Kitchen Backsplash Ideas

Exercise your earth-friendly mindset while expressing great style with recycled glass tile backsplash. In this kitchen, the matte recycled glass tiles inspired the color scheme of warm grays, creams, and brown, which also repeat in the recycled glass countertop.

When you want a clean, contemporary look, keep the kitchen backsplash treatment simple. A single sheet of glass, painted on the back, lends color and easy-clean protection behind this range. The modern kitchen backsplash extends from the countertop to the ceiling as a simple, shining backdrop for the sculptural hood.

Flat-front cabinets set the stage for modern touches throughout the kitchen. Combine the sleek look with a contemporary kitchen backsplash. Black and gray glass tiles run horizontally along the back wall and the thinness of the backsplash tiles makes this kitchen feel energetic and fresh.

The right kitchen backsplash tile can introduce another design dimension to your space. Slender glass tiles in creamy hues and stone tiles in coppery shades make this kitchen glow with their translucent beauty. A neutral color palette such as the one in this kitchen backsplash can warm up a sleek, contemporary space. The trendy, narrow backsplash tiles maintain a modern vibe.

Layering a shapely piece of marble over tongue-and-groove siding creates a layered look for this backsplash idea that honors the 1897 Victorian home that once stood on this lot. The owner wanted to restore a feeling of the historic home, but in a simpler form. The distinctive kitchen backsplash design, combined with the wood paneled backdrop, adds dimension to the wall.

Clad from counter to ceiling with durable chocolate-brown porcelain tiles, this kitchen backsplash harmonizes with the creamy-hue onyx and oak-veneer cabinetry. To impart the look of natural stone, the backsplash was edged with dark-gray grout.

Looking for a kitchen backsplash on a budget? Try a beaded board backsplash. White beaded board covers this kitchen backsplash, but stops short of the ceiling, allowing a rich shade of taupe paint to warm up the mostly-white room. The classic backsplash idea is the perfect addition to a cozy cottage kitchen.

Distinctive zones for food prep, cooking, and cleanup keep kitchen efficiency humming, but the look should be cohesive from zone-to-zone. Selecting one kitchen backsplash treatment promotes continuity while some tile colors echo elements throughout the room to visually link materials and components.

Choosing one color (no pattern or texture) and clean-lined tile for the backsplash in a small kitchen keeps the look uncluttered and roomy. On this kitchen backsplash, long rectangular tiles feature rich brown (almost black) color that provides warm balance with white cabinetry, while giving the walls a sense of depth. The reflective surface of the tile also lends added dimension to the kitchen backsplash idea.

Classic good looks and a casual vibe are central to this kitchen's backsplash. In a sea of carefree white, subway tiles with dark grout lines bear a subtle "look-at-me" texture for a fresh backsplash idea. The dark grout lines also serve a practical purpose: Grout can often stain, but dark grout is more forgiving.

The veining in granite inspired the rich brown accents in this creamy-white kitchen. Shimmering shades of cocoa, chocolate, and coffee-color tiles cover the kitchen backsplash and coordinate with the oil-rubbed bronze cabinet hardware to create a luxurious traditional kitchen.

A seamless look is key when a kitchen opens to the living room. For this contemporary loft kitchen, the contrast of dark and light surfaces enhances the unfussy, contemporary vibe of the space. Sleek flat-front cabinets combine with chunky marble countertops and a simple stainless-steel kitchen backsplash to play up the linear symmetry of the room.

The white cottage-style cabinetry in this beach house benefits from sea glass colors of turquoise and green in the kitchen backsplash and accents. Taupe-color walls serve as a serene backdrop for the dramatic blue island. White cabinetry on the back wall of the galley kitchen offers a bit of calm for the eyes, while the turquoise-painted island adds energy.

Fewer details keep a kitchen feeling calm and clutter-free, but the modern look doesn't have to be cold. This kitchen combines cloudy gray granite counters, glass backsplashes, and hardware so slim it barely registers. Mingle the backsplash idea with large expanses of riftsawn oak cabinetry for a warm result.

Classic materials, aged finishes, and casual luxury make for an inviting place to cook and gather. Combining the elegance of Carrara marble countertops with a charming tongue-and-groove board kitchen backsplash re-creates the friendly feel of a turn-of-the-century farmhouse. Using an elegant material like marble in an informal way dresses down the space without losing any of its quality and beauty.

