Mosaic Tile Kitchen Backsplash Trends
Your kitchen is your home’s “workhorse” – it’s where you prepare meals, gather your loved ones, feed your family, and spend much of your quality time together. So doesn’t your kitchen deserve a little TLC? Since we use our kitchens, potentially more than any other room in the house, they easily fall victim to wear and tear. It’s also easy to view your kitchen as a utilitarian workroom, and not as a room in your house that deserves design love.
You can give your kitchen a design facelift with minimal effort by updating the backsplash tile. There are more options than ever for tile, and a number of different directions you can go with your design aesthetic. Here are 14 mosaic tile kitchen backsplash trends for your home.
What is a Mosaic Tile Kitchen Backsplash?
By definition, as “mosaic” is a collection of glazed glass, stone or tile pieces arranged artfully to depict some sort or artistic pattern or design.
Mosaics have a long and rich history: the first mosaics were created in approximately 3000 BC, and they have been continually used by civilizations from around the world. Today mosaics are primarily found in the home in kitchens, bathrooms, and sometimes even fireplace tiling as well.
Mosaics are highly popular not just because of their eye-catching beauty, but also because of their versatility. Due to the custom nature of mosaics, and the variety of pieces that can be used to assemble them, almost no two mosaics are alike: each one has its own unique style and character.
Furthermore, the tile pieces that are used to form mosaics come in a plethora of materials, colors, and styles. Because of this multitude of choices, it can be hard to narrow down which type of mosaic style will fit best in your home as a bathroom or kitchen wall backsplash. We’ve outlined the following 14 selections by design aesthetic to help you choose.
Types of Mosaic Tile Backsplashes
By material and color alone, there are thousands of mosaic styles you can choose to use in your next kitchen remodel. Here are our favorite recommendations.
Glass Tile Backsplash
When it comes to mosaic tile kitchen backsplashes, perhaps the most popular and readily available option is some sort of glass tile backsplash. There are so many choices for glass tile backsplash available for purchase in local home improvement stores, in a variety of sizes and colors, making it an easy choice for many homeowners. Typically, these store-bought glass tile backsplashes feature relatively small tiles, which easily add depth and texture to a kitchen.
White Subway Tile Backsplash
Popularized by the likes of Chip and Joanna Gaines from the popular home-improvement show, “Fixer Upper,” white subway tile has seen a massive explosion in popularity in the past several years, especially in kitchens. White subway tile is typically installed horizontally, and in overlapping patterns (although some homeowners opt to stack the tiles evenly on top one another, which creates a unique look). It’s a classic, bright, easy option for homeowners to choose, and will look great in just about any kitchen. White subway tile has come to signify a classic style, and pairs especially well with open-concept kitchens since it emphasizes the open nature of the space. Complement your subway tile backsplash with open shelving and wood floors – your new backsplash may just inspire a mini-renovation! And best of all, just by adding this small home improvement can increase the home value, especially if your current kitchen is outdated.
In addition to white subway tile, there are other colors of subway tile you can opt for to change the aesthetic of your kitchen. Grey subway tile is another popular option (although definitely not as common or popular as white subway tile). A smokey grey subway tile comes across as polished without being gloomy, and can also make lighter cabinet colors pop, as well as accentuate stainless steel appliances.
If you want a darker look, you could always go for a black subway tile, which definitely makes a statement in any home. Or consider using both black and white subway tiles for a stark design contrast – you can even use both colors to create a unique checkerboard pattern. A solid black subway tile will really make your granite kitchen countertops shine as the true star in your overall design.
White Glass Backsplash
If you want to shy away from the trendy look of white subway tile, then a white glass backsplash is another classic option to complement and brighten any kitchen. A white glass mosaic tile backsplash looks elegant and modern, is easy to clean, and instantly elevates the design of your kitchen. If you already have a lot going on in your kitchen (bright cabinetry, mixed kitchen countertops, lots of artwork), then a white glass backsplash may be exactly what you’re looking for.
Stainless Steel Backsplash
If you like the idea of adding metallics to your kitchen, then a stainless steel tile mosaic backsplash may be the perfect fit for you. Metallic tile provides an industrial vibe, which can create a nice contrast against neutral counters, or further accentuate a modern kitchen. Stainless steel backsplashes also offer the benefit of being scratch resistant, and highly durable.
If you want to install a stainless steel backsplash, you have a couple of options for how to style it. You could get a monochrome mosaic pattern, where each piece looks exactly the same and stacks in an orderly fashion. Or, to add some more depth and dimension, you could select stainless steel backsplash tiles in slightly different colors or finishes, like alternating brushed and polished stainless steel. Either option will create a memorable look. Depending on the surrounding elements, a stainless steel backsplash can come off quite masculine, so this is a great option for bachelor pads.
Mermaid Tile Backsplash
If you’ve decided that you definitely want some color on your backsplash, you have a number of different directions you can go. One beautiful option is a mermaid mosaic tile kitchen backsplash, featuring hues of blue, green, and turquoise in a design of your choosing. This backsplash option is perfect for coastal homes and beachfront cottages but also works well in any kitchen that needs a pop of color. How “mermaid” you want to go is up to you: some tiles with this style are mermaid-like only in color, but you can also opt for fishtail tile to emphasize the ocean motif even further.
