Am I missing something? Did she say she wanted you to start full tile from tray on the floor? I'd have personally started full tile from tray on floor but everyone is different.
I think most customers are oblivious to 'setting out',until you mention it to them.But as has been said above a compromise of changing the orientation of the veins would improve things.
It's a nice stone and you have done a good job, can you get 3 pieces cut oversize from a slab and replace them on the floor to loose the small slip cut ?
Walls are Marmox.
Looking close, it's marmox where it's tiled.Why's it pink? Has it been skimmed?