6 Stunning Small Kitchen Backsplash Ideas to Make Your Kitchen Look Larger (2024)

FAQs

What type of backsplash makes a kitchen look bigger? ›

Add a Reflective Backsplash

Adding a reflective backsplash is a reliable way to make a kitchen look bigger without a large renovation. Using materials such as glass, stainless steel, glossy tiles, and mirrors can provide that reflection to make your kitchen look far bigger than it is.

Still, some backsplash styles stand out in 2022. Among these kitchen backsplash trends 2022, we can count mirror, metal, patterned, subway tile, and geometric tile backsplashes as well as wallpaper designs. Also, open wall surfaces are preferred to create an airy and spacious feeling.

The more light, the bigger the space will feel. Natural light is preferable, so if you have the opportunity to put in skylights or glass doors this will make your kitchen instantly feel larger. Alternatively, add lights underneath wall cupboards or at the base of floor units.

Go with Light Colors

Light colors are more reflective than dark colors and they will make your kitchen appear bigger as well as more open and airy. Light blues, greens, or pale yellows are other great colors to make your space look larger than life.

Subway tile is the most enduring choice for a backsplash. Avoid bold, trendy colors, and instead look for white or neutrals. Keep it simple, and bring in color elsewhere in the kitchen, with more easily replaced items, such as dish towels, art, bowls of fruit and rugs.

A timeless kitchen backsplash is a classic design that will never go out of style. It is a simple, clean, and elegant way to update your kitchen without having to do a complete remodel. A timeless backsplash can be made from a variety of materials, including natural stone like marble or slate, glass, or even metal.

White kitchen backsplashes are among the most popular and preferred options for all kitchen types and they will remain their popularity also in 2022. From classic white subway tiles to modern hexagons, white backsplashes come in an endless variety of styles, shapes, patterns, and texture options!

The design should be used to balance out the light and dark shades of the other elements, so if you have light cabinets and countertops, you may want to choose a dark backsplash to bring more depth to the kitchen. If you have very dark cabinets or countertops, a light backsplash will help the kitchen feel fresh.

Geometric Shapes

Another growing trend in 2022 is tile in geometric shapes. From triangles and parallelograms to diamonds and hexagons, take a break from the classic square and rectangular tile choices to add more variety to your interior design.

What kind of backsplash is good for a small kitchen? ›

Neutrals ensure the best backsplash for small kitchen

It takes the attention away from cramped or dingy spaces and gives the space a sophisticated effect. However, make sure you choose easy-to-clean materials like quartz, Corian, ceramic or granite when using neutral colours.

White is still the most popular kitchen cabinet color in 2022 and beyond. However, we are seeing a shift towards warmer and more natural tones. We cover the best colors for cabinets from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams like Simply White, Dove White, and Chantilly Lace.

According to kitchen design and painting experts, the most popular color for a kitchen is tied between navy blue and white. Home stagers and listing agents often suggest painting the kitchen a fresh white color to make the space look larger, cleaner and inviting.

Porcelain, ceramic, metal, and glass tile top the easy-care list because they resist staining, are naturally nonporous, and don't require any special cleansers to do the job.

Light neutrals are the most popular choice, with 27% of survey respondents reporting that having a white kitchen would make them more likely to buy a property, followed by 22% who would be swayed by a light grey kitchen. More surprisingly, bold colourways like black and dark blue also made the list.

A brick-look backsplash can go with almost any style. It can look bright and fresh, whitewashed, or even a bit weathered and worn down. Brick-look tiles come in a ton of different colors and finishes for you to get creative with.

Insider asked interior designers about the kitchen trends you should expect to see in 2023. Backless stoves, open-concept designs, and darker hues are gaining popularity. Granite, gray cabinetry, and open shelving are on their way out.

Gray. Gray is a classic and timeless choice for a quartz or granite counter. Due to its splashed and unpolished nature, this can be a great choice for a rustic style, but it can also suit any modern style.

All-white kitchens and double ovens are on their way out due to their lack of practicality. Smart appliances, unpainted cabinets, and darker colors in kitchen designs are gaining popularity.

Erika explains, “A glossy subway tile can look brighter and more polished, often lending to a more formal look. It also hides water spots and fingerprints better than its less shiny counterpart. While a matte finish can convey a softer, more casual look.

Is granite out of style 2022? ›

Granite has been a trendy kitchen countertop material for years, but Kaercher says it now depends on the slab. “Aside from certain granite colors and patterns being out of style, it is still a durable and fairly low-maintenance option if you can find a slab that suits your aesthetic,” Kaercher explains.

Step 3: Begin With the Bottom Row. When installing tile on a vertical surface, start with the bottom row. The key is to get the bottom row level, then build on top of it.

When it comes to kitchens, white, gray, blue, red, yellow, and green really shine. Each of these shades can do something different for the room, but they all help create a warm and welcoming space. Warmer colors such as red are believed to stimulate the appetite and are an excellent option for kitchens.

If you want your kitchen to remain timeless in design, we suggest sticking with a classic field tile size such as a 3 x 6 subway tile or a 4 x 4 in a straight-set pattern. Or add some design detail with a herringbone pattern. Field tile will transcend trends, making your tile backsplash a sustainable design feature.

