The home is not yet built. I’m sure you want to get your ducks in a row, but it is way to early to commit to a tile. You should look at candidate sample tiles in your space in your light before you choose one. If you are looking for advice on samples to consider, there are so many that would look beautiful in your space. Do you have inspiration images from kitchens you admire?

Fair enough, I am definitely one to plan ahead. My design inspo is basically straight from The Forest Modern and its amazing designer - I think you’ll see why:

Pretty. But you prefer to use tile? Will your cabinetry be traditional, as in your first post, or sleeker, more modern as in your inspiration image?

No, I suppose I could use a larger-scale material like the large porcelain sheets that are becoming more common. The cabinets will be shaker, so more like the black ones, but in white. The crown mouldings and baseboards will be present, but less ornate. Basically, my home was spec’d on the “white” kitchen (same builder), so I don’t want to throw away all of the quality work they have incorporated, but my design inspo is the “black” kitchen. I’m trying to marry the two.

If you want marble tile, go w/the calacatta oro/gold. it has those same warm caramel tones to it.

If you want a herringbone, look at doing a larger sized tile.

this is actually a chevron layout, but a herringbone would look basically the same

Or stay w/the mosaic. it's far enough away from the fireplace so you won't have to worry about competing.

calacatta borghini

you could also do a marble w/brass inlay

want to bring in black? try the VZAG from Tilebar

also comes in just white/gold.

or try a marble w/black marble inlay

love that wall tile

I get it. It’s really all about dissecting what you love in that image - and there is much to love. What I see is:

• quiet counters and a slab marble backsplash.
• that beautiful black cabinetry
• those lovely light fixtures
• nude wood pantries
• light floors
• boxy range hood
• transom
• open shelves
• brass/gold hardware
• the sink, range, and island are arranged on the same plane in your inspiration image, not so in yours.

I think you should consider whether to incorporate that nude wood somewhere. Would you be interested in doing all the lowers in black, and keeping the island nude? I would definitely go for the boxy range hood in black shiplap. And I would go for a slab backsplash. Your inspiration image uses solid white quartz counters and reserves the marble for the backsplash. It’s perfect in its simplicity. You don’t have to copy this, but do think about it.

Thank you, Beth H, I love the idea of the Calacatta bringing in some more “caramel” tones as you say. Also the idea of a large herringbone. The tiles with the gold/brass inlay, also a suggestion from my builder, make me nervous for some reason - like too much of a commitment to the gold. In any case, I love the design inspo pics and you’ve given me lots to think about! Thank you!

Hi Eam44, thank you for all of your thoughts and for helping me ‘dissect’ what is appealing to me. I keep looking at all of the white cabinets in my future home and am concerned it is too far afield from my black cabinet inspiration. Also not mentioned before, I will be installing a double wall oven to the right of the fridge/freezer and not doing the large range (just a cooktop under the range hood). This basically injects a column of black in an otherwise white kitchen wall, and that concerns me. I think now, I need to focus on the principal cabinet colours, and let the backsplash come after that. Thank you again for your insight.

You could use the natural wood on that wall, with a black island.

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