Carrara Marble would look really nice against the black granite, white cabinets and blue gray walls.

since you don't have a lot of back splash, why not give it a hint of color with glass tiles. Pick one with the blue from your living room, grey, soft white, hints of black or brown and maybe a hint of one brighter color. It would be like a sparkle of jewellery for your beautiful kitchen.

Thank you for your suggestion. I like the idea of adding a little sparkle.

maybe stainless. I have also seen a clear plate glass used before.....get it custom ordered to size.

But I personally like a carrera marble...it carries that grey that will blend in with the surroundings.

jazz up subway tile by stacking them instead of running bond. i like the glass tile also, easy to find it at home centers. love your kitchen

How about just a bit of glass tile? Not too much Bling just enough. Pair it with the subway tiles or even the marble tiles. Pretty kitchen!!

If you don't wnt aboring how about an irredescent or pearl glass tile? ndiv>Traditional Kitchen design by Boston Architect

Glass subway tile in a soft solid color

not big on colors also but felt the need to add a lil pop of color. recently just reno'd my kitch also. there are muted subways u can also go w/ like a light gray, muted sage green and light blue/gray. all still very neutral.

I love the idea of using Carrara marble tiles for your backsplash. You could get them in a polished finish to add some shine. If you prefer glass, then I would go with glass subway tiles. You could do a soft grey or a very subtle light blue.

I agree with the others, my first thought was you need shine... Glass or metal would look nice. I would avoid color and go for monochromatic with emphasis on sheen & texture. This way you will not have to work around blue tiles should you decide to shift your paint in the future. Good luck, lovely place!

This is what I am using....I love this tile as an alternative to the basic subway tile....gives depth, character and texture...but simple in color and design.... If they get to 5000 likes on fb it goes on sale for $12.95!! http://www.missionstonetile.com/collection/199-Beveled-Arabesque-Glazed-Ceramic-Tile

A mirrored backsplash would look great with the color scheme you have going. It really adds so much to a kitchen. I have seen this done in friends homes and it is stunning.

White subway tile with gray grout, or Carrera marble subway tile with gray grout. They would be PERFECT in your kitchen, I love it by the way!! That's the same style I would do in mine :)

Glass subway tile in clear white or a dove gray would be the perfect complement to this kitchen-it would add some sparkle and light which is needed

how about using the same granit.......

I'd suggest either of the two subway tile backsplashes that I'm posting for your kitchen. I think both the noir and pearl would work well with the current color scheme of your kitchen. I like the noir for tying in your cork flooring. I like the pearl for the white cabinetry and blue/grey walls.

You can see more backsplash selections here for your kitchen- http://www.granitetransformations.com/southjersey/products/mosaic-tiles/colors/subway/

Good luck on your selection. Let me know if I can help any further.

Try this, will work great - http://tiledaily.com/2011/11/19/small-brick-iridescent-glass-mosaic-grey/
Example - http://tiledaily.com/2012/08/08/featured-kitchen-san-dimas-ca/

So many of us worry about our choices working for resale. Unless we plan to move in 5 years, why not go with what we love and let the next buyer do what they want? I personally find the just-built-painter's-creamy-white not at all inviting! Haven't seen a mirrored backsplash; sounds very interesting! How do you like the cork floor? Stains or dog-nail problems? A collection of baskets and pottery would also resonate with cork.

The kitchen in my old house looked exactly like yours (colours, cabinets, everything!) and we got the mirrored backsplash with a slight tint ... It looked perfect!!! I was so happy with it.

I've had stainless steel before that I really loved! You can also get metal tile:
http://www.roadsidescholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/shakudo_mosaic_silverblack_1x1.jpg

Thank you for the suggestions. It is great to hear all the feedback. You have definitely made the decision a lot easier.
As for the cork flooring it is pretty durable but I do not have children or pets. The one nice thing I like is the warmth; I hated how cold the tile was.

Love your kitchen. Maybe for a finishing touch you could add crown moulding that matches the cabinets to the bulkhead. I did that in my kitchen and I am happy with the results.

You could go with a chess board pattern in black and white.
Or you could go with an intricate black pattern on a white tile. The black patterning could be as elaborate as scroll work or simple as a tribal tattoo pattern.
You could also incorporate a black and white graduated effect by having the tiles start out white at the top of the area and gradually get darker (darkening grey pallet) until it reaches your black granite counters.