Looking for practical kitchen backsplash ideas? Try one that's pretty too. It's difficult to discern that this kitchen was designed with five children in mind. Elegant cherry cabinets and sleek surfaces lend a stylish, contemporary appearance. Yet it all wipes clean easily, including the countertop-to-ceiling backsplash of recycled glass tiles, chosen to evoke of a sense of shimmering water to complement the playful porthole window. The reflective kitchen backsplash tile changes color throughout the day, giving the room further dimension.

This kitchen boasts an off-white quilted travertine backsplash that enhances the limestone countertops and warm white cabinetry. If you have your eye on a tile that's out of your budget, consider using it as an accent. Detail insets introduce a visual spark to a simple kitchen backsplash, without busting the bank.

Re-create a coveted commercial look with concrete countertops paired with a brick kitchen backsplash, dressed in extra mortar for old-house patina. If there aren't any Old Chicago bricks waiting to be revealed in your kitchen, you can use brick veneer to create a kitchen backsplash that looks like the real thing.

Classic marble backsplashes easily translate to a contemporary space. In this modern kitchen, sleek Italian cabinets made of wenge wood offer a natural pairing with Carrara marble backsplashes. If you're considering marble backsplashes and countertops, have the stone sealed, but keep in mind that the sealant makes the stone more stain-resistant, but not stain-proof. Wipe up splatters as soon as they happen and regularly clean the marble with a neutral cleaner, stone soap, or a mild liquid dishwashing detergent and warm water. Never use products containing lemon, vinegar, or other acids or it may dull or etch the marble kitchen backsplash.

Eye-catching stacked pebbles fit with the natural lakeside style of this kitchen and also protect the wall at the beverage center from errant splashes. The homeowners opted not to grout the stones in this kitchen backsplash idea so they would appear more natural.

Pair colorful cabinets with a statement kitchen backsplash to create a focal point. In this kitchen, most of the cabinetry is cream color, but pale blue cabinets set the cooktop area apart. Tile above the cooktop provides another visual drawing card, with its textural beauty and an intricate inset design.

In the company of lusciously layered woodwork, plaster surfaces, and ceramic and glass tile in copper and bronze hues, this thoroughly modern stainless-steel cooktop almost goes unnoticed. The focal point of the kitchen -- a convenient niche in the cooktop backsplash -- glistens with a combination of limestone and glass. The same mosaic glass tiles seen in the kitchen backsplash dress up the substantial ventilation hood presiding over the range.

In an otherwise neutral kitchen, a wall of gray-green subway tiles adds a touch of color and shimmer. Subway tiles come in dozens of colors and are often easy on the budget, so creating a show-stopping kitchen backsplash gives you plenty of bang for your buck.

Opt for a beaded-board backsplash as a low-cost option to break up banks of cabinets and enhance a room's cottage feel. Here, the cool blue kitchen backsplash complements the warm terra-cotta tiles underfoot.

Kitchen backsplashes can be hardworking, too. These stainless-steel backsplashes support a rail system that keeps cooking utensils in view and easily accessible right on the walls a la Julia Child's, My Life in France. 

Unify diverse style elements in a kitchen with a creative backsplash treatment. In this case, one homeowner loves modern style and the other, a cottage look. To create their own take on "farmhouse modern" they updated the classic subway tile backsplash by combining rows of tiles in three thicknesses. The effect is part vintage, part hip, and a little bit cottage. A pine hood adds a surprise along this range wall.

Patterned slate tiles connect to form a backsplash that pulls together the colors of this Asian-inspired kitchen. Rich brown and red tones in the kitchen backsplash tile echo the warm wood floors and cabinets, while steely grays help the sleek stainless-steel appliances blend.

Tuck an alcove between studs and behind the range, then line it with tile to create a kitchen backsplash that doubles as storage. In this kitchen, dressed in soothing gray and blue, hexagonal marble tile and blue linear glass tile converge behind the cooktop for a one-of-a-kind backsplash idea.

