Rectangle tiles bring real rhythm and structure to a kitchen, working just as well as a calm, low maintenance floor as they do a striking metro splashback.
For the floor, large format porcelain is the practical choice, available in wood, stone, cement, and plain effects, and easy to wipe clean through daily use. A rectangular tile also works brilliantly on a splashback or surround, and layout does a lot of the work here: stacked, staggered, or herringbone all read quite differently. Since the kitchen sees more spills than any other room in the house, a tiled surface remains the most sensible way to protect it. A herringbone splashback reads quite differently from a simple stacked bond, so it is worth considering layout as much as colour.