I'd be worried about the dark tiles - they may lose their "mysterious" appeal to you after 6 months. I'd stay away from those darker tiles.

-dh of gracesantacruz

The lighter one would be gorgeous. It compliments everything.

Lighter for sure!

I like the lighter one best. However I can see why you also like the darker one. I saw pewter on oceanside's website and it is beautiful. I would definately look at it and mabey moonstruck if you are still unsure and perhaps still concidering a darker backsplash.

Happy New Year!!!

I like the lighter one better but I'd like to see a pic that pulls back further and shows more of your kitchen. What other colors and elements are you going to use?

Another vote for lighter.

I like the lighter one too..but think you should consider it in the same (1x1 square?) pattern as the dark sexy tile. I am personally liking those dimensions better than the long linear tiles. But maybe it would help to get an overall view of your entire kitchen. I looked at the pewter on the website and think it would give you the same dark feel that you don't like. Oceanside tiles are beautiful.

Not knowing the other colors of your kitchen, I would go with the lighter one, but I dont like the shape of them, I would prefer a 4x4, the small tiles are too much and there would be too much grout.

I should point out that when there's a choice between lighter or darker here, people overwhelmingly choose lighter. This may--or may not--be an artifact of looking at it on a screen. Maybe people just like lighter backsplashes better. Just be aware that there does seem to be a bias.

Two questions: Do you think a different grout color might make the dark, mysterious tiles look better? Maybe something like straw color? (Did it say anything about grout color in the tile instructions?) Second, if they're iridescent tiles they're going to reflect a lot of purple. That's just the way it is. Is that part of what you're not liking?

I like the way the dark looks in the second picture, though in the first picture it does look muddy. Considering your location and your light cabinets, I think your kitchen can handle the dark, and it's beautiful.

Is the grout completely dry? It takes a week to look dry and even longer to settle down 100%.

I vote for not abandoning the dark until you're completely sure you won't be able to get the look you really want with it.

I think the lighter tile would look gorgeous, especially considering your location. The colors seem (at least on my monitor) very ocean-inspired.

LOVE the lighter!! Such calming colors...

I think the lighter tile would be beautiful in your kitchen. Can you tell me what it is? I love it.
Thanks!
Kitty

I'm not crazy about either-- the blue is too cliche beachy, and the darker tile looks muddy. I'd like to see the pewter.

Thank you so much everyone :)

kitty car, the lighter one is from Oceanside Tile, Muse Collection, Style Prose, in a blend of 33% clear iridescent, 33% clear non iridescent and 34% clear matte :)

Piaa

ps: the color is "clear"

Love dark and mysterious usually but am definitely voting for the lighter one. Anything by Oceanside is a great choice in my opinion. Love everything they do!

Hi Piaa, greetings from -1 wind chill here....ugh.

I like the lighter tile. I was looking at their blend, "veil", when I started my search. I like the small squares too--they have 1" and facets, 1/2".

Wish I was there to help you choose in person! Hey, I'm taking my dd to airport in the morning for a flight to Florida...maybe I should just hop on a plane myself! See you around noon! Oh I wish....

Greetings from +85 here (don't hate me - it actually got "cold" here when it reached +74 and I had to put a down blanket on the bed)

Come on down beekeeperswife - the condition is that you would have to bring a few cabinet handles with you :)

Piaa

I don't think I like either of them. Do you have a sample of the pewter?

I like the lighter one. It is beautiful!

But I wonder if the color may be too much on all your whole kitchen backsplash. It is beautiful but it is a lot of beachy green color. If you get tired of it, it isn't something that is easy to change. What about finding a similar tile with a little bit more neutral coloring? But if you LOVE it - then go for it!

Here is a link that might be useful: muted glass backsplash

nevermind my post above. Looking at your tile again I think it is more muted than the one I picked. your choice is very calming.

I think I would like to see the pewter and maybe a picture of your floor and island, if you have one, to get a complete sense of the room.

Obviously we are still under construction (lol) so don't judge by the mess, but in this picture you can see a small section of the floor (it's all through the house) - no island as the kitchen is very small.

Piaa

I still think you should give the darker or one similar a chance...

OT but OK - I'm watching House Hunters - they're shopping on St. John... So beautiful. I'll be on the next plane with Beekeeperswife. It's so cold and windy here in Mass. today. Seriously, St. John is on my short list for a vaca. I'll have to bug you for suggestions sometime.

I've removed all my knobs and pulls from my cabinets, tossed them in a carry on. Hope you like them, be there soon.

When at the airport today I heard them calling a flight to Aruba, but soon I was back out in the 50mph winds......sigh

Anyway, the lighter might go better with the gray paint. Try them next to the gray and see how they work. This makes me think "pewter" might be nice.

oops, forgot the suntan lotion.....

I like the lighter the best. Pantone says turquoise is the color for 2010. But it was already my favorite color.

Thanks for the information about your tile selection.
I took a look at their website, and I found some possible tiles for my kitchen backsplash.

Oh, I also prefer the lighter tile. It's hard to tell from the picture, but it look like the pink/peachy color would blend with your floor.

I like both, and I'm trying to envision one behind the cooktop and the other as the remaining backsplash. Have you tried either sample behind the cooktop? Or perhaps the pewter behind your cooktop? Maybe your kitchen is too small for two different splashes, just wanted to share the idea.

