Thanks for your comment Renae, cabinets are Polytec Black Finegrain (so appears matt with lines texture making cabinets look taller), and splashback I didn't use glass at all, textured wall itself, painted it matt colour Ivory, and then added tile design in front of stove which is working out well, wanted it to add something and glass was ok but not finally what I wanted.

There are never right and wrong answers to this Cath....it can also become actually more confusing when you're not 100% and you get various/conflicting additional advice/opinions and then have to filter/distill the choices/options/opinions down to a final decision........when all else fails, trust your instinct/heart...you should "know" when it feels right....people sometimes ask why/how have I made a particular decision or move one way or the other, and sometimes my answer is simply "because it feels better that way than the other" - when it comes to design sometimes your "technical head" is your enemy ;)....sure the bench top material could look awesome as a splashback, but for you specifically the blue tile may be the better option, where it started and what you are drawn to......have you considered options such as a grey/earthy bench top? I've seen that done recently on a job (not mine btw) that combined with blue splashback tiles that you wouldn't expect to work on their own, but for what they were going for it was a perfect complimentary match.......when you get stuck with the decisions/palette resolution, sometimes freeing up and considering a lateral option is the answer to moving forward getting the balance and breathing space required

Once you make your final decision of stone for the kitchen consider how to look after the stone - view our website for stone information - well worth reading and learning The Marble Man | www.themarbleman.com.au | 1300 627 626 | repairs polishing and repairs to stone - professional stone repairs with over 20yrs experience and worthy advice to make sure you look after your stone.

Nope - with all of those different whites they will react and one of them will look creamy or dirty. Suggest you go with a soft grey to pick out the grey in the benchtop. Matching whites and getting it right is really hard to do successfully when the whites are different materials from different manufacturers. Start looking at some of the greys in Johnson's Spectrum range in the 197 x 97 size, get samples and see how they work with your benchtop and cabinetwork in your kitchen. There are lots of other grey subway tile options available depending on where you are.... Best of luck Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls