neither one. try white in a shaped tile if you want a "little something". the counter has detail ..its just more subtle but I wouldnt want that competition from the two shown.

first 2 below are the most busy I would pick. . the others are shapes etc to think about . kinda like the 4 in hex tile.

White And Gray Basketweave 6Mm Matte Porcelain Mosaic, 15 Sheets · More Info

White Glossy Herringbone Porcelain Mosaic, 15 Sheets · More Info

12"x9.75" Ursula Mosaic Tile Sheet, White · More Info

Whisper White Bevel Subway Ceramic Tile, 10 Sheets · More Info

Gio White Matte 4" Hexagon Porcelain Mosaic Tile, 55 Sheets · More Info

They are both very bold, taking away from the dramatic countertop.

Either one would dominate the look of the room... what kind of lighting is planned?

A photo of the rest of the space would help. it is a large room with a lot of natural light?

Thanks for the input. It's a small kitchen with some decent natural light from a big window behind me. We have recessed lighting. I didn't think the herringbone was that bold, especially compared to the other, but I see your point. I think they match well color-wise. Didn't want a subway tile and glass was just kind of blah to me. Having a hard time finding something I really like from Floor and Decor & Tile Shop.

I prefer the one on the right.

IMO neither. They are both too busy.

I am with the both being too busy crowd. Go with something simpler.

I love your countertops! I agree with the suggestion of a subtle white with texture to let the counter be the feature.

So after the feedback, we bought some 3x6 and 4x12 samples of San Dona marble. The description on the website says, "pearly-white tile with uniform crystalline flecking" I think it looks pretty nice. Sorry for the crappy picture. What do you think of this and the size?

I think they both too busy. If I would absolutely make a choice from the 2, I'd say right. Both will give you a bit of a rustic feel. If you want more elegant look, you can go with HD white marble mosaics - they have a variation they aren't white like a white porcelain. I would not do all that grey. too much grey in the middle .

I agree simple to let the counter be the star. Make sure all that lighting is LED 4000k too so the whites stay looking white not yellow

Beautiful counters. I like the marble white tile in your last post. I would do those or white subway tile.

Not sure …crystalline flecking in pearly white marble sounds bathroom-ish. keep it up and note in different times of day w various lighting. Bring in a few more id have to say.

Appreciate the comments. We will check the white marble throughout the day tomorrow. I think I prefer the 4 x 12.

What about a whisper-soft blue or green?

Even a mid grey would look better than your marble samples IMO

I have Taj Mahal quartzite countertops. I used Bedrosians Celine in 4x12 and 4x4. The Celine tile is variegated using 4 different colors that are found in the Taj Mahal

Are there no local independent tile stores in your area? They will have different tiles and will let you borrow the larger grouted sample boards, which make it much easier to choose a tile.

If you go with a white tile, you want to hold it up to your white cabinets to make sure the whites won't fight each other. It might be too much white?

This forum tends to be afraid of pattern, so you need to decide what you want in your space.

I used a patterned mosaic with my Taj Mahal quartzite. Most here would have said it was too busy! The counters have pattern, but mostly look beige, unless you are right over them. The small brown marble picks up the stained wood color of my floors and ceiling beams.

I agree with trying to find local, independent stone and tile businesses for a better selection. The Tile Shop and Floor & Decor has limited, trendy and less interesting options, from what I have discovered in the Cincinnati, OH area.

From where I am sitting, your counter looks soft and muted. I would like a very light silver backsplash.

Or, if the adjoining room has a specific color like a blue or green you can tie into that. I would then look for a bluish/ gray or greenish/ gray.

If you love the herring one, I would get one with larger tiles.

Get a 2 x 8 subway, set it in herringbone pattern, match the grout to the white of tile and cabinets.

It's not boring- its simple.

It needs no more than that: )

We liked the look of the white marble in various light, but we will continue to check out a couple more places and see if there is anything white or grey/silver we like better. Thank you all for the comments and recommendations.

The white marble is a better choice than the mosaics, but it looks so heavy, you can do better. Consider a grey ceramic tile that pulls the colors you want to emphasize from your counters, or a moody, more contemplative complimentary color. These are Fireclay Tile.