Kitchen Backsplash Designs

Once you’ve decided what materials and colors you want for your backsplash, it’s time to determine how to put it all together. If you choose tile, do you prefer a consistent pattern (say, square or diagonal) or will you mix it up in some way? Here are some kitchen backsplash ideas and designs to spark your imagination.

Range Backsplash Ideas

Breaking up the tile pattern behind the range is a great way to add interest and a focal point to the room. This can be done with a simple border tile to section off a rectangular area below the hood, or by changing the tiles altogether. Purchasing a tile mural or mosaic design is another way of highlighting this part of the kitchen.

Sink Backsplash Ideas

If your sink happens to be in front of a wall instead of a window, you will want to decide whether to keep the same tile pattern as the rest of the kitchen or to mix it up. The same general design principles apply behind a sink as they do behind a range, so you can change the backsplash here with an easy-to-clean stone slab or add a design feature with a border tile or mural if you wish

Kitchen Tile Murals

Depending on the style of your kitchen, an artistic mural can add both a point of focus and a conversation piece to the room. It’s one of the most popular kitchen backsplash ideas for Tuscan, country, and French country kitchens. With an appropriate period design, a tile mural can be used in Craftsman kitchens as well.

Abstract Tile Designs

An artistic mural is not always appropriate in a modern or luxury home, so to spice up the look, you might consider kitchen backsplash tile designs that are more abstract. These are often available pre-packaged from specialty tile stores, although it is possible for a creative artisan to design one from scratch for your home.

Backsplash Tile Patterns

From a simple rectangular tile design to multi-tiered bands of varying shapes, the sheer number of backsplash tile patterns is staggering. For any given material, there are often dozens of possible sizes and shapes to choose from, and near infinite ways in which to combine them. While it’s easy to over-complicate things, I often recommend starting simple and then adding some variation as needed.

Mosaic Backsplash Tiles

Sometimes smaller is better. Mosaic backsplash tiles are usually 1-inch or smaller, and typically come in 12×12-inch pre-formed sheets to make installation much easier. The tiles can be all of the same material, or can be ordered in randomized patterns from specialized tile retailers. Arizona Tile’s Custom Blend Tool allows you to generate your own special-order mosaic pattern online.

Other Decorative Backsplash Options

A growing trend in backsplash design is the customized look, be it with screen-printed tiles or photographic glass backsplashes. A number of companies now offer custom large-format printing on the back of glass panels that have been custom fit to your walls. The result is a unique design that is entirely your own.

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