60 Best Kitchen Backsplash Design Ideas
Who would have thought that a no-nonsense necessity like the kitchen backsplash could become a work of interior art?
A well-designed kitchen backsplash not only sanitizes and brightens your culinary space but lends a subtle style note that only becomes more dramatic with time.
From a stone tile and Carrara marble to chalkboard paint and a stone tile, there are a number of kitchen backsplash options lifted right out of the pages of today’s leading design guides.
Perhaps you view your kitchen as a clean white canvas waiting to display your creations, or maybe you are a first-rate host who loves to lavish his guests in sensory splendor. A well-appointed kitchen backsplash is the final, personal garnish.
Whether it is minimalist, geometric, or a sweeping mosaic, there is a kitchen backsplash to welcome guests into your home’s life center.
The kitchen is the heart of one’s home. It’s where you gather, feast, and celebrate all of life’s occasions, both big and small; it’s a place of comfort and recuperation. Such a safe harbor deserves only the best and that includes having a beautiful kitchen backsplash.
The question then comes: what type of kitchen backsplash should I get? Well, that’s where we can help. We’ve looked at all the best backsplash ideas to make choosing one as easy as possible. All you need to do is scroll down and choose your favorite.
Let’s get started!
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1. Subway Tile Backsplash
A subway tile backsplash is one of the most popular modern designs. We’ve all been in subways that have this finish with an overlapping rectangular tile. While the idea of bringing the subway into your home may seem odd, it works perfectly.
You can choose the classic white subway tile or perhaps opt for a bolder color. Either way, they look brilliant and add a sense of unique style to your kitchen.
Most of them are made with porcelain tile but ceramic can also be used. While the standard subway tile design is horizontal, you can also have a diagonal subway tile if you wanted something a little different.
2. Patterned Tile Backsplash
If the subway tile style isn’t to your liking, then there are many different types of patterned tile designs for you to choose from. Hexagonal, oval, and squared shapes can all be used to create something special above your countertop.
Different materials can be used for these backsplash ideas but ceramic tile is commonly used along with porcelain. With a patterned tile backsplash, you can create something that is truly unique to your kitchen.
3. Natural Stone Backsplash
A natural backsplash can be visually stunning. It doesn’t have the smooth look of a standard backsplash and therefore is catches the eye. These can generally be made with manufactured stone veneer or with stone tile.
These can give you the look of having an exposed brick backsplash with always look fantastic. These backsplashes can be a little harder to clean, which is kind of the whole point of having one but there’s no doubting their aesthetic beauty.
4. Marble Backsplash
For those looking for a premium option, there is no better material than marble. You can choose marble that matches your countertop or perhaps have a contrast of colors.
There is nothing not to love about a marble backsplash. It’s an opulent choice, looks brilliant, and is also exceptionally easy to clean. It is sure to catch the attention of your guests.
If you can afford it, then a marble backsplash is a fantastic choice.
5. Soapstone Backsplash
If your budget doesn’t quite stretch to marble then soapstone is the perfect alternative. It has all the advantages of marble as it not only looks great but makes cleaning a breeze.
Like marble, soapstone comes in many different styles so your choices here are going to be vast. If you have a dark stone or marble countertop, then a light soapstone backsplash can brighten up your kitchen and add to its beauty.
6. Stainless Steel Backsplash
There is a reason that you see a metal backsplash in professional kitchens. They are easy to sanitize and wipe down. If you wanted to make cleaning your kitchen as easy as possible then a stainless steel backsplash will do just that.
The problem here is aesthetic. You don’t want your kitchen to look insipid and sterile. Thankfully, you can get creative with your metal backsplash by either using metal tiles or combining it with another type of backsplash.
7. Large Format Tile
Thinking of installing a DIY backsplash? If so, then there is nothing easier than a large format tile. These are large tiles that cover a lot of space.
The result is that you only need a few tiles to create an impressive backsplash. If you’re worried about it being a little boring then many of these large format tiles come with patterns on them, which often can trick the eyes into thinking they are much smaller tiles.
8. Timber Backsplash
One of the least common types of backsplash is to use timber. The reasons not to have a timber backsplash are obvious. Wood is porous and also not fire-resistant.
You can get past those issues by having wood that is treated and won’t let any water in. With it being a rarer material, it gives you the opportunity to make something incredibly unique.
9. Motif Tile Backsplash
We covered this a little when talking about a large format tile but a great way to create more style in your kitchen is by having a motif tile backsplash. These have intricate patterns on them which avoid having one block of color.
The motif tile backsplash went out of style for a while as they looked old-fashioned but there is a range of modern designs that look awesome. You have plenty of choices here to choose a design that you love.
10. Mosaic Tile Backsplash
The opposite of a large format tile is to have a mosaic tile. This is where you use a much smaller tile to create a mosaic-style finish.
We think these look particularly good when you have tiles in different colors but all from the same color palette. The subtle differences stop the backsplash from looking bland and give it plenty of texture.
11. Glass Tile Backsplash
Transparent and lightly colored backsplash tiles have gone out of fashion and probably won’t come back in style for a long time yet. A great alternative is to have a darker glass backsplash which can look stunning.
You can also go for a glass mosaic tile that gives that shimmer of glass but with a lot more personality. While the old transparent glass backsplashes might be out, modern opaque ones are definitely in.
FAQs
The most popular type of kitchen backsplash in a modern kitchen is still tile. While patterned tiles are always a good choice, the subway tile has become very popular in recent years. That being said, all of the designs that we’ve checked out here are in style. Simply choose whichever one you love the most.
There are many great backsplash tile ideas so how do you choose one for your kitchen design? You want to pick one that complements the rest of your kitchen and fits in with your personality. You can’t go wrong with any of the styles we’ve looked at today. Just remember that the whole purpose of a backsplash is to protect your walls and make them easy to clean.
Whether you have a wood, stone, or granite countertop, you want it to complement your kitchen backsplash. Your white cabinets, wall tile, and floor tile can also affect your backsplash design.
There are no set rules here but if you have a dark countertop, then a dark backsplash most likely wouldn’t look good unless you had white kitchen cupboards and floors.
If you have a light countertop, then it doesn’t really matter as it can be the same brightness or darker. The only thing you want to avoid is your kitchen being too dark.
Whether it’s a kitchen backsplash or a bathroom backsplash, they play a crucial role. Whether it’s beadboard, paint, wallpaper, or wood, a backsplash is required to protect the wall behind your stove.
While specific styles come and go, such as a light glass tile, a backsplash will never be out of style. A modern kitchen backsplash is a fantastic addition to your room and can become a focal point.
Looking for a quick DIY backsplash? One great backsplash idea is to use chalkboard paint, which can be amazing if you have kids. You can also simply put up a mirror, which ticks the box of being easy to clean.
The fact is, however, backsplashes are important. If you wanted to quickly install one then we’d recommend using large format tile that can be fitted easily by a novice.
For pure functionality, it would be stainless steel but we all care about how our kitchen looks. It depends on how much you value ease of cleaning over aesthetic beauty.
For kitchen backsplash design, tile is always a solid choice as it ticks both boxes of being easy to clean while also looking great. Marble and stone are also great options for the same reasons.
