After ten years of white subways and grout, patterned tile is finding its way to the kitchen backsplash.
There’s more action in the kitchen these days and it’s on the walls. Patterned tile of every type – from mixed mosaics to damask prints — is appearing more often in kitchens which, let’s face it, have been suffering from glazed subway tile fatigue for several years. Nothing wrong with subway tile but there are many other choices.
One strong look is glazed stylized floral patterns with bold colors. In a white Boffi kitchen with Absolute black counters, the tile introduces bold backsplash color and pattern with this vivid Ann Sacks Turkish pattern. The tile, of course, picks up the black hood and the counters and ramps up the magazine-worthiness a 1960s Washington, D.C. townhouse Lucite backs on the leather-seat Whiz barstools form Paston Rawleigh Everett make them appear ghostlike.
I adore geometrics and big walls of tile. This kitchen done with Ann Sacks Nottingham 4″ x 4″ honeycomb tile in a color called “veil” has both and while the color is neutral, the small-scale pattern on the entire wall makes it look very interesting and rich. It’s also practical since this this tile has a hard body and durable glaze — perfect for a wall that will be wiped down but never require painting.
Herringbone patterns are normally used on floors or confined to medallion behind the range. This break-out pattern in muted colors is so original it makes the kitchen unforgettable. Unfortunately, the island is ordinary and the color overpowers the backsplash (and everything else). I’d repaint in the taupe or the blue and keep the focus on the best feature, not the worst.
A simple backsplash composed of diamond-shape tile takes advantage of color variation in the tiles and relatively thick grout lines. This backsplash also reminds me of snakeskin – in the best way. Scales are a motif used for tile since ancient times and one that’s always simple and sophisticated.
See more in Patterned Tile Backsplashes.
(Source: House Beautiful, structures building, bh&g, paul raeside)
Copy and Paste to Quick-Share this Post: http://bit.ly/JhPmcm
When I saw the first picture in HB, I pulled for a post. 🙂 Love that tile, but when I looked at the price it sure hurt!
I LOVE these, especially the first and second. But a lot of expense, work, and hard to change if it ever becomes dated or one of those things you tire of. Not that I went with white subways, and I seem to love the examples every time you show patterned backsplashes. I’d really wanted something like the first over my baking center in the right colors.. but wasn’t finding them and what I was finding even in the wrong colors, I couldn’t afford.