I should also mention that the kitchen is a small galley kitchen and it will be open to the house.

I used these tiles.

You might want to buy them ahead. The white is a cool color that can go gray, so you want to be sure they work with the rest of your choices. If they dont work, you can return them to the store. I did that and just kept them in the garage.

These tiles are relatively small and I think two colors might be too much.

I've seen two colors and it looked great. There are also some that have variations, which is just also a cool look.

I have seen these in different colors and it can come out really well. Here's one:

Here is a link that might be useful: Pratt & Larson arabesques

Thank you everyone!

1929, they have two whites now. Maybe I should buy both and return the one I don't like. I also thought about the light grey they have. I wasn't sure how big they were. I think I will follow your advice.

My GC told me that black absorbs a lot of light and that I might not want black behind the stove. I love the black, so I am thinking about maybe using it for my fireplace.

I looked them up. The new white is a matte finish. I would not put this on a backsplash as it will me more difficult to keep clean.

Here's a photo to give you an idea. My contractor said these were a little difficult to install because the backing dissolved when it got wet.

I don't think I'd do a white backsplash and change to black (or anything else) just behind the stove. Maybe a few accent pieces here and there? One of the nice things about getting tiles at HD is that you can buy enough to lay them out in your kitchen to see how it looks, but can easily return them if doesn't please you. Experiment! Also take photos of each layout to remind you of what each combination looked like.

1929, I totally forgot that you used these. Your kitchen is one of my favorite kitchens! I have it saved and look at it every once in a while. I have the same fridge too. Your kitchen has so much charm.

I think I am going to just stick with the white. Now I just have to decide if we want to tile all the way up around the window or stop and paint.

Thanks so much. The kitchen and the rest of the work (including a 2009 bath remodel) is on our contractor's blog, if you're so inclined... :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Spanish's housework

Thank you! It is lovely.