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White countertop backsplash


18 White Kitchen Backsplash Ideas That Pop

By

Kaitlyn McInnis

Kaitlyn McInnis

Kaitlyn McInnis is a lifestyle expert and writer specializing in global interior design trends and styles which she is able to experience first-hand through her extensive travels. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, Forbes, Homes & Gardens, and Real Homes. Kaitlyn also worked for AskMen.com, where she managed an international team of writers and experts.

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Updated on 06/10/22

Collov Home Design

White kitchens are well-loved for a reason: they’re bright and airy, making even the smallest galley-style kitchen feel more open. The monochromatic approach is a great way to foster a sense of cohesion—but adding a stand-out backsplash might offer a bit more visual interest.

Whether you’re hoping to stick with a calming, understated backsplash or you want to do something a little more bold to offer color and interest to your kitchen, we’ve rounded up some of the best expert-approved white kitchen backsplash ideas, from classic subway tiles to more adventurous DIY pursuits.

The Best Peel and Stick Tiles for Easy Renovations

Backsplash Ideas for White Cabinets

White cabinets with light-colored countertops and flooring give you the pristine look that many homeowners love having in their kitchen. While an all-white look is stunning, pairing the look with a beautiful backsplash can make an even bigger difference. Our designers have an eye for perfectly pairing white cabinets with the right backsplash to create a stunning kitchen design. If you love the a crisp, white look in the kitchen as much as we do then get ready because we’re sharing some of our best ideas and tips to help you make the most of this latest design trend.

Backsplash is one of the easiest elements to add when remodeling your kitchen, and is perfect for giving your design a unique, personal touch. With virtually limitless combinations to choose from, there are several different elements to look at when choosing the best backsplash for white cabinets.

When surveying your backsplash options, you’ll come across many white backsplash ideas. But you can also look for a tile design or pattern that ties your wall color and countertop color to your cabinets and flooring. Or, you can do something dramatically different, such as a cobalt blue alternating brick installation or other types of backsplash material such as marble, granite, glass, and stainless steel. Your tiles can be installed sideways, from top to bottom, and even diagonally, but no matter what style, color, or design you choose, the right backsplash can add visual depth to the look of your kitchen.

With so many options, it can be hard to know where to start, but don’t worry – We’ll go over all of the factors involved in making your selection and look at ways to decide on a backsplash that will seamlessly pull your entire kitchen together.

Kitchen Backsplash Ideas With White Cabinets – Everything you need to know on:

1. Cabinet Door Design

2. Backsplash Installation Styles

3. Colored Grout

4. DIY Backsplash Design Tips

5. Doors & Suggested Backsplash

Now without further ado, let’s get into it!

1. Cabinet Door Design

Let’s take a look at cabinet door designs and how they can help give you an idea of the best backsplash for white cabinets to choose! The ever-popular shaker-style cabinet has crisp, clean edges that partner beautifully with subway tile backsplash. Inset cabinet doors are another go-to that pair well with nearly all backsplash designs. While recessed or flat-panel cabinet doors have a smooth, sleek look that’s perfect for a intricately patterned backsplash.

In one of our latest kitchen remodels (1), you can see how these white shaker-style cabinets show off the white subway tile backsplash beautifully. We took this design up a notch by adding a unique pattern above the stove that acts as a stunning focal point to this modern kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

The white, flat-panel cabinets in this modern kitchen remodel are paired with a stunning slab of marble-like backsplash. The solid backsplash features a detailed pattern of grey and silver veins that are accentuated by the silver hardware and stainless steel appliances. We’re not going to lie, we think the results are truly breathtaking.

 

If you opt for cabinet doors with more detail and dimension, selecting a slightly raised backsplash can help solidify your look. You can also select neutral colored tile to pull together the color of your countertops and appliances. In this classic kitchen design (2), our designer did just that and went for a beautiful light gray backsplash, along with a unique, neutral colored tile design above the stove.

