A Backsplash is a focal point in your kitchen.
It showcases personal style, adds visual flair, and sets the mood for work in your kitchen.
But what is considered a design element today started as a purely functional feature?
Backsplashes were first used as a way to secure the wall over the sink or stove from splashes of grease, water, and food spatter.
It was not until the mid-twentieth century that people began viewing backsplashes as decorative.
Since then, design trends have ebbed and flowed, varying from the ceramic tiles of the 1980s to the stone mosaics and glass subway tiles that are popular today.
Let’s look at some backsplash options that are still all the rage.
Popular Backsplash Materials
1. Ceramic
This original backsplash material remains popular today as an easy-to-clean, versatile, durable, and inexpensive choice.
Ceramic tiles have many colours, sizes, and shapes, making them fit in easily with your vision.
The way ceramic tiles are installed can also spice things up from accent tiles to combining various sizes.
2. Glass
Glass tiles have benefits similar to ceramic, ease of maintenance and versatility.
They have the additional effect of light reflection, making your kitchen seem brighter and more prominent.
This option also comes in a wide range of sizes and shapes, from long, thin bars to classic square tiles.
Their opacities vary, as well as some tiles offer crystal-clear transparency, whereas others create a more matte effect.
3. Wood
A wood backsplash can complement a cottage or minimalist style, making stone countertops more prominent.
Backsplashes made from beadboard or shiplap are very much in fashion and look delightfully distinctive.
However, they must be appropriately sealed before installation and regularly maintained afterwards to protect against water damage and stains.
4. Metal
Metal panels are becoming increasingly popular.
Materials like copper, brass, and stainless steel can brighten up the space with their reflective quality while uplifting your kitchen’s style.
Metal backsplashes come in various textures and sheens, ranging from shiny, bold geometric patterns to smooth, brushed metal.
They are relatively resistant to damage and easy to maintain.
5. Stone
Using natural stone as the backsplash material can give your kitchen a more organic and textured feel, although different stones bring different moods.
For instance, white marble signifies a clean, decent elegance, while slate creates earthy depth and character.
Hence there is much variety to choose from within this category.
Related Reading: Average Cost Of A Kitchen Backsplash – Click Here To Find Out.
Top Trending Backsplash Designs
1. Ceiling-Height Backsplash
What region comes to mind when someone speaks of backsplash tile?
The area between the underside of the cabinets and the countertop.
But it’s time to break tradition and take your backsplash to the ceiling.
Ceiling-height backsplashes give the classic tile a modern look by highlighting a specific kitchen area, making a large patterned tile sing loud and proud.
Not to mention the visual break from all the cabinetry that makes the kitchen look more open, this arrangement also creates a stunning backdrop for your work area.
This trend is expected to become more popular as more homeowners do away with wall cabinetry for windows or open shelves.
2. Larger Subway Tiles
The most common Subway tile size is 3″ x 6″, which has been popular for many years.
As subway tiles are still a hot trend for kitchen backsplashes, it is not surprising to see larger-sized tiles emerge.
Specifically, we are beginning to see manufacturers produce subway tiles in larger sizes.
The 4″x 8″ or 4″x 12″ is the standard large format size that can be especially helpful for use in smaller kitchens where the large tiles can create an impression of space.
Large-format subway tiles also help create an impression of continuity, mainly if you spread the backsplash to the ceiling.
Feel free to combine textures, colours, and patterns to create an even more luxurious look.
3. More Printed Patterns
With the simplicity of quartz countertops, it is not enough to have a neutral-tone backsplash as more homeowners desire something that creates an attractive focal point.
Many are willing to experiment with tile patterns such as herringbone, chevron, laser cut, and Moroccan fish scale.
One of the hottest trends involves using large pattern tiles in bold colours or graphic prints.
Since most of these designs will feel “busy,” you must be careful not to create an excessively exciting or cluttered kitchen.
Feel free to extend the backsplash to the ceiling to make it even bolder.
It won’t just serve as a protective surface; it will be a piece of art.
4. Solid Slab Backsplash
Using whole slabs is a very different approach to designing backsplashes.
Unlike tiles, it is a whole continuous piece having few breaks.
Sizing won’t be smaller than a 4′ x 8′ piece though it will largely depend on the material used.
Marble and marble-looking backsplashes are becoming increasingly common.
Its subtlety of colour and unique natural patterns mainly attract people, which enhances your kitchen’s aesthetic appeal.
Being a single large piece, any design elements on its surface readily catch the attention.
In some cases, a single slab backsplash can contribute to making a smooth transition from your countertop to the backsplash.
The colour options are also innumerable.
You can choose a material with slight colour variations or a dense veining pattern; the choice is all yours.
Related Reading: Install Backsplash Same As Countertop – Click Here To Read.
Current Trend in Kitchen Backsplashes – FAQs
1. What type of kitchen backsplash is in style in 2022?
White tile backsplashes have been among the most popular options for all kitchen types in 2022.
2. What is the most timeless kitchen backsplash?
White subway tile in a larger size is the most enduring option for a kitchen backsplash.
3. Are low kitchen backsplash trends going out of style?
Low kitchen backsplashes have been trending for many years, but now they are losing popularity.
