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55 Stylish Kitchen Backsplash Ideas for Every Aesthetic

Your dream space is one project away.

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rima farah olivier lordonnois's country house in millbrook, new york designed by alison newman interiorspinterest
Björn Wallander

Whether you're completely gutting your kitchen, building a new one from scratch, or looking for a project that will add value to your home, choosing the right backsplash is a crucial step in the kitchen renovation process. Think of your backsplash like the contour of your kitchen: While it may not be the most noticeable feature, the end product would look one-dimensional without it. Like kitchen hardware, the backsplash is an essential ingredient to designing your dream kitchen.

When deciding what you like in a backsplash, designer Jenn Feldman recommends considering "the overall rhythm" of your space and asking a series of questions: "What is your focal point? What other colors, materials, and textures can you bring in to really support this?"

It's important to remember the shape you'll be putting in, as well. Would subway tile fit better, or mosaic? Or maybe it's best if you skip out on the tile altogether and go for a wallpaper backsplash or opt for shiplap. "If I'm really going for something special, I'll select a hand-painted or marbled tile from somewhere like Balineum," designer Avery Cox says. There are endless choices, which can all seem pretty overwhelming, but there's also beauty in that fact: You can really be infinitely creative with your backsplash.

Keep reading to find our list of 55 designer-approved kitchen backsplash ideas that are sure to inspire you. Remember to have fun with it and allow your overall aesthetic to guide your design.

1

Nature-Inspired Motifs

charleston, south carolina home designed by cortney bishop design
Katie Charlotte

If plain tiles simply won't do for the backsplash in your sophisticated, traditional-yet-modern home, then opt for something with a nature-inspired motif for a bit more interest and warmth. Interior designer Cortney Bishop installed these Calacatta Matarazzo marble tiles that feature fern fronds as her backsplash to make her low-country family home blend better into the Charleston marshlands.

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2

Rainbow Terrazzo

cabinets painted in soft and subtle calluna by farrow  ball complement the citrus yellow lacanche range and rainbow terrazzo counters in this manhattan kitchen designed by penelope august
Jonathan Hoekklo

Throw speckles of color into your kitchen with a rainbow terrazzo backsplash and matching countertop. Especially if you have a brightly colored fixture, like this vivid yellow range in this kitchen designed by Penelope August, the rainbow pattern easily coordinates with the focal point of the room and provides a seamless connection from one aspect of the kitchen to another.

3

Rustic Stonework

st helena, california, vacation home interior designer marshall watson interiors architect zimmerman miller montanari
Lisa Romerein

Bring the beauty of the outdoors inside with stonework that mimics your surroundings, like interior designer Marshall Watson did in the kitchen of this Napa Valley home. Watson—with the help of designer Mercedes Ganes and architecture firm Zimmerman Miller Montanari—used locally-sourced materials to create this German schmear-esque backsplash in the kitchen that can also be found in the living room of the home, tying the rooms together and bringing in textures that can be found in the surrounding historic buildings in the valley.

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4

Antique Tiles

rima farah olivier lordonnois's country house in millbrook, new york designed by alison newman interiors
Björn Wallander

Whether they're actually antique or reproductions, a backsplash with vintage-inspired designs and motifs are a great way to add character into your home. Interior designer Alison Newman sourced tiles from Solar Antique Tiles for her homey kitchen that's supposed to make guests feel as if they're in the Cotswolds. If you, like Newman, want everything in your home to "look worn," then choosing this unique style of backsplash is definitely a great detail.

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5

Matching Shelf, Backsplash, and Counters

marble backsplash in navy and white kitchen
Amy Bartlam Photography

"We had a vision of a true chef's kitchen for this traditional home, so modern elements like the linear hood and utilitarian gas range are softened so well by the natural qualities of the heavily veined marble we selected for the backsplash and long floating shelf," says Feldman. "It wraps all the walls in the space and was used on the oversized island as well." It's the focal point in this workhorse space for sure!

6

Colorful Patterned Tile

open kitchen window and back splash
MEGHAN BOB

Caren Rideau, founder of the Kitchen Design Group, believes tile should make a splash. "White subway tile is overused," she says. "I love color! Even if you don't want patterns, choose a tile that's completely blue, green, or pink—it's an opportunity to do something else."

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7

Celebrate the Materials

white kitchen with glazed backsplash
Amy Bartlam Photography

Quality wins even when it's a neutral color as shown in this kitchen designed by Feldman. She finds that the handmade, artisanal tile is a high-impact, low-cost way to make a kitchen sing: "The natural variation in color and imperfections in the glaze and edging imbue the space with so much depth." Glossy off-white tile and leathered soapstone are a timeless combination.