The mere fact that most cabinets are made of wood can make them feel heavy within a room -- a visual effect this small kitchen couldn’t afford. Installing a glass kitchen backsplash, painted on back in calming blue-gray, creates the illusion that the cabinets are floating for a lighter look. The black granite countertop with a 3-inch-thick edge is designed to transition smoothly to the kitchen backsplash, while layering the glass and stainless steel yields a luminous result that interacts beautifully with the room’s natural light.

Choose a hardworking, family-friendly surface, such as these easy-to-clean glass mosaic tiles, to add sparkle to a kitchen backsplash and energy to a room. The light and dark hues of the kitchen's warm contemporary color scheme are found within the backsplash tiles, resulting in an overall look that is fun, yet pulled together.

Selecting a simple subway tile with a beveled edge for your kitchen backsplash introduces depth and dimension as the angled edges reflect light. Marble countertops, an apron-front sink, and gray subway tiles with beveled edges, keep this kitchen on the classic side.

Let a backsplash set the color palette for your kitchen. An antique blue-green-and-brown tile backsplash is the source of the color scheme for this hospitable kitchen. Cream-color cabinets and cupboards frame the vintage design, allowing the kitchen backsplash to make a statement.

With distinctively colored cabinets, this kitchen needed repetitious elements for a harmonious look. A colorful kitchen backsplash would have overpowered the robin's-egg blue cabinets. Instead, a salvaged brick backsplash coordinates with the terra-cotta floor, providing a seamless backdrop of surfaces for the bright cabinetry. The result is a rustic cottage kitchen, filled with warmth and character.

A mix of metals, warm woods, and pristine white cabinetry and countertops lends a cottage feel and a sense of old-meets-new in this kitchen. On the backsplash, tiny glass mosaics in a herringbone pattern introduce soft blues and grays. A few rows of white subway tiles on the kitchen backsplash offer a transition from the white quartz-surfacing countertops that are reminiscent of marble, but more durable. A shapely hood composed of two metals stands out on the muted backsplash of mosaics -- chosen for their colors reminiscent of coastal Maine sea glass.

Instill welcoming warmth in the kitchen with a kitchen backsplash of relief pattern tiles and richly stained wood cabinets. In this space, hand-rubbed glazing adds dramatic highlights to the cherry cabinet doors and drawers. On the kitchen backsplash, a combination of tiles, including a raised relief border, invoke luxurious details to draw the eye.

Light-color, recycled, and contemporary materials were used to give this kitchen a casual, day-at-the-beach feel. For the one-of-a-kind kitchen backsplash idea, real seashells were embedded into concrete, along with impressions of starfish made by casting actual starfish into molds. These were then hand-stamped onto the tile backsplash surface. Pearly accent tiles were added behind the range for a bit of shimmer and shine.

It's possible to take plain tiles and make them special, such as this kitchen backsplash dressed in classic white ceramic subway tiles. For a sophisticated twist, these are installed in a herringbone pattern. Paired with gray-green cabinetry and custom Roman shades, this cottage-style kitchen gained a high-end look on a modest budget.

Reclaimed Italian architecture re-creates an old-world feel in this kitchen. Around the range, an antique mantel has been transformed into a range hood, serving as a substantial form for a field of subway tiles installed in a classic herringbone pattern. Centered beneath the hood, an oversize inset tile serves as a richly detailed kitchen backsplash that imbues warmth.

The pattern that forms when tile is installed can communicate a style statement as effectively as the tiles themselves. In this clean, contemporary space, 2x10-inch white glass backsplash tiles stack up in arrow-straight columns rather than in a traditional running bond pattern. The kitchen backsplash underscores the emphasis on parallel lines found throughout, including the range hood made of stacked ribs of riftsawn wood.

Use backsplash tile to give a new kitchen a historical feel. This kitchen backsplash uses a centerpiece handmade tile in tones of butterscotch to make a statement about a bygone era. A field of blue backsplash tile sets the tile inset apart while drawing all eyes on the range area.

Give a small kitchen grand style by extending the backsplash from the countertop to the ceiling. These glass mosaic tiles repeat tones from the cabinetry, the wood floors, and the granite countertops. The kitchen backsplash serves another visual purpose: with no room for upper cabinets to the left of the hood, the mosaic tiles visually balance the expanse.