The Spruce / Niv Rozenberg and Aubrey Hays

A kitchen backsplash is a design opportunity to use color and pattern, experiment with materials, and add a dose of personality to the most frequently used gathering space in the house. It’s also a relatively small canvas that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to renovate if you change your mind and want to try something new.

Whether you are looking for a custom-designed tile pattern, a gorgeous piece of stone, an unconventional material, a jolt of color, a metallic finish, or a classic finishing touch like subway tile, a backsplash can be more than just a practical piece of kitchen armor against unwanted splashes and splatters. Think of it like a great necklace or a pocket square—that finishing touch that brings the whole ensemble together. Check out these inspiring ideas to spark your own creativity and turn your kitchen into a conversation piece.

Opalescent Tile

Jersey Ice Cream Co.

The gleaming opalescent tile backsplash of this gorgeous all-white kitchen from Tara Mangini and Percy Bright, the design duo at Jersey Ice Cream Co., adds dimension to the neutral color scheme and is the perfect backdrop for a show-stopping gourmet oven. Bronze, stainless, and copper metals mix effortlessly to give the kitchen a timeless appeal.

 

Modern Graphics

Old Brand New

This feel-good pink and green kitchen from Dabito at Old Brand New features a soft geometric black-and-white patterned tile backsplash that creates structure between the vivid color blocking and helps keep the design feeling airy and modern.

Blue and White Patterned Tile

Erin Williamson Design

This pretty blue and white patterned backsplash in a kitchen from Austin, TX.-based interior designer Erin Williamson adds a decorative note to an otherwise streamlined white kitchen design. It’s just the right dose of color and pattern to wake up the all-white cabinetry and walls and will never go out of style.

 

Greige

Chelius House of Design

Interior designer Erin Chelius of Chelius House of Design chose a large format subway tile backsplash in a shiny greige-toned finish that has an earthy quality that works well with the beige and gray palette of the open plan kitchen, decorated with natural elements such as wood, leather, and woven baskets.

 

Glossy Black Subway

Erin Williamson Design

Interior designer Erin Williamson of Erin Williamson Design chose glossy black subway tile for the backsplash of this kitchen on the shores of Lake Austin, TX. The high gloss finish bounces light around and black appliances and countertops, stainless steel plumbing fixtures, and light gray paint create a masculine feel.

Two for One

deVOL Kitchens

In this Victorian English kitchen designed by deVOL Kitchens, the green tile is cut in different sizes that range from squares at the top to smaller rectangular shapes at the bottom. This variation adds a homemade quality and a subtle variation in pattern to the simple, timeless shades of green tile, which works like a charm against the warm pink walls.

The 6 Best Tools for Cutting Ceramic Tile at Home

Hexagonal Penny Tile

Michelle Berwick Design

Ontario-based interior designer Michelle Berwick of Michelle Berwick Design chose hexagonal penny tile with dark grout for this stylish and functional suburban home renovation in a bold palette of white, black, and bright gold.

 

Whitewashed Brick

Whittney Parkinson Design

A whitewashed full wall brick backsplash in this kitchen from interior designer Whittney Parkinson of Whittney Parkinson Design makes the room warm and inviting, and complements the custom Shaker-style cabinetry, stone countertops, and wood finishes on the island and flooring.

Vintage Tiles

My 100 Year Old Home

Leslie from My 100 Year Old Home tiled her Waco, TX. kitchen backsplash with vintage tin ceiling tiles to match her rustic shabby chic farmhouse aesthetic.

 

  • Solid

    Jenn Pablo Studio

    If you prefer a solid backdrop without tile or grout lines, but don’t want to splash out for stone, opt for a monochromatic color block backsplash in concrete or another matte finish, like this earthy neutral-toned backsplash in a Pacific Palisades, CA. home designed by interior designer Jenn Pablo of Jenn Pablo Studio.

    Abstract

    Whittney Parkinson Design

    The stone backsplash in this English cottage-inspired kitchen from interior designer Whittney Parkinson of Whittney Parkinson Design looks like a piece of abstract art or a photograph of bare branches. Its graphic black veining adds interest and a touch of drama to the room, with its natural palette of soft taupes, grays, browns, and weathered wood tones.

    Marble Subway Tile

    Ursula Carmona of Homemade by Carmona

    Ursula Carmona of Homemade by Carmona renovated the eat-in kitchen in her contemporary cottage-style guesthouse with a marble subway tile backsplash that blends in with the rest of the room and complements its soft neutral tones of gray, beige, and white.

     

    Black Squares

    Vanessa Lantine / Mindy Gayer Design Co.

    The glossy black square tile backsplash in this kitchen pantry from interior designer Mindy Gayer of Mindy Gayer Design Co. sets itself apart from the matte all-white main kitchen backsplash. Visible from the main kitchen and dining area, the dark tile of the pantry creates contrast and a sense of depth to the smaller space

     

    Light As a Penny

    Desiree Burns Interiors

    Interior designer Desiree Burns of D Burns Interiors chose white penny tile for the backsplash of this glamorous little bachelorette apartment. The timeless tiles add subtle texture and blend seamlessly with marble countertops, white cabinetry, and a Smeg refrigerator. Pops of gold metallic bring the bling, and natural materials like wood and rattan warm it up.

     

    Clean as a Bone

    Christy Q. Photography / Cathie Hong Interiors

    Interior designer Cathie Hong of Cathie Hong Interiors chose crowd-pleasing matte white subway tile for this light, airy, clean, and contemporary gray-and-white intergenerational family home kitchen. Laid out in a herringbone pattern, it helps to break up the linear lines of the cabinetry, countertops, and floating shelves, along with pendant globe lights that add some curves

     

    Frame It Out

    deVOL Kitchens

    In this spacious kitchen designed by deVOL Kitchens, the stovetop is located on the kitchen island, while the sink is built into a side wall, its stone backsplash inset and framed out like a piece of art.