Gorgeous kitchen. I would go with your original idea of the white subway tile with the herringbone accent. You could paint the walls the same colour as your island. I like Edgecomb Gray, but maybe it is a bit bland here.
Could you post a pic of the side of the kitchen that we can't see yet?
You can attach more images if you do a comment under here.

Thank you, Carolins. I think I have the whole kitchen. The top pic is looking into kitchen with your back to the family room. The wall to the right of ovens is a blank wall. Here is a view of the fridge/ sink wall.

I went crazy picking out a backspalsh. What really helped me was I got a sample of our granite [Colonial Gold] and brought it with me. Our cabinets, like yours are cream glaze. Our kitchen is a small condo kitchen. We opened it up by taking down a wall. I wish we had an island like yours. I agree about the grey. I also have stainless steel appliances like you and decided on a warm straw color for my walls. The granite has cream, grey and gold running thru it, so I used that to choose my backsplash. I love your kitchen as is but you will love it even more when you "warm" it up.

I love the colours of the island! I feel like the island is making the rest of the room look a little washed out. Any chance you could bring some of the black, and maybe some of the green, into the rest of the kitchen, either by accents or by tile colour?

What color is the island? I totally love it. Every time I look at the post, my eyes stop!

I would stay with your original plan of subway tile. Gorgeous kitchen!!

You're right on track and keep it simple. The design is fresh and light and let the subway tile be a fresh simple background. Keep the pattern the same everywhere.

Gorgeous kitchen! If you'd like something with a little more interest than plain subway (which I am very partial to) try some of the subways from Sonoma tile. Try Cirrus in their crackle series. :)

OH Yay...every time I hear white subway tiles, an angel gets it's wings;)))

Glass tiles, in a light blue shade.
Your kitchen is fab!

How would subway size/shape tile in sea glass colors be? Gives sparkle and ties in with the island color.

@ dessert, that was just my thought, too.

Thanks for all the input. @Riddle Construction and Design, that stone sample was returned a long time ago...it did nothing for me either. The perimeter is Danby imperial Marble. It has some warmth running through it. I love the backsplash pic you posted. I would love to have a marble b/s but I can't find tiles in that particular marble. I've also contemplated doing a marble/glass mix over the cooktop. @knuck1es, I see what you mean, I've had some blue/ green subways but I can't pull the trigger on that. I think I'd get sick of it quickly. However, if I could find something to do over my cooktop with some of the blue/ green in it, I would possibly go with that. One problem is that my island color was supposed to be more of a lighter Robbins egg blue. There wasn't as much glazing as there is in the sample my cabinet maker made me. In most lights it's a little bold for my taste. @Sstar93. This is a custom color with some glaze. If I hold up BM Wyeth blue it's very close. @lemongrass I brought home every sonoma tile in the blue/ green palette. I was drooling in the tile store... But none of them seemed to be quite right. I currently have a few muted white subway tiles including a linen textured one and a 4x8 one and one that is more of a handmade look. I keep going back to the subway. Thank for all of the compliments!

agreed, @brider, would be a risk to go with the blue-green tiles. You can always repaint the island, not so much the tiles. :)

I love my glass backsplash tiles - they came in a good selection of neutral colours

@shawnabaker. These are beautiful. The glass tiles I had were more frosted translucent. Do you know brand?

Here's the link http://www.juliantile.com/new_price_book/pages/glass_moda.pdf

Accessorize with teal blue containers or planter with a nice plant, pull colors. Nice kitchen put a nice valance on window with grays & teal blues

Beautiful kitchen.
Did you consider painting the walk by the open entry way the same color as the island. Below the trim.
It would be beautiful add color to the kitchen very softly and go with your tile choice. Just bring home samples stand them up in various places where they will be placed and take their pictures visuals are everything . Find an amazing pieces of Art incorporate your color plus include a big pop of color in the picture maybe a deep violet shade etc. Post finished pictures. Good Luck! ML

I love it and would stick with your original plan. Seems warm and clean to me. I would go white so you can always change paint or accessories. Beautiful.

Yes, I did mean a photo taken from let's say the ovens towards the family room. It would be interesting to see what this kitchen opens into, what colour(s) you are using there etc. Just to give us an idea of the entire space since it is open to another room :-)
Who knows what brilliant idea we can come up with if we see the whole picture.

Love shawnabaker's tiles, if you're still not sure about the white subway.

1" square tiles in shades of that wonderful blue on your island, maybe with some metallic iridescence!