The cabinets, upper and lower, should match. The appliances should be in the same material and finish. Then you can consider counter material. I don’t think you have enough space for a mural, but muted decorative tile may give your kitchen a bit of personality. If there is a small tile mural you want, perhaps it could be framed and hung as art on a wall, if you have one.

looks above okay. There are general rules and there is taste. I wish they wouldn’t be conflated and used as a cudgel.

1- There are articles on Houzz about cabinets not matching. Your uppers and lowers are tonally similar in the photo, so it may seem accidental to some. Use your judgement since reality looks different than screen. I’d probably pick uppers or lowers to paint/refinish but not both sets because I like working around quirks vs beating things into submission. I’m less a concrete vision person and more liking to be constrained with the nature of the house.

2- If you want a small mural over the sink, I think you could do it. I’d personally look for some thing the same color/glaze as the rest of the backsplash (keep it simple - probably a cream), have edging put on, and it would be a carved piece rather than a detailed mosaic or painted one. That or if it’s the detailing you like and you meant mosaic tile than there are way more options. But it would be in muted palate - that or the entire backsplash is the mural. It can be done for a price.

Before people just rip things apart in an effort to improve, I think you need to impose some order. Budget, styles you like, and your goal. People give different advice for resale etc.

Pictures are examples, not indicative of style or color samples you should get.

Here is the one the OP specified:

https://www.amazon.com/Southwest-Tile-Backsplash-Ceramic-Fetish/dp/B01M7XGF5I

Evidently the image can be printed on 6 inch tiles to make the entire panel 24x30 inches OR on the smaller format tile (4.25 inches) for a panel that is 17x21.25 inches (and costs about half the price). For visual consistency, it seems like the surrounding tiles should be the same size format as the ones in the mural (as well as the same thickness as Jan mentioned).

If I wanted to incorporate this tile mural in my kitchen, I would try to go back to the vendors/ creators to see if they have any images of the mural actually installed somewhere to visualize it better and help decide how to proceed with the project -- surrounding tiles, etc. I would also cut a piece of paper the size of the two versions and hold it up in place to visualize how the image would fit.

HOWEVER, in looking up the artist I just found that a very similar mural she created called Casa Grande Pot is available in a format called "wall peel" which would only cost $36 for the 24x30 inch size, so maybe the Zuni Pot image would be also:

https://www.greatbigcanvas.com/view/casa-grande-pot,2437533/?product=14&s=julOk109GDZfZBOu3hz0McA1uBR0kmsExqDuGIWWPEOzYQKBFXGZpKb8t1mK

Assuming the wall peel would be reasonably durable in a water splashing area, I would be SERIOUSLY tempted to go that route, partly for the pure economy and partly for the easy-to-change-it-later thing.

Sorry but your kitchen IMO can’t handle a mural I like the idea of the tiles mounted in a frame and hung if you insist on it but on a different wall where you can appreciate it. In this small space the simpler the better the cabinets look the same to me I think it is just the lighting is the DW still covered in the plastic it comes with if not get a stainless one . A nice backsplash is fine but you need to remove the 4” piece

It would be more cost-effective to just hang art over your sink. That doesn't work behind a range because of the heat and fire risk, but behind the sink it should be fine. Because of the risk of splashing I wouldn't do original artwork, and I'd probably do something under glass, but I wouldn't really expect any issues.

If the mural is smaller than the width of the space it would look out of place because of the valance, sort of like an afterthought. If it were the width of the opening it would look too big. I don't think a mural is the best option for your space. As was suggested above, I think a better option might be to hang a piece of art, which is less permanent, before you commit to a tiled mural. Also, I don't think the style of the mural you selected is complementary.

You have a backsplash. It is OK to just paint the rest of the wall under the cabinets.

Consider hanging something reflective behind the sink (after removing the valance piece).
Perhaps a fake window using a mirror,

or a mirror with a mosaic frame if you'd like some tiles,

or an art mirror.

A window frame, with glass, and a nice landscape scene behind it on the wall: a kitchen window with a “view”. If I was doing it, I would fit the back of the window with a top-open slot and alternate the view according to the season. Who wants to look at herself over the sink?

Hi Dee,

I think your kitchen looks very nice just the way it is. I see your little pet dishes there. :) I would suggest an approximate 30 inch tile mural or smaller of your choosing. I see the post from seregiel and the combination of the raised relief tiles from Etsy and some of the song bird tiles that I make. The picture is from a client that had a designer help her with her tile inlay. This is just a little encouragement from me to do whatever you like the best for your kitchen, because that is what will make you happy. Thank you and good luck. Deb

all it needs is a contrast white tile. herringbone pattern or hex or something is okay. the issue is so much brown. so go light w color and a pattern is optional, but mural is too fussy .You have a tailored look. So the white inserted is all you need. you'll be surprised with the look of a rich white subway tile...but if you want something, then herringbone or the like.

I would do a inlay with an Amalfi pattern against the Firenze Carrara with white grout.

https://www.tileshop.com/inspiration/customer-room-gallery#opi3348584914

FLASH! I just found that the image the OP wanted for her mural is also available as a SINGLE TILE!

see: https://www.artworkontile.com/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=AOT&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RW-MJA018ATCS

It comes in two sizes. The same vendor features other works in the same vein by the same artist (Maxine), such as this one that features a kachina:

https://www.artworkontile.com/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=AOT&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RW-MJA017ATCS .

If the OP really likes this artist's style, one very easy, economical, and fun option would be to skip the expense of tiling the entire backsplash and buy three of the tiles with Maxine's image and hang them on the drywall over the sink. That could look really smashing! Three of the larger format tiles (8x10") would fit across the space and would run around $100, plus shipping. This is significantly less than the multi-tile mural, even without the labor.

I must admit that I really like the idea of the herringbone tile backsplash suggested earlier, and I suppose the single tiles could be attached to a tiled surface after it's completed, but it would be more difficult than hanging them on the drywall.

I don't recommend mounting these image tiles into a tiled backsplash since it's so hard to undo that kind of thing down the line. From time to time, I like to change the art I display on my walls and wall hung ceramics are a great way to do that in a kitchen.