A kitchen backsplash is not only a functional necessity (it’s wise to have a wipeable surface for cooking messes like oil splashes and splattered marinara sauce), but also an opportunity to show off your personal aesthetic. “Whether you want a statement backsplash that has a fun pattern, or a quieter palette leaning into more texture than pattern, there are many great options for backsplashes,” says designer Angeline Guido Hall, owner of Angeline Guido Design. We asked Hall to guide us through choosing a backsplash, fill us in on what’s trending (and what’s not), and show us how to get some of the most coveted looks for less.
When starting the process of choosing a backsplash, Hall suggests to first decide where the kitchen’s focal point will be. For instance, if you’re leaning toward a bold color on the cabinets, consider complementing that hue with a neutral backsplash. If you’re set on a colorful, patterned tile for your backsplash, though, then the rest of your kitchen design choices may be more muted with natural stones and neutral cabinets. “If you want a statement backslash that has a fun pattern, start there and build the rest of the kitchen around that,” Hall explains. “If you’re wanting a quiet palette, than perhaps you choose texture over pattern. There are some really great handmade tiles, like a zellige tile, that will give that earthiness and texture without needing a pattern.” Whichever route you take, find inspiration with these five materials she’s been using in her recent projects. 9 qt stock pot
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“A slab is a great option for a backsplash if you’re looking for a minimal and classic look,” says Hall. “It’s not too trendy, and you won’t get tired of the look as opposed to maybe a pattern.” This option is ideal if you have a slab picked out for your countertops and you want to continue the stone through the backsplash. However, because each slab is unique, she warns that the quantity needed will determine if it’s a possibility in your space. “When you go shopping you might fall in love with a slab, but they may not have enough of the same lot of stone to do a backsplash,” she says.
Another thing to keep in mind with natural stone is that the way the slabs line up can affect the cohesiveness of the look. Vein patterns are more immediately obvious running up a wall than they are on a flat countertop, so if mismatched veins are something that will bother you, you should oversee the selection of the slabs. “You have to visit the fabricators to understand how they are going to cut it, where the veins are going to match and how it wraps the corner,” she explains.
Hall loves to work with marble. “I don’t think that the beauty of marble can be replicated, so if you’re a person [who] falls in love with marble, you need to go for the marble,” she says. She cautions, however, that marble is a soft, porous stone with natural imperfections. If her clients like the look of a marble slab but don’t want to deal with possible staining and scratching, she suggests sealing the slab with TuffSkin. “It’s a laminate sheet that you add on top of the slab to protect it. But again, I think that comes back to the client’s tolerance for natural patina and surface scratches,” she says.
Hall also loves to work with quartzite and soapstone slabs, both of which make for beautiful countertops and backsplashes. “Soapstone is a softer material, as well, but you can oil it so that it can be preserved and refreshed,” she says. And of course, there are great products that mimic natural stone such as porcelain or Dekton (a man-made product engineered of glass, porcelain and quartz). Both are a viable alternative for those who aren’t interested in the upkeep of natural stone.
This handcrafted Moroccan glazed tile has been increasing in popularity, especially for homeowners who prefer a bit of texture in their space. “It’s a perfectly imperfect look,” says Hall. But, due to the one-of-a-kind nature of each piece, Hall warns that the tile can be inconsistent. “You might get a chip around the edge and the thickness isn’t quite the same — one tile might be slightly bigger than the other — and that adds to the beauty, of course. But you may consider buying extra ... so you can pick out pieces that you don’t want to use,” she says.
A zellige tile can be pricey, running as high as $17 per square foot. Luckily, Hall has suggestions for some great dupes. “Bedrosians has a great product that has the natural variation on the glazing like a zellige and it’s less than half the price,” she says. “It’s a great alternative that we have used before as a backsplash.”
Ceramic tile is one of the most budget-friendly tiles, not to mention durable and easy to keep clean due to its nonporous surface. You can find them in endless patterns, colors and styles to suit your space — from traditional subway tiles to mosaic pieces.
Hall recommends ceramic tiles to her clients who prioritize dependability and ease above all. “You get that consistency that you don’t get with a glazed or hand-painted look,” says Hall. For instance, when you choose a ceramic tile that looks like a zellige, you know exactly what you’re going to get — no chips, imperfections or variations in thickness and texture.
Hall loves to incorporate hand-painted tile into her kitchen designs to add a unique focal point. “Hand-painted tiles often allow you to have a timeless pattern design in your home that will stand the test of time,” she says. “Especially if it’s in the right style of house, like a Mediterranean home or a French Country-style house.”
Can a tile be considered a work of art? When it’s created in the style of Dutch Delftware, the answer is undoubtably “yes.” Often (but not limited to) blue and white, these tiles are handmade according to traditional methods passed down since the 17th century. Moroccan-inspired patterns are also a popular hand-painted choice, especially if you’re looking for a bold statement backsplash. If you want a more modern look, geometric motifs could be the way to go. When it comes to hand-painted tile, the options are virtually endless — and oftentimes, completely customizable.
Keep in mind, it may be cost-prohibitive to cover all of your kitchen’s backsplash areas in hand-painted tile, so choosing one wall, like above the range, to showcase a set of hand-painted masterpieces is a great way to not break the budget. Alternatively, you could pick a few designs you love and surround them with other tiles in a complementary solid hue.
To get the look for less, consider a patterned ceramic tile. There are a plethora of options, from modern star-motifs and trellis designs to bold florals.
“Terracotta has made a big splash in the design industry over the last year or two, so we’re seeing clients wanting to integrate that look,” says Hall. “It’s very on trend right now. More and more people are leaning to the textural materials, whether that’s zellige or terracotta.” For terracotta tiles, the clay material is fired at low temperatures, resulting in a beautiful, earthen color that offers a European aesthetic.
Cement tiles are also on the rise, offering boundless versatility in colors, shapes and patterns. However, while they are visually appealing, cement tiles can be tough to clean if they are behind the range. “They are a porous material,” says Hall. “Yes, you can seal them to help protect them, but at the end of the day cement is less forgiving.”
While trends come and go, one design positive of a backsplash is that it’s fairly easy to swap out the materials when it’s time for a fresh look. (Hall reiterates that there’s a time and place for every type of tile or backsplash if the architecture or aesthetic of the house is right.) But for the most part, the following trends are on the way out.
“The marble subway tile with a patterned marble tile in an outlined square pattern over the range is not the thing anymore,” says Hall. “Maybe for a super traditional look it could work, but in transitional spaces I wouldn’t recommended it.”
Hall also states that glass tile is on the outs, as the look dates a kitchen to the early 2000s. “It trended out a while ago, so I would recommend [staying] away from the glass mosaic tiles on a backsplash, especially the shiny glass mosaic tiles,” she says.
Ceramic subway tiles have been a trending backsplash aesthetic for some time, whether it’s in a matte finish or a glossy glaze. (Horizontal white tiles have been the go-to, they are also installed in a vertical pattern or in bold hues.) And while subway tiles are considered a classic look, Hall encourages her clients to think beyond the standard 3-by-6-inch white ceramic tile for a subway application. “I am loving different versions that make it more ‘today’ than just your white subway tile, like handcrafted tiles that are a little imperfect and rough around the edges. It adds a different and unique element,” she says.
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