Kitchen Design
30 Bold and Beautiful Range Backsplashes
Get ideas for eye-catching tile and stone backsplashes inside stove alcoves and behind cooktops
The backsplash above a range or cooktop is primarily for protecting the wall from food splatter and grease. But it can make a big style statement too. One way to accomplish that is to give it a striking shape, texture, color or pattern that distinguishes it from the surrounding material. In this collection of kitchens recently uploaded to Houzz, see how designers defined an area behind the range or cooktop and added a distinctive backsplash to create a fabulous focal point.
2. Crisp Architects used a geometric-patterned, warm brown-and-beige-toned tile in the alcove of this Litchfield County, Connecticut, kitchen. Slight variations in the color give the backsplash an organic, almost quilted look.
Tip: You can click on the main image to see more of each project.
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
Tip: You can click on the main image to see more of each project.
How to Remodel Your Kitchen
Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg
3. Storie Collective founder Sara Swabb describes this Washington, D.C., Tudor’s style as “boho meets Portuguese design.” The tile in its stove alcove is reminiscent of black-and-white Portuguese calçada mosaic cobblestone, whereas the grayish-white tile on the adjacent window wall looks like Moroccan zellige.
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3. Storie Collective founder Sara Swabb describes this Washington, D.C., Tudor’s style as “boho meets Portuguese design.” The tile in its stove alcove is reminiscent of black-and-white Portuguese calçada mosaic cobblestone, whereas the grayish-white tile on the adjacent window wall looks like Moroccan zellige.
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4. This modern Mediterranean-style kitchen was created by Nuela Designs in Austin, Texas. The neutral colors in the alcove’s patterned backsplash pick up the warm white and wood cabinets and gray-blue counter stools.
5. Square terra-cotta-like tiles on the back of the stove alcove pick up the hood’s reddish tones in this Dallas kitchen by Round Table Design.
25 Knockout Kitchen Backsplashes
25 Knockout Kitchen Backsplashes
Photo by LifeCreated
6. Tile isn’t the only option for a range alcove interior, of course. The backsplash in this Phoenix kitchen by TheLifestyledCo is Arabescato Carrara, a cool marble that looks especially luxe in juxtaposition with the rugged, over-mortared cream stone that surrounds the niche.
6. Tile isn’t the only option for a range alcove interior, of course. The backsplash in this Phoenix kitchen by TheLifestyledCo is Arabescato Carrara, a cool marble that looks especially luxe in juxtaposition with the rugged, over-mortared cream stone that surrounds the niche.
7. In this Dewey Beach, Delaware, kitchen remodeled by CRx, what look like tiny marble mosaic tiles call to mind broken shells, while the vertical shiplap adds to the elevated coastal look.
12 Trends in Kitchen Appliances for 2024
12 Trends in Kitchen Appliances for 2024
8. In a Chicago-area house by Timber Trails Development, a pretty blue backsplash tile adds a jolt of color to the otherwise white kitchen. The blue connects the kitchen to the adjacent butler’s pantry.
9. Stove alcoves are usually associated with traditional design, but this English kitchen by Irving Sykes Kitchens and Fine Furniture has a midcentury Nordic vibe. That’s partly because of the oversize terrazzo countertop and also thanks to the jade green vertical stacked subway tile at the back of the niche.
10. An AGA Mercury induction range anchors the alcove in this Ada, Michigan, kitchen by Deidre Interiors. Zoom in to see the delicate painting on the custom tile backsplash.
11. In a midcentury modern home renovated by Stumpff HomeWorks in Olathe, Kansas, a slab of swirly stone ties together custom cabinets in rich walnut and black. LEDs enhance the dramatic veining, and a low-profile cooktop and hood let the backsplash shine.
Photo by Anthony Barcelo
12. Speaking of drama, the range backsplash in this Los Angeles kitchen uploaded by Meridith Baer Home looks like a Rorschach test thanks to its bookmatched stone slabs (that is, slabs joined to look like they mirror each other). The black-and-white pattern then looks mirrored on the island countertop.
12. Speaking of drama, the range backsplash in this Los Angeles kitchen uploaded by Meridith Baer Home looks like a Rorschach test thanks to its bookmatched stone slabs (that is, slabs joined to look like they mirror each other). The black-and-white pattern then looks mirrored on the island countertop.
