There’s something intrinsically gorgeous about a newly renovated kitchen. With the new cabinets, new sinkware, countertops, and of course, the new backsplash tile. While the end product is always primed with excitement and ready to steal the Pinterest show, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when choosing kitchen backsplash tile. Today we go through our top 4 for you. 

1| Keep In Mind Your Budget. 

Before you do any searching for the right tile, you’ll want to sit down and take a good, hard look at your finances. Budgets will help you track not only how much you have to spend on your kitchen backsplash but what kind of materials you’ll be able to afford for your kitchen backsplash tile. 

For instance, if you find that you have a pretty flexible budget, then you may want to indulge yourself with a luxury waterjet backsplash tile or a real calacatta backsplash tile. These natural stone pieces are stunning, but cost a pretty penny. 

On the other hand, if you have a tighter budget to work with, then you may opt for a porcelain stone backsplash tile which has all the class of a real marble tile, but none of the cost. Alternatively, you may want to spend more in the areas of your cabinetry or oven range, and keep things simple with a standard subway tile. 

No matter what the end goal is, you’ll find that only once you look at your budget. 

2| Keep In Mind Your Cabinetry.

On a similar note, once you’ve budgeted, you’ll want to keep in mind the lay of the land. When it comes to your cabinetry, you’ll have a few options at hand for your backsplash tile. 

For those that are opting for traditional cabinetry, you can decide whether you want tile to stop where the cabinetry starts or if you want to keep them running to the ceiling in open areas like over the sink. 

Modern Kitchen With Open Shelving Against Backsplash
Design By | Alida Coury Interiors

For those that crave a unique touch and want to do open shelving, you can pretty much do whatever you want with backsplash tile. You can have the tile run up to the first shelf and stop or continue through all shelves right up to the ceiling! Options are up to you. 

Getting an idea for which type of storage you’ll have and how much space it will take up, will allow you to get a better estimate for your kitchen tile needs. 

It should be noted, open shelving looks great against contemporary kitchen backsplash tile since it really opens a space up. At the same time, it will increase the amount of tile you’ll need in the area, so again, budgeting is key. 

On the other hand, a traditional white cabinet matches kitchen backsplash tile well, and since cabinetry takes up more space, it may require less tile! 

3| Keep In Mind Your Flooring. 

It goes without saying that to create a kitchen that wows, cohesiveness is key. To make sure that nothing gets in the way of that, make sure to always consider your flooring! 

If you’re going to have a patterned encaustic tile as your kitchen backsplash, you’d be smart to note if your floors already have a pattern or not. The last thing you want is two competing patterns creating a busy design, right?

Additionally, unless you like things mismatched, we definitely wouldn’t recommend having an off-white floor with a bright white backsplash. This will make the floor look dirty and the whole kitchen messy! If you need backsplash tile ideas for white kitchen, check out our post on white subway tiles here. 

4| Keep In Mind The Area. 

Finally, we’ve arrived at the fourth point, which is the area that you’re placing your kitchen backsplash. The backsplash is intended to be a safety net to reduce staining from splashes and spills as you cook. 

That said, while stone backsplash tile is beautiful, know it will require more upkeep. The reason is simple: Natural stone is easily permeated. This means it can stain easier. To ensure it doesn’t, you’ll want to seal and reseal it accordingly. For those that don’t want the extra work, we say pass on this type. 

As far as the easiest-to-maintain tile types go, our personal favorites are glass backsplash tile or porcelain backsplash tile. There are dozens of options to choose from so you’ll never feel limited by look and they are pretty stain-resistant and easy to clean. What’s more, they are able to fit nearly every budget. 

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