A few from horchow. If these are not in your price range, we can look for something that looks similar in a lower price point. http://www.horchow.com/Rowley-Chair-Chairs-Ottomans/cprod72870045_cat5720731_cat16060742_/p.prod?isEditorial=false&index=58&seoDesigner=&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat16060742cat5720731 http://www.horchow.com/Massoud-Leanna-Wing-Chair-Chairs-Ottomans/cprod100830032_cat5720731_cat16060742_/p.prod?isEditorial=false&index=21&cmCat=cat000000cat000001cat16060742cat5720731 http://www.horchow.com/Massoud-Cartata-Wing-Chair/cprod91930035_cat5720731__/p.prod?eVar4=rvi&index=40&cmCat=rvi

No to the grey - your wall seems to have a green tinge in them, so I would say either green/grey or a warm white tile with darker grout. If you choose the right grey/green, it is a classic look so shouldn't date. If you are a bit scared to choose colours, why don't you get a couple of warm white sample tiles and put where the splash back will go. You will soon see if it looks too stark....(maybe another idea, but possibly not a good one - why don't you see if you can put a few pages from a blank sketchbook in the whole area where the splash back will go (not super white white, but a warm white). That could also possibly highlight how stark (or not), the white may look. I can see what design tank is saying, as your cupboards appear to be more cream than white in the photos and if this is the case, then I agree the white will most likely look too stark. My cupboards in kitchen were white (but a warm white not a cool white). The stone bench tops also have the little speckles of stone in them..I can't remember the colour Ocean foam/Osprey.......but even with those colours and them not being cool whites, I thought the white tiles looked too stark against them. I therefore went for a glass splash back and ever since I then went to think of designs for my bathroom renovation, I constantly regret going with the glass in the kitchen and modernising the house too much..........definitely don't do glass if you are wanting to keep a classic charm to the house. In a long winded way, I think yes, I also think you should just stick with the grey/green. It will make a statement. Not the right shade...but another example....it may be hard getting the colour of the tile exactly right given that the walls are already painted and the tiles need to match.

I agree - with Tribbletrouble splash guards that you pop over your pots/pans make a difference and cleaning the filters in your exhaust makes difference (it's insane how quickly they get manky and become less effective) - I throw mine in the dishwasher whenever I think of it and use white vinegar and a paper towel to wipe over the underlying areas. I use a home made cleaner made up of one of 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of warm water, a squirt of dishwashing detergent and a 15 drops of lavender oil - mist the cupboards and wipe over - the alcohol reduces streaking, the dishwashing liquid helps break down grease and dirt and the lavender oil just makes your kitchen smell good. (works on bench tops and splashbacks too) using either a microfiber cloth or when I do a "deep clean" (nights when insomnia hits) I do the hot soapy water with a chamois.

Thank you everyone for your responses. I’m still undecided - I have a few weeks to consider what to do. The bench top salesperson showed me some photos of the few people who have added a small amount of benchtop stone to add some height (and it’s always because of a busy 60 x 30 patterned tile that the owners want to keep perfect) and in her words it looks ‘dicky’. Not least because the tile sits flatter against the wall than a 2cm thick slab of benchtop. It leaves a pronounced lip of 1.5cm where tile meets benchtop addition Then there’s the safety concerns mentioned above about flames near stone which I had not considered. Big reader - I love your maths but I’m only 150cm tall. Even with a low bench and oven height of 94cm (my oven’s lowest height setting) plus 70cm of tile between the bench and overheads, the cupboards are already 14cm above my head. This barely makes them usable for me even now! Adding another 15cm instead of the 10cm, while looking lovely and keeping the pattern intact, means my short-arse self will have real difficulty reaching anything safely. Every cm counts when you’re short! But I do appreciate your input!