The appearance of the surface is shiny like real porcelain tile and the color is a lovely pale fresh green. You can see in the photos that there is a gradation of the color story which fades nicely into a grayish green tone. Depending on the angle, the tones blend showing a smooth overall look that shifts from gray green to fresh green overall. This makes it more sophisticated looking than a solid fresh green color. You can use these 12" square giles on a tabletop or counter easily because they tiles are in line so the edges ore straight and clean square making them much more useful for other uses. One feature I really like is the surface slightly grips anything you place on it so if yiou use it for a tabletop cover, things do not slide off easily as they would on wood. The sophisticated subtle coloring and linear tile placemnt make it less limited to bathroom walls or kitchen backsplash. One reviewer criticised the gray green areas which I like very much for the added subtlety/sophistication of the color. When buying tile, you must imagine the look of an entier wall or room being covered, and the subtler color looks better for my taste. I highly reommend this poly self-sticking tile wheter you stick it onto walls or tabletops or just lay it down as a placement effect to protect wood surfaces from damage. The color is lovely. The installation is easy, just peel backing and stick with sharp rectangular one foot square pieces to make the look seemless. It is lighter and easier to handle and apply in all ways than porcelain or ceramic tile, yet it is substantial and feels real. It is easy to cut when needed.