These Are The Best Kitchen Backsplash Colors

Choosing a backsplash for your kitchen can be a daunting task. With myriad colors, textures, finishes, and materials, the selection process can be overwhelming. We've curated a collection of color recommendations based on home resale value as well as current popularity in home decor styles. Choose from white, neutrals, earth tones, and dramatically dark or vibrant colors, depending on your kitchen style and personal preferences.

A backsplash in the kitchen serves the vital function of protecting the wall from stains and damage that may result from cooking and food-prep activities. However, it also provides an opportunity to add style and personality to your kitchen space, adding to its functional value. You may choose a backsplash color that blends seamlessly with the colors on your walls, cabinetry, and countertops. On the other hand, you might take the opposite approach and treat it as an ideal place to introduce color contrast for visual interest. In open-concept home designs, the kitchen is seen from anywhere throughout the space, and the backsplash can become an artistic focal point for the home. Here are some of your best options.

Classic white tiles

White in the kitchen has long been considered a wise choice. While current homeowners and decorators are getting away from the stark look of all-white kitchens, there's no doubt that white continues to demonstrate its functionality and popularity. A white tile backsplash reflects light, providing a clean, bright background where you prep, cook, and clean. In a 2021 survey of prospective home buyers, Zillow found that classic white in the kitchen is your best bet for home resale value because it attracts more viewers and buyers. Realtor makes a similar suggestion, saying that a white or neutral-color backsplash will help you get "top dollar" for your home.

MHM Professional Staging echoes this positive appraisal of white in the kitchen. They recommend white subway tiles for a backsplash, indicating that they complement multiple decor designs and never go out of style. The rectangular tiles, reminiscent of early 20th-century subway stations, are available in ceramic, porcelain, and glass and multiple sizes. Go with white grout for an airier look or dark grout for a stronger visual impact.

Neutral colors

Neutral colors include varying shades of ivory, beige, tan, and gray. A backsplash rendered in a light neutral color lends a crisp and clean appearance to the kitchen work area. It allows the eye to rest as you look around the kitchen. However, if you want to add some more personality to the space, you can add pops of bright and bold color in cookware, curtains, or artwork.

Caruso Kitchen Designs suggests that neutral colors are appealing to prospective home buyers and that they never go out of style. In a survey by Zillow, neutral colors in the kitchen were rated second only to white for boosting home values. Trulia echoes these claims, stating that replacing or adding a backsplash pays off when it's time to sell your house. As a bonus, a light neutral color can make your kitchen look bigger, making you feel like you're working with more square footage.

Natural stone in warm earth tones

Although ceramic tile might be a popular material for kitchen backsplashes, it's certainly not the only option. Natural stone is a viable choice, and it increases your home's resale value. For example, if you add stone countertops, you can expect up to 200% return on investment. Keeping that in mind, a similar backsplash will also help elevate your home. Many natural stone materials feature earthy colors that bring a warm vibe to your kitchen design. These include the brown, tan, sand, deep red, and rust tones found in granite, marble, terra cotta, and slate tiles.

Earthy colors represent a current trend in kitchen design. DIYers and professional decorators are using less white and more warm tones in kitchens. Since people feel connected to nature in the presence of earth colors and natural materials, bring these elements into your home environment to produce a calm atmosphere.

Blue tiles

As homeowners and designers move on from the all-white kitchen aesthetic, it appears that the color blue is becoming increasingly popular. Homebuyers react positively to this trend. Zillow reports that you can increase your home's resale value by using blue as a decor color in the kitchen. In fact, blue kitchens sold for a $1,809 premium. It's not that decorators are moving toward all-blue rooms. Instead, blue is a frequent choice to break up the blandness of the white and neutral colors that remain popular in modern kitchens. 

The backsplash is an ideal area to add an accent color to your kitchen decor scheme, and blue is the perfect candidate. With myriad shades available, you can choose from cobalt, navy, aqua, sky blue, sea blue, and more. They can either create bold and vibrant color statements or softly restful palettes that blend into the background. For a stunning look, install sleek and sparkling glass tiles in varying shades of blue to create a jewel-like contrast with white kitchen cabinets and countertops. 

White marble with gray veins

Marble is a classic, natural stone material that never goes out of style. It contributes an aura of luxury to any home interior. Marble Granite World asserts that homebuyers are looking for high-end finishes and are willing to pay more for homes that offer the elegance of marble. This means that homeowners who invest in marble materials may see a full return on their investment when it's time to sell their homes.

When it comes to color, white marble with gray veins appears to be the most popular. Used as a backsplash material, marble in this color combination provides a lovely contrast with dark cabinets. Polished marble reflects light, and the white background lends a clean and bright ambiance to the work area, while the gray veins contribute visual interest. You may opt for a large marble slab covering the entire backsplash area or invest in marble tiles. Marble is heat-resistant, water-resistant, and durable. However, it's possible for your marble backsplash to chip, crack, or stain. In case of damage, replacing a few marble tiles is easier and less expensive than replacing a large marble slab. 

Multi-colored glass tiles

Installing a backsplash made of multi-colored glass tiles in your kitchen is like adding a piece of beautiful jewelry to a stunning outfit. The backsplash becomes a focal point for a lively kitchen design. MHM Professional Staging advocates upgrading your backsplash to glass tiles for increased home resale value. Similarly, the National Association of Realtors observes that they can update an old or dark kitchen by reflecting light. They note that with a modest investment in a glass backsplash, a homeowner can see a good return at the time of resale.

Glass tiles have seen rising popularity in recent years, and the color choices appear to be endless. Designer Samantha Schoell advocates constructing kitchen backsplashes from glass tiles in "simple lines with contrasting colors." With this approach, the backsplash becomes more than a monochromatic swath of color on the wall. You can choose tiles in various complementary and contrasting colors to create a one-of-a-kind display in your kitchen work area. It will bring a sense of energy to a kitchen with neutral colors on the walls, cabinets, and countertops.

Green hues from emerald to forest

We associate green with living things and nature. The earth tone reminds us of good health and a fresh, outdoor environment. Those associations make green a viable color option for modern kitchens. Sage green, deep olive green, forest green, and emerald green shades appear to be gaining in current popularity. In a survey of homebuyers, Zillow found that dark green in the kitchen produced more interest in potential buyers.

If you have light-colored cabinets and countertops, a vibrant or dark green color in the backsplash creates contrast and visual interest. A vibrant green color can be stunning when the backsplash is made of a polished, high-gloss material like glass, ceramic, or porcelain. It creates a jewel-like effect. However, green-colored tiles are available in a wide range of shades. Softer greens may blend with other light colors in the kitchen to produce a calming effect. In recent years, pale mint green has been trending in kitchen designs. However, Zillow reports that mint green in the kitchen is not popular with potential homebuyers, often resulting in a nearly $2,000 loss.