Kitchen Backsplashes

While the backsplash should protect kitchen walls from stains and splatter, it’s also a place to make a big style statement. Consider how the backsplash will coordinate with your countertops and cabinets. The most popular choices are tile, natural stone, and engineered stone.

Tile is the broadest category, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, and cement. Subway tile, the perennial choice for kitchen backsplashes, comes in ceramic, porcelain, glass, marble, and stone. Ceramic tile boasts a wide range of colors and styles and is durable and DIY-friendly to install. Porcelain offers the same benefits as ceramic, but it’s fired at a higher temperature, making it less porous. Glass tile is colorful and easy to clean. Still, its transparency makes it tricky to install since you can see any imperfection in the thin-set—using tile adhesive by the sheet helps. Boldly patterned cement tiles, also known as Cuban or encaustic varieties, tend to weigh more than other tiles and are prone to etching, so they should be sealed on installation.

Consider continuing the counter material up the wall for a more streamlined backsplash look. Most natural stones, such as marble, granite, soapstone, and quartzite, will need to be sealed to protect their surface. Note that engineered stone is scratch and stain-resistant and can approximate the texture and colors of natural stone.

Read about other inspirational ideas on kitchen design by visiting the Delmarva Kitchen Design Blog.