Kitchen backsplashes serve an important purpose of protecting walls from spilled food and beverages while adding an eye-catching pop of color and pattern. From covering just behind your sink to surrounding your stove, a bold kitchen backsplash can make an unforgettable impression on any visitor to your kitchen.
Marble is a timeless kitchen material, but you can add some flair with a herringbone backsplash pattern or darker marble with textured surfaces.
1. Antique or Reclaimed Tiles
A backsplash may serve to protect the wall behind a stove or sink, but that doesn’t have to be boring! With some creative designs available today, a bold backsplash idea could become the centerpiece of your kitchen design.
Use a combination of shapes and hues to keep the space feeling balanced, such as this backsplash design that utilizes both vintage-looking rounded penny tiles as well as modern patterned subway tile for visual interest.
For a contemporary touch, choose stone backsplash ideas featuring natural tones or motifs like fern fronds to bring out the beauty in any architectural style. Here, a calacatta marble backsplash featuring fern-shaped pieces blends in seamlessly into a Charleston marshland-inspired family home.
2. Vertical Stack Bond Pattern
Backsplashes serve to protect wall surfaces from food splatters while acting as decorative focal points in any kitchen design scheme. Infusing personality and color into their design is also possible!
If you love the look of brick, add texture and interest to your backsplash by choosing a vertical stack bond tile pattern. Similar to 1/2 running bond, but with vertical rows instead of horizontal ones. This unique way of aligning tiles ensures evenness between rows.
Modern kitchens often boast intricate backsplash designs; however, neutral-colored tiles can look equally chic and sophisticated for an opulent effect. Add various hues into your backsplash design for an eye-catching appearance.
3. Hand-Painted Tiles
Hand-painted backsplash tiles are experiencing a revival. Drawing inspiration from 20th-century art, Italian maiolica or Dylan Thomas’ poetry, artists are taking up brushes again and turning tiles into earthen masterpieces.
Hand-painted backsplash tiles make for a practical choice that stands up well to spills and splatters better than paper or vinyl wallcoverings.
Subtle backsplash designs add just as much style to a kitchen, as bold ones do. Incorporating vertical and horizontal stacks of subway tile keeps this sleek kitchen’s design interesting while remaining understated.
4. Herringbone Pattern
Herringbone is an exquisite zigzag pattern that has endured over time. Dubbed after its perceived likeness to herring bones, this arrangement of rectangular blocks can be utilized in numerous design styles.
Backsplashes with herringbone patterns can be as bold or subdued as desired depending on the colors chosen and tile size used. Bright ombre tiles like those seen here give an eye-catching retro flair that compliments both painted cabinets and brushed metal handles perfectly.
Naturalistic herringbone kitchen backsplash ideas can make any space seem larger. A black herringbone backsplash with rounded edges highlights this kitchen’s captivating black herringbone floor while adding depth and dimension.
5. Titled or Turned on Their Sides
Kitchen backsplashes can make a statement without becoming overly complex. One innovative idea combines various trends by using tile colors, textures, and shapes for a cohesive aesthetic.
Subway tiles are an elegant classic choice for your backsplash, seamlessly fitting in with any design style. Experiment with elongated subway tiles featuring contrasting grout colors for an eye-catching and modern aesthetic.
Blue ceramic backsplashes provide a broad palette that works with any design style, from crisp sky blue for contemporary spaces to the vintage charm of robin’s egg in classic rooms. Plus, by adding personal touches like this kitchen’s hummingbirds and family initials – even more personalization can be accomplished!
6. Fish or Mermaid Scales
Kitchen backsplashes provide one of the easiest opportunities to experiment with playful design elements that add some unexpected flare. Mermaid scales, for instance, not only make an adorable pattern but are an eye-catching way to bring bold style into any kitchen space.
Chevron backsplashes can make an eye-catching statement in any neutral kitchen design, especially when they feature reflective edges that reflect light back onto them and bring depth and dimension into the space. They provide depth while amplifying aesthetic and ambiance – an invaluable design feature.
If you love the look of natural stone countertops but are hesitant to commit to an entire slab, a smaller swath can serve as an eye-catching backsplash – as seen here in an Idaho chalet kitchen with handmade tiles adding character while protecting walls from cooking spills.
