Unique Kitchen Backsplash Ideas, Straight From Designers
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The kitchen backsplash is one of the most important—and fun!—design selections to make for your cookspace. Whether stone, tile, metal, or even wallpaper, the material you choose for unique kitchen backsplash ideas will add all kinds of personality to your kitchen. And in many cases, as you'll see here in our roundup from our favorite designer house tours, your kitchen backsplash will be the star of the show.
These days, options abound—for every design style and every budget. First, when looking for classic or modern kitchen
backsplash ideas, you'll want to consider your kitchen's overall color palette, kitchen cabinet style, and countertop choices. Kitchen backsplash ideas with white cabinets range from monochromatic to graphic, colorful pattern. For the latter, consider a wallpaper backsplash—yes, really!—which designers are using more and more, as seen at the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach.
On the other hand, for those who love a kitchen with energizing kitchen paint colors, a backsplash with more subtle color or pattern, like kitchen tile backsplash ideas using a solid color or even white subway tile, is a good choice. For small kitchen backsplash ideas, a seamless application with matching countertops works especially well.
Read on for our 53 best designer-approved kitchen backsplash ideas with wood cabinets, luxe looks using large slabs of natural stone, and even more rustic farmhouse backsplash ideas. There's an eye-catching idea for every style right here!
Limestone Backsplash
In a North Carolina lodge, a custom-colored center island is fitted with Juno limestone counters, which also forms the backsplash. Designer Cliff Fong designed the cabinetry in the spirit of midcentury woodworker George Nakashima. Wicker stools, Stahl + Band
Marble Slab Backsplash
A grand Atlanta estate calls for a grand kitchen. Luxurious statuario marble clads kitchen walls in earthen opulence. A large island and white cabinetry with gold hardware provide a clean palette for pops of happy color.
Unlaquered Brass Backsplash
A genius cocktail of glossy peacock-blue cabinetry (E25-95, Fine Paints of Europe) and unlacquered brass countertops and backsplash makes for a stunning bar area in Ceara Donnelley's Charleston residence. Sink fixtures, Rocky Mountain Hardware
White Square Tile Backsplash
Ceiling-height wall tiles (they also wrap the hood are laid in a staggered bond pattern. Reclaimed brick flooring and oak countertops anchor the kitchen in beautiful rusticity in this Old Hollywood estate. Tiles, Waterworks
Earthy Tile Backsplash
In the kitchen of this Napa Valley ranch, cerused-oak cabinetry is paired with slate-hued Brazilian soapstone countertops and, around the cooktop, a backsplash of earthy brown tiles. Bronze hardware, Rocky Mountain Hardware
Shiplap Paneling Backsplash
For the kitchen in this Newport Beach, California, house, architect Gil Schafer and designer Suzanne Rheinstein clad the walls in painted horizontal shiplap paneling, lending rustic warmth. The walls are adorned with botanical artwork illuminated by brass sconces with articulating arms (Robert Kime).
Iridescent Tile Backsplash
At this Sea Island, Georgia, home designed by Ellen Kavanaugh, the small kitchen reflects more seaside light thanks to iridescent tile from Paris Ceramics. Amping up the glam factor are the brass accents, from the floating shelves and hood cover to the cabinetry hardware and sink fixtures.
Carrara Marble Backsplash
In this New York City apartment, designer Nick Olsen outfitted the kitchen with Carrara marble countertops and backsplash to minimize materials in the small space. Open shelves allow for a slightly airier feel and are the ideal spot for the owner to display his blue and white porcelain collection. The shelves and cabinets are Parma Gray by Farrow & Ball.
Pearlescent Moroccan Tiles & Slate Backsplash
At Veronica Beard's Nantucket home, designer Michelle Holland clad the walls in pearly Moroccan wall tiles. A slate backsplash behind the range, along with rustic wood countertops, lends contrast. Pendant lighting, Hector Finch
Indigo Green Marble Backsplash
In this New Jersey home designed by Steven Gambrel, the kitchen backsplash and countertops are crafted of indigo green marble, which adds rich verdant shades to the tonal grey space. The caramel leather cantilever seating (York Street Studio) lends warmth. A range by BlueStar anchors the entire cookspace.
