25 Colorful Kitchen Backsplash Ideas to Feel Happier

Unique and Chic

Practical and functional? Check. Stylish? You bet. Easy to install? Yep. In fact, nearly anyone can create this showstopping backsplash using wood floor tiles by Mirth Studio. 

The first step is picking the tile. To achieve an eclectic look, select several different patterns in coordinating colors. This backsplash combines four different tile motifs in agreeable shades. 

Designing the layout is the fun part. Place your tiles on a table or floor, then arrange them any way you please (remember to take photos of your favorites). Once you've finished, peruse your photos to select the best layout. 

Need a resilient backsplash that can handle your hard-working kitchen? Before installing these wood tiles, coat them with a sealer to boost moisture and stain resistance.

Once the sealer has cured, it's time to glue each tile to your kitchen wall using Liquid Nails, a heavy-duty construction adhesive. Just apply it to the back of each tile and stick it to the wall. If you're a renter, use removable glue dots instead.

Matching Island and Backsplash

Take a flashy backsplash one step further by matching it with the tile on your island. This works a charm at making a statement in monochrome kitchens. Because the background is already simple, even the busiest prints won't overwhelm the space. More detailed patterns look good but are particularly helpful at hiding stains and food marks, too.

Stylish Masterpiece

Brooklyn resident Anne Sanger transformed her small kitchen into a drool-worthy cooking space that makes her inner chef jubilant.

The pièce de résistance is the showstopping backsplash. She pounded the pavement for ages to find the perfect tile to create it. In fact, she designed her entire kitchen around the Ming blue tile designed by Walker Zanger.

Green and Gold

Committing to a certain color scheme is tough when multiple shades are involved. Rather than relying on a hefty paint job with a few too many colors or furniture in multiple hues, garner help from geometric tiles in several shades. This will incorporate the full palette into the kitchen while keeping things cohesive.

Punchy Red Patterns

Bold patterns aren't just for the brave and trendy. Nine different tile designs were used to create this traditional white kitchen's colorful backsplash. Even in a sleek, bright room, vibrant hues like red can make a subtle statement when used sparingly and paired with accent décor.

Pop of Blue Backsplash

Blue is a serene yet eye-catching color, making it a great pick for a backsplash. Once you select the right tone of blue, the trick is figuring out how many tiles to buy. A tile calculator will help you based on tile size and the square footage you'll be covering. Afterward, you can break down that number by color based on your design.

Minty Fresh

Kitchen backsplashes are a functional feature that you can have fun personalizing. The minty fresh design in this space plays with different shades of the same color, giving off some nice intonations across the full backsplash. The pale seafoam green is a nice contrast against the dark blue island and is a perfect example of how to play with dark and light outside of the neutral world.

Go Green

White kitchens are timeless classics, but they can leave you begging for a splash of bold color. A patterned backsplash like this one will quench that craving. Even better, it was created using inexpensive tile. 

Backsplash can be lighter or darker than cabinets based on the overall color of your kitchen, but as a general rule of thumb, it helps to aim for contrast. Choose a dark backsplash in bright, light-filled rooms: It's the frosting on the cake that makes the entire kitchen feel special.

Fresh Take on Subway Tile

Subway tile backsplashes aren't a brand-new style, but if you think they're old hat, take a good look at this eye-popping design that makes the most of the popular kitchen tile.

These days, you'll find subway tile in a broad range of styles and colors that you can combine in a variety of shapes, layouts, or patterns to create an original look.

Geometric Patterns

When a kitchen is already loaded with color, you can still make an impact with your backsplash. As this cooking space exemplifies, black and white tile infuses more texture and dimension without clashing or throwing another color into the mix. The black finishes on the appliances and hardware also maintain a sense of consistency and allow all these shades and patterns to work well together.

Playful Circles

Subway tile is one of the most popular backsplash options for kitchens, as this timeless style can be personalized in a variety of designs. Adding playful shapes to a simple tile backsplash also creates visual interest. The bubble-shaped tiles used to create the organic edge field for this subway tile backsplash is by Mercury Mosaics. 

