I personally don't care for this look. Others here on Houzz will tell you it's dated but choosing decor based on current trend isn't how I'd select items for my home. You'll probably have this for 10-20 years and we can be certain trends will change during this time.

I'm not a fan of your insp pic because I find that tone of grey really depressing, and the accent strip isn't doing it for me, either.

If you have "pretty plain" white counters and cabinets -- you have a wealth of choices in colored tile. Search for images of white cabinets and green/blue/aqua/whatever tile for inspiration. You can do so much better than prison grey.

You mentioned wanting a pop of color, so without knowing what else is going on in your space than the white counters and cabs, here are some ideas (none with white counter, but will give you an idea how terrific color looks with white cabs):