Blue is always a great color to use in the home since it evokes feelings of calmness and relaxation. If you’re debating over color choices, you will never go wrong with blue for your cooking space.
Copper or Rose Gold Backsplash
Metallics are definitely having a moment right now, with millennials bringing colors like rose gold and copper into the design forefront of homes today. Both metallic finishes are certainly trendy – if you like the idea of a metallic backsplash, but feel that traditional stainless steel or metal may be too harsh for your kitchen aesthetic, then rose gold or copper may be a perfect choice. In the same way that stainless steel backsplashes can come off decidedly masculine, a rose gold backsplash can come off decidedly feminine, so make sure the entire aesthetic of your kitchen works together with the way you want it to.
Another great option for incorporating these metals into your kitchen is through the fixtures, such as cabinet handles and countertop accents. White subway tile kitchen backsplash plus rose gold or copper fixtures is a slam dunk in kitchen design.
Ombre Backsplash
Another beautiful mosaic tile kitchen backsplash color option – especially if you’re deciding between white and color – is an ombre backsplash. Ombre finishes, in which colors assume a gradient (either from light to dark or dark to light, usually in the same color family), evoke a watercolor motif, but still look modern. In addition, the ombre look is definitely popular, but not always in kitchens, so if you install an ombre mosaic tile backsplash, you’ll be an early trendsetter!
Blue Ceramic Backsplash
A classic option for mosaic tile kitchen backsplashes is blue ceramic tiles. Blue ceramic makes you feel like your in the Mediterranean. If you are partial to that Santorini look of bright white with blue accents, then a blue ceramic tile backsplash can help to create your perfect kitchen. Or, you can take a Dutch approach, and model your ceramic blue tile after Delft Pottery, which features intricate blue and white designs. Either choice will create a telltale European look and feel right into your home.
Patchwork Tile Backsplash
If you like the idea of using a patterned tile, but want to keep things interesting, then you may want to consider a patchwork tile backsplash, in which you mix and match a few different tiles. This creates the appearance of a patchwork quilt – where the pattern as a whole works, but each individual piece is wildly different and individual. If you choose to go this route, make sure you spend a significant amount of time confirming that you like the layout. Layout the tiles on the floor or countertops in your kitchen, and spend some time taking them in. You don’t want to install a backsplash that’s highly vibrant, only to find that a few days after installation, you don’t like it so much after all!
Harlequin Tile Backsplash
Most mosaic tile kitchen backsplashes are patterned either horizontal or vertical, which is predictable and comforting. But if you want to turn your design on its head, then consider a harlequin tile backsplash, which uses a telltale diamond shape in its tiling pattern. Depending on how you layout the diamond pattern, you can achieve a royal aesthetic, or something more playful and fun.
Photo Backsplash
If you really want to create a mosaic tile backsplash that no one else has, you can use tile to create a photo backsplash. Whether it’s just a standard graphical design, or actually using tile to recreate a favorite photo or visual scene, a photo backsplash will add an element of personalization to your kitchen like no other backsplash can. Modeling your backsplash after a photograph is a truly creative way to honor your family, friends or memories. Make the photo black and white to add a vintage element.
Wood Tile Backsplash
Wood and wood alternatives are gaining ground in recent home renovation projects. There have been a number of wood-alternative flooring solutions developed in recent years, and now there are wood alternative tiles for backsplashes as well. Yes, you can use real wood in your kitchen backsplash, or you can opt for a durable, waterproof alternative, such as wood tile, which looks and may even feel like real wood. Patterning wood tile as a mosaic creates a lot of rustic character within your kitchen and will pair nicely with metallic appliances and other finishes.
Chevron Backsplash
The chevron pattern style became popular a few years ago, and is here to stay, especially in kitchens. Chevron is great because this tiling style can be applied to almost any existing tile to change up the look and feel. You can use subway tile in a chevron pattern, or something more modern like metallic tiles. Either way, a chevron backsplash is a guaranteed focal point for your kitchen, and will definitely provide a design facelift to your space.
Custom Painted Mosaic Tile Backsplash
If you really want to go all out with your mosaic tile kitchen backsplash, you can employ a custom tile creator to design and paint your tile from scratch. This is a truly artisan touch, and a guaranteed way for you to get exactly what you want out of your mosaic tile kitchen backsplash. A great financial compromise (if you want to take this approach) is opting for store-bought tile, but enlisting the help of a tile professional to paint a few custom tiles for you to mix within the design.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of mosaic tile kitchen backsplash ideas for you to choose from, if you are looking to modernize or rework the aesthetic of your kitchen. Take a look at your current kitchen aesthetic and identify which element you like and want to keep, and build off those. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel since little changes can make a big impact. Start small, and update other elements in your kitchen as needed to reflect your new design goals.
To find out how much does a kitchen backsplash cost or other questions regarding a home remodel, contact the professionals at Remodel Works today.
