Backsplashes have graduated from part of the countertop to their own glorious entity. There are so many options! As I’ve been looking for my own backsplash, I have been cycling through the yin and yang options–wonderful, delicate feminine yin and bold masculine yang. It’s hard to decide which one I like more.
I love the soft, cloudy lines in this marble backsplash and the uninterrupted feel. I wonder if I installed oversized tiles with matching grout if I could get the same look DIY? What do you think?
This Carrera Stone herringbone pattern give the same impressionist softness. It’s kind of the perfect meeting of understated color, structure, and movement.
This subway carrera is also lovely, refined and classic. It makes me feel like the Venus de Milo will be coming over for brunch.
With slightly more color and more contrast, you can still enjoy a classic Greek sculpture look. Note how the designer combined the darker gray mottled subways with the lighter marbled countertop. I am loving the combination–one with the flowing swirls of marble and the other with the ordered lines of subway tile, and both with undulating color.
I don’t know why it is but hexies make me happy, even in soft colors and classic stone! Why is that? Add an accent color like this turquoise and I just feel fabulous! Bright white grout ties into the cabinets and frames the hexagons.
Even without the accent color, the hexies add a subtle excitement. If you love restraint in design, hexies are the perfect ever so subtle secret wink to your hidden mischief.
Photo Source: Traditional Kitchen by Lititz Kitchen & Bath Remodelers Kitchens by Eileen via Houzz
Basketweave backsplash in a white kitchen with chrome appliances and both dark and light countertops! Nirvana! I love the woven pattern of the basketweave. It’s light, but it’s dark. It’s calm, but its unique. Love!
Now I’m standing on the balance of Yin and Yang. Bright white cabinets, not a lot of contrast, lots of reflected light, but also cosmopolitan stainless steel. This clever mix of materials, incorporating the chrome appliances into the decor with a few well placed steel tiles and the backsplash behind the stove, raise a simple subway to the next level. And BONUS! Looks like easy clean up to me!
Metal subways and dark cabinets present an industrial feel. Lustrous tiles give a modern flair to a retro tile. Note the stripe of dark tiles on the right side of the backsplash. The burnished asymetric dark stripe provides an unexpected detail, softening the impact of the entire wall of steel. The round dishes on the shelves also balance the yang.
This modern kitchen makes my wheels spin! I have been scoping out all sorts of stainless steel tiles and so many of them would be amazing in an application like this! If your kitchen opens up into a great room, consider creating a focal spot of stainless steel tiles. The kitchen-ness of the room is toned down by the strong architectural lines of the stainless steel. I love that the rest of the backsplash disappears into the walls, so the stove-splash can shine.
This is such a flexible idea! Whatever you love could really make a statement without swallowing the whole kitchen. Remember to consider how much sheen you want. Amazing!
I love these large wood-look tiles. Vertical lines in the installation and horizontal lines in the wood look modern and so yang! This picture just says Manhattan to me. I found a source of even larger tiles in several wood patterns and colors that seemed like they would be amazing too.
This kitchen presents a glimpse of a lighter version of kitchen above–smaller tiles but woody. Again, modern, minimalist! I can almost feel sea air and warm breezes just looking at this picture. It looks like they used actual wood, but I also like the idea of the easier clean-up and longevity of woody tiles.
I guess I’ve found a theme I didn’t know i liked: vertical installation of long narrow tiles. Such a strong and bold look. That grout looks metallic, matching the sink and fixtures. Is it inset metal strips? Who knew that would be such an effective way to tie the kitchen together!
Check out this commercial lunch kitchen look. It just sparkles with clean, slick and chic. Although the backsplash is black, the effect is much lighter because of the reflected light. Consider the different effects of natural light and artificial light on this color when you are planning so you get the results you want. You could also try a black and silver mix.
Fyi–BuildDirect is hosting their Spring Sale and most of the BuildDirect tiles showcased above are on sale–not to mention a thousand other amazing remodeling and furnishing desirables! You can check them out here: www.builddirect.com
About Cassity
Cassity started Remodelaholic with her husband, Justin, to share their love for knocking out walls together. She is an interior designer, wife, and mother of two. She and Justin have remodeled three homes from top to bottom and are working on their fourth. Making a house a home is her favorite hobby.
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