Use a standard size off-white porcelain subway tile in a running bond horizontal pattern. If you have a good space above the range change the pattern to a chevron outined with a raised border of the same color tile. Classic timeless & you will never be sorry.

If your kitchen has a modern feel, go for grey glass subway tile in a stacked pattern. It will let your amazing counter be the star, without looking like everyone else's plain white subway.

Thanks for your feedback. This is my first post and I am impressed on how thoughtful everyone is. I'm not a designer....

I had to look up stacked and running board patterns.

Make sure you can get a piece to take with and match. Or if you are willing to wait till its up and the match.

I like motherofgiants suggestion best. Simple glass tile, simple pattern. I don't know how large your kitchen is or size of the backsplash areas, but have you considered a larger subway type tile instead of the standard 2x6 (I think that's standard). Maybe 4x12, either stacked or subway offset. It will lessen grout lines and lessen busy-ness. I like the idea of glass, but also an opaque in a medium complementary tone might work. Small grout lines would look simplest.

I would do black tile to pull out the last black and have black kitchen appliances.

Some ideas, glazed tile are quite night

That's an overpowering granite for a small kitchen. Not sure that it will work with tan floor tiles?

It's easy to be swayed away from what would be the most thoughtful choice and get carried away by a granite that looks amazing.

Definitely no accent tiles with the counters. That would be a mistake.

Do you have any pictures of your kitchen/floors?

FYI

Fyi

I too, vote for black

Can you share a photo of your cabinets and flooring? It would help to get an image of the entire kitchen.

This is similar to the tile I currently have -http://www.lowes.com/pd/American-Olean-Bedford-Meteor-Ceramic-Floor-Tile-Common-12-in-x-24-in-Actual-11-56-in-x-23-37-in/50449810

Before you choose your stone, I would make sure that both the floor tile and cabinet color work with the granite. Could you bring a tile and paint sample to the stone yard and take a picture of them together? Seeing all 3 together will help in the selection process. Good luck!