Stainless Steel Backsplash
At this Birmingham, AL, home designed by Hundley Hilton and architect Anna Evans, a shiny stainless steel backsplash protects the kitchen's matte plaster walls. A channel-tufted breakfast banquette backs up to a cleverly curved kitchen island. Banquette leather and mohair stool fabric, Kravet. Range, Wolf
Soapstone Backsplash
In this Colonial Williamsburg home designed by Heather Chadduck Hillegas, the soapstone backsplash and and countertops lend dark contrast to the light grey Shaker-style cabinetry. The curved piece on the side wall adds a gracious finish. Brass pulls (Modern Matter) imbue the kitchen with early American ambience. The candelabra-style chandelier is by Circa Lighting; the farm sink and bridge faucet are by Ferguson.
Calacatta Viola Marble Backsplash
For this tiny bar space at a Michigan lake retreat, designer Summer Thornton installed a four-inch backsplash and countertops in Calacatta Viola marble. The dramatic purple veining provides bold contrast to the woodsy faux bois wallpaper.
Brass Sheet Backsplash
In his small kitchen in New York City, designer Garrow Kedigian clad the wall behind the sink with a sheet of brass, which reflects light along with protecting the wall. Leather stools, Le Forge. Wallpaper, Christian Lacroix
White Square Tile Backsplash
At her English countryside home, wallpaper designer Mia Reay's kitchen features counters, a backsplash, and a shelf covered in simple white square tile. A treasured collection of Wedgwood plates was hidden from the Nazis by Aeneas’s grandmother during World War II; resurrected, it now crowns kitchen shelving. The checkered floor tiles are Victorian.
Arabescato Marble Backsplash
At this seven-story townhome in New York designed by Carrier & Company, the stone-clad kitchen (Christopher Peacock) features a backsplash and waterfall countertop on the island in Arabescato marble with dramatic charcoal veining. Pendants, Carrier and Company for Visual Comfort & Co.
Palm Wallpaper and Silestone Backsplash
For his kitchen at the 2024 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, designer Jim Dove went bold with color and pattern with the Tortuga Azul scenic wallpaper by Gracie Studio. To protect the wallcovering, he installed a shapely backsplash fabricated with Cosentino’s gold-veined Silestone.
Calacatta Lasa Gold Marble Backsplash
The backsplash and countertop’s wispy veining (Calacatta lasa gold marble) and custom cube flooring design bring movement to the modern kitchen in this 1920s Palm Beach home designed by Mary McDonald. The walls are plaster. The barstools are from Holly Hunt.
Glazed White Tile Backsplash
In this Connecticut kitchen designed by David Kleinberg and architect Tom Kligerman, an oak island brings warmth to the Carrara marble countertop and glazed white tile backsplash (Clé) laid in a neat grid pattern. For continuity, the designers covered the hood in the same glazed white tile.
Blue and White Portuguese Tiles
Portuguese tiles form a kitchen backsplash mural akin to classical artwork in this 1920s Tudor in Houston designed by Charlotte Moss.
Grey Subway Tile Backsplash
Classic grey tile work is the backdrop for a show-stopping French bistro–inspired brass hood from François & Co.’s new in Atlanta’s Pink Palace designed by architect Philip Trammell Shutze. Lighting, Visual Comfort & Co. Stools, Bradley
Black and Gold Ceramic Tile Backsplash
Custom glazed ceramic tiles by Fornace Brioni (Clé) ascend the walls in the kitchen of this colorful Florida home designed by Ellen Hamilton. Plaster and gesso chandelier, Codor Design. Range and vent hood, Gaggenau
Botanical Wallpaper Backsplash
de Gournay’s Amazonia wallpaper envelops the kitchen in a vivid turquoise rainforest in this Baker’s Bay, Bahamas estate designed by Amanda Lindroth.
Belgium Blue Stone Tile Backsplash
Belgium Blue Stone tiles by Country Floors make a statement under a rustic wooden beam in this Michigan lake house designed by Amy Meier. The kitchen cabinets are bandsawn knotty white oak—“the knottier the better,” as Meier says—and the kitchen island is painted Salamander by Benjamin Moore, bookended by displays of splatterware and copperware sourced from all across Michigan. The stools are by Bicyclette.
Checkerboard Tile Backsplash
At this Bronxville, New York, home designed by Carrier and Company, the kitchen’s chic checkerboard backsplash, fashioned out of glazed terra-cotta tile (Ann Sacks), energizes the space. Perimeter countertops, Caesarstone. Sink fixtures, Waterworks
Arched Windows Backsplash
For an airy twist on the backsplash, designer Melanie Turner and architect Yong Pak placed the range in this Atlanta home in front of windows with a graceful arch that echoes the tiled arcs in the barrel-vaulted ceiling. Encaustic cement tiles (Mosaic House) infuse the kitchen with the spirit of a French bistro.
