Kitchen Backsplash Ideas

Give your kitchen a focal point with a beautiful backsplash. Discover designs made from tile, beaded board, brick, glass, recycled materials, and more.

Warm Accents

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 backsplash, without busting the bank. Here, a narrow mosaic border introduces a subtle flourish to the understated backsplash.

Rustic Appeal

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

Grand Illusion

The owners of this petite kitchen utilized the brick chimney jutting into the room by transforming it into a cooktop backsplash. High-gloss black paint updates the chimney bricks and gives a modern edge to the otherwise traditional space.

Shimmer and Shine

Coupled with stainless-steel appliances, the glass tile backsplash maintains a cool veneer in this traditional white kitchen. The reflective quality of the sage green tile helps blur the line between the modern appliances and traditional off-white cabinetry and espresso-color wood floors.

Texture and Shine

Buttercream-hue hand-glazed tiles lend warmth and country elegance to the backsplash in this French-style kitchen. Above the stove, a differing pattern adds texture and visual interest. To get a standout backsplash like this, choose tiles a few shades warmer than your cupboard paint.

Change Up

Install paneling horizontally behind vertical cupboards for an eye-catching effect. The soft color of this backsplash causes it to blend with the rest of the kitchen, but the horizontal grooves bring it to the forefront.

Home Sweet Home

Handmade, embossed tiles bring a hint of nature into this kitchen and complement the warm wood, wainscoting, and honed-granite countertops. To convey a sense of comfort in your kitchen, follow this space's example and blend warm tones, earthy colors, and unassuming materials and patterns.

Translucent Tile

Consisting of slender glass tile in creamy hues and stone tiles in coppery shades, the radiant translucence of this mosaic backsplash adds depth to the kitchen. A neutral color palette such as this one can warm up a sleek, contemporary space. The trendy narrow tiles maintain a modern vibe.

Classic Subway Tile

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

A Balanced Kitchen

A simple white paneled backsplash captures the spirit of a farmhouse-style kitchen. Here, the backsplash allows the distressed green cabinets and beautiful wood countertops to shine. Balance is essential when selecting colors and finishes. The heavily grained wood cabinets and dusty emerald green cabinets are the focal points, while the white finish on the backsplash acts as the balancing neutral, and the grooves in the paneling give the backsplash distinction.

Checkerboard Backsplash

If you're looking to make a big statement, opt for a striking checkered tile backsplash. In this kitchen, the black-and-metallic-white pattern is simple in design, but it packs a big punch when paired with merlot-color cabinets, black engineered-quartz countertops, and stainless-steel appliances.

Splashy 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 so they would appear more natural.

Distinct Pattern

Patterned ceramic tile distinguishes the cooktop backsplash and mimics the look of old tin ceiling tiles in this traditional farmhouse kitchen. The furniturelike presence and dark-stain range hood and lower cabinets punctuate the milky hue of the backsplash.

Luxury on a Budget

Marble on the range backsplash amplifies this kitchen's luxurious look. If you love marble, get the look for less by using marble tiles instead of a single marble slab, as was done in this kitchen.

Keep It Simple

Despite the strong architectural details, the off-white basket-weave tile behind this black La Cornue range gives this French-inspired kitchen a light, airy feel. The antique-looking backsplash softens the more visually compelling components and works with custom hickory cabinets to add to the Franco-mystique.

Steal the Show

In the company of lusciously layered woodwork, plaster surfaces, and ceramic and glass tile in copper and bronze hues, the 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 dress up the substantial ventilation hood presiding over the range.

Color Burst

The cooking area in this kitchen gains prominence thanks to a decorative tile backsplash and a display shelf above the range. Varied shades of blue and green in the backsplash tile add a refreshing burst of color in this tranquil kitchen. Bring even more prominence to a focal point backsplash by framing it with a neutral tile, as is done with the beveled Carrara marble subway tiles here.

Cottage Kitchen Backsplash

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 backsplash complements the warm terra-cotta tiles underfoot.

Classic but Contemporary

To balance traditional with modern, sleek perimeter cabinets with a glossy pearl-lacquer finish were topped with Calacatta marble counters and backed by a green glass tile backsplash. Adorned with stainless-steel appliances and a marble border, this backsplash helps create a sleek, polished kitchen in this early-1900s Italian Renaissance-style estate.

Compile Colors

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 tile echo the warm wood floors and cabinets, while steely grays help the sleek stainless-steel appliances blend.