A multi colored mosaic backsplash would look great. 3 colors: Black, Gray & White.
Your appliances are stainless steel/gray. I've seen a pattern thats darker(more black) at the bottom, medium colored in the middle(more gray) & lighter at the top(more white) with no definite pattern.

Great black and white kitchen, (I like that you didn't feel the need for a 4" black backsplash) but overall a little timid, especially with the matching grey on grey living room.
You need a spot of color somewhere.

There are great tiles in the men's room of Film Forum in NYC. 1" tiles, vertical black and white stripes with a random red tile. (one or two together in 150 tiles maybe) The vertical stripes would add height in what seems a not so large kitchen.
Or if you want to stay safe there are great brushed aluminum tiles, which will match the stainless appliences and add some sparkle,

I have a backsplash in my current kitchen made of used zinc printer's plates, free from a local printer. Score them, and snap on the knife line, for an even cut. Stick to the wall with liquid nails. beautiful soft grey with a sort of aqua in the reversed images.
In my soon to be new kitchen I'm thinking about custom cut plate glass with holes in the corners, held in place with nickle decorative screw head covers. They can be unscrewed to repaint the wall or the back of the glass, & change color. You have to make a 1/4" plywood template so they can be fabricated to fit around electrical outlets.
Everybody and their brother is using translucent glass tiles now, which will end up looking as dated as a Harvest Gold refrigerator in maybe five years.

I think white mother of pearl mosaic will be suitable!

What about a quarzstone backsplash white with sparkle CAESARSTONE # 7141.
Or SILESTONE Stellar Snow, or COMPAC Lactea.
Caesarstone has even a Visualizer where you can see how the colors are fit together http://www.caesarstoneus.com/vis/.
Easier to clean since there are no joints.

Please proofread before putting anything on the internet. OUR walls are a light blue... not ARE walls are a light blue...

OMG! A typo on the internet! If you don't encounter about 100 of these a day, klaspkm, you lead a charmed life.

Amen feeny! I was just reeling over how rude and unnecessary this comment was.

I really like the second picture in the first post - the one that says shannon cabinetry. I think that would be perfect with your nice kitchen.

hmmmm... i have been thinking again on this.... and I honestly just love your kitchen the way it is. If you need a backsplash you should try to go as close to making it disappear as possible. keeping in the same tones as your paint. which, by the way, would be super easy to go with a new wall color in the future as you have such a nice neutral grey now.

I would be careful using a white subway if you had been considering it as it looks like your cabinets are a slight shade of off white and if your 2 whites werent exact it would look terrible.

I even think mabe find a porcelain that is a shade of your wall color and if that still needs sparkle run a skinny strip of stainless mosaic through it. I think that would look sharp.

go shopping and bring home lots of samples!

I love white subway. Maybe boring, but classic and you'll never tire of it. Dress it up with a colored vase and flowers to suit the mood

natural white shell mosaic...very pretty

Check out Carrera Marble mosaic or subway tiles - they'll pick up both the gray and the cloud white, and look fabulous with Absolute Black. White subway tiles are also just beautiful with Absolute Black granite - a very classic look, and then you can jazz it up with wall colors, etc. (Example of Absolute Black with white subway tiles attached.

All good suggestions. I definitely love subway tile for your look, whether you go with colored glass tile, Carrera or pain white depends on your own gut feel. All those choices will look fantastic

some mother of pearl mosaic for your reference.. natural and suitable looking~

Maybe a stacked stone. Either a lighter, honed finish, or darker (black or gray) to match your black counters.

You can use Calacatta Chiara Basketweave Marble Mosaic ina polished finish for your backsplash.

One thing to think about is transitions. I think it is easy to come up with a color, a texture, a pattern, but what is more important is how does the thickness express itself and where? You have a range of conditions here with your low trimmed-out opening, and then higher areas under cabinets, and skinny slivers of wall on edges of cabinets. For the usual back splash, I have seen many badly treated transitions where these conditions aren't considered thoughtfully enough. That said, I would be inclined to go with a solid surface, very thin stainless steel material, or maybe a vinyl wallpaper. That way, you minimize the complications around height variations and edges showing. Either would achieve the same protection as tile and would be easy to clean. While very pretty, I would be against the idea of mirror just knowing how often I would have to break out the windex from any kind of over splash, fingerprints, etc.