Hand-painted Wallpaper Backsplash
Talk about bringing the outside in: At this Naples, Florida, home, designer Summer Thornton clad the kitchen backsplash with a hand-painted tropical wallpaper (de Gournay). To protect the wallpaper backsplash, Thornton covered it with a thin glass pane. The range is Lacanche; the leather stool upholstery is Moore & Giles.
Moroccan Tile Backsplash
For a small yet impactful dose of pattern, designer Philip Gorrivan clad the backsplash of this Connecticut colonial with colorful Moroccan tile (Exquisite Surfaces), a graphic contrast to the kitchen's rustic maple butcher block and honed granite counters.
White Subway Tile Backsplash
In the kitchen of this Connecticut home designed by Ashley Whittaker, a subway tile backsplash extends to the ceiling on the wall behind the range. A duo of disarming patterns (checkerboard flooring and a geo-floral seating fabric by Raoul) enlivens warm shades of white in counters, cabinetry, and subway tile. Counter stools, Palecek. Range, Viking. Pendant lighting, Charles Edwards
Chevron Talavera Tile Backsplash
At his home in San Antonio, designer Todd Romano proves small kitchens are ideal for punchy pattern. Custom Talavera tiles are arranged in a graphic chevron pattern with glossy ebony cabinetry (Black, Fine Paints of Europe).
Mosaic Tile Backsplash
In the kitchen of this Sea Island home designed by Sara Gilbane, shimmering mosaic tile (Mosaic House) envelops the room, as seen in the wainscoting here. Addison Mizner-inspired beams and hand-forged iron bell-jar lighting by Formations lend rustic contrast. Counter tops, Caesarstone
Glazed Moroccan Tile Backsplash
At this Dallas home designed by Meredith McBrearty, glazed Moroccan tile (Clé tile) infuses the modern kitchen with hand-crafted texture. Blown-glass pendants by MoMA alum Alison Berger turn over-island lighting into modern art while quilted leather stools (Studio Piet Boon) and leathered quartzite counters add warmth. Range, Wolf
Painted Tile Backsplash
At this Windsor, Florida, cottage, designer Alessandra Branca packed a powerful style punch with the blue-and-white Casa Branca tile backsplash, which stands in colorful contrast to a sleek, lacquered SieMatic island. The Palecek stools are covered in a Kravet fabric with Samuel & Sons trim. Fittings, Kohler. Pendants, Circa Lighting
Extra-Large Subway Tile Backsplash
For her kitchen bar in Connecticut, Waterworks cofounder and author of The Perfect Kitchen, Barbara Sallick clad the walls with 4-by-8-inch subway tiles, which she took all the way up to the ceiling. "I love the grid they create, I love the materials, and I love the scale of the larger-size tile," Sallick says.
Painted Mirror Backsplash
At the 2020 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas, designer Chad Dorsey wowed his stunning kitchen design that centered on a dramatic backsplash made of a Chinoiserie-painted antique mirror by artist James Mobley on Industry Glass. The painted glass is inset into a Cambria stone-clad cased opening.
Glossy Belgian Tile Backsplash
This Nashville, Tennessee, kitchen designed by Richard Hallberg features a backsplash "wall" made of square Belgian tile with a high-gloss glaze that extends up to the ceiling. The shiny finish on the tile lends dynamic contrast to the rustic ceiling beams. Louis XIII reproduction stools (Dennis & Leen) are upholstered in a textural, raffia-style woven fabric (Opuzen). Cabinetry paint color, Egret by Sherwin-Williams
Quilt-Inspired Tile Backsplash
At this Utah mountain retreat designed by Tony Baratta, geometric pattern reigns in the kitchen, from the oversize checkerboard floor to the backsplash and wall tile, from Solar Antique Tiles, painted with quilt motifs. The pendants are from Dessin Fournir, and the range is Viking.
Gray Marble Backsplash
In this kitchen, designer and Veranda Next Legend Jason Arnold took the countertop material—marble with gray veining—onto the walls as a backsplash for a seamless look.
