4 Creative New Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
If you’re looking for something different to perk up your kitchen design, consider one of these refreshing tile options
A backsplash selection can make or break a kitchen design. And while some kitchens call for a simple, straightforward backsplash, others need something with a little more energy. If you’re looking for a backsplash that’s anything but run-of-the-mill, consider one of these four intriguing looks.
2. Perennial Pattern
Designer: Jennifer Miller Studio
Architect: Two Trees Architects
Location: Montecito, California
Size: 182 square feet (17 square meters); 13 by 14 feet
Homeowners’ request. Create “a timeless, clean, functioning kitchen with maximum storage as well as a good amount of workable counter space,” designer Jennifer Miller says.
Backsplash. Pratt + Larson tile. “We wanted something that had interest but wasn’t so bold you would grow tired of it,” Miller says. “The soft white background with the delicate indigo pattern blurs the lines between subtle pattern and texture.”
Other special features. A white range hood and shiplap ceiling lighten the look of the dark countertops and dark blue cabinets (painted in Ocean Floor by Benjamin Moore). “Contrasting the light and darker tones gave this small kitchen a nice hit of drama without feeling trendy,” Miller says. The light fixture is a vintage Murano bell glass pendant.
Designer tip. “The space for the kitchen area was a small footprint,” Miller says. “Having glass on the upper cabinets with the interiors painted white to match the surrounding walls greatly expands the room.”
Backsplash tile: Scraffito PW1 in indigo, Pratt + Larson
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Designer: Jennifer Miller Studio
Architect: Two Trees Architects
Location: Montecito, California
Size: 182 square feet (17 square meters); 13 by 14 feet
Homeowners’ request. Create “a timeless, clean, functioning kitchen with maximum storage as well as a good amount of workable counter space,” designer Jennifer Miller says.
Backsplash. Pratt + Larson tile. “We wanted something that had interest but wasn’t so bold you would grow tired of it,” Miller says. “The soft white background with the delicate indigo pattern blurs the lines between subtle pattern and texture.”
Other special features. A white range hood and shiplap ceiling lighten the look of the dark countertops and dark blue cabinets (painted in Ocean Floor by Benjamin Moore). “Contrasting the light and darker tones gave this small kitchen a nice hit of drama without feeling trendy,” Miller says. The light fixture is a vintage Murano bell glass pendant.
Designer tip. “The space for the kitchen area was a small footprint,” Miller says. “Having glass on the upper cabinets with the interiors painted white to match the surrounding walls greatly expands the room.”
Backsplash tile: Scraffito PW1 in indigo, Pratt + Larson
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3. Glass Glory
Designers: Amity Worrel & Co. (interior designer) and Dianne Kett of DK Studio (architect)
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Size: 165 square feet (15 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Update the home in a more contemporary style without compromising the historical integrity of the building.
Backsplash. Multicolored mosaic glass tiles in varying warm neutral shades. The remodeling team selected mossy gray cabinets to complement the grays in the backsplash.
Other special features. Stained white oak island countertop. Carrara Blanco marble perimeter countertops.
Where to Start and Stop Your Backsplash
Designers: Amity Worrel & Co. (interior designer) and Dianne Kett of DK Studio (architect)
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Size: 165 square feet (15 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Update the home in a more contemporary style without compromising the historical integrity of the building.
Backsplash. Multicolored mosaic glass tiles in varying warm neutral shades. The remodeling team selected mossy gray cabinets to complement the grays in the backsplash.
Other special features. Stained white oak island countertop. Carrara Blanco marble perimeter countertops.
Where to Start and Stop Your Backsplash
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4. Marble Moment
Designer: Sarah Farouk of FineLine Kitchens
Location: Vienna, Virginia
Size: 243 square feet (23 square meters); 20 feet, 8 inches by 11½ feet, 6 inches
Homeowners’ request. Create a spacious, stylish and functional kitchen with an island that that could seat all seven family members together.
Backsplash. Ming Green floral tile with white Thassos marble details. “This backsplash was selected last, actually,” designer Sarah Farouk says. “I had picked this green sage color for the cabinets (Moon Bay by UltraCraft) with a wood-toned island and hood. I was looking for a backsplash with a pattern that slightly brought in this pale green color and introduced a classic, beautiful pattern. This one I found was a marble one with just the right amount of white and green to not fight with the countertop or the cabinets, but complement them perfectly.”
