Thanks so much for the recommendations guys, really appreciate it! What colour would you recommend for the splashback if we're going glass? also we might be tenant in the property, will glass be okay there? (also.... how much more expensive is thus going to be that tile? I have no idea on costing here :S) Also I think I may have oversold the messyness of my cooking haha I'm not that bad but I do worry about discolouration of grout.

Looks great from what is shown, but could you post a photo showing the whole kitchen please? I am having the same dilemma and very keen to see more of your tiles.

Try a slim porcelain sheet in a concrete look finish. The large format size means you'll probably need only one, so there'll be no grout lines. Have a look here, at the Portland 3.0. I think the Kerlite range also does a concrete look and is larger, at 3m long. The other advantage of a porcelain tile over actual concrete, is that you just wipe it down. Concrete is porous and will stain.

We have tiles that do not have a gloss finish. They are Encaustic, or at least I think that is what the style is called.