Leaning toward the darker one, but would also like to see the pewter.

No surprise here. I also like the lighter one better.

Don't be afraid of the dark ;-)...

To me, the dark, sexy tile takes your kitchen a little bit 'into the wild jungle' while the light tile definitely says 'tropic beach'.

To make the dark tile work though, you'll need a much darker grout. Think coffee grounds...

A few people have said they like the lighter color, but prefer the square tile shape. You have two issues here: color and material, specifically tile proportion.

The long linear tiles strike me as something that's trendy right now. Very 2009/2010. You see them a lot with Euro style kitchens. I'm not sure they work as well with the classic style you have here in your cabinets and floor tile.

As for color, my own first reaction was the neutral of the darker tiles, or perhaps something lighter but still neutral. And then I reread your post and realized you're in the Caribbean, and I'm in New England. Color ain't bad in the Caribbean! But colors depend so much on place, light, tradition. Do you want this to look like the mainland? Or when you are in the kitchen, do you want to KNOW that you're in the islands?

I suggest you do more research. Look at local magazines. Look at books on 'Caribbean style.' Go on house tours if you can find them. Look at real estate ads, or attend open houses if they have them. Check out what traditional Caribbean treatments might have been. Don't use the mainland US as your reference. Take your time. Maybe don't make the decision right away...paint the wall some version of, say, the lighter tile, and live with it for a while. Otherwise, whatever you do now, I bet your answer would be different a year from now.

My first reaction was to say the light backsplash. But then I thought, let me photoshop both backsplashes and see if the dark one speaks to me. Then I saw the floor. I then had to pick neither one. I like the light backsplash. But not with your floor. I'd like to see some of the terra cotta color which I don't think is in the light backsplash. But here are the pictures of the backsplashes to sorta see how they would look. (I selected the lightest part of the iridescent dark one since I think it would reflect a lot of light if it was really in place.) It also looks busier than it would in real life because I used a smaller sample of the tile.

Here is a link that might be useful: piaa backsplashes

piaa, I love the dark backsplash in the lower picture. It looks less muddy and very pretty. Do you like it with your floor? It is very hard to envision it all together, especially in your caribbean environment. I'd love to help, but I think I'd have to see it in person to be sure. Prill and Beeperswife, I'm ready. Let's go!!

I like the lighter tile but after seeing your floor, I think Fire and Ice tiles would go so nicely and look stunning.

Wow Corgimum that is amazing - thank you sooo much for doing that :)

OK, I want to thank everyone for ALL of your ideas and suggestions - there are just toooooo many options.

I now like the lighter one but in the "normal" 1 inch straight edge design, as the dark one is just toooo iridescent for me, but I also came up with the idea of buying a sample sheet of the darker tile but doing a blend of iridescent, non iridescent and matte to see if that makes a difference along with looking at the pewter when I am Stateside next week. I could also blend the pewter with shadow non iridescent and shadow matte (as the pewter only comes iridescent) and see what that looks like, oh along with ordering a blend of the lighter one but in the 1" square straight edge as that is alot cheaper and might not "date" as fast as the "strips" - hope you could follow all of that (lol)

All I know is that if I keep ordering and buying sample sheets, I'll have enough to actually tile the whole kitchen anyway so problem will be solved - now won't that be funky looking...........humm I feel a new trend being set here :)

Thanks again

Piaa

Go to HGTV.com Dream Home Kitchen 2010. They have a nice backsplash that incorporates both choices.

Piaa,
I like the color of the lighter one, but maybe you could find a style that's less modern (might go better with the terracotta floor) -- maybe a 3 x6 frosted aqua green/blue glass brick? Or one of the rixi aqua/blue color porcelain/ceramic bricks? If it has the "pillow" effect on the edges, that would tie in with the saltillo on the floor? Just a suggestion. I am currently searching for a backsplash too so feel your pain.......

I like kitchenconfidential2's idea of a backsplash that incorporates with the brightness of the turquoise and the warmth of the other backsplash. I didn't realize your floors were terra cotta.
The example below may not be an exact match of watch you are looking for but it is bright, modern and warm at the same time. This one may be a little busy for your taste.

Here is a link that might be useful: glass and travertine mosaic

The lighter one. I really like it when houses fit into their environment and the light tile is great with your location and view. If you lived in Kansas or Connecticut or New Mexico, I'd probably choose something else-but probably something different for each of those locales, too.

Doesn't bother me that the floor is terra cotta, either. In hot climates, I think of that as being ubiquitous. Not unlike the red oak floor of the North which doesn't dictate a style or time period.

Greetings from balmy Minneapolis - that's right I am in Minneapolis for a few days and experiencing a 90 degree temperature change (lol)

Thank you all for your continuing thoughts - I know the flooring is a bit "colorful" (it probably would not have been my first choice but were not going to change it) but in the USVI that floor is actually the number one used tile and is considered neutral but I agree if I could tie it together and still keep my colors that would work great

Please feel free to keep the ideas coming and I am off to Kansas City on Tuesday and will stop in at a tile store and pick up more samples so thanks again for your ideas I will look at your suggestions then :)

Piaa

ps: forgive any typos as I am on my iPhone

If it helps, I just saw a kitchen on the KitchenAid website gallery that reminded me of yours. It's the South Beach kitchen and it has pale aqua tinted backsplash that picks op the color of the water out the window. Thought you'd might want to check it out.