This versatile feature proves that a little pattern goes a long way.
Every design choice in a kitchen matters. Whether you choose granite or quartzite, gas or electric, recessed lights or pendants, the heart of your home should feel equally as welcoming as it is functional. But while appliances and cabinet paint colors may get the bulk of your renovation’s attention, there’s a smaller piece of the puzzle that greatly affects both your kitchen's aesthetic and practicality: your backsplash. The only surface standing between grease splatters and your walls, this feature is a highly underrated decor accent. It would be a missed opportunity to forego a backsplash altogether, which is why we've created a list of 63 kitchen backsplash ideas to spark your creativity. gunmetal tile trim
As we're taking notice of emerging design trends for 2025, we're seeing a lot of kitchens with seamless backsplash transitions that match the countertops to the cabinets. Also trending are neutral-toned backsplashes that highlight colorful cabinetry. But on the other end of the spectrum, bold and unique backsplashes are also incredibly popular.
From sleek black subway tiles to stone counter splashes, when it comes to kitchen backsplash ideas, there are plentiful options that add a major design moment to a highly functional space. We’ve looked to expert designer spaces to determine how to pick a backsplash that is right for you and your home. Keep reading for 63 gorgeous kitchen backsplash ideas that'll suit every style imaginable.
Additional copy by Medgina Saint-Elien.
When you're going for a bright and airy kitchen, you need to choose a kitchen backsplash idea that'll support that vision, like these square tiles in a neutral shade. Designer Meghan Shadrick explains that the kitchen was the biggest splurge for her clients and that most of the attention (and budget) went to the custom cabinetry. Simple yet elegant tiles for the backsplash were a must to keep the eye where it most mattered.
Designer Suzanne Kasler chose a glamorous Calacatta Macchia Vecchia marble for the countertops and backsplash in this bar area for her clients, complete with gold veining to really emphasize the luxury. To bring out the tone even more, she went with a shimmering, gold surface to highlight the alcove.
Designer Alexander Reid covered this entire kitchen in gray subway tile and used a contrasting design to separate the backsplash behind the stove. Using two different tiles is a creative way to section off zones in your cooking space, and it adds more interest to the overall look.
The lounge in House Beautiful's 2024 Whole Home, designed by Rajni Alex, highlights the oft-forgotten bar back. Instead of traditional antique mirrored glass for the backsplash, he chose a tile-like, reflective wallcovering from Zoffany. You could also use galvanized steel, tin panels, and even sheet metal for a similar effect in your kitchen backsplash idea.
Go for a monochrome look and pair your cabinet paint color with a matching backsplash. In this dirty kitchen, the olive green tiles are accented by small, white stars at the corners of each square. Even the ceiling gets in on the verdant fun.
In a small, dark room, mirrors can help reflect light and make the space look larger. But in this bar area, where the walls are filled with decorative paneling, the backsplash had to pull its own design weight. The mirroring helps to lighten the cocoon-like room, and it also highlights the homeowners' bottle collection.
Match your backsplash and range hood to create a more cohesive kitchen—designer Allison Lind used octagonal zellige tiles to do so in this Seattle abode. Besides the streamlined look, the tiles on both features serve as a stunning focal point.
Related Story: 22 Stunning Range Hood Ideas for Your Dream Kitchen
This kitchen backsplash idea makes the case for ditching a traditional backsplash and simply using the wall instead. Designer Allison Willson created a storybook feel here with rubble-finished limestone. After all, when your walls are this unique and beautiful, you don’t want to cover them with anything, even a kitchen backsplash.
Your kitchen backsplash should be easy to wipe down as food and liquids get splashed on it, but in a room that likely won’t see too much of the action—like this pantry by Allison Willson—you can go with a different approach. The designer decided to only use painted wood paneling in a moody hue for this pantry backsplash so it’s still easy to clean but doesn’t need to be as strong.
Related Story: In Defense of Wood Paneling: It's Back and Better Than Ever
This home is located in Palm Beach, which you’d likely be able to guess from the kitchen backsplash alone—the artist who designed the tiles, Dan Droney, used the beachside town as inspiration. Throughout the home by Ashley Sharpe, you can find other Palm Beach influences, but we think the kitchen really shines as a perfect example of the aesthetic.
Related Story: A West Palm Beach Home With "No White Walls"
Carla Rockmore was so pleased with the dark blue subway tiles of her kitchen backsplash idea that she based the color scheme for the entire room around them. "I was determined to replicate the exact same deep, navy blue color of the tiled backsplash," she says. "I took a piece of tile with me and sat at Sherwin-Williams for hours! I chose a base dark navy blue, and then added a touch of cyan here and a dash of magenta there until I got the perfect match."
Your kitchen is the heart of the home, so decorate it with a lively backsplash that’ll bring good energy into the space. Designer Christina Nielsen didn’t even install this backsplash into her Brooklyn townhome—since it’s a rental, the apartment came with it. However, Nielsen thinks it adds a fun touch, and we agree with her.
Related Story: How Designer James Jenkin Gave This Brooklyn Brownstone a Do-Over
Both a difference in material and hue can add sophistication and dimension to your space, and in this kitchen by Cortney Bishop, the kitchen backsplash idea does the work. The gray stone countersplash ties in the coolness of the checkerboard flooring without overpowering the otherwise warm room.
Related Story: Cortney Bishop Filled a Waterfront South Carolina Home With Low Country Flair
This colorful kitchen backsplash doubles as a wallcovering with how high it goes, and the multihued checkerboard tiles add warmth to this pantry space. Designer Meta Coleman used custom Balineum tiles for this beautiful pattern, giving the room some unique character.
In the same kitchen space as above, Meta Coleman chose to decorate the cooking area with custom tiles she hand-painted herself. She knew this pan-European space needed a unique kitchen backsplash idea, and she succeeded in dedicating so much creativity and time to making this space extra special.
When it comes to mixing up your kitchen backsplash, pairing two different materials can be such an elegant way to add some intrigue to your space. In this Los Angeles kitchen, designer Jaqui Seerman chose an Arabescato Corchia marble for the backsplash and countertops, then a pale pink tile for the backsplash in the little kitchen niche. Seerman could've used the same marble for the niche or painted it, but the light color gives the room a subtle but unique signature.
When a prospective client came to Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn to request using “salvaged Silver Fox brick from her hometown in Wisconsin” in her home renovation, the designer was immediately intrigued. Robertson ended up only using the light-colored brick in the kitchen, creating an interesting kitchen backsplash idea behind the sink and stove areas and tricking the eye into seeing it as an exterior wall.
When you're working with marble this beautiful, you'll want to include it in as many aspects of your home as possible. For both the kitchen backsplash and the island, McCroskey Interiors used antique Calacatta turquoise marble with veining in plum and gold for the kitchen in our Whole Home 2023. It resulted in a truly show-stopping space.
If plain tiles simply won't do for the backsplash in your sophisticated, traditional-yet-modern home, then opt for something with a nature-inspired motif for a bit more interest and warmth. Interior designer Cortney Bishop installed these Calacatta Matarazzo marble tiles that feature fern fronds as her backsplash to make her low-country family home blend better into the Charleston marshlands.
Throw speckles of color into your kitchen with a rainbow terrazzo kitchen backsplash idea and matching countertop. Especially if you have a brightly colored fixture, like this vivid yellow range in this kitchen designed by Penelope August, the rainbow pattern easily coordinates with the focal point of the room and provides a seamless connection from one aspect of the kitchen to another.
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