Forget subways, really overdone & can look so cheap. The more grout you have the more cleaning you'll have to do. It collects grime ( known in the trade as 'grotty grout' ) & is hard to maintain. Go for glass, the possibilities are endless, from sophisticated plain to funky patterned. Easy care & long lasting. Personalise your space, it looks really fab, love all your drawers, so practical ! Would love to see the end result. Please post pics.

We had a guy who printed posters print the photo and stick it on the glass for us (to make sure there were no air bubbles). He delivered it to the glazier who was installing the splashback. There was so much interest as it sat in the showroom, the glazier then started offering glass with pictures actually printed onto them... If your wall was smooth, you could put the 'poster' print onto ther wall as another option.

I hadn't thought of the building code etc . My first action is to consider what I want haha , then whether the Police will likely visit , then whether the insurance company will decline a claim . In this case I doubt it matters ( it peeks off , and would presumably melt in a serious fire -- probably the wrong to do things , but theres other items that burn at least as quickly in a house , so personally I'm not perturbed . I'd better not tell too many stories , but lets just say I have occassionally pushed the boundaries as far as Govt Depts and the like are concerned -- a recent one was to re-register my Mobile Home as a Mobile Office ( with a shower and kitchen and even beds -- offices often have them ) . A mobile office doesn't need the same level of seatbelts , it can park in towns overnight without breaching bylaws , etc .

This kitchen is similar in aesthetic to yours. It has white tiles, flat profile cupboards, and is finished and accessories added. Looks beautiful. I would not change your tiles. They look like they have an undulated finish. They will bounce the light around in the room and add even more interest to compliment your wonderful timber features. I would, as siriuskey said, sit on your hands. Wait until everything has been finished.