Agree. Pick the plainest lightest color. And match the grout. As minimal grout as possible. Love the cabinets!!

white, soft tan, gray or a black.

you could do a basalt tile. looks like this

here's a beige-ish type of tile. (I would do a solid color)

a silver crackle

and white is just so obvious, I don't know. it's blah. up to you though.

rather than a plain old white subway, now this, this would be the one to do.

Seneca Tiles. this would go perfectly w/your more rustic type of cabinet style.

although, this company had a fire in their factory so they're not doing any tiles right now.

However, they do have quick ship on certain colors. you could call and ask them

thesis the Frost Blend under quick ship

https://senecatiles.com/quick-ship-program/

you could look for similar types over at Fireclay tile, Cle' Tile, or Heath Ceramics.

https://www.heathceramics.com/collections/classic-field

not this color, just showing you how the tile looks laid out

perfect size. 2x8. this color is Parchment

I like this lay out too. vertical stack offset

Thanks all. I forgot to mention the appliances are slate. Not sure if that changes opinions

Beth certainly gave you lots of options. The similarities are simple, plain and light colored. (Except one). Same colored grout as well. Your cabinets are lovely.

I've had butterfly beige granite before. We did white bs with it and it really calmed it down. It's mostly a gray granite so the bright clean color worked well...but I had soft warm gray cabinets. Bring samples home and see which ones you are drawn to.

This one looks really good. It's Tundra from Winchester Tile. your granite has a slight grayish green tone to it and these tiles match it. looks great w/the wood too

https://www.winchestertiles.com/details?product=W.ELPTU2406

https://www.winchestertiles.com/products?range=%27Elements%27&page=1

this one is to the elements tiles. lots of colors.

Cliff

Bedrosians tile. cloe and Allora

a matte black tile in any shape would also look great.

CleTile Basic farmhouse.

I like this matte charcoal tile too.

With slate appliances I'd be even more likely to keep the backsplash light.

kitchenCRATE Buckboard Way Richmond, CA · More Info

I love your cabinets!

You are right choosing the splash last. With your granite, you have lots of options. Choose a color from your counter that you like and that is available locally at a reasonable price. There is lots of movement in both the floor and counter, so pick a plain subway tile in your chosen color and match the grout to the tile. The plainer the better. I might even experiment with foam board and small jars of paint samples to see what a large expanse of a single color would look like with your cabs and counter. Then look for tiles in that color family. Beautiful kitchen!

Thoughts on this??

No to travertine. Too many issues with it which is why it is out of favor.

If you want gray, there are so many ceramic tiles in either polished or unpolished.

I would go with a cream ceramic which will compliment the wood.

I happen to like gray and have a gray backsplash in my vacation house but my cabinets are white.

I am personally not a fan of wood with the gray.

In my kitchen up north we used Gracia Rixi cream tile.

You have lovely wood cabinets, a granite that has things going on. It’s okay to keep the backsplash simple.

eld, that isn't travertine in the last pic.

As for the tile itself, it's meh. you can do a lot better. That shade of gray isn't the best w/the flooring

this one is real stone. 2x4 Botticino marble, honed and tumbled. the color is nice. I still don't like this size though, not w/a busy countertop.

angela, you need a larger size tile. That 2x4 size tile on that mesh sheet, doesn't look as nice as single 2x8, 2x10, 3x9, etc, subway tiles.

these are a 3x12. the soft white, or the gray or black, would all look great in the stacked layout

this size and coloring would look better. the left is Ivy Hill newport, 2x10, (although the white might be a better choice) and the right is Bedrosians Makoto tatami.

Cle'tile Farmhouse basic

https://www.buyfloorsdirect.com/product/maiolica-crackled-gray/

What about this frosted glass tile? Tilebar, Loft in Sand. it's a 2x8.

If you like the smaller brick style, look at these. they're on sale

https://www.tilebar.com/bohemian-brick-tundra-1-2x3-clay-mosaic-tile.html

These are just a few that look better that I threw together.

I have it down to 3x 6 in bone or canvas. which do you like better?

Bone. but in a diff size. 3x6 is plain. I think a slightly larger tile in the stacked layout would look best.

if you have to have the 3x6, try the stack.

or the vertical stack

I like the stacked pattern.

I can't tell which one is the bone or the canvas.

Bone and stacked pattern.

loob, if you enlarge the pic you should see it. the bone is the off-white, the canvas is the tan one next to it (bottom row) I also like the matte black one.

Thanks Beth!

Yes, I like the bone better than the canvas.

I like the black one too, or a very, dark charcoal, using a dark charcoal grout but not in a shiny finish, in a matte finish would be nice like you suggested above.

It would go really nicely with your black drawer pulls.

Then it would look like a soapstone backsplash without the light veins.

By the way angelarose15, the wood you used in your kitchen has a marvelous vintage-y feel.

If you want to continue that feeling, keep your eyes peeled for vintage brass door knobs etc at salvage sales and yard sales.

I like crystal door knobs for bedrooms, too.

And crystal knobs for bathroom drawers, clear or pale green.

Schools and banks and churches have been and are being torn down and they had the most beautiful and detailed hardware.

Heck, you could have a collection of gorgeous doorknobs in a bowl.

I remember my grandmother had a salt container affixed to the wall over the stove, and that rotary wood handled egg beater. These are great vintage accessories, if vintage is your thing. Vintage coffee containers, coffee grinders, tea tins, too but what evokes memories for you is the best vintage accessory.

Oh, I just looked at my waist, how could I forget cookie jars?

I also like the bone. I wouldn’t do stacked. For me it looks too modern for your style cabinets.

I love the stacked look too, but I am thinking it may look too modern...

I thought about the stacked layout looking too modern, but it depends on the tile you use, and overall look of the kitchen and your elements.

Your kitchen leans on the transitional end, rather than traditional or vintage looking.

I think you could do the vertical stack and have it blend well w/your style.

The horizontal stack tends to look a bit more contemporary. Although, w/this kitchen, I wouldn't call it modern.

or, you could do the vertical off-set

I love the texture of this glazed tile and the vertical layout.

I like the vertical-it’s different and fun. Plus, I like mixing things. LIke a vintage diamond in a modern setting.

My husband is against the stacked look. So running bond it is. Next question what type offset?! 1/2, 1/3, 1/4th?

if it's 3x6, you do 1/2. if it's longer, you could do 1/3.

what about the other layouts? he against those too? (I can't believe all the men who are so vocal when it comes to tile layout in the kitchen. Not just you angela, but others) My husband wouldn't even notice the dang tile, let alone have an opinion on vertical or horizontal!

what about the crosshatch for the 3x6? this would look nice in your kitchen

Oooh I like the crosshatch!

Beth, can you explain how this kitchen is transitional?

I said it leans more transitional than a true traditional.

the style of the cabinets, the type of granite and the pattern, the flooring.

I just don't see traditional w/all 3 of these together. It's not completely transitional either.

That's why I said it leans toward transitional.

This is traditional wood cabs and granite

Really pretty, I wish my maple cabinets would lean more neutral as your stain, instead of honey-toned. I like the Bone best, maybe a 3x9 instead of 3x6 for more interest/impact. It's going to be a really pretty kitchen regardless.

I love the double basket weave pattern!