13. And speaking of mirrors, an antiqued mirror backsplash adds uncommon polish to a stove alcove in this Chicago townhome by BBA Architects.
For homeowners interested in other non-tile, non-stone backsplashes, tempered glass, copper, steel and brick backsplashes are worth a look too.
20 Eye-Catching Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
For homeowners interested in other non-tile, non-stone backsplashes, tempered glass, copper, steel and brick backsplashes are worth a look too.
20 Eye-Catching Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
Sandwiched
14. Figuring out how far a stove backsplash should extend side to side can be tricky if it’s not limited by the sides of an alcove. Features like corbels, upper cabinets and windows flanking the hood can help define the area.
In this Sierra Madre, California, kitchen by Crescent Canyon Construction, a custom vent hood has corbels that taper to where the wall meets the countertop, sandwiching a designer Arts and Crafts-style tile backsplash. The perimeter backsplash outside the corbels, meanwhile, is stained tongue and groove.
14. Figuring out how far a stove backsplash should extend side to side can be tricky if it’s not limited by the sides of an alcove. Features like corbels, upper cabinets and windows flanking the hood can help define the area.
In this Sierra Madre, California, kitchen by Crescent Canyon Construction, a custom vent hood has corbels that taper to where the wall meets the countertop, sandwiching a designer Arts and Crafts-style tile backsplash. The perimeter backsplash outside the corbels, meanwhile, is stained tongue and groove.
Photo by Melissa M. Mills
15. Corbels plus a thin strip of trim (perhaps pencil tile) form a border between the zellige-style perimeter backsplash and range backsplash in this Tennessee kitchen by designer Terri Sears. Here’s a closer look at the pretty backsplash tile, which has a French-inspired flower-and-vine pattern.
15. Corbels plus a thin strip of trim (perhaps pencil tile) form a border between the zellige-style perimeter backsplash and range backsplash in this Tennessee kitchen by designer Terri Sears. Here’s a closer look at the pretty backsplash tile, which has a French-inspired flower-and-vine pattern.
16. In this garden-inspired Maryland kitchen, Erika Jayne Design Build let the upper cabinets and range hood define the limits of the stove backsplash, which is simply the same tile as the perimeter backsplash but in a different color. Covering the hood with the backsplash tile ups the impact.
15 Stylish Kitchen Range Hood Ideas
15 Stylish Kitchen Range Hood Ideas
17. This luxurious lakefront getaway in Wisconsin was built by Lowell Custom Homes and designed by Amy Storm. In the kitchen, tall windows that extend from countertop to ceiling flank a professional-style hood and range. The backsplash between the window frames is matching gray mosaic tile that visually connects the appliances while adding texture and just a touch of shine.
Shop for range hoods and vents
Shop for range hoods and vents
18. Tammara Stroud Design used a beautiful marble mosaic tile for the range backsplash in this 1909 home in Seattle’s Capitol Hill historic district (here’s a close-up view). It fills the wall between the windows all of the way to the ceiling, which is visible where the range hood tapers in slightly — a small touch that elevates the look.
Framed
19. Creating a frame out of tile is a solid option for defining an area for a contrasting backsplash — especially when architectural details or cabinet frames don’t dictate where the tile should end.
This Los Angeles kitchen from 22 Interiors features cabinetry and a range backsplash by Home Front Build with star-pattern Moroccan-style tile framed by coordinating light blue square tiles. Filling the entire space between the cooktop, hood and upper cabinets with the framed backsplash makes it look more transitional than traditional.
19. Creating a frame out of tile is a solid option for defining an area for a contrasting backsplash — especially when architectural details or cabinet frames don’t dictate where the tile should end.
This Los Angeles kitchen from 22 Interiors features cabinetry and a range backsplash by Home Front Build with star-pattern Moroccan-style tile framed by coordinating light blue square tiles. Filling the entire space between the cooktop, hood and upper cabinets with the framed backsplash makes it look more transitional than traditional.
20. In this Barrington, Illinois, kitchen, KED Interiors surrounded a beautiful custom accent tile range backsplash with a wooden frame that coordinates with the wood trim on the custom range hood.
Photo by Read McKendree
21. Design-build firm Carpenter & MacNeille opted for a bold, black tile-framed dimensional tile range backsplash set into a field of light-colored zellige tile in this coastal New England kitchen. The earthy colors echo the colors in the stone floor and countertop.
