""I mean, really know how to...travertine this and, backsplash that, glazed so and so, inlay design, mosaic...blah blah.""

The kitchen was completely gutted when we started, so we added the island and put in all new cabinets and appliances, counters, backsplash, etc. 

If you start at the top: faucet, the faucet seal, the sink seal, the counter and back splash seal, and vanity to wall seal...... that's a lot of places for water to travel down, imitating a drain or supply line leak.

Folks I need your help with a fairly important kitchen designing dilemma:For a rather typical South Bay area SFR with a $1.2M-ish ARV, with white Shaker kitchen cabinets/stainless hardware & appliances, the color-du-jour grey "wood" flooring, similar but lighter toned walls, no wall paint in kitchen (narrow stacked stone backsplash)...............is a familiar, tried and true, "veiny" granite or a more uniformly colored quartz the more sought after countertop these days??  

Or removing the countertop which is all Formica with a matching Formica backsplash.

Put some open shelving above the dark cabinet in the corner.I would paint the cabinets white (I know you are leaning against it, but personally, it seems to be the style).I would add some shadow box molding to the wall under the chair rail, and paint the whole area under the chair rail white as well.I would do a basic tile backsplash, something beige to match the floor with a pop of color band or detail in it.I think the floor, wall color and dark counters allow for white cabinets to be done without it looking too white.

So finishing up my first flip put the granite in the kitchen glass tile backsplash looks nice ..too nice for the area but not the point .I decided to try and sell this house on my own since I'm splitting the profit 4 ways and don't see what a seller agent does except put the property on the mls and collects 3%.

I see a few that seem to be popular at Home Depot & Lowes like Bathworks & Rust-Oleum but I have also seen reviews stating that people should avoid those brands.I have heard the concerns regarding slipping and I see that Bathworks now offers a slip resistant additive.Also, has anyone used these products on the tile surrounds or a backsplash as well as the actual tub?  

In this area you can buy houses for under 10k.I am thinking of just always doing the same thing to these houses.1. white kitchen cabinets, with laminate counter tops with the 4 inch back splash.

@Doug Johnson, in this previous project, in California, I set the countertop granite tile square but set the backsplash tile at a 45-degree angle.