 

 

 

 

 

Make sure you don’t overlook colors in silver, gold, and copper. The copper look is beautiful, especially if the tone or hue of a wood floor in an otherwise white kitchen is a match.

While not white cabinetry, this design (3) features off-white cabinets that are creamy and dreamy! The stunning, golden-beige backsplash accents the satin cabinet door finish beautifully and subtly pulls out the countertop’s gold veins. We’re also a little obsessed with the under cabinet lighting that allows the backsplash to shine!

Designer Pick: Horizon White Painted Oak

The Horizon White Painted Oak cabinet is an industry known favorite for any kitchen design. You can use just about any design or pattern of backsplash under this cabinet door, and our designers know this better than anyone!

A designer approved tip for how to style this white cabinet is to surround porcelain tile backsplash with a colored grout that picks up a thread of color in the countertop or the wall paint. This will give your kitchen that special touch, worthy of an interior design magazine.

 

 

 

 

2. Backsplash Layout Patterns

We absolutely love fun backsplash paired with white cabinets because you can mix and match colors, patterns, and designs throughout your kitchen to create your own customized look. White cabinets offer the perfect canvas for backsplash to stand out and since backsplash isn’t an essential element to a kitchen, it’s the perfect place for you to add your personal style!

Be bold with your design and choose from numerous layout patterns, each with a unique flair and style, to find the perfect one to fit your vision.  Below are our design favorite kitchen backsplash ideas with white cabinets that are guaranteed to create show-stopping results.

Our Designer’s Favorite Backsplash Layouts:

Herringbone

Offset/Staggered Brick

Horizontal Grid Stack

Diamond 

Basket Weave (Geometric)

These are some of our designer’s favorite backsplash layouts, each with a beautiful pattern, that can be customized to your color scheme, personal style, and more. For more detail on these backsplash layouts, additional patterns, and white backsplash ideas, keep scrolling to read a breakdown on all of the most popular layout styles.

Backsplash Layouts Broken Down:
  1. Herringbone:
    • These are panels set in at 90 degrees to each other, shown in this design above the stove
  2. Offset/Staggered Brick:
    • This is a style very popular in today’s kitchens
  3. 1/3 Offset:
    • Somewhat like the staggered brick, but offset at a third point of each brick
  4. Horizontal Grid Stack:
    • If the staggered 1/3 offset brick is not your thing, try the perfectly aligned look, shown in this design
  5. Vertical Grid Stack:
    • Similar to a horizontal layout, with a vertical stack stack. These panel styles can carry diagonal designs that line up perfectly, but are easy to install
  6. Diamond (Diagonal):
    • This can be used as a central focus point behind an open-top range or cooktop, shown in this design behind a wet bar
  7. Basket Weave (Geometric):
    • A timeless backsplash, uses a mosaic of tiles to create geometric look, shown in this design
  8.  Diamond (Diagonal):
    • This can be used as a central focus point behind an open-top range or cooktop, shown in this design behind a wet bar
  9.  Random:
    • Individual tile pieces that can be used in different colors to create unique designs

You can see more of the above types of backsplash layout patterns and more at the Tile Shop!

Keep in mind that installing individual tiles diagonally may cost you more as you will have to manually cut each of the tops and bottom rows to fit under the cabinet, and below at the countertop edge. There will be some material loss here. This is also true of the chevron installation where edges are cut at 45 degrees to match up to the opposing side.

3. Use Colored Grout to Add Character

Grout can be used for more than just filling the spaces between tiles and when it comes to choosing the best backsplash for white cabinets, one of the lesser known design tricks is to use colored grout! In fact, colored grout can be the perfect finishing touch to compliment your white cabinets and give you a truly one of a kind look.

Since white cabinets already offer a clean base for your kitchen design, spicing it up with colored grout can take your interior to the next level of style. You can choose from grout in complementary colors or vividly contrasting colors to pair with your white cabinets, and even coordinate your grout to match a small detail of color in your countertops!

