Kitchen Design: A Picture Frame for Your Backsplash

Frame a panel of unusually shaped tile. These multi-colored penny rounds add style and interest to a mostly-white kitchen. The blend of contrasting colors creates visual movement, and a dark inner liner adds definition. Doesn't it look like bubbles are coming from the tea pot? Another fun thing to notice: The round cabinet knobs echo the black penny rounds.

Select a style and color that relates to the rest of your kitchen. I love this panel created from pillowed metallic tile set on the diagonal. It has the appearance of a quilt, brings out the silver gray tones in the granite, and softens the stainless steel range. If you look closely, you can see small square accent tiles (called "dots" in tile lingo). The thin coordinating bar liner is the perfect finishing touch in this French Country kitchen.

Consider readymade decorative tile features. In an English Tudor kitchen, a carved medallion is bordered by a round beaded liner, four coordinating corners and a simple molding. This olive set is from Sonoma Tilemakers. The earthy tone works well with the light mocha subway tile, cream cabinets, hammered copper hood and terracotta walls.

Pay attention to placement. Center your picture frame feature over the range or cooktop. To determine how high to place it, make a paper mockup of the feature, tape it up and adjust it until it looks right. This one is centered between the bottom of the hood and the top of the blue tile base.

Here, the backsplash feature is done in a pleasing palette of blue, olive and light gray ceramic tile with white accents. The counter complements it nicely in Volga Blue, a black granite with gray tones and metallic blue flecks.

Mat your decorative feature. Much like framing a piece of art, add a coordinating mat inside the outer border to set off your design. The brown border in this feature makes the three diagonal squares stand out.

Frame a hand-painted mural. A lemon tree was painted on light tumbled travertine tile for a charming look in this Old-World kitchen. You can commission a custom tile mural or find a readymade one.

Frame a decorative wall plaque. Tile plaques make an eye-catching feature. Add coordinating accent liner bars and tiles in the rest of the backsplash for a pulled-together look.

One of my favorite designs is subway tile paired with a framed herringbone feature. The effect is subtle and elegant.