21 Kitchen Backsplash Ideas You’ll Want to Steal

Are you looking to put the finishing touches on a major remodel? Nothing adds a unique touch to your space like a kitchen backsplash. Once you’ve added new paint to your cabinets, continue personalizing your cooking area with these modern kitchen backsplash ideas.

Not only are backsplashes a trendy way to update the style of the home, but they also are a practical, easy-to-clean way to protect your walls from anything that might splash up during cooking. Here are just a few inspiring options for your own kitchen backsplash concepts!

21 kitchen backsplash ideas to modernize your cooking space:

1. Stainless steel for an ultra-modern look

Stainless steel has the look of a professional kitchen while also coming across as a sleek and sophisticated look. Many use stainless steel backsplash tiles to frame an oven with a fan, but you can also use stainless steel tiles, like hexagon shapes, to frame any kitchen backsplash area you want to cover.

2. Exposed brick to add that cozy feeling

Whether your kitchen actually has a brick wall to use or you use a backsplash design that looks like brick, there’s something so warm and homey about brick in a kitchen. There’s a reason that all the modern gastropubs and upscale pizzerias love the look of brick framing an oven!

3. Subway tile for a sleek classic look

You’ve seen the clean, minimalistic look of subway tile in all of the top design magazines. It comes in many colors, but the classic tiles are perfect if you’re looking for a white kitchen backsplash that’s easy to clean. Pair it with black grout, and you’ve achieved one of 2020’s top kitchen looks. 

4. Copper to inspire an art deco vibe

Burnished copper can put anyone in mind of a Gatsby-era 1920s speakeasy, but copper can also just be an eye-catching, warm way to add shine to your kitchen. Consider small squares of copper in your kitchen backsplash to accent other copper hardware or appliances. 

5. Tin tiles for a vintage charm

Another way to achieve the speakeasy vibe is by using the painted tin tiles as your kitchen backsplash. This is sure to make your neutral kitchen feel unique, charming, and instantly yours. 

6. Marble adds sophistication

There’s no question: nothing brings up the luxury and sumptuous style of a kitchen quite like the addition of marble. Consider a marble kitchen backsplash to elevate and modernize your look. 

7. Marble-style peel-and-stick looks great for less

While purchasing real marble for your kitchen backsplash will undoubtedly help make a kitchen look top-notch, don’t discount the easy and affordability of a marble-look peel-and-stick backsplash. When you choose a style that looks like the real thing but with the additional benefit of being very easy to clean and replace down the road if needed, you may be glad you did! 

8. Bright red or blue stone for a funky touch

Many modern kitchens are now aiming for a monochromatic look in white, grey, or black, with simple silver hardware. These kitchens look great but also offer the opportunity to liven them up with a bold kitchen backsplash, like this red and grey stone look. Small accents of color allow you to combine modern stylings with a personal twist that makes your kitchen really memorable.

9. Artistic tile for a statement kitchen backsplash

Not one for the simple single-color look? You don’t have to be! The sky’s the limit with varied styles and colors of tile, all made to be easy to install and waterproof to protect your walls. Make your kitchen backsplash tile ideas exactly as unique as you are, and you’ll smile every time you turn on the lights in the morning.

10. Glass that shines all over

Whether you opt for a simple glass backsplash or something frosted or painted, glass is a great way to lighten the room. If your kitchen always seems a little dim, glass may help, especially with under-cabinet lighting added.

11. Floor to ceiling tile backsplash 

One of the best kitchen backsplash ideas is to take the panel all the way up to the ceiling in areas where you don’t have cabinetry. Running the panel from floor to ceiling gives the impression of height and space, especially when you choose reflective tiles. The illusion of space makes this a great choice for those remodeling small kitchens.

12. Half-moon tiles add whimsy

If you’re all-in on a beach theme or love being a little eclectic, these pearl mosaic fish scales are unique and beautiful. Add glam and funk to your favorite space. 

13. Herringbone for a debonair feel

Herringbone is a classy way to say, “I’m stylish, confident, and totally design-savvy,” especially when used in a modern kitchen with plenty of light. The options for herringbone are varied, but a fairly traditional look can’t go wrong.

14. Bring the outside in with a wood (or laminate) kitchen backsplash

Wood is timeless and adds a modern organic vibe to your kitchen. But it’s expensive and wears more easily. Instead, use laminate materials to create decorative patterns, or combine them with traditional tiled backsplashes to accentuate your kitchen design. 

15. Mirrored and metallic finishes pair well with kitchen neutrals

Mirrored and metallic finishes add glam and personality to any neutral kitchen. The reflective surfaces brighten up your space as natural light bounces off metallics and onto your countertops. Add some whimsy by creating your own custom pattern. When you want a modern kitchen backsplash, metallics deliver a playful yet sleek, eye-catching look.

16. Manufactured stone for a rustic touch

Manufactured stone veneer adds organic flair to a modern kitchen, fostering a solid, well-built feel. Using stone as backsplash for kitchen inspiration is a premium look that adds value to your kitchen. 

17. Add a touch of contrasting color using paint or tile

Contrasting color is one of the simplest and most cost-effective kitchen backsplash ideas. Rather than defaulting to the neutral backsplash colors that most people are used to, experiment with new colors to introduce personal style. You can combine two or more colors and then scatter a third color throughout for interest. 

18. Peel-and-stick wallpaper for renters who want to add (temporary) personality

Need to spruce up your space without making a permanent change. Use peel-and-stick wallpaper as your kitchen backsplash to add flare in any style. Apart from giving you endless design and pattern choices to suit your tastes, washable wallpaper is easy to maintain. Modern wallpaper is also affordable and easily removable, so you can easily change the look of your cooking space.

19. Black tile for a stark modern vibe

Black tile may seem too intense for kitchen tile ideas, but you’d be surprised how good it can look at just a backsplash or as an accent for a black countertop. This design of thin black strips with grey is eye-catching and sophisticated.

20. Cork backsplash for a warm winery veel

Cork is a material that is growing more popular because it is sustainable and beautiful, and adding it as a backsplash idea is both unconventional and will make your kitchen feel like a winery! Make this call if you already have some wood-tone or brown accents in the room. 

21. Geometric patterns for a mid-century modern look

Achieve an effortless cool with a geometric pattern. Pair a colorful tile backsplash with clean white cabinets and black countertops for the perfect mid-century modern kitchen. 

The bottom line

Make sure the backsplash design you choose complements your interior decor and the overall style and vibe of your home. If you have an antique kitchen, a wood backsplash would be a perfect pairing. If your home is modern, go with sleek quartz or Caesar stone. And marble is always a classic in just about any kitchen.

Kirstyn Kellogg contributed to this post.