8 Creative Kitchen Splashback Ideas to Refresh Your Cooking Space

Splashbacks are the unsung hero of the kitchen, they help protect from food stains, grease marks and of course splashes from your everyday cooking. Aside from their practical benefit, splashbacks can also be useful for aesthetic purposes and can be a fun way to restyle or revamp your kitchen.

These 8 kitchen splashback tile ideas are the perfect way to refresh your kitchen and if you’ve got the time, can be done all by yourself. It can be daunting learning how to tile successfully and people are often intimidated by tiling projects, but with the right tools, accessories and building materials it can be a quick and easy option for breathing some fresh air into your kitchen.

Updating your kitchen splashback is an easy yet impactful way to refresh the entire kitchen’s look, it can be bold enough to create a focal point or subtle enough to create a sense of harmony. It can be modern or timeless, colourful or muted. The variety of tiling materials means it can be suitable no matter what your budget, and because there are so many choices out there, you can be sure to find something to fit your current style. The options are endless and there are of course pros and cons for all choices, so let’s take a closer look!

1. Chequered Tiles

Chequered tiles are a timeless classic and a classic for a reason.
This style never really seems to go fully out of fashion, chequered tiles have actually been around for thousands of years. This style dates back to ancient Egypt, although it is hard to see this type of tiling and not think of the American diner aesthetic.

Despite their ancient origin, these tiles masterfully combine a retro vibe with a modern twist. This style is ideal for homeowners looking for a unique backsplash and can be a powerful way to update the overall feel of your kitchen. Usually, this style is seen in a black and white pattern creating a minimalist, chic look.

But why not spice it up? The pattern can be made with any colours you wish, so you can really get creative with it (light and dark colour combinations often have the best visual impact however!).

2. Herringbone Style

The Herringbone is another timeless design that has been around for centuries now. The pattern here involves arranging rectangular wall tiles in such a way that they create an arrow or zigzag pattern. The reason it got its name is because it loosely resembles the bones of a herring fish. This design creates a visually interesting geometric pattern which is great for elevating any space and overall creates a sophisticated, high-end look.

The style has had a well deserved resurgence in popularity over the last decade and is a great choice for both traditional and contemporary kitchens offering plenty of texture and dimension.

This style works for those looking for all white kitchen splashback ideas, it can be kept clean, crisp and white or mixed with some cool grey tones to achieve a seamless transition between classic and modern styles.

3. Extend Your Kitchen Worktop

Image source: Pexels

Another popular kitchen splashback idea is to simply extend your worktop up into the splashback. Extending the worktop up instead of using kitchen splashback tiles can create a powerful look that is still sleek and minimalist.

This design works particularly well in modern kitchens, although when styled correctly, could also be a great addition to an older kitchen. It offers a seamless design that flows effortlessly from counter to wall and connects them both in a visually appealing way.

This approach is ideal and most common for white kitchens but can be used with a pop of colour too. It can be done using decorative timber in a colour that matches your existing worktop. If you are taking on this project yourself, make sure you have the right power tools for the job! 

4. Subway Tiles

Subway tiles, or sometimes referred to as metro tiles are another great option for splashback tiles for kitchens. This style uses rectangular tiles in a neat pattern, creating a classic and timeless result.

The classic look of the subway tiles makes them extremely proficient at blending into any style of home decor.  From traditional to industrial to modern, subway tiles have a knack for integrating seamlessly into a room's overall aesthetic. They are also slightly luminous due to their slightly reflective surface. This is brilliant for bouncing light around a room and creating the illusion of a brighter and bigger room overall.

You can go for the classic white style, creating a sleek and clean appearance or you could use a dark, bold toned tile to give off more of an industrial feel.

Combining this style with an interesting grout colour can be fun and means there are limitless options for customising the design of your space. If you already have subway tiles in your kitchen you can also do this. No need to be intimidated, learning how to re-grout a tile is easy!

5. Mosaic Effect

Image source: Pexels

Another ancient style of tiling is mosaic. This style has been around for centuries, and it won't be going anywhere any time soon! This method of tiling is full of character. It’s a fantastic way to make your home feel more sophisticated or artsy.

The style consists of using smaller pieces of tile, glass or stone, in a variety of sizes and colours to create an interesting pattern or artwork. Mosaic tiling is a great unique kitchen splashback idea that can add a vibrant, textural element to your kitchen.
This style can give you the ability to create a custom, artistic design personal to your home. Whether using small glass tiles or natural stone, the main requirement here is patience as the installation process here can be more time consuming than other styles.

It can definitely be argued that the extra time is worth spending however as the results can be astonishing. They work particularly well in kitchens that need a pop of colour or a unique focal point.

6. Gloss Splashback

Next up we have gloss splashbacks. Similar to the subway tiles, gloss splashbacks are great for enhancing light and effectively enlarging your room, except this style does it even better!

One of the more modern kitchen splashback ideas, the gloss style creates a reflective surface, ricocheting light all over your kitchen. This subtle brightness helps in easily creating an open and inviting feel in your kitchen. The style has become a favourite for homeowners in recent years as it’s super easy to clean and always gives off a polished and contemporary look.

This style works remarkably well in smaller kitchens. The terrific trait of bouncing light around means they can help a small kitchen to feel much larger and brighter than it actually is.

7. Dumawall

Dumawall is a waterproof wall cladding, made from UV-resistant panels.
It's a perfect choice for a high traffic kitchen due to its durability and waterproof qualities. The panels are both lightweight and easy to install. Dumawall waterproof wall tiles utilise a tongue and groove system for their implementation. This makes for a seamless installation process, even for any beginners to DIY out there!

Dumawall is a highly resilient and stylish alternative to traditional splashback material. It is ideal for families or kitchens that experience a larger volume of cooking. Practicality and stylishness all wrapped up in one, what’s not to like? 

8. Peel and Stick

Last but by no means least, we have peel and stick tiles. If you are in the market for a quick and simple kitchen upgrade look no further than peel and stick tiles.

Out of all the options we’ve discussed here, this is definitely the easiest installation so far. Not only are they easy to install, they are also very affordable - more so than any other option on this list! Sometimes the cheaper option can be less desirable but peel and stick tiles are an excellent choice and are extremely durable. They are easy to maintain and also remove, meaning you can even use these in your rented apartment or home to put your own spin on your space without having to worry about what the landlord will say.

Even if you own your home, this option can be great for people who like to switch things up every now and again. If you have lots of different kitchen tile ideas or don’t want to commit long-term to any particular aesthetic, this is the style for you!

Transform Your Kitchen With A Splash of Creativity Today

The possibilities are endless when it comes to customising your kitchen splashback tiles, these are only 8 examples out of many!

Why not get inspired to mix things up and get creative with your space? Even if just for the sake of trying something new. Many of these ideas are DIY friendly and affordable so there is really no excuse to settle for a boring cooker splashback.

Shop with Woodie’s and check out our range of DIY materials to get you started today, or if you’re in need of a little more inspiration, have a look through our best home improvement ideas.