The Kitchen Backsplash Material That Joanna Gaines Is Obsessed With

The decisions you make during your kitchen remodeling project will impact the look and feel of the heart of your home for years to come. As a result, it's important to find materials, finishes, and fixtures that will stand the test of time, in terms of both their durability and their visual appeal. Many homeowners focus most of their attention on their cabinets, countertops, and appliances, since they can all be quite expensive. However, one element of the space's design that you shouldn't overlook when you're planning your project is your backsplash. It covers quite a bit of surface area, and can directly impact the functionality of your kitchen. If you're looking for a truly timeless backsplash, you might want to try out a classic material that HGTV's Joanna Gaines is a huge fan of — the subway tile.

Subway tiles are rectangular, ceramic tiles that go up on the wall in horizontal rows. Each row is traditionally offset so that its grout lines are directly above the center of the tiles that are in the row below. The tile design originates from the New York City subway system, where they were first installed in the early 1900's to make the underground look cleaner and more welcoming. Their popularity has only continued to grow over the years, and nowadays, they're a staple of both modern and traditional home design. Plus, they tend to pair well with all sorts of unique kitchen color combinations.

Despite their perceived simplicity, subway tiles can actually be surprisingly customizable. For starters, they come in many different colors— they don't have to just be white. Dark blue subway tiles, for example, could look nice alongside gray cabinets in a modern space. Aqua or light green tiles might be a better pick if you want your kitchen to feel a bit more refreshing instead. A grey or marble-colored subway tile could be a solid choice if you want to keep things neutral, but not too plain. Beyond their color options, subway tiles also come in a variety of sizes. This sort of backsplash material is traditionally 3 by 6 inches, but there are plenty of retailers out there with iterations that are both smaller and larger than this.

Although classic subway tiles traditionally go up on the wall in a horizontal configuration, you could try installing them vertically instead to create a kitchen backsplash that has a bit more of a flowing look. A single or double herringbone pattern might also be an option for your backsplash tiles if you're looking to make your space more vibrant and unique. Before you start installing any arrangement, however, you may want to learn more about where you should start laying your backsplash tile pattern for the best results. You should also know that there are a couple unavoidable disadvantages of subway tiles; one of them being the difficulty to clean the grout lines.