Backsplash Tips - Part 1, Overall Color and Design

You've found your countertop and cabinets and now you're stuck. You can't decide what to do with the backsplash. Many people get hung up here. They tend to overthink it and make more of it than it really is. The reality is, most of the time a backsplash is covered up with kitchen items, small appliances, etc. The stuff on a counter left out most of the time is visually becoming part of the backsplash. The pattern that you carefully laid out is interrupted.

Take a look at all the stuff out on your counter now. Chances are it will be there after you build/remodel. Most people don't want to acknowledge that but it's true. I like to keep things out on my counter. It just makes cooking more convenient. As long as it's good looking, a crock of utensils, a pretty tray of oils and vinegars, a bowl of fruit, I don't see anything wrong with that. Add in a busy backsplash though and things can start to look cluttered. Keeping a simple design can make a nice backdrop for objects you keep out on the counter.

When you look at a kitchen wall, with lower cabinet, counter, backsplash, upper cabinet, then maybe wall space and crown moulding, there are lots of elements to consider. So many things on a wall in a different color or tone are busy looking and not visually strong. I usually like to blend the backsplash with either the counter or the cabinets or have it recede by matching the color tone to the wall color it's on. It needs to relate to something.

Lastly, if everything in your space is toned down or all one color and you want your backsplash to be the stand alone element in the room, go for it. Get some bold pattern or color going, just make sure everything else is subdued and plays a supporting role.


This red tile doesn't relate to anything else in this space. It looks out of place and maybe like the homeowner added it at the end of the job.

Decorpad

I usually prefer simple backsplashes where subtle variation is the pattern.

House Beautiful, John Oetgen

I love subway tile, especially here because it goes to the ceiling.

House Beautiful, Michael Berman

I think this is such a strong kitchen design. Simple and straightforward, it's all about the integrity of materials. The backsplash and counter are both the same color....unifying color in different elements to make a stronger statement.

House Beautiful, Frank Roop

This project also blends the backsplash with the counter for a bolder statement and high contrast with the white cabinets. That dark turquoise is beautiful!

This backsplash, counter, and hood of the same color and tone bring great contrast to the medium oak cabinets.

Traditional Home

If you like pattern, try some mosaics all over the backsplash. They appear as a wonderful texture from a distance and still provide a solid appearance.

Traditional Home

Traditional Home

This tile has such a small repetitive pattern that it reads as a mosaic. Beautiful.

House Beautiful, Jay Jeffers

The overall repetition in this pattern is showcased here. The same pattern is repeated in the chair backs.....great design! That pattern stands out even though it's subtle because everything else is a soft tone on tone scheme.

Elle Decor

This bold pattern is the showpiece here. Nothing tries to outshine it. Not that it could....love it.

House Beautiful, Marshall Watson

I love this blue glass tile. Everything else in this kitchen is toned down and allows the blue tile to become the star! It's like the ocean has come into the house.

To recap......KEEP IT SIMPLE if you have a lot of items you keep out on your counters, RELATE the backsplash to something else to create a stronger look (i.e. same color as an adjacent element), or MAKE A STATEMENT with some stand out tile and nothing else around for it to compete with.

 

If you have a design related question or need some advice on any aspect of interior design, e-mail me HERE. I might feature your question in a special Q and A blog post!