5 kitchen splashback ideas

When it comes to kitchen splashbacks, tiles are always a popular choice and they can be used to create a real focal point in the room, depending on which style you go for. While there are a range of different designs and color palettes available, the metro tile continues to be a popular choice amongst homeowners, thanks to its versatility and easy maintenance.

Metro tiles are a popular choice for kitchen splashbacks and you can create contrast with a darker grout.

Originally used in the underground travel systems, subway, or metro tiles (also known as brick tiles or butchers’ tiles) started off life in classic white, their rectangular shape making them easy to lay around the vaulted architecture of the stations. Meanwhile, their gloss finish made them very easy to clean, so they were ideal all-round.

The sleek design – the length being at least twice as long as the width – meant they were very streamlined and aesthetically pleasing tiles, so they quickly found new life beyond the underground. Homeowners soon realised the metro tile was ideal for rooms throughout the house, particularly in those areas where spills were more common and footfall high, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

The splashback, of course, soon became a particularly popular place to install them.

Adding a stylish appeal to any space, your choice of metro tiles can do everything from opening up a room and making it feel more spacious, to adding a pop of colour as a statement wall. Indeed, you can get creative by using bold tones or patterned metro tiles – or stick to the classic white subway style and use more neutral tones to achieve a classic, elegant look.

Whichever way you want to style your kitchen, it might just surprise you how even a small kitchen splashback can become a focal point in the room – and just what you can do with it.

Styling your kitchen splashback with metro tiles

Practical, stylish and always on trend, metro tiles are an inspired choice for kitchen splashbacks and can be continued on round the kitchen, if you want to go beyond the cooker or sink areas. With a timeless appeal, these tiles also deliver a contemporary look with their variety of colour tones and finishes – the traditional gloss-effect now sitting alongside a more modern matt finish, while tones vary, with everything from slate-black to bold blue shades.

The great thing about subway tiles is that they can also be mixed with a range of décor, making them extremely versatile and very easy to incorporate into your home, whatever your preferred aesthetic might be.

Here are some of our top picks for kitchen splashback ideas using the subway style…

The Aqua Flat White Metro Tile has the classic white gloss finish associated with the metro/subway style.

1. Flat white metro tiles

For a classic metro tile look, you can’t go wrong with the Aqua Flat White Metro, a ceramic style with the traditional gloss finish which defines the metro tile aesthetic. This can be combined with a darker grout if you’d like something a little more dramatic, but it will easily complement a range of décor, so is very flexible.

A hardwearing Spanish tile, you can either use this tone as part of a more neutral palette within the kitchen or contrast it with bolder colour palettes elsewhere, for instance, in your kitchen cabinetry. Alternatively, you might want to have open shelving around your kitchen and forgo the cabinets altogether, with the reflective white gloss finish of the tiles helping to open up the space.

2. Black satin subway tiles

For an edgier, modern look, black is a great choice for a splashback and ties in with the current black tone trend in interior design. Adding a chic, designer look to your kitchen, the Norai Black Matt White Body Wall Tile has a svelte satin finish, placing it somewhere between the classic gloss and a more modern matt design.

The black satin finish of the Norai Black Matt White Body Wall Tile creates a chic modern aesthetic.

The satin-effect gives these tiles a more subtle sheen without the full gloss look, while they also carry a little more shine to them than a completely matt tile. Smooth to the touch, satin tiles are easy to clean and have a softer appearance than the matt and gloss versions, creating a nice texture and aesthetic. Meanwhile, the black tone, which is flecked with white in the background, gives these tiles a distinctly contemporary vibe which will add character to your kitchen – a great choice for creating a statement with your splashback.

3. Grey shiny ceramic metro tiles

If black seems a little too dramatic for the look you want to achieve, however, then you could dial the shade back a bit and go for grey instead. With a shimmering silvery-grey tone, the Essenza Grey Shiny Metro Tile conveys a luxury look and will instantly add elegance to your kitchen. The gloss finish highlights those silvery hues, creating a gorgeous luminosity as light reflects off the tiles, while finely etched veins threaded across the surface add texture and delicate detail. If you want to add a little bit of magic to your kitchen, then these subtly shiny grey metro tiles might just be the way to go.

The stunning silvery sheen of the Essenza Grey Shiny Metro Tile will add instant elegance to your kitchen.

4. Matt white tapered tiles

For a slightly different aesthetic but still with the metro tile look, the Volakas Pickett Décor Matt Metro Tile in white ceramic offers something a little different. Indeed, it will bring the clean classic lines of the metro into your kitchen, but with added character in delicate tapered edges at each end of the tiles. These distinctive V-shapes allow the tiles to sit together in more of a patterned arrangement, while the raised border around each one adds definition and texture.

The tapered ends and classic white colour palette of the Volakas Pickett Décor Matt Metro Tile delivers a modern twist on the traditional metro tile look.

This eye-catching contemporary design also has wisps of smoky-grey veining drifting across the tile surfaces, giving them the look of marble, the matt finish adding that final flourish. This is a striking tile that will make a beautiful focal point of your kitchen splashback area – delivering timeless style without the hefty price tag.

5. Marble metro tiles with bevelled edges

Another way to bring metro tiles to your kitchen splashback is with a bevelled edge design.

Retaining the classic metro shape but with a modern twist, bevelled edges create a contoured effect, with a V-shaped groove between each tile. This makes them sit out a bit more from the wall and creates a textured look.

The Metro Carrara Biselado Brillo Ceramic Tile has defined bevelled edges and a marble-effect pattern which gives them a high-end look that will most certainly complement any kitchen space. Again, with that classic gloss finish and white background, these will bring a luxury contemporary style to your home and will go well with a range of existing décor.

The Metro Carrara Biselado Brillo Ceramic Tile.

While metro tiles are traditionally laid in a horizontal style, they’re certainly not limited to this and can be arrange in vertical blocks or in a herringbone pattern, further adding to their appeal. You can also mix and match colours, perhaps contrasting a kitchen splashback with a different metro tile which continues round the kitchen, or choose to simply tile the splashback for a statement area.

Whichever way you decide to go, metro tiles are a practical and stylish addition to any space and will instantly elevate your home décor.

If you’d like to view our range of metro tiles, why not pop into your nearest showroom, or contact our team for more information. Just email us at info@bathshack.com or call (028) 9077 0188.