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18 kitchen splashback ideas (which don’t all involve getting a tiler in)
Splashback ideas to suit traditional and modern kitchens.
So you've finally settled on a door style for your kitchen cabinets, chosen a colour after much deliberation and committed to a style of hardware. Now it's time to dress the walls with a splashback.
'Deciding on a splashback can be daunting with all the options, but it can also be a fun and very creative process when designing your dream kitchen,' says William Durrant, owner of Herringbone Kitchens.
A kitchen splashback that is fit for purpose around a wall-facing sink and cooker will protect the surrounds from escaping blobs of grease and water. But the fact that your choice can be a statement in itself – or not – only adds to the sense of uncertainty. Do you opt for a bold, glossy tile? Or a mesmerising marble that is like an artwork in its own right? Here we bring you all the best kitchen splashback ideas to help inform your decision.
Kitchen splashback idea: get creative with offcuts
Using the same material as your worktop guarantees a cohesiveness, but it can be made all the more remarkable by cutting it into a creative shape. This oval adds a playful and soft touch to an otherwise angular setting, whilst ensuring continuity.
Pictured: A shaker kitchen by Olive & Barr in Mid Azure by Little Green
Kitchen splashback idea: think small
If you have a patient tiler (or better still – are having a go yourself) then diminutive tiles piled up in grid formations can prove as impactful as the more shouty patterned surfaces. They lend themselves to awkward areas, such as windows, and can even be used to extend up and around to make a feature of them.
Pictured: A kitchen by The Main Company
Kitchen splashback idea: perfectly imperfect
'Farmhouse square tiles are a classic, stylish and beautiful choice – perfect for giving a nostalgic feel to a modern kitchen,' says William Durrant, of Herringbone Kitchens. The Zellige style pictured here hail from Morocco and are handcrafted, resulting in tiles that vary in tone, shine and depth, due to their artisanal nature.
Pictured: a kitchen by Herringbone Kitchens
Kitchen splashback idea: tile with terrazzo
The co-founders of Interior Fox used a colourful terrazzo worktop and splashback to update an existing kitchen rather than replace the cabinetry.
Pictured: A kitchen remodel by Interior Fox
Kitchen splashback idea: go textural
You don’t have to go bold with colour to make a wall look interesting. The simple but repetitive concave surface of these Japanese porcelain tiles delivers texture and interest in spades.
Pictured: A kitchen by Vaughan Design & Development
Kitchen splashback idea: tongue and groove it
'Damp-proof MDF is a budget-proof way to do a splashback that is easy to install,' says interior designer Laura Stephens, who chose it to warm up a kitchen with a tiled floor. Using eggshell paint to combat splashes, 'it adds real texture and character to any space.'
Pictured: A project by Laura Stephens
Kitchen splashback idea: embrace pattern
For an impactful splashback you can fit and seal yourself, look no further. Our range of glass sheets come in on-trend designs with self-adhesive backing. Simply seal with clear silicone and you have a wipe-clean statement around your cooker or sink. DIY improvements you can tackle in a morning don't come easier than this.
Pictured: House Beautiful Jasper splashback in Indigo, Splashback.co.uk
Kitchen splashback idea: go bare
Whether you go for exposed brick or look-a-like Brick Slips, bare walls lend an industrial and romantic feel. Just be sure to seal them with a varnish to avoid any long-term stains.
Pictured: A kitchen by DeVOL
Kitchen splashback idea: paint it
Continue the theme of your backsplash with paintwork – as demonstrated here by British Standard Cupboards. The tongue and groove edging is carried on with a 'tide line' of bi-colour paintwork that adds a sharp and graphic twist to an otherwise traditional setting.
Pictured: A kitchen by British Standard by Plain English
Kitchen splashback idea: mix it up
House of Hackney's exciting new collaboration with historic UK tile-maker Craven Dunnill features flat, hand-glazed squares and ornately relief variations. Used together, they create rhythm and opulence to give a warm feel around a stove.
Pictured: Tiles by House of Hackney x Craven Dunnill Jackfield
Kitchen splashback idea: treat it like wallpaper
This handsome slab of quartzite from Cullifords covers the walls in all its natural and organic beauty. Don’t worry about trying to match such a finish to anything else in the setting – just give it space to breathe and let it steal the show.
Pictured: Fusion Wow Light Quartzite from Cullifords
Kitchen splashback idea: marble moment
A hunky slab of movement is enjoying a moment in the trend spotlight, but it’s a timeless addition to a kitchen. Adding drama and irregular beauty thanks to its natural composition, an inspired idea is to have a ledge cut from any remnants for a curated shelf.
Pictured: A kitchen by DeVOL
Kitchen splashback idea: embrace the ‘wrong’ way
In love with a budget-busting tile? Use it sparingly (but impactfully) in a less obvious formation. That could be to simply frame a sink or hob, or in a short vertical run as pictured here, where it adds a dash of colour and is in-keeping with the kitchen’s linear layout.
Pictured: A project by Lizzie Green
Kitchen splashback idea: mirror, mirror
Particularly impactful in small kitchens, a mirrored splashback will bounce light around whilst giving a greater feeling of space. And if facing a garden, it will effortlessly bring the outside in. A distressed or antique style is well-suited to a period property.
Pictured: A kitchen by Olive & Barr
Kitchen splashback idea: aluminum wonder
For a modern kitchen, AluSplash’s aluminum panels are hard to beat: easy to install and grout-free, they come in myriad colourways and finishes, from bold glossy shades to calming matt surfaces. Our favourite though, is this concrete effect.
Pictured: Concrete splashback by AluSplash
Kitchen splashback idea: continue the worktop
For a stealth backsplash, interior designer Melissa Hutley used plain white quartz – the same material as the worktop – in this London kitchen. She notes: 'It has the same depth as the wall, which you can make slimmer, but if you’re using a marble slab, you have to account for the thickness and therefore can’t reduce it. Here, we wanted to keep things pared-back with a traditional style.'
Pictured: A kitchen designed by Hutley & Humm
Kitchen splashback idea: make a collage
Tiles and wallpaper sound like a daunting combination, but under the masterful vision of French interior designer Amélie Colombet Intérieurs, they come together to whimsical effect. Try Mosaic Factory for endless colourways.
Pictured: A kitchen by Amélie Colombet Intérieurs
Kitchen splashback idea: cork it
It would appear that Plykea’s plywood cabinets and cork go together like bread and butter. Pure Tree’s rustic style come in sheets – so no need to call out a tiler. And they boast acoustic and thermal benefits too. Just be sure to seal them if using as a splashback.
Pictured: A project by Plykea
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