Americans name their kitchens the most vital part of their homes and for a good cause! Whenever we prepare something to eat, we spend much time in this place where family and friends surround us. A backsplash can add character and flair to your kitchen in a very short amount of time.
A backsplash is the area of a wall that is just beyond the backs of your counter or surface and stove. This technique effectively introduces colour, pattern or texture in the kitchen. That being said, given that there are countless backsplash ideas nowadays, it may need clarification on where to start.
This guide will explore some popular kitchen backsplash ideas for different styles. We will also differentiate between various materials and advise which colours, patterns, and styles best suit your kitchen backsplash.
How Why Do You Need a Kitchen Backsplash?
However, to start with the design ideas, let’s discuss the need for the backsplash.
Protection
A backsplash shields your walls from affecting factors such as stains, spattering and grease.
This is especially so around areas close to your sink and stove, as greasy residue may cause food to stick to the surface.
Style
A backsplash is perfect for introducing colour, texture and character into a kitchen. It can be used to establish or focus an area or incorporate other decorating aspects.
Value
Popular backsplash choices can add value to the home you are living in.
Kitchen Backsplash Ideas for Different Styles
So, understanding the necessity of a backsplash, let’s move to some design ideas suitable for different kitchen styles.
1. Modern Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
Today’s kitchens focus on straight lines and simple colours on a plain background. For a contemporary kitchen, your backsplash choice should match your kitchen design, as shown below.
Materials: Glass, stainless steel, or even concrete will be more modern if that’s the look you want.
- Colours: If possible, avoid bright colours and at least keep the colour of the nail polish plain, such as black, white, or grey. These include the bonus of a dramatic appearance on your existing, dull floor with the boldness of an additional accent tile.
- Patterns: These designs should include geometric patterns or simple mosaics to give the building interesting visuals without being overly aggressive.
Example: Creating a simple, modern appearance would be large format white subway tiles installed in the running bond style on a backsplash.
2. Farmhouse Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
The farmhouse’s kitchen depicts comfort and cosiness, filled with countryside elegance. If your house is a farmhouse or your kitchen has a farmhouse style, you must select the backsplash that fits this theme.
- Materials: Foods you can consider include shiplap, brick or reclaimed timber.
- Colours: Just stick to warm tones such as Beige, cream or light blue.
- Patterns: Manufacturers like simple patterns such as herringbone or chevron to add a dimension of visual appeal.
Example: A white shiplap used as a backsplash with a dark grouting line for a farmhouse theme will be more suitable. You can also use the brick in herringbone pattern if you would like to have a more unconventional appearance for the backsplash.
3. Traditional Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
The traditional kitchen backsplash ideas can be seen below:
Historic conventional or standard kitchens are elegant and highly conventional. Therefore, a backsplash selection for a traditional kitchen must match this style.
- Materials: Consider ceramic tile, natural stone, or even porcelain.
- Colours: One should stick to the primary colours such as white, cream or beige. You can also incorporate a patterned tile to bring a bright-coloured feel to your kitchen.
- Patterns: The old-world look of the subway tile and diamond patterns are still in vogue.
Example: As a backsplash, beige travertine tiles in the running bond pattern will create a classic and antique look for a traditional kitchen.
4. Industrial Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
If there is one place that practices the industrial look, then the industrial kitchens are the best example. If you have an industrial kitchen, the backsplash you should choose will also be industrial.
- Materials: Materials like metallic, concrete or exposed brick should also be considered.
- Colours: Choose dark colours only, for example, black, grey or brown.
- Patterns: Even polka dots or stripes in your outfit or plain black or white can be worn well in an industrial kitchen.
Example: The backsplash, if made of stainless steel, will make your kitchen look more raw and edgy. Another example is covering the backsplash with concrete in a geometric design, representing the contemporary industrial look.
Selecting backsplash material: tips for making a decision
With a few design ideas in mind, it is high time to discuss the materials used for the backsplash arrangement.
1. Ceramic and Porcelain Tile
Ceramic and porcelain tiles give the kitchen backsplash the capacity to withstand stains, wear, and tear, and they are still very easy to clean while not limiting the choices of colours to the homeowner.
- Pros: Inexpensive, practically immortal, low maintenance, plenty of varieties
- Cons: While chip or crack, grout lines can be hard to clean
2. Glass Tile
Glass tile is another common tile that illustrates your backsplash in your kitchen. It has many colour and texture options and can be used for aesthetic purposes.
- Pros: It bakes light and is a stick, easy to clean, resistant to heat, and comes in many colours and finishes.
- Cons: It may be costly, may be challenging to fix
3. Natural Stone
Natural stone is elegant and timeless, so that it can be used for kitchen backsplashes. The appliance is available in different colours and styles, and injecting this sense of class into the kitchen is easy.
- Pros: Sturdy, elegant, and distinctive, increase the monetary worth of your house.e
- Cons: It can be costly, a little more leaky, and needs to be sealed. Generally, it can be complicated to install.
4. Metal
Metal is the best when it comes to industrial-style kitchens. It is strong, does not fade easily, and can be washed and refinished in any type.
- Pros: Sturdy, non-porous, withstands heat, elegant appearance
- Cons: May be costly, may cause noises, causes fingerprints to appear
5. Brick
It is common to see brick used in farmhouses and industrial-look kitchens. It is long-lasting and wipe clean, giving a traditional look to the kitchen.
- Pros: Long-lasting and waterproof; closely related to easy maintenance standards; has a natural country look
- Cons: It may be leaky and may have to be sealed, and it is challenging to put up
6. Shiplap
Shiplap can be used in many ways, particularly in farmhouse-themed style kitchens. It is Easy to install and creates a country-style look for any kitchen.
- Pros: They are very easy to install, are cheaper, and give your home a ‘back to nature’ feel.
- Cons: May be hard to upkeep, does not have the strength of other types of material
Selecting the Right Colour and Design for Backsplash
The next decision you will face is to identify the colour and pattern used with the selected material. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Your kitchen’s overall style: Select the colour and pattern that will match the general theme of your kitchen.
The size of your kitchen:
While you will select the paints and have a white or light-coloured kitchen, which makes the kitchen appear larger than it is, a dark-coloured kitchen will prove to be quite inviting, especially when a large kitchen is in question.
Your personal preferences: Thus, you like the colour and pattern best!
Here are a few popular backsplash patterns:
- Subway tile: This is one of the most traditional patterns ever.
- Herringbone: This pattern is a little younger or similar, but it provides little interest.
- Chevron: This pattern looks like a herringbone but is in a tight zig-zag fashion.
- Mosaic: Mosaic tiles make it possible to design buildings with many patterns and different designs.
A Simple Guide to Selecting a Kitchen Backsplash
Here are a few additional tips to help you choose the perfect kitchen backsplash:
- Order samples: To that end, never buy the material, colour or pattern outright; instead, request several samples to determine how it will look in the kitchen.
- Consider the grout: The colour of the grout can enhance or mar the appearance of your backsplash, and, therefore, it should be chosen wisely.
- Think about maintenance: Some are easier to clean and maintain than others.
- Hire a professional: If you are not DIY and want to avoid hiring a professional, go for it.
Conclusion
Thus, if you are thinking about the proper design for the kitchen backsplash ideas – it is also quite an entertaining and creative process.
Seeing that the backsplash is a major part of the kitchen, by estimating some key areas of interest, such as the style of your kitchen and some of the materials available, as well as your tastes, it will be very easy for you to get a backsplash that will not only appeal to you but also one that you can use for ages.