Other special features. Fantasy Brown stone countertops.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The challenging part in this was the island,” Farouk says. “It really gave me a hard time. I had to fit the sink [and] enough space around the sink for dirty dishes etc., [as well as] account for water splashing and people sitting at the island. And I had to make sure that if someone wanted to open the fridge or the pantry, it wasn’t hitting the stools or people sitting at the island. The space wasn’t the biggest, but I had to make sure it fit everyone and everything for my client. It almost didn’t work, until we created a little alcove behind the fridge and pushed the fridge a bit into the wall. That way it sat flush with the cabinets and allowed me to proceed with my plan.”
Backsplash tile: Ming Green oval and white Thassos dot tiles, Glazzio Tiles; wall paint: Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams
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Designer: Sarah Farouk of FineLine Kitchens
Location: Vienna, Virginia
Size: 243 square feet (23 square meters); 20 feet, 8 inches by 11½ feet, 6 inches
Homeowners’ request. Create a spacious, stylish and functional kitchen with an island that that could seat all seven family members together.
Backsplash. Ming Green floral tile with white Thassos marble details. “This backsplash was selected last, actually,” designer Sarah Farouk says. “I had picked this green sage color for the cabinets (Moon Bay by UltraCraft) with a wood-toned island and hood. I was looking for a backsplash with a pattern that slightly brought in this pale green color and introduced a classic, beautiful pattern. This one I found was a marble one with just the right amount of white and green to not fight with the countertop or the cabinets, but complement them perfectly.”
Other special features. Fantasy Brown stone countertops.
“Uh-oh” moment. “The challenging part in this was the island,” Farouk says. “It really gave me a hard time. I had to fit the sink [and] enough space around the sink for dirty dishes etc., [as well as] account for water splashing and people sitting at the island. And I had to make sure that if someone wanted to open the fridge or the pantry, it wasn’t hitting the stools or people sitting at the island. The space wasn’t the biggest, but I had to make sure it fit everyone and everything for my client. It almost didn’t work, until we created a little alcove behind the fridge and pushed the fridge a bit into the wall. That way it sat flush with the cabinets and allowed me to proceed with my plan.”
Backsplash tile: Ming Green oval and white Thassos dot tiles, Glazzio Tiles; wall paint: Greek Villa, Sherwin-Williams
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Designer: Kirby Foster Hurd of Kirby Home Designs
Builder: MassaRossa Luxury Homes
Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
Size: 154 square feet (14 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “This was a new-build spec home that turned custom early on in the construction process,” designer Kirby Foster Hurd says. “The house had already broken ground when purchased by the homeowners. I was hired by the homebuilder to assist the clients in making all remaining color and material selections. They had previously lived in a more traditional-style home and were hesitant with the amount of stone and stain planned for this new modern hill-country-inspired home. I was able to get them more comfortable with the design concepts by balancing the lighter color scheme they were previously accustomed to with the warmth of the stain, and added textures that were planned for this new home.”
Foster Hurd used Houzz Pro software’s 3D Floor Plans feature to demonstrate spatial planning to her clients. (You can view her design in floor plan, dollhouse and walk-through modes.)
Backsplash. Six-by-6-inch tumbled travertine in silver. “Travertine is a form of limestone, and since it is a natural product, there is beautiful color variation in each piece,” Foster Hurd says. “To ensure the backsplash stood out, we paired it with white cabinets along the back wall and a stained wood center island. White quartz countertops with light veining throughout the kitchen also ensured the backsplash took center stage. For additional contrast, we added in mixed metal finishes in the plumbing, lighting and cabinet hardware.”
Designer tip. “When selecting a paint color or a stain color, you aren’t limited to what is represented on the swatches at the store,” Foster Hurd says. “For example, try mixing stains or paint colors, like we did on this kitchen island. We ultimately mixed 75% MW [Minwax] 211 Provincial and 25% MW 260 Pickled Oak. My other tip when experimenting with stain is to ensure that the samples being made are on the same species of wood as what is ultimately being stained. This will give you the most accurate representation, since all wood species take stain differently.”
Backsplash tile: Trav Ancient tumbled in silver, 6 by 6 inches, Emser Tile; stools: Union saddle stool in Essence Natural finish, Four Hands; paint: Snowbound (cabinets) and Aesthetic White (walls), both by Sherwin-Williams; staging: Layton Staging and Redesign
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