62 Bold Kitchen Backsplashes to Behold
See how these stunning backsplashes bring beauty, personality and style to their kitchens
Erin Carlyle
22 October 2018
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
The kitchen backsplash presents an opportunity to bring colour, pattern and texture to your space, and plenty of designers on Houzz have maximised this surface area in their work. From graphic tiles to aged copper and dramatic quartz, the possibilities are many.
Here are 62 standout kitchen backsplashes that you can use as inspiration for your own kitchen renovation. Click the first image to enlarge the photo, then use the right arrow to see the photos in slideshow format. Flip through and then tell us: Which kitchen backsplash would you most like to have in your home?
Here are 62 standout kitchen backsplashes that you can use as inspiration for your own kitchen renovation. Click the first image to enlarge the photo, then use the right arrow to see the photos in slideshow format. Flip through and then tell us: Which kitchen backsplash would you most like to have in your home?
1. A patchwork backsplash of inlaid marble in soft colours complements the gold details that frame the cabinetry in this Toronto kitchen.
Backsplash: Tangram, Opus collection, Lithos Design
Backsplash: Tangram, Opus collection, Lithos Design
2. Blue, orange, cream and black tiles create a graphic splash against these elegant cabinets in a Chicago kitchen. The opposing side of the kitchen has a complementary rust-orange backsplash behind the stove.
3. This renovated midcentury kitchen features a retro pattern that the designer compared to the print used for Diane Von Furstenberg’s famous wrap dresses.
Backsplash tile: Liaison by Kelly Wearstler Mosaics, Ann Sacks
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash tile: Liaison by Kelly Wearstler Mosaics, Ann Sacks
Read more about this kitchen
4. The backsplash in this Norfolk, England, kitchen is copper that has been intentionally aged to get its lovely patina.
5. The backsplash in this Toronto kitchen is composed of a single piece of quartz. The same material is used for the countertops.
Backsplash: Galloway quartz, Coastal collection, Cambria
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash: Galloway quartz, Coastal collection, Cambria
Read more about this kitchen
6. Swimming fish make a fitting backsplash for this home in Saint John, the port city in New Brunswick, Canada. The backsplash is actually wallpaper.
Backsplash: wallpaper by Cole & Son
Backsplash: wallpaper by Cole & Son
7. The glazed porcelain backsplash tile in this Toronto kitchen was inspired by woven textiles.
Backsplash tile: Tex by Raw Edges, Mutina
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash tile: Tex by Raw Edges, Mutina
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8. This London kitchen features handmade bespoke tiles in what the designer describes as a spider pattern. The silver pieces interspersing the white are platinum-glazed.
Backsplash tiles: custom by Alex Zdankowicz
Backsplash tiles: custom by Alex Zdankowicz
9. Red-tinted glass warms this kitchen in Paris, offsetting the cool grey cabinets and white countertop.
10. The fan-shaped backsplash tile is the standout feature in this Atlanta kitchen. The soft grey cabinets take a back seat to the dramatic tiled wall.
Backsplash: 8-inch glazed quarry tile in Waterlily from Seneca Tiles
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash: 8-inch glazed quarry tile in Waterlily from Seneca Tiles
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11. Geometric tiles bring energy and cheer to this Bristol, England, kitchen, which has birch plywood cabinets. The round shape on the tiles echoes the peg holes on the back of the kitchen island.
Work with a kitchen designer to get a gorgeous backsplash
Work with a kitchen designer to get a gorgeous backsplash
12. Penny tile makes a statement in this Devens, Massachusetts kitchen, which has classic white cabinets. The design was part of a collaboration with This Old House magazine for a show home.
Backsplash tile: Hudson penny round tile in vermilion by Merola Tile
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash tile: Hudson penny round tile in vermilion by Merola Tile
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13. This kitchen in Belmont, Massachusetts, gets a Moroccan effect thanks to this beautiful patterned backsplash tile.
Backsplash tile: Fatima hand-painted field tile in Mezzanotte finish, Duquesa collection, Walker Zanger
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Backsplash tile: Fatima hand-painted field tile in Mezzanotte finish, Duquesa collection, Walker Zanger
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14. The hexagon tile in this Victoria, British Columbia, kitchen in white with irregular sprinklings of neutral grey and taupe does two things visually. First, it reinforces the kitchen’s neutral palette, echoing the colour of the cabinetry, floor and appliances. And second, it amps up the fun factor in this space – note especially the scattered tiles to the left of the range hood.
15. This kitchen in Hong Kong features graphic tile similar to the beautiful cement tiles that have also been trending in American kitchens.
16. Shimmery blue-green subway tiles make a statement in this apartment kitchen in Paris.
17. This kitchen in County Wexford, Ireland, has plain white cabinets offset by two dramatic features: the magenta quartz counter and the tiled backsplash, which features designs inspired by the street artist Banksy.
18. A dusty aqua backsplash with white pattern softens the clean modern lines of this pied-à-terre on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
19. Happy colour in an abstract design lights up this kitchen in Los Angeles. The geometric wall mural – which is actually wallpaper – also helps to unify a kitchen that has an eclectic mix of materials.
20. Bold tiles bring a cheerful, homey feeling to this modern white kitchen in Auckland, New Zealand.
21. The texture of this dark backsplash brings depth to this kitchen.
22. The backsplash in this Havertown, Pennsylvania, kitchen features a custom tile design with colours inspired by the ocean.
Backsplash: custom, Mercury Mosaics
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Backsplash: custom, Mercury Mosaics
Read more about this kitchen
23. This kitchen floats along with its houseboat in Sausalito, California. The backsplash shown here is a mix of wallpaper featuring famous historical queens and black porcelain tile.
