This Year's Best Kitchen Backsplash Styles
What sits above your kitchen countertop, works hard every day, and is a style focal point in a kitchen design? No, we don’t mean your beautiful beetroot colored Kitchenaid mixer or your Nespresso machine, though I’m sure they look great on your countertop! We are talking about the backsplash - this underappreciated, but essential, part of any kitchen design.
Why is a backsplash important?
Every kitchen must have a backsplash, as it serves an essential functional role. Kitchens are busy rooms where weekday dinners and holiday meals are prepared, snacks are whipped up after school and special treats are baked for birthdays. These activities bring mess, in particular steam, grease, food splatters, and moisture. The wall behind your stovetop and sink are particularly prone to the side effects of kitchen activities from food prep to clean up.
This is where your backsplash steps in to save the day! This space covers about 18 inches of wall space, but often extends further and sometimes even up to the ceiling. The material you select for your backsplash serves the essential function of protecting your walls where it needs it most. It also makes life much easier when it comes to clean up, allowing you to easily wipe up the mess that results from kitchen life. Any backsplash material should be durable and washable, but the ease of clean up and maintenance can vary depending on the material you select. Consider how you use your kitchen and how much time you are willing to commit to clean up when selecting your backsplash material.
How does your backsplash affect your kitchen style?
What do you notice first when you walk into a kitchen? Cabinetry and countertops are of course key features in any kitchen design. What about the backsplash? Your backsplash sits right at eye level, covers prominent parts of your kitchen wall, and is key to connecting your cabinetry and countertop styles together. This is even more important if you have a section of backsplash that extends to the ceiling, particularly where you have chosen to replace upper cabinets with open storage.
When it comes to design, backsplashes are a triple threat: they can bring color, texture, and pattern to your kitchen design. The backsplash is an ideal place to balance dark design elements with a crisp white subway tile, or to add a splash of color to an otherwise neutral kitchen color palette. Backsplashes also let you introduce texture to your kitchen design style, with natural stone or textured glazed tiles. You can also create a pattern with tiles to establish an eye-catching focal point over your cooking area.
Make sure you consider your backsplash choice as a component of your whole kitchen design. If you are committed to a bold patterned floor tile, for example, you may want to stick to a neutral backsplash tile, so the two surfaces do not clash. Your chosen material can also help to make a small kitchen design look larger with a bright, reflective tile, a glass backsplash, or even a mirrored surface.
What else do you need to consider when selecting a backsplash?
There are so many options available for a kitchen backsplash that it can be daunting to pick the right one. Your lifestyle, home design aesthetic, and budget all impact the perfect choice for you. Here are a few of the key factors to consider when picking your kitchen backsplash:
Color scheme: Your overall kitchen color scheme, and particularly those elements that sit closest to the backsplash must be closely coordinated with your final selection. If you are committed to a neutral color palette then your backsplash should follow suit; however, you can still add a stylish flair with a textured tile or by creating a pattern with your neutral tiles. If you want to add a pop of color to an otherwise neutral or monochrome space, the backsplash is the perfect opportunity to do this.
Upper Cabinet Style: Have you opted for a streamlined design with large sections of floor to ceiling cabinets and a limited wall area to fill, or standard base and upper cabinets? Or will you forego upper cabinets in favor of floating shelves and a minimalist look? Your kitchen cabinet layout will determine how much of a starring role your backsplash takes on, how much material you will need, and what portion of your budget needs to be allocated to the backsplash.
Material: With so many materials available how do you pick the right one for your home? Your final choice should be based on your own design style, as well as your commitment to cleaning and maintenance. Popular choices include ceramic or porcelain tile, natural stone, glass tile, a glass sheet, slabs such as quartz, or even exposed brick. Some choices like natural stone are prone to staining and require ongoing regular maintenance, such as annually re-sealing the surface. Glass, porcelain, or a slab quartz backsplash are much easier to maintain, so go for one of these if you want a surface with simple upkeep.
