yeah - I think you have a god solid start - let's get you some BS bling / fun stuff!

Your countertop has so many colors and is rather busy. Therefore you do not want a busy backsplash. Maybe even an ivory subway would work. Something that would add texture, but not another busy element. Or maybe a tannish mini brick.

I would work with the warm tones of your cabinets. How about this Fireclay nutmeg?

Our tile budget is just the least we can get away with. :-) We paid about $1000 for the countertops; maybe $4-500 for the new sink, faucet, and inksinkerator--and we had hoped to keep this whole project around $2000.

I definitely want something simple. I had originally contemplated an almond/ivory tile in a herringbone design (when we had contemplated getting granite, I was going for a crema marfil backsplash as I think it was called), but the Home Depot kitchen designer hated ivory with it. Now it's not like I think this young woman has the greatest taste--and HD had a limited supply of things.

Again, not trusting them to have the greatest taste, but the plumber and installer guy both thought it needed something darker than that beige porcelain I had chosen.

I'll tell you right now I don't like little blocks, glass blocks, lines, etc. Not crazy about tumbled stoned as it looks so passe. But wondering if a stone look is what I should go for.

I'll start looking at pictures and await your suggestions. But I have to say I'm absolutely tickled pink with the countertops. Wish we hadn't waited so long and been swayed by others who kept trying to talk us out of laminate.

Gee, I looked at some old posts of mine where I was contemplating granite, and found that I had posted this photo. Don't know where I got it--may have been when we visited some kitchen design centers. But I actually think this backsplash looks pretty good and might work with our counters. Just wish I could tell the true color of it better.

Only problem I foresee is that we've got 4 edges that will have to be taken care of somehow. Don't know how they can finish those off. Just plain rectangles?

I'm going to have to go to a tile place rather than Home Depot to find tiles like these. I've now got the sink cut-out piece I can take with me and can take off a door front of a cabinet.

That's very much like the crema marfil I was going for with granite. Good to know we can get it at Lowes.

Train your eye to notice pink tones and avoid them. Many tiles that mimic stone have pink/peachy tones. Crema marfil is pink. Look for a creamy 4" ceramic tile and use it on the diagonal. Often the first row is laid straight like A2gemini's.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2703935/final-kitchen-reveal-thank-you-gwlots-of-pictures

Here are two options from manufacturer Adex. I found these on the Tiles Direct web site. The square tile in Stone is $8.16/SF. The beveled subway tile in Sand is $11.04/sf.

those above from Adex look good.

I was going to go with an off-white/almond color, but the HD Designer (and I do use that term loosely) said she absolutely HATED the almond tile with it. And then there was the plumber and counter guy--also not designers--saying darker would be better. But we're surprised at how much darker our kitchen is with these dark countertops. We hated the old light gray, but I guess it kept it lighter. I kind of hate to make things any darker with a dark backsplash. (Although we will be getting some undercabinet lighting--that's a whole new subject I have never looked into before--do I research it here in kitchens or go to something related to electrical?)

So what I'm getting at is that I do like that Sand tile above. Thanks for the help!

I'm happy to help. You know, you can go lighter, as long as you find the right hue... I'll keep my eyes peeled if you like.

Don't go darker! you are absolutely right, the counter has enough darkness for the room. I don't even think that I would like the gray-ish tiles posted above. On my screen the counter looks like it has some pink tones, so yes try to avoid emphasizing that (unless you like it!). I think a simple ivory would be good -- a little yellow or creamy, just not too much yellow nor too light and bright of a white. Or maybe a (very) slightly greenish undertone.

Raee, you mentioned "a little yellow or creamy" and that brings me to the decision I now have to make about undercabinet lighting. I'm thinking of this stuff http://www.homedepot.com/p/Armacost-Lighting-12-ft-LED-Warm-White-Tape-Light-RF3528060-12WWD/203227243#customer_reviews that will give a warm-white tone--I guess more like an incandescent light bulb. I'm not fond of bright white lights, but I don't exactly want a yellow-looking kitchen. Think these strips will be okay?

My husband has the day off tomorrow, so we're hoping to go look at tile, lugging the cutout from the sink and a cabinet door.