how about textured white tile/white grout?? the texture will make it interesting,the gloss white will tie in with colour scheme and make the place look bigger/brighter and tiles are durable... If you go with white then if you sell it is a neut colour so people can visualise their own style there.

this photo is before I finished.

Please do not use glass or subway tiles. Have a look at Southern Cross tiles. for tiles with some personality.

yep white - our back bedroom and hallway is white duck and we love it - will look good with white (very crisp)

May I ask what colour your cupboards are?

I'm not a fan of white subway. They remind me of public places. If you are having under cabinet lighting a highly polished textured tile will allow the light to bounce of it. (This looks great at night)

We are so spoilt for choice with backsplashes. You have to first think do you want it to stand out, or just blend in and compliment you tops. I like both tile and glass. I have seen a glass backsplash panel the other day that had a very faint pattern behind it. (Pattern choice is endless)

I appreciate your dilemma, I am there too. Good luck Jess, :))

Following for great, current ideas.

Glass is out.

I too love subway tiles with a darker grout but am worried it's on it's way out as well (it's been done to death, really).

I think a white, patterned / textured tile is probably the way to go. Or same in pale grey for a bit of contrast maybe.

Given the openness of your space... what about mirror?

I can't see subways in this style of kitchen, laid herringbone maybe?

Timber floors? Mirror or smoked mirror would work.

It looks like it needs texture as it is. There have been a couple suggestions of textured tiles already and I think they are spot on. Depends a bit on your floor though.

Online the Cesarstone looks like it is quite a warm tone - you will need to look carefully to match your whites. I agree some texture would be good but this also depends on other finishes in the room. I don't think subways really work, but continuation of the cesar stone is an option but tends to be expensive.

Dark vinyl plank,

open plan living.

Living to the right of the kitchen and dining situated in front of kitchen.

What time of day did you take these photos? The floor is lovely and will add contrast.

Mirror. Plain (not smoked or antique) mirror. It will reflect your garden, pull more light in and bounce it around.

Late afternoon around 4pm I think :)

Hi Jess, what a beautiful home you have. Your a lucky girl. Have a look at a post from "Rachael". Which pendant light ? She has a beautiful backsplash of mosaic black tiles. The area is similar to yours. Maybe worth a look ? I'm not saying black is a good choice of colour for you against your tops but the idea of a small tile may look nice. :) mosaic tiles seem to be popular at the moment.

Hi Jess, your kitchen is going to be divine. For splashback and even counter fronts, have you ever considered 100% metal? It's easy to install, easy to clean, can be installed behind a stove, and can look continuous due to large sheets and hairline joins. Metal in polished brass, brushed copper, satin gold, weathered, acid etched... we have over 100 beautiful finishes. Metal adds texture, WOW factor, and many options will reflect the light; great for your Butler's Pantry too. I'm Ange and my business partner is Ali. Together we know ALL about metal as we are the largest suppliers in Australia and New Zealand. We'd love to help you. letschat@thatmetalcompany.com.au

My first choice would be splash back same as bench top, can be
expensive, perhaps the butlers room could have a mirror to reflect light
and save on cost.

I have some photos of some lovely small tile Mosaic splash backs for you. Also
why use vinyl look timber instead of floating or timber flooring, A
very good friend has just recently used the Vinyl and she is very
disappointed, like wise, it's not cheap either. If you do go ahead make
sure that the floor is totally smooth as very little lump ding etc will
show and be felt.

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ignore the 'what's in or out of fashion' and go with what you love, after all everything goes in and out of fashion at some point

I'm with the add some texture advise.

yes as above in my last post these tiles look great, your place is really lovely

These tiles also come in different colours which would look great in your kitchen. We were unsure but took a risk, and love them.

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.

Love where you are going with your kitchen Jess, but tiles are definitely out! If you want something that stands the test of time, you're not going to want to deal with the cleaning involved with tile splashbacks. Aluminium splashbacks have to be the easiest to clean and you can get any image you want. For your kitchen I would consider a marble design or hexagon tile pattern. Have a look at the DecoSplash range here:

DecoSplash Colour Range

Good luck!