1. Go Luxury With Marble
If you’re looking to give your kitchen a luxury edge then marble is a must. With myriad colors and veining options available you can choose from classic white to moody greens or even blacks. Plus since your backsplash covers a smaller area of the room, it is a more affordable way to incorporate this luxury material into your space.
2. Make A Small Statement With Tiles
When looking for kitchen backsplash ideas, it's worth noting that you don't have to commit to decorating the whole wall. For sink areas, a row or two of tiles is more than sufficient. When decorating over a smaller area you can afford to go bolder with your style and try new kitchen tile ideas. Here, a mismatch of kitchen wall tile ideas has been used to create an interesting feature – if hoping to adopt this look just make sure that they are all the same size.
3. Reflect Light With A Mirrored Backsplash
If you want to bring more natural light into your kitchen, consider a mirrored glass backsplash.
4. Opt For Victorian Tiles For A Traditional Kitchen
If you are looking for a backsplash for traditional kitchen ideas, then tiles are the go-to choice. Tiles are easy to install, hardwearing, and available in an endless range of colors, textures, and patterns.
5. Try A Panelled Backsplash For A Farmhouse Charm
When channeling farmhouse kitchen ideas, wood paneling is the way to go.
6. Jazz Up The Subway Tile Trend With Marble
If you want to incorporate not one, but two hot trends for kitchen tile ideas, then give the standard subway tile a luxury touch with marble. While the classic glazed subway white tile is still a stylish option, opting for either a marble-effect finish or rectangular tiles made of the natural stone itself is a great way to elevate an otherwise simple scheme, as demonstrated in this kitchen by designer Tiffany Leigh.
7. Add Some Razzle Dazzle With Zellige Tiles
For a backsplash that encompasses both rusticity and a touch of sparkle, look to Morocco. The North African country’s famed zellige tiles are seriously on trend right now, with good reason. Handmade from clay and highly glazed, the uneven texture of the square tiles means the surface bounces light across the room.
8. Double The Impact
If you’re torn between the prettiness of tiles and the practicalities of quartz, take a dual approach and enjoy the best of both worlds. In this beautiful kitchen by Roundhouse, opting for split surface kitchen backsplash ideas has married texture, shine and color to make the most of the vertical space around hob and hood.
9. Make A Kitchen Feel Bigger With A Mirrored Backsplash
A kitchen backsplash can do more than look pretty and save your paintwork – it can actually make your kitchen look bigger too. Mirrors are handy for making all small rooms feel roomier, but use one that stretches the length of your kitchen and the effect can be substantial. In this kitchen, a mirrored backsplash gives the sense of a whole other kitchen beyond, but is saved from being too disorientating with the addition of a rustic tarnishing.
10. Create A Pop Of Contrasting Color
Abundant color is having a big moment in interior design, and joyfully hued tiles are helping it lift our most utilitarian spaces. Use them to create a pop of color in your kitchen, and even go for an invigorating contrast. In this kitchen, pink porcelain tiles from Bert & May are used alongside Prussian blue cabinetry for an exciting mismatch. Adding a burst of pattern and hue is a great option for kitchen floor tile ideas too.
11. Instil Natural Beauty
While natural stone like marble is comparatively delicate, used vertically it is less likely to come under fire from knives and pans. Splashes are the main threat, and a quick response with a damp cloth will go a long way to prevent stains. For many, the beauty on offer is well worth judicious cleaning. ‘Natural materials have an incredible calming effect in a space,’ says Alex Beaugeard, director of design at Lanserring.
12. Play With 3D Textures
Modern marble is working its way into our homes for the past few years, but this 'trend' is here to stay the course. In this project by Brian O’Tuama Architects, a fluted Calacatta marble white kitchen backsplash was combined with oak cabinetry to provide a versatile and modern treat hidden inside slimline pocket doors. ‘We wanted the fluted marble to add visual interest and surface texture in contrast to the flat, contemporary exteriors,’ explains Brian O’Tuama.
13. Add Interest With Wallpaper
Using a swatch of luxury wallpaper, fabric or a painted pattern is an easy way to inject color and pattern into a kitchen design. You can use a variety of wallpaper ideas in the kitchen, but just make sure that whatever you choose is covered with toughened glass (making sure it’s low iron to avoid a greenish tinge), Perspex, or a protective lacquer. This way you can ensure your wallpapered kitchen backsplash is just as practical and wipe clean as more traditional backsplashes.
14. Wow With Wood
Timber comes in many varieties, from durable oak, to those that have natural oils that make them more water-resistant, such as iroko. A wood backsplash will be more work to upkeep than traditional kitchen wall tiles, as it will need regular oiling or waxing to keep it protected against stains. It’s also best to avoid installing wood around hob areas as it can scorch and be a fire risk.
15. Incorporate A Beautiful Stone
Unsurprisingly, marble backsplashes have become the pinnacle of high-end luxury, and for good reason. This sumptuous stone is not only beautiful in design, but also incredibly hardwearing – making it a worthwhile investment. Stone will need sealing once it’s installed, and regular resealing, especially if it has a honed or brushed finish, but is a great way to showcase beautiful vein patterns.