I like the chocolate one too. A nice contrast against the cabinets. I don't like end caps. We used the metal trim with subway tile. It makes a cleaner, modern look.

Thank you aktillery9. I have to say, this sways me away from the latte mid range one. I know it's not exact but it gives me a great visual! Thank you so much!! I think the chocolate one or one similar maybe in ceramic might do it.

Here is a photo of my Fireclay graveyard. It's dark here. Lights are on. Ucl and overhead pot lights.

I don't expect anyone to examine the fireclay tile, just threw them up to show you what I've tossed around!

Ellendi6161- I would say a yellow undertone, yes. Colour is seashell by kitchen Craft. Creamy.

I like the 5th from the left or the 12th.

#9 or 12 or 13. Is 13 the milkshake one? from the left. Hard to really tell what the colors are in that pic.

I think a deeper tile will give your kitchen some warmth and a more traditional look while a lighter tile will make it more modern, cold and austere.

I know, I just threw the tile up to show you the choices I've tossed around. Don't expect anyone to analyze, there's too many! Relooking though, the last one isn't bad. The dark one. Quail feather. But it's still the US. Price is ok even with the exchange. But think I'm on the right tract thanks to you all!

Yes, tibbrix, #13 is the milkshake one!

Akl, if you need me to do another mock up for you I'd be happy to!!

I prefer the lightest one. I like to see a contrast between the counters and the backsplash.

If you have a small piece of the counter material you could take it along and try to pick up the lightest shade in your counter. Bring the sample home and see how it plays with the rest of the components. I llove a chocolatey brown but you don't want to end up with too much brown.

At the tile store now. Again!

Lol. "Norm!" "Akl!"

My car just veered this way, no control!

Have you checked this site for visuals?

Go with the chocolate. It's a terrific neutral that gives your kitchen some real "zing" and allows you then to play with color in accessories.

Because I'm lazy this morning and don't want to reread everything (I know, bad...) what colour are your walls?

Ok, more samples. I am surprisingly leaning towards one. This could be due to my lack of sleep, too much wine last night, pure insanity from looking at tile.

The one to the left is too light and pinky. The one next to it is brown and there are 2 that are the same. The next one is metallicy. The one next to that is milkshake:)

Ok. Cleaned it up a little.

I like that one on the right, but again ,it's really hard to tell what they're really like from the pics. Can you post actually closeups of each tile you're contemplating?

Will do tib. At the hardware store now. Sigh. These renos are never ending!

This is allumino. Why do i love it?

Oh, the Julian is metallic! I'm changing my vote and going for that. I think it would compliment the hardware beautifully as well as being a wonderful color for the counter and contrast to the white cabs. Seems to have a beautiful sheen to it.

Wow the metallic are really interesting. Maybe I can do a mockup for you.

Not so sure about the metallic. Mmmmm. Someone once posted a suggestion of looking at how the color of the counter "reads" when you step away. We are all looking to match up the counter with the bits of color that we see in the counter. And, yes, one tile can look like an exact match.

But, the overall look will not be the close up, but the view from across the room. If you can see the lighter tones, as well as the dark, I would go with the lighter. It will still be a contrast to your cabinets.

I like Ak's mock up of the brown, but again it doesn't read as a dark chocolate in her mock up.

When I was googling your counter, a suggestion was to go for a tan or sand color. Many of the photos shows the travertine or tumbled which is not a good option.

Yes please aktillery9! That would be awesome.

Tib- I'm kind of reading it as an interesting neutral. It perfectly matches our hardware ( not like it really matters but we'll probably never change them)

Like a stainless but just...more.

"...interesting neutral." Exactly!

I agree ellendi6161- the tan/stone/travertine doesn't do it for the counter. I do understand with what you're saying about picking a colour in the counter and going from there. The counter has a lot of grey and taupe and chocolate, but reading it from afar it reads warm. So I don't want cool(made that mistake once!) but I don't want peachy pink.

I also like the white one. Does either have a name so I can maybe see full pics and put them in your kitchen to see what you might like?

The white one...

http://www.juliantile.com/classica-pictures/2014/11/22/classica-wall-tile

The size and exact color are likely off but might give you an idea. I used the dark metallic tile.

Thank you aktillery! I do like the darker look with the counter. Hmmmm. Great visual! Also, the metallic one is on a 12×12 mesh, so they aren't staggered. Would that be a bad idea?

Not if you like that look. I personally have always liked subway but that is just me.

http://www.juliantile.com/appiani/

They are 2x4 on a sheet.

Pretty rough mock up of straight.

akl, those you sent with the link look greenish gray to me. Is that the right color?

definitely prefer Aktillery's pattern to the way they have it on the sheets.

Hmm, the one that comes up for me is the soft white and the beige.

http://www.juliantile.com/classica

Hmm. Straight looks cuter than I thought! I really appreciate it aktillery!

I didn't think dark was the answer but I really like the metallic, in the running bond pattern of Aktillery's mockup, it seems to lose a lot in the stacked pattern.

Top one.

How about also posting over in Kitchens?

Can you find a metallic ceramic tile that isn't a solid brown? Something with a little brighter bronziness in the glaze? Your counter does read as solid brown so I don't think you want a solid brown back splash.

This is kind of going in the direction of your rustic style in your bedroom. But then your structural elements are contemporary, your cabinets and trim are traditional.... You added wainscoting recently.... Do you know what I'm thinking..... ;)

Yep, for sure I like the darker and the metallic could be rather cool as well. Now with that tile you have two sort of "dramatic" elements in it - the fact that it is dark and the fact that it is metallic.

With the fact that your kitchen is quite open and it doesn't look like there would be that much backsplash I would go for it.

Love the metallic.

I know mayflowers!! But this tile isn't brown. It's just aluminum coloured/graphite like. And we didn't do wainscotting. We'll just drywall the powderroom. Boy you have a good memory!

I agree I think now. A solid brown would not be cool. Too much. Thank you for helping me!

Ok, I think my flash in the pan allumino will be too dark. Milkshake for the win!

The cream would also look good, but my sink is white cast iron, so when I look at the 2 next to each other it would drive me nuts as they are different.

Must feel good to have made a decision. It's a good one, IMO.

Nice choice akl!

nice choice! I am going thru the same thing right now trying to pick a backsplash for my kitchen: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3420922/need-help-with-backsplash?n=30 I will be glad when I finally have a selection. Can't wait to yours finsihed!