I think your kitchen already looks updated. I might just put the hardwood floor all the way through into the kitchen. It would look bigger.

Depends on what type of style you are trying to achieve (Mediterranean, contemporary, etc). Also what are the main colors and styles in the adjacent rooms?

Agree with vjs... If anything I would just go with smaller tiles for the backsplash, And maybe put in some type of accent thing over the stove.

Thank you, we do like more contemporary. As a water leak is making us replace our entire hardwood we thought we could redo the tile floor at the same time to make it more contemporary, then do the backsplash to match. I thought hardwood in the kitchen wasn't a great idea?

Right, and the main colour in the family room next to it is a sage green. Same as the top of the kitchen.

I wouldn't do it in the kitchen, I've had 2 small leaks in the last few years that would have destroyed the floors...and this house was built in 2005. Its just not worth the risk imo, I do like the look but its not worth it to me.

Hi rugby4life!
I really like your cabinetry/counter combination. No matter what kind of flooring you decide to go with, I think the best idea for the backsplash is to keep it light. A tile with an iridescent finish would reflect light really beautifully and brighten up the space, especially with the under cabinet lighting. Something like the color of the stone but in a beautiful glass tile, or maybe a brighter white. A mosaic would also look beautiful, and can be contemporary, too! Below are some images of tiles/mosaics from our site for some inspiration. Good luck with your reno!

Grayish beige (lighter than your current color) travertine with virtually no grout joints would help make it look bigger and more contemporary.