haha! Go with your gut kaz :) I think some tilers can offer great suggestions - personally, I didn't have a very good experience with our last tiler so we ended up paying him for work done - only to have the job completed by someone else. The first tiler was very unprofessional, condescending, rude and belittled my hubby's choice of tile, grout, layout - you name it, everything. He was very moody, hot headed and showed up hungover and vomiting off our deck - UGH!!! Fifty shades of gross!!!! I didn't think it quite right that my young son and I should have to walk around on eggshells around him while my hubby was working away in Brisbane so in the end, he was paid - we said thanks and goodbye. To save any kerfuffle this end - we never told him what the issue was - just that something cropped up for us - we didn't need the drama. The tiler that finished the job for us was lovely, professional, competent and gave great suggestions :) Couldn't have asked for better. Hopefully that's not the feeling you're getting from your tiler - but if you have any red flags going up - go with someone else :) I'd love to see photos once the job is done :) Hopefully one of the pro's will come on here and offer their opinion kaz so you can be sure :)

Just a suggestion but have you thought about a deeper grout to showcase each tile a slightly deeper grey to the tile will showcase the patterns so they don’t get lost into one another.. Plus so much easier to clean! If you’re afraid to go too dark then go two shades darker than the tile.. Either way will work.. but as a professional having used similar tiles I always like to showcase with a deeper grout.. Just a thought!!

You should have what you prefer . The first , brick , pattern looks busier and the second looks plainer . Either looks fine to me , though as a personal choice I like a more streamlined look .

You need to consider the whole look. Based on the information you’ve give you’re planning on using the tiles with a dark grout. Id be concerned that this is already a bit heavy for the rest of your marble look tiles (depending on the rest of your selections and lighting). Adding a complex pattern to a dark colour tile with a dark grout def has the possibility of being too heavy for the room. Decide if you want the herringbone pattern (and there’s some lovely marble look finger size tiles available in a herringbone) or the dark blue finger tiles in the upright pattern. Don’t over complicate spaces. Maybe if you really loved the idea enough to live with it for house eternity you wouldn’t have posted here for opinions.