Shape and Pattern: If you want to go for a classic shape then subway tile never goes out of style. Change it up by arranging your subway tile in a herringbone pattern or another custom pattern. Or you can go for an unusually shaped tile such as diamond, floral, or Arabesque tiles, either for the entire backsplash or just one section to create an eye-catching focal point in your kitchen design. Think about other surfaces like your flooring when making this selection, as a busy patterned backsplash would clash with a bold patterned floor, for example.
Budget: Consider how much you can spend on your backsplash before narrowing down your preferred materials and design. If your backsplash covers a larger surface area, it will be more expensive. However, this will be offset by the fact that you are spending less on cabinetry by removing a section of upper cabinets. Materials vary widely in cost too, so price up your favorite options before making a final selection. If you have fallen in love with a particular material but can’t afford to cover your entire wall in it, consider using it for a tile feature above the sink or stove and stick to a less expensive material for the rest of the backsplash. Labor costs to install your backsplash will vary depending on the intricacy of your tile patterns, so factor this element into your final cost estimates.
What are the latest trends in kitchen backsplashes?
When creating your dream kitchen design, it helps to look at the latest trends for inspiration. Explore these design trends as a starting point, look online at your favorite home design websites and kitchen design galleries, and visit showrooms in person to see examples first-hand. If possible, bring home samples so you can see how your top tile choices look in your own home, against your cabinets and countertop, and with your kitchen’s lighting.
Here are a few of this year’s top backsplash trends to get you started in finding the ideal choice for your kitchen design.
Slab backsplash: this look gives your kitchen design an uninterrupted, sleek appearance, especially when you choose a slab that is an extension of your countertop. With the right material, for example engineered quartz, it is also one of the easiest surfaces to clean and maintain. With no grout lines and a smooth surface, particularly in a non-porous material, you just wipe it clean as you would your countertop.
Extending the backsplash to the ceiling: this trend goes hand in hand with the popularity of removing some upper cabinets and replacing them with floating shelves. This distinctive look focuses storage on your base kitchen cabinets or other areas like the pantry, while the wall becomes a style focal point. Take advantage of this by adorning your wall with a material, color, or pattern you love. From glossy glass tile to classic white subway tile, the material you choose for this prominent wall space will define your kitchen design style.
Glazed tiles: these ceramic or porcelain tiles have an extra surface layer that gives them a unique look by adding color or texture to the tile. Glazed tiles are generally easier to wipe clean, especially if you choose a glossy finish. Textured or crackled glazed finishes bring a truly one-of-a-kind style to your kitchen backsplash, either in a sleek neutral or a colorful surface to offset your cabinetry and countertop.
Patterns: Take your standard backsplash tile and use it to create a unique pattern. You could turn subway tiles into a classic herringbone pattern or a staggered brick look. Or create a one-of-a-kind pattern with your chosen tile shape and size for a design focal point behind your stove.
Natural Stone: there’s nothing quite like natural materials, whether it is wood cabinetry, stone countertops, or hardwood flooring. The same applies to the backsplash where natural stone materials in the form of tiles or a stone slab can transform your kitchen design. While natural materials like marble look amazing as a backdrop to your kitchen workspace, keep in mind they are higher maintenance and require careful cleaning.
The backsplash is an essential part of your kitchen design’s functionality. It serves the role of protecting your walls from the inevitable splashes and splatters that happen in a busy kitchen. It also draws the eye and influences your room’s style with the type, shape, color, and pattern you choose for your backsplash materials. Carefully consider your room’s style, how the backsplash fits together with surrounding elements such as cabinets and countertop, the durability and maintenance required, and of course the cost of your preferred choice.
An experienced kitchen design professional can help you create your ideal kitchen, including the perfect backsplash to accent your design. Get inspired in our kitchen remodeling gallery and then contact us to start planning your new kitchen!