Grout may be one of the smallest touches in designing a kitchen, but our designers love how the right colored grout can flawlessly complete a design. In this transitional kitchen design, our designer paired dark gray grout with smokey-gray backsplash, white cabinets, and a matte black faucet – And boy did it deliver!

Want to go even bolder? Grout is available in nearly any color, from gold and pink to even orange and blue, there’s a color to complete any vision! Gold is an especially beautiful grout choice and in the design below (1) pairs beautifully with gold hardware and shiny white cabinetry. Contrasting faint pink grout with dark blue tile, shown in this design (2), is a one of kind combination that is certain to turn many heads. Notice the rose gold hardware paired with white cabinets? This subtle color coordination completes this modern and romantic design.

Keep it classic and contemporary with silver grout and platinum tiles, as shown in this design (3), for a stunning, modern aesthetic. Silver grout pairs especially well with stainless steel appliances and hardware, and can create a striking design. Play with even bolder colors like turquoise blue, for a fun and playful design that shows off your personal style! We love how the bright blue grout in this design (4) stands out against the white cabinets and white subway tile backsplash, playing up the other matching blue design elements for a fluid look.

There’s a world of grout and backsplash combinations out there that give you plenty of options for finding the right fit for your kitchen. When it comes to grout, make sure that you, or your installer, does a good job with the fill application and always keep a little extra set aside for grout chip repair, should you need it later.

4. DIY Backsplash Design Tips

If you are a do-it-yourself (DIY) type of homeowner, you can pick out backsplash from a local tile store, or one of the big box hardware companies (Home Depot, Lowe’s), and create your own backsplash design!

There are so many kitchen backsplash ideas with white cabinets to choose from, to find the right one for you, take a picture of your cabinet door and countertop on your phone, grab a color swatch of your wall paint, and head to any tile store to start checking out the possibilities.   See what you can put together while looking at backsplash samples, having these samples with you helps to see how the backsplash will integrate into your current kitchen design.

You can also ask if you can check out sample pieces to take home and see how the backsplash might work with your surroundings. Stores often offer slabs like the ones shown above, so you can see the full design and layout of the backsplash against your countertop and cabinets.

5. Doors and Suggested Backsplash

Mid Continent Cabinetry’s line of wood cabinets offers white cabinets in maple and oak. The Horizon (white painted oak) line offers the following stream-line look that can accommodate just about any backsplash design.

If you have a beveled design in your doors, such as the Princeton White Painted Maple and Oak, or a more complicated design, such as the Cottage White Painted Maple and Oak doors, then your backsplash should have less design that might clash with your door style. See the images below for examples of the designs mentioned here.

From left to right: Mid Continent Cabinetry Doors Horizon White Painted Oak, Princeton White Painted Maple (L) and Oak (R), and Cottage White Painted Maple (L) and Oak (R).

We already mentioned that the door on left end (Horizon) can handle just about any design and pattern you might find. The Princeton oak and maple doors can handle several patterns and designs, but less so than the Horizon. The Cottage oak and maple doors would do better with simple backsplash surfaces with little to no design, such as white porcelain tiles, but could handle contrast colors.

Bonus Tip: Don’t Make this Major Mistake

The eyes are typically drawn to the backsplash area for how it stands out against white cabinets. So be careful not to make the MAJOR mistake of adding a border between your backsplash and countertop. Doing this can create a cluttered look and no one wants that! Instead, opt for the extra time it may take to properly measure or cut your tile and install your backsplash to meet the countertop.

See how in the backsplash design on the bottom left attempts to transition the backsplash to the countertop by bringing the countertop material up about four inches – Making the area look smaller and the design way too busy! While the backsplash design on the bottom right has the tile measured to fit perfectly all the way from the cabinets to the countertop, creating a flawless transition.