8

Accent the Range

tile kitchen
Lindsay Brown

Cox used square teal tiles in this kitchen to bring attention and depth to the cooking alcove. On either side of the range are white tiles with a teal blue trim to carry the color throughout the space.

9

Go Sustainable

tan tile in kitchen backsplash
Jess Isaac

Ceramic tiles glazed with pigments derived from industrial metal waste are an excellent option for giving your backsplash a refresh. We love how this kitchen by designer Jaqui Sherman combines the tiles with a richly veined slab for the counters and partway up the walls.

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10

Glossy Herringbone Tile

decatur, georgia home of cate dunning's grandmother
Emily J Followill

In this kitchen designed by Cate Dunning, glossy tiles laid in a herringbone pattern contrast with the matte greige cabinets and dark stone counters. Marrying both, the floor tiles are a custom mosaic pattern reminiscent of an old-school Paris bistro.

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11

Plaster Paint

white kitchen backsplash
Alison Gootee

The kitchen in Liz Lange's New York City home isn't large, but she wanted it to feel as bright and airy as possible despite a smaller footprint. "Rather than going pre-war in its aesthetic, we gutted it and went very clean and modern," she says. She coated all hardware-free cabinetry in white lacquer and used white plaster paint on the backsplash, which looks unfussy and isn't too precious.

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12

Single Row of Tiles

kitchen door with stained glass window home by reath design
LAURE JOLIET

The colorful stained glass window steals the show in this eclectic kitchen by Reath Design. Honey-hued paint envelopes the room, giving the space a surge of warmth. Wood countertops and a single row of merlot-toned square tiles complete the look.

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13

Mirrored Surfaces

kitchen backsplash ideas
Mark Lavender Interiors

The classic details make this look like the original kitchen, but designer M. Lavender actually did a complete gut job. Even the layout is new, with a window right over the range so the entire room gets illuminated by western exposure light. The mirrored backsplash over the counters and under the cabinets bounces the light even further.

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14

Dark Matching Counters

kitchen backsplash ideas
2021 TREVOR PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY

New York City-based designer Garrow Kedigian chose Soft Chinchilla by Benjamin Moore to give the kitchen cabinets a light, cheerful energy. “I always like my kitchens to feel like rooms and not utilitarian spaces, so I always encourage my clients to paint their kitchens with a lively color,” Kedigian says. The backsplash and counters are the same material, black granite from SMC Stone, for a seamless effect.

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15

Shiplap

kitchen
Read McKendree

Another tileless option? Shiplap. It's perfect for a kitchen that has a coastal theme, like this Nantucket-inspired one designed by Kevin Isbell. The white oak counters warm up the freshly painted space.

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16

Copper Backsplash and Counters

unique backsplash ideas
deVol Kitchens

In this deVOL kitchen, the custom copper countertops stretch up the walls as a backsplash and cover a slim shelf for decor display and extra storage space. The rich patina gives it a historic appeal.

17

Waterproof Stucco

kitchen of the month neighboring bar featuring custom shelves by amuneal and a dishwasher
Lesley Unruh

A corner wet bar within a larger kitchen designed by Sarah Blank is inspiring us to consider a fun paint color in a specialty finish that doesn't age poorly when in the splash zone. The walnut millwork and copper hardware look especially beautiful against the navy texture-rich paint. Check out our Venetian plaster guide for more information on how to achieve a similar look.

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18

Reclaimed Wood

Countertop, Cabinetry, Room, Furniture, Kitchen, Property, Interior design, Building, House, Home,
Luca Trovato

Warm up a cabin-style kitchen with walls in reclaimed wood. Extend them to your backsplash and it's full-on rustic charm.

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19

Painted Brick

kitchen ideas
Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTO

If you live in a rental and can't do a full-on wall tear-down but really aren't feeling the look of exposed brick, just paint it over with white paint. In this kitchen designed by Shawn Henderson, the white brick backsplash allows for a more modern, fresh mood as opposed to the industrial and darker presence of unpainted bricks.

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20

Beadboard

kitchen the zinc countertop is nonporous, naturally antibacterial, and will patinate in time 

mirror 1stdibs 
sconce circa lighting
curtain fabric zimmer  rohde
Andrew Frasz

A beadboard backsplash keeps this kitchen designed by Victoria Hagan feeling relaxed and country chic. It's the perfect complement to the zinc countertop (which is nonporous, naturally antibacterial, and will patina over time) and the sweet cafe curtains.

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