The 2026 Kitchen Backsplash Trend That's Replacing All-White And Gray

Millenial gray is out the window and we're stepping into a renewed era of warmth and color. All signs point to a shift toward more lived-in, expressive interiors. The sterile all-white and gray color palette of years past is giving way to deeper hues, patinas, and natural materials. We'll see these trends find their way into kitchen interior design this year too. One way to embrace this move towards warmth is to update your white backsplash to a dark neutral — the latest trend for stunning kitchen backsplashes.

A backsplash is a surface installed on the wall of kitchens or bathrooms to protect the area from splatter and add visual interest. Homeowners tend to prefer neutral backsplashes, as they are timeless and can help with resale value. While minimalism was all the rage, the backsplash leaned heavily on light gray and white color schemes. Now we're seeing a shift towards darker neutrals."The deep warm reds, plum, and spice colors are prevailing at the very high end now," interior designer Shannon Ggem shared with The Spruce. "In coming years, they'll become more popular as editors show them more in publications and social media."

Dark neutrals include colors like brown, dark beige, navy blue, olive green, charcoal, and the aforementioned spice tones like deep plum. If you're ready to incorporate one of these dark neutral backsplash colors in your space, you'll need to factor in your kitchen's overall style. Depending on the existing color scheme, you could get away with solely installing a new backsplash or you may need to adjust other aspects of your kitchen to create a cohesive design. If the latter applies to you, ask yourself, do you want your backsplash to serve as a contrast or are you more interested in creating a seamless, monochromatic color scheme?

For a more contrasted look, you can lean on warm neutral paint colors in a lighter hue for countertops and cabinets. For instance, warm pink is one unique shade that's on trend for 2026 that would pair well with dark neutral colors such as dark olive or brown. If you're aiming for a moodier atmosphere, carry your dark neutral shade from your backsplash over to other elements of your kitchen for a color-washed look.

If you prefer the look of a stone slab as your backsplash, you may think the shift to dark neutrals doesn't apply. But while these slabs have traditionally come in white with gray veining, there has been a shift toward dark neutrals here as well. Marble in shades of reddish brown or burgundy is currently trending, as is stone with bold veining in deep purple or dark green. So, no matter the material you choose for your backsplash, you can find something in the perfect dark neutral for your space.