Wow! What a gorgeous space! I would go with the white subway tile with grey grout. You have such a stunning countertop that you want something classic to support it. Stunning!

Thanks! Would you recommend polished subway tile or matte? And why grey grout? I was originally thinking white grout to make it look almost invisible.

Wow! Your kitchen is amazing! I like the subway tile too. And I think polished would be better. It will keep up with the high end feeling going on. Great job!

Beautiful job. I really like the tiles in the 2nd picture-Are they marble and what size are the tiles? But, I think either one of the tiles would look great. If you like the variation, I would choose tiles in the 2nd picture. If not, go with the white subway tile.

This is a counter/kitchen that is screaming for an interesting patterned backsplash to bump it up a notch (it's already really nice). Consider other shapes: herringbone, hexagon, penny tile, etc. or go simple but add lovely mosiac tiles behind the stove. Make your kitchen a bit more unique.

I know this is about back splash, but i wanted to tell you your pendants are hanging too low. raise them up about the length of the glass.

I agree with polished, and I mentioned grey grout because I feel like it looks more industrial, like something you'd see in a restaurant. But white would be nice for the reason you mentioned as well. You've got a good handle on it!

Thanks everyone!

@Maureen, I just grabbed a sample of the mother of pearl hexagon tile and kind of like that look. My concern is having the backsplash detract from the countertop, which I want to be the focus of the kitchen, hence the white subway tile which is kind of inconspicuous. Great suggestion tho!

@ Karen, yes that is marble. I think they are 2"x6" rectangles. I did not like the way they looked because it started to look really busy clashing with the veins in the countertop.

@ flair, nice catch, thanks. I'm getting rid of those anyway thank goodness. I just had them wired him by the builder so it'd be easier when I got the real pendants.

What are people's thoughts about these below subway tiles? The first is a light gray which would kind of match my darker grey floor tiles in the kitchen.

The second has the beveled edge which adds more character i guess. I'm not feeling the bullnoses/quarter rounds at the edges of the splash though =P

Your kitchen looks amazing. We are in the process. However here are two photos of our daughters newly redone kitchen. She went with white subway tiles and white grout. Yours would look great using white tiles with light grey grout. That way no distraction from your counter top. Now you can accent with colour. Enjoy your new kitchen.

I prefer the one without the bevel.

The pale grey subway tiles are great! Sets off the cabinet and countertop and ties in with the flooring. Lovely space!

I like both with your granite. While you are out looking at samples of tiles, consider getting a gray ceramic tile verses a glass tile. I love glass, but I saw a kitchen on houzz that looked very similar to yours and they used a gray ceramic tile-it was absolutely gorgeous. I'll see if I can find the dilemma/discussion and post the picture of their finished kitchen.

With that counter I would go simple no bevel either gray glass or ceramic subway tile but in the large format with grout to match t keep it from looking too busy the one in the pic is a bathroom but gives the idea.

Help! Building a house. Does the island need to be centered with the back wall of cabinets? The back wall had a range good. The island length is 82 inches. Back wall is 108 inches. If island is centered it puts a pendant light on each side of the range hood and looks asymmetrical. But the island then encroaches the dining table area to where it would be tight for someone to get through when someone's sitting at the table on that side. If we push the island down to being even with the back wall cabinets on the right hand side, the island doesn't encroach the table but the island/lights aren't centered with back wall. Please help!

White subway and white grout, as you mentioned, it will be less busy and will keep the counters as the focal point.

@ kummers. Better to start a separate thread rather than inside an existing one. That way you get answers intended for you.

I like the original polished white subway with white grout. But, I probably like the light gray subway a bit better, as long as the gray is really good with the floor gray. Like navy, two grays can clash quite a bit if they're off. So, please be sure to get a sample of the gray to compare to the floor if you decide to go that direction.

I think a darker grout makes white subways look more "industrial". I like shiny and beveled. But here is another look to love too.

No bevel, light grey grout perhaps?

Found the picture on Houzz that I was thinking about. I saved the picture in my ideabook-can't remember the title of the dilemma, but this is the finished kitchen. Thought the choice of tiles with their quartzite or marble (can't remember what they chose) counters came out really nice. The tile was definitely a ceramic tile. Whatever decision you make, it will end up looking fantastic.

Very nice. Love the Carrera. Go a dark gray subway instead. Or take Carrera up the wall.

Grout should always be color of tile or as close as can be. The colored grout look is very dated.

nancy, good point, but what do you think about this below backsplash? grey tile, but white grout. Houzz photo attached. I assume when you say "dated" you mean when the grout does not match the tile.

And to everyone who responded, huge thanks!! Completely changed what I wanted to do originally after hearing everyone's thoughts. I'm going to go with a light grey tile, but add some more interesting stuff right behind the stove, I think they call it a mosaic or something. I'll probably use some white pearl or something like that there.

Thanks for the update. I'd keep your mosaic pretty simple, same color tile, and framed with pencil tile. If those "embellishments" get overdone, you can tire of them really soon.