Minimalist me suggests either mother of pearl, or Zelig, or NO backsplash

Love the kitchen!

If it were me, i’d skip the mother of pearl -just doesnt seem right with the other finishes. i am admittedly not a huge tile person but that bs area is a nice run of space - i’d be tempted to mock up a matte black

Since you already have prominent dividing lines in the cabinetry it makes me think that a solid backsplash would look better and wouldn't compete with the cabinetry itself. If you were to have a patterned backsplash will suggest that the patterning be subtle and understated so as not ot compete with the cabinetry. Good luck!

Use the same material is the countertop

To continue/enhance the sleek, modern look, consider stainless and under cabinet lighting.

Below, but seamless.

Since your cabinet grain is already doing the visual work, I'd keep the backsplash quiet and let the slab-like idea carry through. Two 24x48 porcelain pieces can read really clean in a 20-inch band, but I'd choose a low-contrast pattern and have the installer dry-lay them first so the veining doesn't jump at the seam. A full-height single slab is lovely, though I wouldn't assume buyers require it; a simple warm-white or soft greige porcelain will age well. Mother-of-pearl can still work if it stays subtle.

Boss Design Center, I am trying to find a stone-look porcelain/ceramic that will integrate well with the countertop, and not compete with the cabinets. Yesterday, I went to our local tile store and all the ones I found have too much of a grey undertone. I'm going to keep searching.

I'd go with the two big porcelain slabs and a very tight grout line. Your cabinets already have lots of grain, so a calm stone-look tile with soft veining won't compete. Small mother-of-pearl tiles add a lot of lines next to flat doors. Tape the tile size on the wall first and look at it from across the room.

Sylva Leduc skip the greys then. look for porcelain labeled warm white, soft ivory, or beige-calacatta rather than "marble look" which usually leans cool. bring a sample of your caesarstone with you and hold it against the tile in store daylight and under warm bulbs. if the tile goes blue-grey next to the counter, leave it. a soft cream with faint warm veining will sit quieter with book-matched wood than anything with a charcoal undertone.

Boss Design Center, I could never understand people's infatuation with grey. Give me a warm white limestone, an ivory travertine or even a stone-look tile in a warm neutral any day. I found some great samples this afternoon. As you probably know, many stores have bright white lighting in a 4,000-6,000K, so samples seldom look remotely close to an interior home lighting. A trick that I discovered is to take along a chargeable puck-light and then hold it above the tile. It emulates the undercabinet lighting quite well.

One tile that I like is by a company called, Centura Tile, in Khroma Talco Natural. The tile is a warm ivory and a V2, so the tiles should be relatively similar in color. Here's a mock-up of the large format for our backsplash.

How about glass?

https://www.houzz.com/photos/604-acacia-brandon-architects-patterson-construction-http-www-brandonarch-contemporary-kitchen-orange-county-phvw-vp~6191482

https://www.houzz.com/photos/eichler-in-marinwood-midcentury-kitchen-san-francisco-phvw-vp~7489077

Love the stainless idea! It flows so well.

May I suggest changing out the white hanging lights?

The white color detracts from the beauty of the cabinets and counters.

Hanging small glass globes with a silver metallic cord would look fabulous,

Your kitchen is beautiful, and I agree with the large-format porcelain idea — with flat-panel cabinets and a book-matched counter, fewer grout lines will keep the whole wall looking calm and modern. A warm-white or soft ivory slab would pick up the warmth in the countertop without fighting it, and it will be much easier to wipe down than a mosaic. Before ordering, ask for a full-size sample and check it in place under your under-cabinet lighting, since the color can shift a lot once the lights are on.

2 fake stones is IMO one too many . My first thought was stainless to keep it simple becuase really you only NEED abcksplash behind the range

Patricia Colwell Consulting, the rest of the renovations turned a builder-grade condo into a calm, warm, and elevated space. A full stainless steel backsplash would make the kitchen look industrial and cold, and out of synch with the rest of the condo. A partial SS backsplash would make it look even more dated.

Do you need a backsplash? Ours was wallpaper when we moved in, yeah, late-1980s-ish remodel, that we took down and painted the whole kitchen. It has held up very well behind the cooktop.

bpath, below is an example of the properties for sale in our neighborhood. They are luxury developments. While our building is not as high end, our condo is considered to be luxury because we are on the penthouse level and have unobstructed water views. If we were planning to stay, I might consider just painting that wall. But for resale, leaving the wall painted without either stone, quartz or tile, would be considered as unfinished.

I actually like the mother of pearl tile. It adds texture and a bit of shine. The color also marries the wood cabinets and countertops. Have you looked at textured slabs? Porcelanosa has some very modern and different tiles and stone, some with subtle texture.

I suggested the backsplash bc it complements the shape of your pendants. Not that exact tile, but something similar. Plus, it would elongate your backsplash and make it look taller

Sylva, that puck-light trick is smart. Match it as closely as you can to the color temperature of the under-cabinet lights you’ll actually install; otherwise the tile may look warmer in your test than it will day to day. V2 means the variation is limited, not that every piece is identical, so lay several tiles together and check the veining and grout line against the quartz before ordering. The warm ivory direction sounds much closer to what you want than another gray.

A porcelain slab sounds best to me. Your kitchen is so sleek and peaceful, it needs a smooth backsplash. The mother-of-pearl idea sounds off. Something “quiet” that is barely there is better.