1Nature-Inspired Motifs
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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2Rainbow Terrazzo
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.
3Rustic Stonework
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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4Antique Tiles
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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5Matching Shelf, Backsplash, and Counters
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!
6Colorful Patterned Tile
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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7Celebrate the Materials
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.
8Accent the Range
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.
9Go Sustainable
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10Glossy Herringbone Tile
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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11Plaster Paint
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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12Single Row of Tiles
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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13Mirrored Surfaces
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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14Dark Matching Counters
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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15Shiplap
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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16Copper Backsplash and Counters
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.
17Waterproof Stucco
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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18Reclaimed Wood
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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19Painted Brick
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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20Beadboard
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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