Keep it simple and clean with a white subway tile.

Thanks I was going with white subway but then lost my nerve thinking it might be too much white!

This is pretty. Tile by "Subway Tile Outlet", "Cloud Glass Glimmer White Tile".

One option:

style is bordering on modern and very eclectic - very light throughout the house in furnishing and natural light

Whatever you do, remember that tile is fairly simple to update over the years. The kitchen looks timeless, but for my taste, a bit drab. White is so great, and clean looking. Just find a color that is consistant with your home and play it out a bit in the kitchen, then accessorize with bottles of cooking oil, flowers, fruits, etc... (cheap and easy to change) whatever speaks of "you". Personalize it and have fun!

Here are some back splash suggestions. I would keep it lighter, but not to light you need some contrast. The contrast could be in texture like the round penny tiles that come in many colors. The last one is a resin panel from 3Form that come in sheet goods to be cut to size. They make for an interesting back plash That can be back lit or add a paint color to wall to change the background color of the panel. Again many styles and colors to chose from.

I like very much the second option wyland suggested and I love her 4th option.

a glass back splash?

I like the second option from Wyland, too

marble small subway works well with white gives a timeless look

Or...white subway tile ;)

I agree with Wyland. Contrast would really make the white pop. I love this custom Ann Sacks backsplash!
But custom=$$ so maybe something like this: they Popham zigzag tiles, and you can get many different colors.

Nothing-keep as is:).

One backsplash suggested by Wyland Interior Design:

Whichever backsplash you decide on, please remove the corian strip on the wall first. Tile backsplashes look so much better going all the way down to the countertop. And I vote either a small subway shape in a solid color, or a penny tile for some texture. I'd try to match the color of either the counter or the cabinetry with the tiles, and grout to match the tiles as well.

The leaves and the dots backsplashes suggested by Wyland Interior Design:

Mirror

Thank you all so much for the suggestions, my computer went on the blink so had to stop last night, you have given me lots to think about - have looked at the Ann Sack tile and glass but $$$ will followup on wyland idea and subway tiles. Thanks again.

I like this backsplash with white on white - this is travertine but you can find porcelain that looks like this
http://houzz.com/photos/514792

when I searched "modern white kitchen" in the photo gallery here on Houzz, it seemed to me that many did not have tile backsplashes. Since you have the small backsplash with your countertop, you may not need more than that. But, you posted this question/discussion because you must be wanting something more or different in that space. So, think about what is really behind your question. Are you looking for texture? Color/contrast? A little or a lot of that? You said that you hesitated on the idea of white subway tile, so is that just because of the color, or because you are thinking that the classic subway tile look does not fit your otherwise modern decorating? Spend more time browsing all the kitchen photos online here, maybe you will see some that really hit home with you.

I agree that white subway tile would be too clinical for your all-white kitchen, and possibly that the proportions of traditional subway tile would mess with your modern aesthetic. I love the idea of that pale mint glass plate backsplash, but you could also get that same color in a glass tile - either really large tiles, or smaller, thinner ones that might work better in your modern design.

Hello, I had a similar dilemma in my previous apartment when we put in a white kitchen. We had a bespoke glass splash back made. Pretty much any specialist glass company can paint the glass any colour. It was pricey but I think the best option, both for visual impact against the white and for practicality. Plus if you want to change the colour, you can just get it stripped and resprayed. Will try and find a pic...

pics... not v great quality sorry. we started off with the shimmery grey above the stove and planned to tile the rest but couldnt find the right tile. so in the end we went with a contrasting pink ("coral" but looks 50s bubblegum pink). I loved it.

this was a corian worktop also. OMG how i loved this kitchen. (Currently living in a 70s nightmare!)

having looked at so many kitchen pictures over the past few days, and now seeing your glass b/splash think I will try and get another quote as would really like to go with the glass for all the above reasons...have you seen a corian backsplash?

Hi cowharry,
My mum has a corian splash back behind her stove only. It looks ok, but I still prefer glass. Hers is a dark colour same as her worktop; it might look nicer in a light colour like yours. Glass is stunning though, glad you liked the pics.

Have you thought about recycled glass for the splashback? It is very unique. www.bottlealleyglass.co.uk/splashback

Very nice kitchen .... I would definitely add color with the backsplash. Pick a color that blends well with your home.

thank you for the nice comment about the kitchen! I have had so many samples of tile stuck on the wall over the past few weeks, and still not made a decision. The sticking point being the countertop - being a "linen colour" with a four inch back which I can't remove as its all in one piece the backsplash needs to "blend" without looking silly - the example you featured with the mushroom glass looks great in the picture but quite drab in reality - yes thats one of the samples! At the moment the leading contender is a small white subway tile (not a bright white) which works with the countertops and cabinets. Rather than using matching grout thought I would use a antique white or linen to show up the actual tile....but still looking!!!

Take your time in deciding, you'll be looking at it for a long while! (Took me a year at least!)

Check out www.nappatile.com. There are a lot of simple designs that would look beautiful. The best part is that they are basically stickers (they come with 3M "Peel & Stick" Adhesive on the back) but have a very strong hold.

Nice suggestions, all. Greys, browns will compliment the cabinetry and wall colors. I like the idea of an accent strip of glass and stone slat tile in the middle of a larger field tile. The second is an idea of just using a field (larger) tile could be. Happy Houzzing.

thanks for the suggestions will check out nappatile.com...back to the drawing board!