Color and cool tones also make the list of flooring trends in 2022. Green, blue, dark brown, ashy white, and gray add to an airy feel in the home and leave so much to the imagination because of the options in flooring colors. Gray is the most popular when it comes to flooring colors.

#1 Brown Tones

While light-colored floors are beloved for their ability to make a space feel bigger and more open, darker brown hues have become more popular ever since the pandemic hit. “We're seeing a steady trend toward cozier, more nostalgic spaces,” Bacher reveals.

Popular Tile Colors This Year

The jewel-toned colors rolling out in 2022 are the answer to overdone neutrals and bright whites. "Teal, mustard yellow, and even rust-colored tiles have been catching my eye already this year," notes Alexander. It doesn't take much for these tones to make an impact either.

Muted colours always reflect more light

Similar to white, muted or neutral shades are best colours for small kitchens since they reflect more light.

A U-shaped layout could be the most efficient choice for a small space kitchen as it allows a good number of cabinets. With two corners in the layout, use pull-out internal fittings that permit access to all the contents of these cabinets to maximize storage. A galley kitchen can also be an efficient choice.

White is your best friend in a small kitchen. It reflects light, enhancing the sense of space and making the walls recede. When you include white on cabinetry, countertops, walls, and the ceiling, you create a seamless space without edges or boundaries.

What tiles make a small kitchen look bigger? ›

The more light there is in a room, the more spacious it will feel so choose glazed tiles or those with a glossy finish. These tiles will bounce light around, making the room feel larger, whereas matt tiles absorb the light.

For the floor area, it's actually going to make the kitchen look larger with tile that is at least a 12 x 12-inch square, which used to be the industry standard. Nowadays, a 12×24-inch tile is even more common and standard of a floor size. You can go even larger than that!

One of the biggest cons of a 4-inch backsplash over a full-tile backsplash is that the design is a little outdated. Though still a popular design, many kitchen designers tout the more modern and trendier full-tile design.

The most popular and trending countertop for 2022 is a marble countertop. Closely trailing behind is concrete countertops and butcher block countertops. What countertop edge is in style 2022? Waterfall edge countertops have been on the come-up for years now.

The two most timeless colors of all, are white, and black. No one can deny the appeal of bright white cabinets streaming across a kitchen, they lighten the entire room and give it an airy, refreshing ambience. Likewise, black cabinets are equally timeless.

'Colors to absolutely be avoided are darker colors and shades of green, blue, red, and purple, which will cast a shadow on food and darken the space. Green and orange, in particular, should be avoided in kitchens,' she warns.

“I have seen cabinets successfully painted shades of white, gray, navy, deep green, and even black,” Lozada says. She says light neutrals are generally the best colors for resale because they appeal to most people, but she advises against painting cabinets taupe or beige.

For instance, a diamond pattern creates the illusion of a bigger room than a checkerboard pattern. In a diamond orientation, the widest section of each tile faces the entrance. This prevents you from measuring the space in terms of tiles across or tiles down.

What is the latest trend in backsplash? ›

Clean and straight lines and neutral color schemes which are the backbones of a modern style for kitchen backsplashes stand out in 2022 trends. You can use classic subway tiles in a stacked layout to give a more modernized vibe. Geometrical tiles like hexagons or triangles are also perfect to create a modern appeal!

If you have a small kitchen, white and neutral paint colors can be a lifesaver. White paint reflects light, makes walls recede, and increases the sense of space. When you use it on your walls, countertops, cabinetry, and ceiling, you create a cohesive space with few boundaries or edges to limit the eye.

1. Navy Blue, Leather Brown, and Bright White. Having a small kitchen doesn't mean you need to stay away from dark colors, but you should plan to use saturated hues strategically. To avoid overwhelming a tight space, use deep tones such as navy blue sparingly and add contrast with plenty of bright white.

Porcelain, ceramic, metal, and glass tile top the easy-care list because they resist staining, are naturally nonporous, and don't require any special cleansers to do the job.

Matte Tile Vs Glossy Kitchen Wall Tile

Erika explains, “A glossy subway tile can look brighter and more polished, often lending to a more formal look. It also hides water spots and fingerprints better than its less shiny counterpart. While a matte finish can convey a softer, more casual look.

Vertical stripes, ones that go up and down, will help to stretch a room and make it feel taller than it is. Fun fact, that's one of the tricks behind Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion pre-show. Striped wallpaper that runs horizontally, on the other hand, can make a room appear wider than it really is.

A tile or stone larger than 16” x 16” is generally described as 'large format'. Large format tiles expand the space so are good for smaller rooms, although in really small rooms they can look a bit overpowering.

1. Larger Tiles Make Small Rooms Appear Bigger. Because grout lines are thinner and fewer as part of the layout, smaller rooms appear bigger when using larger tiles. Large-format tiles make floors look more streamlined – therefore, creating the illusion of more space.

"Stone slabs are dominating backsplashes," says Nancy Epstein, founder and chairman of the board at Artistic Tile. "They're complemented by renewed interest in colorful mosaics and textured stone tile with mixed finishes."

Between all these opportunities, the white backsplash is the most classic and timeless option for any kitchen. A white backsplash can work with any color scheme and design aesthetic and add value with its effortless beauty.