Penny Tile Backsplash

A classic white penny tile backsplash is the focal point of this kitchen. The glazed tile, which came in 12x12-inch sheets, was an easy and budget-saving weekend project. Honey-color grout adds a sense of dimension.

• Learn how to tile a backsplash.

Contrasting Cabinetry

Inspired by black soapstone, this black travertine tile backsplash creates the same effect at a fraction of the cost. The backsplash pops against the distressed white cupboards and plays up the kitchen's French persona. Over time, the travertine will show wear, resulting in a lovely patina.

Nature-Inspired Palette

The owners of this contemporary kitchen decided to use large panels of soft green glass as a backsplash because it reflects the leafy views outside. Zebrawood laminate cabinetry and beige-flecked concrete countertops complete the earthy look..

Energizing Tile

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

Design Details

An informal, crackle-finish backsplash tile envelopes this kitchen, melding with the character and age of the 1903 home. Above the oven, a unique backsplash design -- blue bordering a diamond pattern -- repeats the cabinets' colors and gives the range a hearthlike look.

Colorful Kitchen Backsplash

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-colore cabinets and cupboards frame the vintage design, allowing the backsplash to make a statement.

Timeless Beauty

Calacatta marble tiles installed in a herringbone pattern cover the wall behind this commercial-style range. The timeless backsplash reflects the venous marble countertops, and the soft white and gray colors provide an elegant setting for the warm wooden island and custom-built hearth.

Cottage Charm

With distinctively colored cabinets, this kitchen needed repetitious elements for a harmonious look. A colorful 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.

Chic Glamour

Pillowed metallic tiles create a three-dimensional effect above the range, drawing the eye upward. The simple quiltlike pattern on the backsplash contrasts the ornate embellishments. Using two contrasting elements ensures a balanced look. Here, rustic wide-plank wood flooring teams up with the backsplash to infuse down-to-earth elegance.

Recycled Shells

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 backsplash, 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 surface. Pearly accent tiles were added behind the range for a bit of shimmer and shine.

Classic, Low-Cost Tile

White porcelain subway tile looks good in any kitchen, and it's an easy, elegant, and inexpensive option for covering your kitchen backsplash. In this budget-friendly kitchen, white subway tiles wrap around the entire backsplash. Subtle tan accent tiles follow the line of the range hood to give the wall some depth and make the room feel less static.

• Get free tile & stone estimates from local professionals.

Hearthlike Appeal

To create a homey hearth feel in this kitchen, repurposed bricks were used for part of the backsplash. The bricks were also used to balance a wall of bricks directly across from the cooktop area. The rest of the backsplash is covered with classic beaded board that was painted a pale green to match the Shaker-style cabinets. The beaded board carries vertical lines and charm to the tops of the upper cabinets.

Purple Pizzazz

To give a traditional kitchen some much-needed pizzazz, grayish-purple mosaic tile was installed from the backsplash all the way to the ceiling. The gray and lavender tiles balance the bolder shades of purple, keeping the backsplash from dominating the room. The homeowners used awebsite that allowed them to mix and match colors and patterns to create the custom design.

Go Green

The homeowners of this California condo were serious about being environmentally friendly: They used only recycled and renewable materials, and products sourced from environmentally responsible companies. For the kitchen backsplash, they chose green, yellow, and blue tiles made from 100-percent recycled glass. The tiles provide a burst of color between the white cabinets and dark flooring. The colors chosen mirror the lush marsh views outside their kitchen window.

Stunning Slate

Here, slate tiles in a mix of brown and blue tones create a lively backsplash that serves as the focal point of this kitchen. The tiles also add color to an otherwise all-brown kitchen and texture, as two different types of slate were used to achieve the desired combination.

Small, Sleek Tiles

These colorful ceramic tiles provide a fresh take on the classic white subway pattern. The tiles are smaller -- 2x4 inches -- than traditional 3x6-inch subway tiles, making the look sleeker. The backsplash, combined with the green cabinetry and the natural light from the kitchen windows, balance the dark mahogany cabinets in this lively kitchen.

Long-Lasting Aluminum

A dramatic aluminum tile backsplash lends a contemporary edge and reflects light in this kitchen. The backsplash, along with metal accents found throughout the room, complement the warm tone of the bleached-cherry cabinets. Another bonus? The aluminum tiles -- which are from Mexico -- are hardworking and can be wiped down easily.