The HD white subway tile....it does have a very slight light gray tone. I've used it with this same countertop and a soft gray grout...it really make your countertop the star.

If you are looking for a wonderful wall color to finish off your kitchen (and you can use a "is this color blue or light green?" try samples of SW Rainwashed. If you have stainless appliances the kitchen will look cool and fresh.

Great kitchen! I have been going through a kitchen reno for 9 mos. and the backsplash was one of the most difficult decisions I made. I finally decided on tile from Fire Clay Tile, subway tile and a herringbone pattern with a smaller tile for an inset area we have in our kitchen. You may want to take a look at their website. They offer some very vibrant colors to plain soft whites. The ceramic tiles offer a warm feeling that would bring that same feeling to your kitchen with the slight texture of ceramic tile and if you decide to use color, their offerings are beautiful! Working with them has been a joy! Good luck.

I agreed. Deciding a back splash is far more difficult to decide a counter top and appliances. I have been searching for one month plus and bought different samples to try on it. The tiles i like is either not suitable to use as a back splash (rough surface, not stain resistant) or too expensive. Having to cook almost every night and without a range hood that vented out ,I have to limit my choices.

Glass tile will be dated fairly quickly so I would caution against it.

Don't like the tiles you show. Go a more simple subway in a med gray.

glass tiles can look too busy....pick a bigger tile

how about previous article on Houzzzz walls of tin plates old fashion ceiling tins on walls.Do not overdo size of backsplash but choose some grays and creams pick up floor.

I would have chosen the grey like Studio10001 at the top but my wife chose the polished basalt/unpolished basalt/stainless steel mosaic from CIOT in Concord (Basalt Linear w/Stainless Steel Mosaic). It really makes the whole kitchen 'pop' and plays nicely with the SS appliances. She sealed it with sealer from Home Depot and it's easy to clean.

Almost finished below - still have to box in above the cabinets

Consider hand painted tin tiles above work in your blue,yellow green sunflower with gray cream background.The tin ceiling tiles great detail for backsplash.Keep solid cream white gray but punch out with your scattered color blue.

Light green glass subway tile. It would look so classy with this.

ah!Eliot Koeys idea look like tin tile concept but mixed in lightly sunflower screen and bright blue

I choose a beige-y, definitely off-white subway tile w/a darker accent strip and cap to keep a SMALL kitchen warm and not too busy. Felt that too much mosaic would close the space in and go out of style quickly. You have a great space to work with! Have fun with it.

Why not try a wallpaper that coordinates with the other colors and shapes you have mentioned. You can run one row of subways tile along the edge of the counter-top. Or, try painted bead board. Use the type designed for bathrooms. Very simple look.

I agonized about my backsplash at our ski chalet and asked friends and a real estate agent.

Go classic & neutral. Don't do anything trendy in colour or shape. Accessorize to get the trendy look.

I chose subway tile in a honed marble -- which looks more like taupe travertine. It looks fabulous! [My final two choices are attached.]

A hint of silver on the counter adds an elegant touch. If you are interested I'll take a pic of the finished look.

Good luck. [My cabinets will be painted a lighter colour.]

Fireclay Tile has some of the most beautiful colors in all sizes of field tile. They have some amazing crackle tiles too. Check them out. I immediately fell in love.
https://www.fireclaytile.com/tile/colors/

I am in the process of updating my own kitchen and also have white shaker cabinets, so I've pondered your situation for several months. My recommended backsplash for your kitchen would be white subway tiles, but tiles with bevel edges. The bevel edge is a fresh take on subway. Use a light gray grout to connect your floors to your backsplash and also pull the gray found in your tops. If you haven't selected hardware, try gunmetal finish cup handles for drawers and matching knobs for the doors. Elements have a great version. Again, the gunmetal hardware will compliment the gray floors and won't fight brushed nickel fixtures or stainless appliances.

As it's an old house, I'd probably go with beadboard. It's got the old-fashioned look to it, easy to wipe down. I'd really be careful of using any strong colors that you will get tired of in a couple of years and be stuck with.

Hi, how about glass with a sun or sky. You can be bold as it is a print and the glass over is easy to clean with a depth.

Have you considered bead-board?

Our tile man cautioned me about trying to work a complicated pattern for our back splash because of our electrical outlets and switches. Don't forget to consider those in your design plan.

Wow thanks! So many ideas!
I'll try to touch on a few - I really dislike beadboard (not sure why...but I have an intense dislike of it!). So that's out.

I think I will be going with something more neutral - I'm agreeing with some of the posts that I should perhaps do all the boldness with accessories and things that are readily changeable.

Unfortunately beige colors are out. There are no beige/tan/yellow undertones at all in the kitchen (despite what the tinted pics may look like on some images, it is all bluet treys and silvers...), so I feel like beige would just look awful. That's why I'm leaning more towards a light grey now. My contractor found a local place that has the tender grey as shown below...I'm definitely leaning toward that color. Not sure what grout color...light grey? Darker grey? I don't think white would be the best idea with cooking nearby...

I know we are talking kitchens here not bathrooms, buuut... I have a similar floor to your kitchen floor and this is how we tiled our bathroom. The subway tiles are matte. Very dark grout (accidental, however it works). Just an idea. Our colors are also on the cold side. Note we had a band of silver trim separating the white from the gray larger subways on the bottom. Also how we added some color with accessories.

