8 Beautiful Kitchen Tiling Ideas for Your Space

Textured, Shiny Black Walls

This rich and brooding tile contrasts brilliantly with soft cabinetry, marble countertops, and simple design details. The imperfect finish on the tile itself makes the aesthetic more approachable, lest things feel too perfect. "We selected an irregular solid colored tile that added texture and a reflective quality to the kitchen that would not compete with the beautiful countertops," says Rainey Richardson, founder and principal of Rainey Richardson Interiors. "The design aesthetic is a modern and moody approach to the Art-Deco Style with an emphasis on geometric shapes, rich high-contrast colors, symmetry, and brass accents that allude to the era of opulence and luxury."

Vintage Charm Backsplash

For a one-of-a-kind kitchen tiling idea that doubles as a conversation piece, consider sourcing vintage tiles and creating a focal point above your stove. This approach makes a lot of sense if you want to embrace a home's vintage charm, like the owners of this historic Victorian home in the Denver Highlands did.

"They're antique Dutch Delft tiles sourced from Europe. I chose to source antique tiles because they display that authentic wear and patina we love to see in older homes," says Julie Brayton, principal and lead designer of Brayton Interiors. "Even the neutral field tiles in this grouping show so much variation compared to generic subway tiles. The depth in the variation provides a subtle texture and dimension which translates perfectly in this 125-year-old kitchen."

A Pop of Color on the Walls

Your kitchen is the perfect place to dabble in vibrant color. When utilizing a bold tile, like this Fireclay hexite design in turquoise, the key is to create balance with more neutral details in the rest of the space. "The Fireclay adds a pop of bold color and pattern, while the main cooking area utilizes a clean white to keep the focus on the food," says Jennifer Verruto, the CEO and founder of Blythe Interiors. "Mixing styles can be done effortlessly by using a common element for both. Here, we stuck with clean lines and organic finishes to combine the two."

Rustic and Multi-Textured Walls

To create a rustic and organic space, but one that still has depth, opt for multiple complementing textures on one wall. "We achieved this by using a 4 x 4 handmade tile paired with the wall backsplash. I love how the tiles are uneven, creating a very timeless space," says Tanya Smith-Shiflett, lead designer at Unique Kitchens and Baths.

Neutral Glossy White Walls

If you want a clean, classic kitchen tiling idea, consider a neutral glossy white tile—but incorporate some unexpected features that minimize any potential for overly sterile starkness. For example, taking the tile up the entire wall creates an element of surprise while lending to the crispness, and the vibrant cabinetry adds character.  "This house is a darling Denver bungalow built in 1929. We wanted to capture an authentic jewel-tone color that was present during the era in which this house was built in some capacity, and we chose to inject the color into the cabinetry," says Brayton. "To balance out the boldness, we chose a backsplash that had a bit of depth and variation, but was ultimately light, bright, and current but exuded a timeless quality."

To create more dimension within a simple white backdrop, Brayton recommends sourcing tiles with a handmade quality and subtle, almost vibrational texture reminiscent of the Shaker/Craftsman era. Also consider opting for a less-expected shape. "We chose a subway shape, the shape of which was prominent in America during the turn of the last century, but updated it by shrinking the scale to 2 x 4 versus the original 3  x 6 shape," she says. "This made it feel the slightest bit more graphic."

In-Lay Tile Backsplash

For an unexpected, artistic touch in your kitchen, opt for a tile-on-tile in-lay feature. Essentially a built-in art piece, it's a simple and effective way to add pizzazz to an otherwise simple design scheme. "In this neutral kitchen, we selected a glazed cream tile and framed a fun blue patterned tile to accent other colors used in the adjacent rooms," says Sarah Eilers with Lucas Eilers Design. Blue is a classic choice for a kitchen, but there's an entire world of color and pattern to choose from that embrace your preferred aesthetic.

Patterned Kitchen Flooring

"A bold floor is such a wonderful statement that also helps ground and define a space," says Verruto, whose client wanted to lean into a classic Parisian aesthetic for this project. "Choosing the right scale for the pattern can also help make a small space feel much larger." 

According to Verruto, a well-executed bold floor is a two-choice process involving color and scale. Black-and-white patterns are an easy option, since they tend to complement most color palettes. For scale, pay attention to the size of the pattern. "If you choose a large pattern, be sure that you can see the full pattern in a few places with no obstruction," Verruto says. "Also avoid selecting a pattern that is too small. This can make a space feel busy."

Tone-on-Tone Backsplash

While contrast always works, you can also get playful in your kitchen via a monochromatic color scheme. "The clients' overarching goal was an elegant, yet fun and functional home, which made the lacquered green cabinetry, walls, and ceiling an easy yes," says Courtnay Tartt Elias of Creative Tonic Design. "The tiles are the perfect complement to the lacquered walls, offering a touch of green against the neutral body of the tile, and the geometric shape is whimsical, but not too busy, in such a decadent and verdant space." 

Elias adds that when creating such a richly colored space, it's important to include touches of neutral here and there. In this example, the tile backsplash is both white and green, which creates a nice break for your eyes.