Wallpaper: Trove; tile: Global Tile Design
Read more about this houseboat kitchen
Wallpaper: Trove; tile: Global Tile Design
Read more about this houseboat kitchen
24. This black-and-white tile in a kitchen in Russia brings lively pattern to a space otherwise dominated by lines – in the wood pattern on the ceiling and walls, and in the gaps between the cabinets.
Work with an interior designer
Work with an interior designer
25. A Parisian kitchen features grey and white tiles with the classic carpenter’s star pattern often found in quilts.
26. A Manhattan kitchen features mosaic tile designed to look like tiny flowers.
Backsplash tile: Sunflower mosaic, Ann Sacks
Backsplash tile: Sunflower mosaic, Ann Sacks
27. A glowing amber-gold backsplash warms this glossy black kitchen in Mexico City. The same material edges the bottom of the large kitchen island.
28. Glass mosaic backsplash tile in various shades of blue beautifies this white kitchen in Dallas.
29. Flowers bloom on this backsplash tile in St. Petersburg, Russia, filling in the space between the counter and the upper cabinets with a surprising element. The larger flowers that continue onto the right wall offer a nice size variation that makes the design look decidedly custom.
30. This kitchen in a studio apartment in Paris continues the backsplash tile on the floor.
31. A space in Seville, Spain, has the same idea, but here the backsplash tile continues on the floor and an additional kitchen wall.
32. Green pops off the wall in this grey and wood kitchen in Melbourne, Australia, in part because of its dynamic colour variation and uneven border.
33. Cobalt blue squares enliven this Stockholm space, which has simple white cabinets paired with counters of stainless steel and butcher block. The white grout lines add a crisp and organised feel to the backsplash wall.
34. A similar idea works in this kitchen in Gothenburg, Sweden, where a grid of square burgundy tiles brings warm, rich colour to a black-and-white kitchen.
35. Bright wallpaper in purple, blue, yellow and black brings a sense of style to this contemporary kitchen in East Austin, Texas.
36. This kitchen in Copenhagen has been placed in what was originally the living room. A smattering of wooden hexagonal tiles creates a pleasing pattern against the white wall and black cabinets.
37. At first glance this kitchen backsplash of square white tiles might not seem to qualify as ‘bold’…
… But upon closer observation, note the pink grout. Now that’s a bold choice to embrace a favourite colour.
Read more about this kitchen
Read more about this kitchen
38. A custom backsplash is the highlight of this Los Angeles kitchen. The tile also served as the palette inspiration for the entire kitchen, with the island and a cabinetry wall colour-matched to the blue in the tile.
Backsplash tile: Dwell Patterns collection, Heath Ceramics
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash tile: Dwell Patterns collection, Heath Ceramics
Read more about this kitchen
39. The mosaic in a New York kitchen is made up of broken china. In a sweet and sentimental touch, the material over the range is primarily the homeowner’s own grandmother’s china.
Read more about this kitchen
Read more about this kitchen
40. Dark and light grey tile brings style to a kitchen in South Australia, complementing its light wood and black cabinetry and grey Caesarstone counter.
Backsplash tile: Oslo in charcoal dark, Southern Cross
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Backsplash tile: Oslo in charcoal dark, Southern Cross
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41. Rather than replace the midcentury cabinets, the owner of this home in Citrus Heights, California, refinished them to reveal their beautiful birch veneer. A turquoise-green tile backsplash complements the home’s midcentury style.
Backsplash tile: Fluorite, 2 by 8 inches, Fireclay Tile
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash tile: Fluorite, 2 by 8 inches, Fireclay Tile
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42. A Portland, Oregon, kitchen features a black-and-white photo mural as a backsplash.
43. Dark red subway tile adds a zing of colour to this black-and-white kitchen in a San Francisco Victorian.
Read more about this home
Read more about this home
44. Here teal subway tile with a shimmery finish enlivens this Orange County, California, kitchen space.
45. Vintage bottle caps add flair to this Minneapolis kitchen backsplash.
46. A midcentury kitchen in a Seattle condominium was gutted and underwent a renovation that honours the home’s midcentury time period. An elongated hexagonal shape for the backsplash tile feels retro.
Tile: Heath Ceramics
Read more about this kitchen
Tile: Heath Ceramics
Read more about this kitchen
47. The backsplash tile in this Kansas City, Missouri, kitchen has a handmade, beautifully varied texture to it, and an elongated rectangle shape that feels modern.
Backsplash tile: Sunderland Brothers
Read more about this kitchen
Backsplash tile: Sunderland Brothers
Read more about this kitchen
48. A low backsplash of two rows of graphic green-and-grey tile (one row below the window) complements a blue wall and geometric pendants in this home in Lyon, France.
49. Instead of a tile, wallpaper or mural backsplash, this kitchen in Melbourne has a window for a backsplash. It ushers in light as well as the beautiful green colours of the home’s yard.
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I love #59 - cute and clever! But most of the others are too much in my opinion. Less IS more!
Most are bold and express a person's personality. Not sure in my view they are all long lasting installations though. Sometimes a customer doesn't care about that though. Two things I was not crazy about is the irregular edges and when the tile is extended over the window. My favorite were 41, 43, 45, 56 & 58. I found 43 really creative - have seen it before and really like it. Reminds me of when my mother saved wine labels (having sample many of the varieties !) then wallpapered with them. it was really successful.
Pastel colors always capture the soul. Number 34 impresses with its interesting angle. Nice selection