Blue and White Tile Backsplash
At this California home designed by Mark D. Sikes, blue-and-white tile with an antiqued finish, along with creamy white cabinetry (White Tie, Farrow & Ball) and oil-rubbed bronze hardware (Rejuvenation), give the kitchen a warm, aged appearance. Sink and fixtures, Rohl
Soapstone Backsplash
This galley kitchen on Brays Island, South Carolina, designed by Beth Webb, features a soapstone backsplash and countertops, which stand in dark contrast to the rift-cut white oak cabinetry. Range, Bertazzoni. Sink fixtures in unlacquered brass, Waterworks
Herringbone Charcoal Tile Backsplash
At this Montana home designed by Palmer Weiss, the kitchen features a backsplash comprising rectangular tile laid out in a herringbone pattern, which adds depth to the moody, monochromatic space. Cabinetry and ebony finish, Provincial Store Fixtures. Silicon bronze brushed pulls, Rocky Mountain Hardware. Dual fuel range, Wolf
Slender Subway Tile Backsplash
In this Georgia kitchen, designer James Farmer created a backsplash with slender, glazed subway tile to infuse pattern and texture into an otherwise neutral space. The kitchen is also featured in Farmer's book, Arriving Home.
Geometric Wallpaper Backsplash
In the bar of her Mountain Brook, Alabama, home, designer Caroline Gidiere complemented cabinetry made of antique glass and Chippendale fretwork with a historic wallpaper backsplash: Philadelphia Harlequin, which dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, from Adelphi Paper Hangings. The stained mahogany is framed in fiery orange trim (Lava by Porter’s Paints) and gold leaf ceiling paper (Phillip Jeffries). Pendant lighting, Visual Comfort & Co.
Antique Portuguese Tile Backsplash
This Connecticut kitchen designed by David Netto boasts a global air thanks to Scandinavian bent birch plywood stools (Alvar Aalto), a collection of copper cookware, and statement-making 19th-century Portuguese tilework (Solar Antique Tiles). Dual-fuel range, Wolf
Wood Paneling Backsplash
In designer Philip Mitchell's Nova Scotia home, the servery features vertical V-groove paneling as the backsplash. Heirloom Limoges fish sets hang on the painted paneled walls. Wall color, Gray by Benjamin Moore
White Marble Backsplash
For Ellen Pompeo's Hollywood home, designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard clad the counterops and backsplach with marble. Along with the terra-cotta tile floors and Pompeo's European range, the white marble backsplash completes the kitchen's old-world style.
Mirrored Backsplash
Soft, smoky tones lend a high-fashion, sophisticated touch to the alluring yet tiny galley kitchen of this 18th-century flat in Paris. The upper cabinets feature mirrored églomisé facings, which echo the mirror backsplash and “almost look like venetian blinds,” notes decorator Jean-Louis Deniot. The lower cabinetry paint color is Midnight Oil by Benjamin Moore. Range, La Cornue
Zig-Zag Wallpaper Backsplash
At this Austin, Texas, home designed by Angie Hranowski, colorful moths, which the owner refers to as her “barflies,” line up to form the bar’s groovy, zig-zag-striped wallpaper (Timorous Beasties) backsplash. Cabinetry paint, Nocturnal Sea by Pratt & Lambert
Painted Tile Backsplash
In this Low Country home designed by Andrew Howard, the kitchen boasts an old-fashioned sensibility, thanks to the painted tile backsplash laid in a graphic grid pattern, brushed-brass-and-copper station lights (Ann-Morris), and a walnut island with baluster leg details. Stools, Serena & Lily. Counters, Caesarstone
Stars and Diamonds Tile Backsplash
This Los Angeles kitchen features a tile backsplash with a diamond and star pattern (Solar Antique Tiles) in an inky blue and crisp white palette that complements the wood grain cabinetry and green island top and chairs.
Smoky Mirror Subway Tile Backsplash
At this Palm Beach home designed by Phoebe Howard, the bar features blue walls and cabinetry, painted Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore, accented by a backsplash made up of smoky mirror subway tile. The woven barstools are from Walters Wicker with cushions upholstered in a Ralph Lauren Home stripe.
Emerald Subway Tile Backsplash
This stunning kitchen designed by Hubert Zandberg Interiors features a backsplash in emerald green subway tile, which also covers the cookspace's open shelving. The range and depth of color in the tile glaze makes it the stunning focal point of the room.
Glazed Moroccan Tile Backsplash
Blue-and-white glazed Moroccan tiles (Moorish Architectural Design) lend a far-flung vibe to the rooftop outdoor kitchen at this Alys Beach, Florida, retreat designed by architectural firm Khoury & Vogt and Atlanta-based interior designer Shirlene Brooks. Fixtures, Kohler
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