 Don’t Do This
Instead, Do This

With over 70 years of experience in kitchen design, we’ve definitely learned a thing or two along the way, and we hope you found value in our best backsplash ideas for white cabinets! There is much more to come on kitchen design tips, ideas, resources, and more, so if you haven’t subscribed already, be sure to do so before you leave!

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Work with a designer to create the perfect cabinet and backsplash combination.
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When you’re ready to make your kitchen dreams come true, we’ll be there for you every step of the way to help make it a reality! Not only do we offer expert design services, we provide the tools and services necessary to bring our design’s to life. We can’t wait to get started!

When it comes to kitchen design, The Kitchen Shop has become one of West Michigan’s premier remodeling centers and is here to help you! We have everything you need to create your dream kitchen, from cabinets and countertops to plumbing fixtures, appliances, and hardware, The Kitchen Shop is truly a one stop shop for all your remodeling needs. Our team offers over 300 years of combined experience in kitchen design and a master skill set to ensure the vision you have for your kitchen is brought to life.

Connect with us today for more information and get if you’re ready to start your kitchen remodeling journey schedule an appointment with one of our talented design consultants.

The Kitchen Shop is a West Michigan’s premier kitchen and bath design and remodeling center with locations in Lansing, Jackson, Battle Creek, and Kalamazoo.

White kitchen with white countertop: 50 photo ideas for interior design

White kitchen with white countertop looks extremely stylish, it is easy to combine it with finishes and other furniture, and most importantly, it is impossible to take your eyes off it. The article contains 5 most relevant design ideas and 50 photos of such interiors.

5 Designs for the Perfect White Kitchen

Scandinavian Style
Glossy
Marble Top
Disguised Wall
With a light apron

A distinctive feature of the Scandinavian style is that the space should be decorated as simply as possible. Choose a concise matte set, doors with milling and glass inserts are acceptable. The tabletop can be any: natural stone or laminated chipboard.

Beat the set with an apron - light hexagon tiles or in the form of bricks will do. Often in Scandinavian kitchens you can find a Provence-style patchwork apron, but it is important to choose a color so that the tile does not seem too bright and overly accented. nine0003

This space needs a lot of light, so consider lighting above your work surface. Try experimenting with open storage, wooden shelves with spice jars placed on them will make the space more comfortable. But be careful not to create visual noise - with a light background it is very easy to make such a mistake.

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Gloss can be treated as you like, but in white, such a facade looks very impressive. It is generally accepted that glossy surfaces look organic only in high-tech interiors. This is not true. White gloss fits perfectly into minimalism, loft, and even Scandinavian style. nine0003

When choosing a glossy set in this color, remember that the reflective surface is an accent in itself. Therefore, you should not choose models with complex geometry, milling and catchy handles. For example, a minimalist suite with strict straight cabinets and hidden fittings is one of the versatile options. You can choose a matte top for such a headset, but we recommend that you look at options made of artificial stone with a glossy surface. You can slightly balance the specularity of the headset with a matte apron. nine0003

Imitation of natural breeds is a popular design technique. A delightful marble-veined worktop fits perfectly into a bright kitchen. And it combines equally well with matte and glossy facades. Of course, natural stone is expensive, but there are imitations that look just as good, last a long time, and are cheaper. For example, artificial acrylic stone. Visually, such a surface is indistinguishable from natural marble and is well suited for use in the kitchen, as it has no pores. Such an acrylic top can be easily restored by polishing if chips and scratches appear on it. nine0003

A more economical option is a chipboard surface with an overprinted image with imitation marble veins. Of course, in terms of performance, chipboard is inferior to artificial stone, but with proper care it can last quite a long time. Such a countertop is often combined with large porcelain stoneware slabs in the backsplash area, which also imitate a marble texture.