This one from Lowes seems to have all the colors of your floors; only in smaller subway tile style. No need to use grout with these.

Rockstyle Silver Glazed Porcelain Tiles

http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/786098/786098011158lg.jpg

If you go with a plain backsplash add some nails in the grout lines. You can the add either colorful platters or a tile focal point similar to a tile trivet.

I agree with the gray subway u can change everything in the room as many times as u want not backslash or floors that costs to much but u can change the nick nacks and paint colors.

Home Depot sells Fasade back splash tiles and you can apply them yourself. I have them and look awesome!!

Obviously as a glass company we are going to talk glass - so why go plain perhaps - either a painted splashback in your favourite colour

I always recommend to our customers to get some sample posts and paint in on the walls first - easier to paint over it then replace it if you dont like it

Also someone mentioned the bleed through - always apply a base coat if you are considering using glass - sound crazy but there is a grey paint that is designed to block out bleed through - otherwise a white base coat

When I redid my kitchen - I chose a digitally printed image of my favourite flowers (tulips) as my splashback behind the stove and then complimented it with painted (metalic) textured glass - looks totally different with the light on it

Pick a white tile--subway preferably--to go with the countertops.
You don't want anything that has 3 colors in the backsplash--
it will just compete with the countertops which have lot of "movement" in their design...
And what color are your cabinets going to be?
Gray? If gray counters then you could try a light, light gray tile or even a metallic one...

Luv both glass tiles!

Maybe consider a gray subway tile. The mosaics sound too busy with the streaked flooring. Choose a gray that seems to coordinate with your yellow and green accents but dark enough to provide contrast to the counter and cabinets

I would consider a wood grained ceramic that is on the natural lighter-grey end of the spectrum - possibly a birch. Similar to the flooring in this picture that was posted above and this quick find. It gives warmth and texture to the space without darking up the kitchen. You may want to look into smaller planks but this is the general idea. The gray or green glass subway tiles would also be beautiful, subtle and easy to clean.

***Official update***

I went with the tender grey matte color for the backsplash. No glass, so the contractor is happy, and the color should complement the white cabinets and grayish countertop and floors perfectly!
I will post pics in a few weeks whenever the tiles get ordered and put up!
Thanks everyone for the suggestions!!

I think with the white cabinets and gray floor you should add some color in the backsplash. I chose Aqua glass ovals and have gotten so many compliments from people who said they wouldn't of been so bold but love it.

I wanted to offer that I create custom backsplashes to spec, design and fabricate in my studio, and can ship any where. check out my houzz profile http://www.houzz.com/mosaicsbyariel or my website http://www.mosaicsbyariel.com, and direct message me for questions or interest!

Mike JB, couldn't agree more! With that in mind...when we put on addition for my Mom, we wanted to do something very special for her. We made a photo backsplash. Yes, we used her actual photos. All but one friend commented on "resale value". Not everything is based on resale, after all, in 20 years your new kitchen will be dated. Hahaha. So do what makes you happy. You can't please all the potential next owners, so please yourself.

Oh, our contractor wanted to kill me, but he ended up having a lot of fun learning a new process and loved the outcome. As did my Mom!

Great choice! Please post the pics when you can. White shaker cabinets with grey tone floors is the most popular choices my customers make. Their next question is always backsplash. "What do I do?" Anyway, show is your new backsplash! Here's our most recent laundry room choice for a customer near the beach.

Update! Our contractor put in the backsplash today! We are going to go with a white grout then, and he has to add the bullnosed edges on the side where there are no upper cabinets, but otherwise I am extremely happy with the results! It's a little hard to see the color perfectly since I took it with no nice sunlight in the room...but it's very pretty!

Looks lovely! Congratulations!!!

Looks great! You did a wonderful job!!

Good choice. Back splash has to be functional. I am using the similar type of tiles but in light gray color. They are porcelain, very easy to clean.

Perfect! Looks really nice! So flexible with any added color scheme. :)

I am a big fan of mosaic tile backspash. I would suggest to go with onyx mosaic tile backsplash. It looks elegant and beautiful.
Ideas regarding onyx mosaic tile backsplashes here - http://www.eskandaristone.com/onyx-tile/

BEFORE and AFTER!!

I was browsing the old photos....here you can see what we were working with to start! Whew!

i would go for a BRASS backsplash. sheets of brass stuck to the wall or if the wall isn't true, glue the sheet to thin hardboard and then glue the hardboard to the wall. if you're looking for some colour i would use a rough dark yellow.

You need a color pop! I'd pick green glass tiles that will be in style forever.

The after backsplash tile is perfect and timeless!! You ought to be happy with that for a very long time and tips the hat to the age of the house! What a great improvement overall!!

It looks lovely. You can add color with accessories. That way, when you get tired of a color you can get new accessories, rather than being stuck with a backsplash color that you no longer care for.

I like glass mosaic for backsplash. It looks beautiful and can add a sparkle in our living. “Onix” collection of glass mosaic is something which can be my first choice for this. You can browse its collection at Centura Tile dealer near you. http://bit.ly/1CT8bz1

Are you all set? If not, would be glad to help you out! I do custom mosaic back splashes. Contact me if interested. I've attached a few pictures to inspire, perhaps!