21. Design-build firm Carpenter & MacNeille opted for a bold, black tile-framed dimensional tile range backsplash set into a field of light-colored zellige tile in this coastal New England kitchen. The earthy colors echo the colors in the stone floor and countertop.
22. White pencil tile frames a pretty blue-and-tan patterned backsplash tile in this Vienna, Virginia, kitchen by 2 Navy Lane.
Inset and Recessed
23. In this French Revival-style kitchen by Utah-based Edit Design House, the marble mosaic tile range backsplash features an inset cast-iron fireback with rearing lions on a coat of arms. The mosaic tile is separated from the slab perimeter backsplash by what appears to be a tile edging trim, which is a clean way to create a border between two styles of tiles without a pencil or bullnose trim tile.
23. In this French Revival-style kitchen by Utah-based Edit Design House, the marble mosaic tile range backsplash features an inset cast-iron fireback with rearing lions on a coat of arms. The mosaic tile is separated from the slab perimeter backsplash by what appears to be a tile edging trim, which is a clean way to create a border between two styles of tiles without a pencil or bullnose trim tile.
24. Most of the tiles pictured so far have a repeated pattern, but tile murals and Delft story tiles can look picture-perfect in traditional-style kitchens. Above the range in this Seattle kitchen, for example, Board & Vellum installed a mural featuring birds roosting in trees — which feels appropriate given the home’s storybook architecture. It fills the back of a niche just deep enough for a few sprigs of lavender (or, in this case, rolling pins).
Shop for tile murals
Shop for tile murals
Defined by Layout
25. Contrasting color or pattern isn’t necessary for a statement range backsplash. Simply varying the tile layout or shape can create visual interest.
In this sweet kitchen, which is in a 1942 Colonial-style cottage near Seattle, Arciform used a thin border tile to frame a rectangle of paseo-shape tiles within the field of subway tiles.
25. Contrasting color or pattern isn’t necessary for a statement range backsplash. Simply varying the tile layout or shape can create visual interest.
In this sweet kitchen, which is in a 1942 Colonial-style cottage near Seattle, Arciform used a thin border tile to frame a rectangle of paseo-shape tiles within the field of subway tiles.
26. A rectangle of diamond-shaped white tiles adds a subtle accent to the backsplash of this range, which is in a Chicago-area kitchen by Drury Design. It’s framed with thin white pencil tile and surrounded by a field of white subway tile, and it has a small marble shelf.
27. The range backsplash in this contemporary-style Denver kitchen by Kitchen Creations stands alone, without a field of tile surrounding it. Although hard to see from a distance, the high relief of the dimensional tiles is striking when viewed from the right angle (as seen here).
Photo by Courtney Elizabeth Media
Defined by Shape
28. A design detail that’s been popping up recently in the photo feed is the shapely range backsplash. Usually (but not always) an extension of the countertop or perimeter backsplash, these range backsplashes create their own decorative border with their curvy lines. They’re an attractive solution when there are no cabinets or architectural features to define backsplash limits, and they look a little more formal than a simple rectilinear shape.
This marble range backsplash in a kitchen by Kitchen Cove Design Studio in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is an elegant example.
Defined by Shape
28. A design detail that’s been popping up recently in the photo feed is the shapely range backsplash. Usually (but not always) an extension of the countertop or perimeter backsplash, these range backsplashes create their own decorative border with their curvy lines. They’re an attractive solution when there are no cabinets or architectural features to define backsplash limits, and they look a little more formal than a simple rectilinear shape.
This marble range backsplash in a kitchen by Kitchen Cove Design Studio in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, is an elegant example.
29. Theresa Ory Interiors designed her own Atlanta kitchen with a stunning curved range backsplash made out of the same light green quartzite as the countertops. The backsplash continues the sinuous lines of the plaster hood and has built-in display ledges.
30. In a historic home remodeled by Quality Design & Remodel in Slingerlands, New York, this curved, marbled range backsplash appears to float in front of a tiled wall. A gilded hood and the blue European-style range add to the air of formality.
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Read more kitchen design stories
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Shop for kitchen products
1. A stove alcove is the perfect place to experiment with a contrasting backsplash material because its boundaries are so well defined.
In this Vancouver kitchen, PURE Design founder Ami McKay selected a peppy Moroccan mosaic-pattern tile for the alcove and subtly textured white subway tile for the perimeter backsplash.
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