Hi, I had a Spotted Gum Timber Floor ( 10mm Real Solid Timber Single Planks ) in a penthouse apartment for 8 years . It was pre-coated in high gloss clear from the factory . When it was laid it was necessary to have a noise reduction 3mm foam under layer ( apartments underneath building noise requirement) . This method of installation actually made the floor very quiet and it also made it a little softer to walk over . When it got any scuff marks, they just easily wiped off with a damp cloth. When I sold the penthouse, the floor was in exactly the same condition as the day it was first laid - first class. It was only ever cleaned with a steam cleaner , no chemicals whatsoever . I would certainly recommend the pre-coated polyurethane gloss finish on the real timber planks to anyone, it was great ! You can just see a glimpse of the kitchen floor in the attached two images. Good luck with your specifying . High quality surface finishes normally stand the test of time . I have added a couple of extra images of the penthouse for interest. We did the interior design fit out after buying the shell from the developer. It was a stunning sky home . Cheers LAADP

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.

Is the kitchen part of an open plan to dining and living room? Is this your forever house? Is the photo above your kitchen or an idea of something you quite like? Do you have a floor plan?

Agree with others. I have had black shiny glass splashbacks and that was an absolute nightmare to keep clean and shiny. Definitely matte, and careful with the tone of grey as some lean toward blue or yellow so you want to match the grey in your beautiful benchtops. Hope this helps.