How to Pick the Perfect Kitchen Backsplash

Picking the perfect kitchen backsplash for your kitchen can feel like a deep sea of options. Choosing any kitchen material really, can be a pretty overwhelming process. Subway tile or self-splash? Colorful tile or neutral tile? Where do I buy all of these items?! I’ve got you covered.

My team and I have installed hundreds of kitchen backsplashes over the years, and we’ve seen styles and color combinations that run the gamut. I’ve created this Q&A to lay out some of the main factors in making a decision that’s right for your kitchen. I hope these secrets I’m sharing about picking the perfect kitchen backsplash takes a little bit of the stress out of your decision. If you’re wanting more one-on-one guidance and advice, remember you can book a Virtual Design Consultation with me or with one of our talented designers here.

How To Choose The Perfect Kitchen Backsplash

1. When picking a kitchen backsplash, do you think a backsplash that's contrasting to the kitchen's design (cabinet color, countertop color, etc.) will create the best look? or is cohesive the way to go (picking up more tones throughout the overall design)? What's your go-to?

For the kitchen backsplash, I usually choose it after determining the direction for the countertops and cabinets. If someone wants green cabinets and knows they want marble (or a marble-look) countertops, it’s easy to know that a busy backsplash isn’t the right choice. However, if my client has their heart set on white shaker cabinets and dark gray countertops, I know I have an opportunity to add a little something special with the backsplash. There are truly hundreds of thousands of options for backsplashes, and no right or wrong decisions – it really just comes down to personal preference. My suggestion is simple: find a photo of a kitchen you like and make your kitchen look similar. It’s that easy!

2. HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT MATERIAL WILL WORK BEST FOR A KITCHEN BACKSPLASH?

The best way to determine what material will work best in your kitchen is to take a hard look at how you live. Are you messy? (Do you cook bacon with grease everywhere? Does your tomato sauce bubble and splatter everywhere? Do you wipe EVERYTHING on the regular or is it okay for your kitchen to be a little “lived in”?) If you’re messy, try your best to eliminate anything porous or anything with white grout. On the other hand, if you’re a neat freak and aren’t letting other (messy) people use your kitchen, maybe you can be a bit more daring. Consider a grouted marble mosaic with white grout (all porous) for your backsplash, or even a–gasp!–wallpaper!

3. LARGE FORMAT TILES OR MOSAIC FOR KITCHEN BACKSPLASH – IS ONE BETTER THAN THE OTHER? IS ONE HEADED OUT OF STYLE?

It’s impossible to say if large format tile or mosaic tile is better – it totally depends on the house. I’ve used all of it over the years, from tiny little tile, to handcrafted tile, to medium size subway tile – you name it! I don’t think large format or small mosaic is headed out of style, but what I see right now is a lot of people running the countertop material up on the backsplash. (We call this a “self splash”.) It’s a really clean way to finish the kitchen.

4. FAVORITE PLACES TO BUY BACKSPLASH TILE FOR A KITCHEN?

• Local Tile Showrooms
• Hardware Stores (Home Depot or Lowes)
• Cle
• Zia Tile
• Floor & Decor

5. TOP 3 FAVORITE KITCHEN BACKSPLASH MATERIALS?

1. Running slab up the wall or “self splash” – easy, simple, timeless!
2. Subway tile
3. Handcrafted tile

6. IF YOU HAD TO PICK ONE BACKSPLASH MATERIAL THAT WILL ALWAYS FEEL TIMELESS, WHAT WOULD YOU PICK?

Subway tile, because there are so many options. White tile with white grout, white tile with gray grout, handcrafted tile, stacking running bond or soldier stack. Even down to the option of installing them vertically instead of horizontally. Oh, and don’t forget machined vs handcrafted. Machined is really slick and perfect, handcrafted looks like it’s, well… handcrafted!

7. BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU SEE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN INSTALLING TILE BACKSPLASH?

Honestly, DIY. I think a backsplash is something that most people feel confident taking on, but it can really look terrible if it’s not installed correctly. Usually it’s not the actual tile installation since so many backsplash tiles come in easy-to-install sheets, but rather the unfinished edges, trying to figure out where to start and stop the material, lack of under-cabinet lighting, and not using a level.

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