Floors are dark hardwood, similar to the model picture. Counters are Independence Calacatta from Dahl Tile.

If you can wait, then wait. Whites and greys are notoriously hard to get right when close to one another -- on my monitor, the counter looks warm but the tiles look cool. That is a tonal mis-match that is going to slap you in the face every time you walk into that kitchen. If you go with a plain subway in a color you're going to have a much easier time with it, and IMO will look better.

I'm all for taking tile up to the ceiling (I did it in my own kitchen), but with a chevron or diamond and all that tile that's going to be slap #2 in the eyes every morning -- it's overkill. If you're going to have that amount of tile, keep it a simple shape.

This pic is re-posted many times by many posters because it's so well done. The soft color breathes life into the space, and the simple shape keeps it from being visually overwhelming:

Would choose backsplash last. Why dark wood floors? do you want to see every tiny spot? it is extremely impractical and not even trendy to follow…

All that pattern tile to the ceiling and around the cabs would drive me crazy. If you want pattern, hang scrubbable peelable wallpaper instead. You can replace it every couple of years when you want a new look or color.

The cabinets look so much better when they go all the way to the ceiling per the posted picture. And as illustrated it can be done with mill work not custom cabinets.

I was worried about how cabinets to the ceiling would look with open shelves on one side of window. The ceilings are 9 ft high so cabinets would be quite tall.