Graphic and Classic

Looking for a unique backsplash idea that won't date quickly? If you have a traditional white kitchen, you can go graphic with geometric patterns. This white backsplash combined with classic beadboard cabinets bumps up this kitchen's timeless appeal while adding long-lasting pizazz.

Brush of Blue

Blue is the most neutral non-neutral. Even in the sleekest, most minimal spaces it continues the sense of calm rather than introducing a loud burst of color. If you're looking for a backsplash that brings color into an all-white space without completely changing the overall atmosphere, blue is it.

Sweet Honeycomb

Hexagon-shaped tile has become widely popular, and just like subway tile, it has an enduring style. A striking honeycomb backsplash gives this apartment kitchen a warm, vintage-inspired twist that's 100 percent modern. Choose a backsplash darker than your countertop to create contrast and visual interest in an all-white kitchen.

Confetti-Inspired Backsplash

Design should be fun and reflect the colors and concepts that make you happy. The definition of a fun backsplash comes in the form of this confetti-inspired wall. It's cheerful but looks completely put together thanks to the fact that the cabinet and countertop colors reflect those in the backsplash.

Tranquil Jade Tiles

Green is one of the most grounding colors, but the right shade of it can be energizing at the same time. This holds true for jade, which is a peaceful hue to have around but can still make a kitchen dazzle when it's used in a backsplash. The addition of black and white accents (as well as deeper green plants) completes the look.

Tiny Rectangular Tiles

Manipulating the shape, size, and configuration of a tile is powerful and can turn a bland backsplash into one that's visually stunning. The vertical orientation and tiny width of these light blue tiles give added texture to this pretty pastel cooking space and do a lot of heavy lifting in terms of visuals.

Glint of Gold

It's hard to think of a more bold backsplash than one that's covered in gold. Though this bar area is sophisticated and relatively neutral in color as-is, a gilded tile layout gives it a little more oomph. Consider metallic finishes for simple kitchens or wet bars, where you might be more comfortable going bold with your designs.

Powder Pink Rectangles

Dark countertops and cabinets make this light pink backsplash stand out even more than it would in an all-white kitchen. In general (and something this cooking space excels at), a great way of really curating a bold touch in your kitchen is through choosing a tile or paint color that differs dramatically from the rest of the space. This could be red or mauve tiles in a room with wooden cabinets, cobalt blue in a white kitchen, or light pastel hues against black.

Blue Patterned Tiles

Floral prints can work in a myriad of kitchens. Whether you're working on a Coastal Grandmother-inspired space, are a fan of contemporary style, or like country house details, blue tiles with a pattern reminiscent of wildflowers is a good fit. Depending on the color of tile chosen, it's smart to match the surrounding cupboards to a shade in the pattern.

Warm and Vibrant

A blend of textures, patterns, and warm-toned finishes make this kitchen a cozy and inviting space. Don't be scared to mix a variety of looks, especially when they have a common shade running through them. When combined, you could very well end up with a space that looks like it's popped out of a fairytale book.

Pop of Pink

Pink is a delightful color to work with that's had a bad rap for quite some time in interiors. Save for playrooms, nurseries, and the occasional powder room, pink is often branded as ultra feminine and obnoxious—but that's far from the truth. As this kitchen shows, it's a gorgeous color that stands out on its own but allows other hues (like the mint cabinets here) shine, too.

Patterned Gray

Neutral kitchens can remain neutral but still have some pattern play incorporated. This is one such example of how gray and white tiles come together to break up the monotony that can happen when all white subway tiles come in. Though they're certainly a good foundation, this pop of tessellation makes the space more original.

Bold Black and White

If you think black and white can't bring a playful splash of color to a kitchen, think again. These swirled tiles look fantastic when paired together into a backsplash wall that's really turned into a mini accent wall in one part of the cooking space. Each unique pattern provides a lot of movement and texture in a room that's mostly cream-colored.

Retro Modern Tile

Looking for a wow-worthy backsplash idea? This colorful three-tone kitchen was already lovely, but the whimsical backsplash made this cooking space spectacular. It was created using Atomic Tiles from Heritage Tiles. Hexagon tiles and other geometric shapes are a current trend in kitchen backsplashes, and these designs pair beautifully with popular colors like blue, green, yellow, and all-white kitchens.