12 Backsplash Designs that Complement White Kitchen Cabinets
White kitchen cabinets deliver a clean, bright look that pairs beautifully with the right backsplash. Whether your style is traditional or contemporary, the backsplash is a chance to add visual interest through color, texture and materials.
From elegant marble to modern geometric patterns, the backsplash options are seemingly endless. But certain aesthetics lend themselves particularly well to accentuating those crisp white cabinets. Here we’ll explore 12 striking backsplash ideas guaranteed to complement your white kitchen.
Key Factors in Selecting a White Kitchen Backsplash
Before diving into specific backsplash materials and designs, let’s consider what guides the decision-making process.
Complementing Countertops
Popular countertop choices like white quartz, marble, and butcher block coordinate seamlessly with many backsplash styles. Contrasting your counters and backsplash can also produce dramatic results. Keep in mind functionality – you may opt for a backsplash in a more durable material behind cooktops and sinks.
Style of Cabinets
The door style of your cabinets will influence the aesthetic. For example, Shaker-style cabinets look best with simple subway tile, while ornate cabinets can handle busier backsplash patterns. Keep it cohesive.
Overall Kitchen Aesthetic
Think about the vibe you want to achieve in your kitchen. For a bright and airy look, stick with light backsplash colors. Rustic farmhouse kitchens tend toward natural wood plank backsplashes. The backsplash is an opportunity to enhance your overall design.
Budget
While beautiful, some backsplash materials like marble slab and intricate mosaic patterns lie on the pricier end of the spectrum. There are also affordable options like subway tile that still look great. Set realistic expectations based on your budget.
12 Beautiful Backsplash Ideas for White Cabinets
1. Subway Tile
The quintessential subway tile backsplash delivers a timeless, classic look. Typically white 3x6 rectangles mounted in an offset brick pattern, subway tiles are affordable and easy to install. Play with different grout colors or exaggerated sizes for a more modern twist.
Subway tile backsplashes pair nicely with any style of white cabinetry, lending an understated elegance. For shaker cabinets, a simple white subway tile backsplash is a foolproof combo. Go for a pronounced thickness or beveled edge for more ornate cabinets.
2. Marble
Few materials impart luxury quite like marble. The natural patterns and veining create depth and visual interest when used as a backsplash. Pre-cut marble slab provides a seamless appearance, or marble mosaic tile allows for geometric designs.
A marble backsplash grants white cabinets and countertops a refined, upscale feel. The contrast between the crisp white and gray veining makes both elements pop. Remember to seal natural stone to prevent stains and discoloration from everyday kitchen prep.
3. Glass Tile or Sheets
Glass backsplashes lend a sleek, contemporary vibe with their reflective and transparent properties. Glass tile comes in a staggering array of colors, finishes, and patterns. Frosted or iridescent glass paired with white cabinets exudes modern flair.
Using glass sheets minimizes visible grout lines for a clean look. Accent the glass with metal trim for added polish. Durable and low-maintenance, a glass backsplash allows your white cabinetry to take center stage.
4. Metal
Industrial design lovers, take note. Metal backsplashes feel right at home paired with white cabinets for a factory chic style. Stainless steel, a kitchen staple, provides an ultra-modern appearance in backsplash form.
Copper and tin backsplashes inject warm, rustic appeal. And metallic mosaic tile grants sparkling luxury. For extra dimension, combine metal with glass or stone backsplash accents. Any way you slice it, metal backsplashes are bold additions to white cabinet kitchens.
5. Travertine
With naturally occurring holes and distinct veining, travertine tile brings texture and charm to backsplashes. Travertine comes in a range of earth tones from ivory to walnut, pairing nicely with white cabinets.
A popular approach is combining small travertine mosaic tiles with large rectangular stone pieces in a grid pattern. The variation in color and size makes for an eye-catching detail area that complements white cabinetry. Travertine requires regular sealing to prevent stains.
6. Brick
Trade drywall for a brick backsplash to infuse any kitchen remodel with architectural flair. From red clay to glazed white brick, stunning patterns emerge when laid in a herringbone design or stacked formation.
The contract between brickwork and clean white cabinetry is bold and beautiful. For a more cohesive look, select brick in muted tones like grey rather than high-contrast reds. White grout also helps blend brick backsplashes with white cabinets.
7. Porcelain
Porcelain tile rivals natural stone and other backsplash materials for durability and water-resistance – a major plus for spill-prone kitchens. Porcelain tile comes in every color and finish imaginable, easily complementing your cabinetry.
Glazed porcelain with subtle swirls nicely accents shaker-style cabinets, while color-blocked geometric patterns feel at home beside contemporary cabinetry. The design options are limitless. Durable, low-maintenance porcelain fits perfectly behind ranges or sinks.
8. Mosaic Tile
Tiny mosaic tiles lend artistic flair ideal for delivering a pop of color, intricate patterns, or eclectic charm. Paired with traditional white cabinets, mosaic backsplashes inject youthful energy through bold hues or funky prints.
For a more subtle statement, soft colored mosaics in Celeste blue or seafoam green provide an elegant accent. Just be mindful of the grout maintenance required for mosaic backsplashes. But the artistic appeal is well worth the upkeep.
9. Wood Planks
The natural beauty of wood never goes out of style. A reclaimed wood or bamboo backsplash invokes rustic farmhouse character, perfectly complementing crisp white cabinetry. Varied plank sizes, alternated grain patterns, and varied stain hues all catch the eye.
Painted, distressed wood backsplashes in robin’s egg blue or sage green wow against white cabinetry too. For a contemporary edge, opt for sleek wide planks in a rich walnut stain. Any way it’s incorporated, wood warmly offsets white kitchen cabinets.
10. Stone Slab
Sleek stone slab backsplashes give white cabinet kitchens an elegant, upscale feel. Materials like granite, limestone, and soapstone come in stunning natural colors and patterns. The seamless look provided by a stone slab adds to the high-end appeal.
For a contemporary vibe, a stark white quartzite slab backsplash allows your white cabinets to take visual precedence. A stone slab backsplash in a dark shade makes the white cabinetry dramatically pop. It’s a luxurious detail.
11. Geometric Tile
Geometric patterns like chevron, herringbone, and hexagon deliver visual dynamism and modern style. Tiles in glossy white, black, or bold colors make an energetic statement against understated white cabinets.
Handmade encaustic cement tiles, taking geometric design a step further, offer a raw, artisanal quality. Pairing geometric tile backsplashes with modern white cabinets creates a chic, trendy look ripe for design magazines.
12. Moroccan Fish Scale Tile
For global flair, fish scale tile in brilliant blues and greens evokes Moroccan aesthetics. The circular, interlocking design resembles fish scales (hence the name). Intricate without feeling busy, it’s an artistic choice for white kitchens.
Glazed ceramic Moroccan tile comes in an array of sizes and dimensions to create dazzling patterns. Complementing shaker-style white cabinets, this exotic backsplash option makes a spectacular style statement.
With an array of colors, textures, and materials to explore, selecting the ideal backsplash for white kitchen cabinets offers endless possibilities. Keep the overall aesthetic, functionality, and budget top of mind.
And don’t overlook the power of a backsplash to elevate your space. Any of these 12 stunning styles complete a cohesive white kitchen in elegant fashion. The backsplash is a chance to showcase your personal style – so have fun with it! Any choice from minimalist marble to bold geometric patterns will accentuate those crisp white cabinets beautifully.