The Best Kitchen Backsplash Ideas For 2022

June 28, 2022
6 min read

A kitchen backsplash is a great way to bring a stylish element to a kitchen and make kitchen clean-up easier. It is also a way to impact a smaller budget, especially if you are handy and enjoy a good DIY project. For example, a kitchen with painted drywall for the backsplash could benefit hugely from installing a backsplash. If you are building a new home or remodeling your kitchen, this post will explore the options and costs for the best kitchen backsplash ideas to help you design a kitchen you love.

What Is A Kitchen Backsplash?

A kitchen backsplash is the wall area that goes from the countertop to the bottom of the upper cabinets. If your home has drywall and paint for a backsplash, it’s much easier to clean up and prettier to look at if you install one of the products I discuss in this post.

Why Is A Kitchen Backsplash Important?

A kitchen backsplash is a vertical surface, so it’s easy to see, making it a great place to infuse the kitchen with your style. Being right above the countertop, it gets a lot of food prep-related gunk, so easy to clean up is important too.

Examples Of Kitchen Backsplash Ideas

Stone Slabs

I’m going to start on the high end, only because it’s been on my mind so much lately. I follow Jean Stoffer Design and Shea McGee. Both links will give you gorgeous photos of slabs of stone being used on the wall for a backsplash. Depending on the stone you choose to use for your backsplash, using stone slabs for the backsplash in your kitchen could easily cost $5,000 and up.

Tile

Tile is the most popular choice for kitchen backsplashes because there are many options! There are so many options that it is easy to get confused and overwhelmed. Let me break down the choices for tile kitchen backsplash ideas:

Stone Tile

Stone tile is a must less costly option than stone slabs. It comes in so many patterns, from a simple 3”x6” brick to these highly detailed flowers. Natural stone tile costs a little more to install because it should be sealed before grout, adding an extra step to the process. Stone tile should run you around $2,500.

A stone I’ve wanted to try is an 18”x18” tile. A kitchen backsplash is 18” from the top of the countertop to the bottom of the upper cabinet. I think it would be a great idea to use the 18”x18” tile and very small grout lines to mimic the stone slabs on a very affordable level. You could try to install those yourself! I would choose a non-sanded grout (always use non-sanded with natural stone) in a color that closely matched or blended with the stone tiles and keep the grout lines at 1/8”.

Ceramic Tile

For this kitchen backsplash, I used ceramic subway tile and grout left over from other remodels. We randomly chose from four different colors of subway tile and installed them in a herringbone pattern. I love the way it turned out!

Ceramic is the most common choice for kitchen backsplashes. It comes in so many colors and so many shapes, and so many textures. There is something for everyone. The most basic, yet one of my favorites, is white, 3”x6” subway tile. Easy to clean and a classic choice, I believe it won’t ever go out of style. I think a tile backsplash is a great DIY project! A product called Mussel Bound is an adhesive you can use to stick tile to the wall, which makes the project so much easier!! If you do the work, you could probably install a kitchen backsplash for less than $1,000 – maybe even less than $500!

Glass Tile

Glass tile is also a good choice because it is easy to clean up and looks great with a modern aesthetic. I don’t consider glass a DIY option because getting a good cut on glass tile is very hard! Even professional tile setters struggle with getting smooth cuts on glass tile. Choose un-sanded grout, so you don’t scratch the glass tile. Glass tile runs $1,500-$1,800, installed.

Moldings

This ship lap backsplash helped save money on the budget when I didn’t have to the the tile setter back on site.

Bead board backsplash always looks timeless and classy to me. This kitchen was completed is 2002!

Moldings, like shiplap and bead board, when painted with a high-quality gloss or semi-gloss finish, also make pretty backsplashes. They can be run vertical or horizontal. I like this option because first, it works with several design styles: English kitchen, farmhouse, and traditional. I also like this option because it can be more budget-friendly than installing tile. Before painting, a backsplash out of molding should cost around $350 – $750.

Glass

Glass, as in sheets of 3/8” thick glass (sort of like for a shower door), can also make a good backsplash material. I have a piece behind my cooktop, over my shiplap, and it is easy to clean up! I wipe it down with warm soapy water and dry it with a towel. My glass is 36” wide and was about $350; we installed it ourselves.

Closing

In this post, I have outlined the best kitchen backsplash ideas for 2022 to help you decide what you want in your kitchen. There are so many options! I recommend going to Instagram, Pinterest, or Houzz and searching “kitchen backsplash.” Find a picture of a backsplash that you like, print it out, and then, if it is tile, take it to your local tile supply store and ask them how to recreate it! A stone, tile, molding, or glass backsplash is a great way to bring texture, warmth, fun, and practicality into your kitchen!!

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