Article by: Jennifer Ott
Sure, your kitchen backsplash serves a very practical function: protecting the wall area above your countertop from splashes and spatters. But it’s also the perfect place to add a dash of fun color. The weather where I live in Central Texas has turned rather frightful, so I’m starting this new series on colorful kitchen backsplashes with happy, fresh, spring-inspired green hues. Here I’ve gathered some of my favorite examples with tips for working ones like them into your own kitchen.
Create an eye-catching feature wall in your kitchen by extending a bold-colored textured backsplash tile all the way to the ceiling. This larger-format tile works best on a wall where you are forgoing upper cabinets, so the pattern can be fully appreciated.
This backsplash has vibrant green hues, but the intensity is broken up due to the subtle shade variations of the handmade tile. I like the mix of greens and wood tones, as it has a very natural, organic feel.
This gorgeous green onyx linear tile backsplash also has a nice mix of colors. (Always see a sample of your chosen backsplash material in person before you make a selection.)
I love this kitchen for its openness to the outdoors as well as for its gorgeous splash of leafy green. The darker tile accent strip is a nice detail that helps break up the expanse of bold color and ties in well with the wood tones of the floor and table set.
If you’re on the hunt for a kitchen backsplash material, you have no doubt noticed that tiles now come in every color, shape, size and texture imaginable, so I say why not go for something unusual? I’m a huge fan of these triangular tiles, which have a wonderful vintage-modern vibe.
Large-format tiles are becoming increasingly popular, as are tiles in zingy colors. But the best thing about the tile here is that it was selected by the homeowner’s 2-year-old son. Very nicely done!
What a fantastic grassy green color. It really brightens up and enlivens this kitchen, even on a cold winter day. This line of tile is available in a wide range of rich colors as well as interesting shapes and sizes, and it’s also manufactured in part from recycled materials. It works well with a variety of design styles, from traditional to contemporary, and has thus become one of my go-to tiles.
If you go with a bold green backsplash tile, try picking up the hue in small bits around the room for color balance and cohesiveness. You can take your chosen backsplash tile to your paint retailer and have the color matched, or you can even have a paint color formulated for you that’s a few notches lighter or darker than the tile, should you want to break things up a bit.
For those looking for a softer, mellower green backsplash, there are plenty of options. If you do go with a lighter and more subdued hue, try selecting one in a glossy finish, because it will add interesting sparkle and texture to the kitchen. These pretty glass tiles pair nicely with the rich dark brown cabinets and light and neutral countertop.
Here’s another glassy, soft green backsplash. This particular shade of green reads as a neutral, so accents of other, bolder colors can be added, such as the red-orange on the base of that fantastic kitchen island.
These hand-crafted tiles have subtle variations in color, which adds much charm and warmth to this gorgeous kitchen.
This backsplash has a wonderful sheen and texture in addition to a slight hint of green. This is how to do a light and airy kitchen right.
My favorite interior design style is contemporary with bits of industrial and rustic thrown in for warmth and charm. This kitchen captures that style perfectly with its clean, horizontal lines and minimal ornamentation. The exposed ceiling beams, colorful salvaged-wood-clad island and vintage metal stools are perfect decorative elements. As is the light spring-green glass backsplash, which adds a nice hit of color but keeps to the clean, minimalist and contemporary vibe of the kitchen.
Not a fan of grout lines? Looking for a clean and modern alternative to tile? Consider a back-painted glass backsplash. It’s an easy-to-clean surface that has a cool and contemporary vibe.
Or you could skip the tile and glass entirely and paint the wall a fun hue. If you go this route, I’d recommend installing at least a short splash to give you a finished edge where the countertop meets the wall, and to protect the area from splashes. Then use a paint in a semigloss finish to give the wall extra protection and allow for easier cleaning.