I'm a little confused by your post, you don't make it clear exactly what material you want to use. But I'll say this, mixing a faux marble quartz (which will look stunning BTW) with real marble won't look great. I wouldn't do any metal backsplash, you have enough metallic with the SS appliances already.

So my suggestions are

-A simple subway tile (no marble) in a plain color. Can be white, or blue. Can be glass or a fireclay. You could do herringbone but you don't have a ton of space so it might not work as well.

-Or, use the same quartz as the countertop for the backsplash all over.

(Also, once you have the new cabinets in adding some hardware will help complete the look!)

I was going to say white so the uppers blend in with the backsplash. You can also do something totally different that reflects your style more.

Here is the insp pic with white backsplash. Please remember no 4 inch backsplash in the counter material. It breaks up the look. I do like how the white cabinets and backsplash dissappear in a smaller kitchen

The other alternative is going very personal and bold with the backsplash. See insp pic below

Hi Marc-

Kudos to you for braving an update.

Since your kitchen is so small, painting the upper and lower cabinets a different color breaks up the space in a way that will make the kitchen look smaller.

If you do an online search for "tiny condo kitchen" you will see that the uppers and lowers are painted the same color.

For a backsplash, on the kitchen wall and on the back of the pony wall I suggest using the same material as you use for the counter and on top of the pony wall.

Using the same material throughout stretches the space and makes it appear larger to the eye.

If you are going to use the marble-look alike quartz, then go with that.

Another option is Corian which comes in so many colors and styles, including a marble look-alike, and in many ways is so much more durable than quartz, and is more reparable, and the manufacturer, DuPont stands behind it.

You could get Corian Rain Cloud that looks like marble with either white or grey cabinets, or you get get Corian Arctic White with grey cabinets. Do keep in mind that most men (like you) will have black small kitchen appliances, so I would not go too dark with the grey color paint.

What would look marvelous would be to extend the Corian or quartz, which ever you get, all on the back wall of the kitchen. This would be a unifying feature, and would protect the wall behind the stove, without breaking up the space, and since you have such a small kitchen, it would not be exorbitantly expensive for you.

The wall piece doesn't need to be thick like the counter piece, so that might save you some money.

I would not use stainless, that is too much shine and glare, and is dark.

Subway tile has grout, grout, grout. When you use it as a backs plash so close to your stove top, guess what will happen when your pasta sauce spurts on the white grout?

Your friend comes over and his bright red beet borscht bubbles onto the white grout?

Why not check out some of the threads here to see what Joe Corlett, a professional and frequent commenter on Houzz has said about Corian or better yet, invite him into this thread.

And when you get your new counters, get two huge square wooden cutting boards with rubber feet for either side of the stove, so no one will be tempted to put a hot pot on your new counter.

Thanks all. I've been getting quotes and realize that I may need to look at other materials & design ideas. I do appreciate what advice you all have bestowed upon me.
I'm now learning towards a white subway tile. I like the really smooth ones and if I get rectified or glass ones, I can have them "kiss-fit" to minimize grout lines (and add an additive so its not so porous).
I'm thinking one (or both) of the Lazy Susans in the lower corners are going to have to be a blind cabinet :(, but I'd like an L-shaped 14" deep shelf in it to make getting things easier. The lazy Susan also forces me to lose a drawer, and requires a narrow cabinet to the left of the stove so the cabinets on either side of the stove won't look "balanced".
Now for a shocker - I'm thinking of a bright orange glass panel backsplash behind just the stove. It minimizes grout there, and its easy to clean. Also - While not everyone's taste, I think a realtor could suggest that a different color or a supply of the white tiles leftover can be an easy fix.
I may look at other countertop design/materials. I'd like a solid surface, but want a clean, minimal pattern. Any brands/style come to mind?

Thanks Beth! I agree on the subway tile, but a solid surface on the back would be expensive (as would the waterfall sides). For counters, I didn't like most of the speckled quartz I saw, and originally wanted the bar top to be in an opposite color spectrum (i.e. carrera marble on counter/Soapstone on the bar top). Those off-shades you chose are interesting, but wanted a lighter look. I'm still thinking a med-to light gray for base cabinets, and worried about the grays not in the same family or just too much grey.

and If I watch any design shows and hear the words "a pop of color" I'm going to throat punch someone.

lmao. thank you! pop of color and ,,,wait for it,,,'open concept'. I swear, I just cringe when I watch shows because I know it's coming.

Is granite or quartzite out? Here's a darker gray cab w/River White granite.

lighter gray and white (this is more of a gray washed oak)

You may want to consider a navy and white. Blue is the new gray, and would compliment the cork tones better.

or, for your kitchen w/a more modern look, I'd do a slab walnut or similar wood

wood tones are coming back into favor while gray is waning. This walnut would look so sexy, especially w/your orange back painted glass, and set off the cork flooring beautifully. Just sayin'.

instead of soapstone, look at a leathered or honed black granite like Virginia Mist. it's very 'manly'.

soapstone is expensive, compared to the others, and finding that small amount, w/out buying an entire slab, may be difficult.

what if you did your countertop but did the bar in a butcher block ( like that walnut, above) or even a live edge piece ?

Or when they step out onto a outside balcony from a bedroom and squeal " Ohh, We can have our coffee out here." Pa-leeez, no one is having no cuppa joe in their robe, with chenille ball impressions on half your face, and wicked bed head for all the neighbor to see. It ain't happening toots!

I like the blue! #2 looks very grey & 3 looks a bit dark, but what you've shown me is fantastic and yes - sparks more ideas! Blue is another (minor) accent color in the place. (yeah, art school finally paid off, I can coordinate colors!)

The drawback with the bartop is its such an odd shape/size. From what I've heard - it'll take 2 slabs for the counters alone (roughly 40-45 SF). I'm afraid the choices on a remnant for the bartop maybe slim pick'ins. I actually pondered briefly using a 1/2" glass set on steel risers, but that may be cost prohibitive (and a bit too Office Depot-like).