Image above: kitchen design guide by Jill Seidner Interior Design on Pinterest

Start with the kitchen backsplash, not the tile store

Before you fall for a tile, look at what it has to live with. The counters, the cabinet color, the hardware and the floor are all bigger and more expensive than the backsplash, so the tile should support them, not compete with them. I pull a sample of the countertop and a cabinet door, then hold every backsplash tile next to them in the actual kitchen light, morning and evening. A tile that looks warm in the showroom can turn pink or green next to your counters at home.

Then decide on one star. If the counter has a lot of veining, the backsplash should be quiet. If the counter is plain, the backsplash can carry the color or the texture. Two busy surfaces side by side is the fastest way to a kitchen that feels dated in five years. I walk through how the finishes fit together in my kitchen design guide.

Backsplash tile that won't date your kitchen

Trends in tile usually come from a shape or a color that everyone uses at once. The tiles that last tend to have a long history behind them: simple rectangles, squares, handmade glazes and natural stone. My short list:

• Handmade-look rectangles. A 2x6 or 3x12 tile with a glossy, slightly uneven glaze reads classic in a traditional kitchen and fresh in a modern one.
• Simple squares. A 4x4 laid straight is calm and a little European, and it works in small kitchens.
• A slab of the counter material. Running the countertop stone up the wall is clean and easy to wipe down.
• Soft color. Green, blue and earthy terracotta are lovely when the tone is muted, so they act almost like a neutral.

Image via Jill Seidner Interior Design on Pinterest (originally from Fireclay Tile). View the pin

A deep green like this works because the glaze has depth and the layout is simple. The color is the statement, so the shape stays classic.

Zellige tile backsplash: what to know first

A zellige tile backsplash is one of the most requested looks I see, and I understand why. Each tile is handmade, so the surface moves and glows in a way a machine-made tile can't. But the variation is the point. Zia Tile's zellige installation guide says to expect chips, pits and variation, and if you want a more uniform look it suggests ordering 20 to 25 percent extra so your installer can set some tiles aside. If you would be bothered by every imperfection, choose a ceramic tile with a handmade-look glaze instead.

Image via Jill Seidner Interior Design on Pinterest (originally from Riad Tile). View the pin

Unglazed terracotta zellige brings warmth to a white or wood kitchen. Ask your installer about sealing before you commit, since unglazed tile is more porous.

How high should a backsplash go?

Backsplash height is a design decision, not just a measurement. In most kitchens the tile runs from the counter to the underside of the upper cabinets. Where there are no uppers, I usually take the tile all the way to the ceiling, behind open shelves or a range hood, which is the note on my guide above. It makes the wall look finished and intentional, and it draws the eye up so the kitchen feels taller.

What I avoid is stopping the tile at a random height on an open wall. It looks unfinished and cuts the wall in half. Plan where the tile ends at the side edges too: a clean stop at a cabinet side or a wall corner, with a simple edge profile, keeps it modern.

Image via Jill Seidner Interior Design on Pinterest (originally from Bedrosians Tile and Stone). View the pin

Here the glossy tile runs right up the wall, so the soft blue reads as a calm field of color instead of a stripe.

Grout color changes everything

The same tile can look completely different with a different grout. The Tile Shop's grout guide puts it simply: complementary grout creates cohesion, while a contrasting color adds drama and emphasis. For a backsplash you want to live with for years, I almost always choose a grout close to the tile so the pattern stays soft. MSI suggests warm white grout for cool-toned tiles and cool, bright white grout for warm-toned tiles, which is a good rule for white kitchens.

Contrasting grout, like dark grout with white subway tile, makes the layout the main event. It can look great, but it is also the version most likely to feel like a specific year later on.

Get the stone look for less

A full marble slab backsplash is stunning and expensive. Domino shared a kitchen where the homeowners gave up on a full Calacatta Viola slab and made their own tile instead, saving $8,000 on material. You don't need a kiln to borrow the idea: a stone-look tile, or a slab only behind the range with simple tile elsewhere, gets you the feel for less.

Image via Jill Seidner Interior Design on Pinterest (originally from Domino). View the pin

The veining reads like one stone slab, but it is tile. Keep the counter and cabinets quiet beside a backsplash with this much movement.

Your kitchen backsplash checklist

Pull your counter and cabinet samples first, pick one star surface, choose a classic shape, decide where the tile starts and stops, and test the grout color on a sample board before the installer starts. If you are updating more than the backsplash, my kitchen refresh ideas and kitchen lighting ideas help the whole room come together. Lighting matters here too: under-cabinet light is what makes a glossy or handmade tile glow at night.

Kitchen Backsplash Ideas FAQ

What backsplash tile is timeless?

Simple shapes in classic materials last longest: rectangles, squares, handmade-look glazes and natural stone, in a color that supports your counters instead of competing with them.

Is zellige tile a good kitchen backsplash?

Yes, if you love variation. Each tile is handmade, so expect chips and color shifts. Zia Tile suggests ordering 20 to 25 percent extra if you want a more uniform look.

Should backsplash grout match the tile?

For a soft, lasting look, choose grout close to the tile color. Contrasting grout makes the pattern the focal point and adds drama.