The kitchen design is mostly crowned by the kitchen island, countertops, flooring, and cabinetry. Until recently, the backsplash was relegated to just a plain color that, in most cases, was the same as that of the countertops.
Thankfully, that awful design trend died.
Why?
Because the backsplash is one of the most important design elements of any kitchen. It solidifies the entire design theme, creates the warmth and feel of the kitchen, and provides an eye-catching background that pops everything else in the kitchen into the foreground.
Thus, to nail your entire kitchen design, you need to get this right.
How?
Generally, by being experimental. Beautiful backsplash designs are dictated by striking colors, highly themed use of materials, and a touch of personalization that makes your kitchen look unique.
So, which designs can you explore?
Start with the ones in this piece. They’re beautiful, elegant, highly personalized, and in tune with most themes you might want to try out in your kitchen.
1. Subway Tiles
Nothing can beat tiles as the number one selection for backsplashes. This is because tiles are durable, affordable, and various. And as far as those qualities are concerned, the subway tiles shine best.
Subway tiles feature a staggered layout and clean lines, which add a touch of uniqueness to your backsplash design. They also average $7-$13 per square foot, making them very affordable.
But not all things are rosy with subway tiles.
Despite being easy to clean and durable, the grout lines that are exposed between the tiles are prone to getting mold. Thus, you need to keep the backsplash dry at all times.
2. Laser-Cut Tiles
If you desire more sophistication, laser-cut tiles are the way to go. However, be prepared to break your bank while installing them for your backsplash.
Laser-cut tiles are famous for their intricate, clean patterns that can’t be drawn or etched on normal tiles. However, this added sophistication comes at an extra price of about $30-$40 per square foot, and installation is also equally expensive.
So, is it worth it?
Yes. Laser-cut tiles allow you to explore a wide range of different patterns for your backsplash tiling. They also show and expose a lot of detail in your kitchen that a normal backsplash wouldn’t.
3. Diagonal Tiles
If you are looking for great visual effects for your kitchen, then you should try diagonal tiles for your kitchen backsplash design. These are simply square tiles that have been installed diagonally to create a diagonal tile effect.
But this comes at a cost.
Since more precision is needed to install and cut the diagonal tiles, and a bit of wastage is incurred while doing so, this design tends to cost 10-20% more compared to straight tiles.
However, this has the great benefit of adding not only interest but also dimension to your overall kitchen design, making the kitchen look larger and more spacious.
4. Dark Shade Tiles
If you’ve chosen a dark-themed kitchen with dark flooring and/or cabinetry, exploring dark-shade tiles for your backsplash might be a great design decision.
A predominantly black, charcoal gray, or deep blue kitchen with a deep hue of teal for the backsplash would create a nice contrast between the kitchen’s background and the rest of the design elements, making them pop out.
The key here is contrast. You must ensure the backsplash creates depth and detail within the kitchen design.
5. Patterned Tiles
Humans are attracted to patterns. Thus, if you want to grab guests' attention in your kitchen to the backsplash, then settling for a patterned tiles design is your best bet.
For a striking design, you can use tiles with geometric designs, such as chevron patterns etched into the tiling.
Pulling off this backsplash design also needs great attention to detail. You need to ensure that the grout lines match. This is important if you want the sharp edges to be softened, thus drawing more attention to the pattern in the tiling.
6. Moroccan Tile
Moroccan tile is one of the many backsplash designs inspired by a global heritage or community. Morocco inspired this specific design, which is evident by the unique color choice used on the tiling, which features green accents similar to those found in the Moroccan flag.
But that doesn’t mean this design is specific to the Moroccan community.
If you’ve chosen a green-themed kitchen, this backsplash design will greatly complement the overall theme. The dark green patterns on the tiling add detail and depth to the kitchen.
7. Mosaic Tile
If you’ve chosen a blue kitchen and are wondering which backsplash design will do it justice, your eyes should be set on mosaic tile. This beautiful design features intricate patterns that blend beautifully with a blue-themed kitchen.
Specifically, the patterns on the mosaic tile break the blue monotony, adding detail to your overall kitchen design.
But not for a cheap price. Mosaic tiles are expensive, with most contractors charging about $20 per square foot for installation. This is along with the cost of materials. However, this is cheaper compared to the more expensive laser-cut tiles.
8. Neutral Pattern
The neutral pattern is for the neutral kitchen. This is predominantly a black-and-white kitchen that doesn’t feature striking colors meant to draw attention.
So, what draws attention to the design?
The neutral pattern backsplash. This backsplash features sophisticated, neat, yet subtle patterns that add interest to the kitchen design. The rest of the kitchen can thus feature dark grey cabinetry, dark silver faucets, and a gray kitchen island.
If you want to add more color to the design, you can settle for colorful artwork to support the backsplash.
9. Tile Medallions
A backsplash should run the entire length of the countertop, not just behind the sink. However, the tile medallions backsplash design employs a great deal of creativity.
Instead of the regular backsplash, the tile medallion design features cream tiles offset by a medallion or tile centerpiece. This backsplash design aims to achieve a rich Tuscan look with the backsplash.
The medallion or centerpiece is not bought separately. Rather, it is built from scratch by the tile setters during the installation of the tiles. The tiles surrounding the medallion are also installed diagonally to draw focus. The outer frame finally makes it pop from the rest of the backsplash.
10. Rusty Slate Tile Backsplash
Why not use real stone instead of regular tiles? That’s the idea behind the rusty slate tiles, perfect for a rustic kitchen theme or a more traditional kitchen design vis something modern.
The slate mosaic tile adds a rough, natural, distinct look to a kitchen backsplash. It can come in 4×4 inch to 16×16 inch sizes.
Even better, copper slate tiles can be installed as a DIY project. This makes them ideal if you’re looking for something unique and experimental.