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One of the most popular design tricks is to mask oversized furniture for decoration so that the facades merge with the walls and dissolve in space. Visually, such furniture becomes airier and weightless, and the room seems more spacious. nine0003

This trick can also be applied in the kitchen. To do this, the white facades and the white countertop of the white kitchen should merge with the walls painted in the same color. To achieve the desired effect, choose a set with tall cabinets to the ceiling. This will visually stretch the room up. If there is still free space, close it with a wide molding without patterns.

The space between the floor and the cabinetry must also be closed, to do this choose cabinets without legs or use a wide skirting board to hide the gap. nine0003

Hardware must not stand out on cabinet doors. To do this, we recommend choosing facades that open by pressing.

Neutral tiles in different shades of white are suitable for the backsplash. In this case, it is better to choose a built-in technique. Ideally, if the refrigerator and microwave can be hidden behind the doors.

To completely “dissolve” the set in the wall, look for a light washbasin that will not stand out too much on a light top.

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One of the main advantages of interior design in white is that it's hard to overdo it. This color simply can not be much. Therefore, do not be afraid of the abundance of white, the interior will only benefit from this. Often ineptly placed accents spoil the color base. Therefore, in order not to break anything, choose a light apron that will continue the lines of a white headset with a white countertop. Then the whole combination will look like a single whole.

If the usual horizontal "bricks" seem boring, you can experiment with the direction of the layout - try vertical stacking or herringbone. Tiled hexagons look great, but not too large so that they do not draw attention to themselves and do not violate the geometry of space. Do not forget that with the help of contrasting grout, you can emphasize the texture and shape of the tile. nine0003

Designers often decorate the backsplash with large porcelain stoneware slabs with a marbled pattern or simply plain light ones. With white tiles, you can lay out not only the working area, but the entire visible part of the wall.

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Choosing a countertop for a white kitchen: what color is best

When choosing a white color for a kitchen, the question always arises - how to make the interior not boring? There are several options: dilute the room with bright textiles and dishes, or go the more monumental way - pick up some elements of the headset. Today we will tell you what color of countertops is suitable for a white kitchen, as well as show beautiful examples that will inspire you.

Choosing a work surface for light facades

We focus on other elements in the interior

Select color

Choosing a material

Doing color samples before buying

Namely, fronts, backsplash, window sill color and dining table with chairs. Based on the shade of these elements, you need to choose a work surface. nine0003

Facades

The choice is not easy, especially if the set was bought in the mass market, and not made to order. You can improvise and make facades from the same raw materials. For example, from wood painted white - then it will be easier for the work surface to choose the appropriate one. Also, the choice depends on the finish: matte or glossy. The first one can be balanced by the bright material of the countertop, but the gloss is more pretentious and needs to be softened with a minimalist element. nine0003

Unsplash

Unsplash

If you chose a monochrome combination, use contrast in other areas: the dining room or choose bright textiles.

Apron

This is the easiest option for several reasons. Firstly, the apron easily draws attention to itself in a bright interior, and if you make the countertop to match, you don’t need to think about color combinations. Secondly, these two elements can simply be selected from the same material. For example, lay out the work surface with tiles or instead of an apron - marble slabs. Thirdly, partial combinations can be used. The idea can be realized when there is a patchwork or metlakh tile on the apron, the tone of the countertop can repeat one of those mentioned in the tile pattern. For example, blue or grey. nine0003

Instagram @jessicadevlindesign

Instagram @yummy_dreams_

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Flooring

A good option is to combine flooring and work surface. It is also convenient, as wood-effect porcelain stoneware is often placed on the floor and it will go well with wooden countertops. Or - a marble floor and the same table.

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nine0193 Window sill

If you are making a window sill table, then this point must be taken into account. Moreover, both elements must be the same, since the window sill will be a continuation of the headset.

Instagram @_agneshome

Instagram @_agneshome

View of the table and chairs

Everything is simple here too. Light dining group - the appropriate shade of the work surface. And if the set is dark (for example, wenge), then you can choose dark oak. nine0003

Instagram @goldenmary01

Instagram @goldenmary01

1. White

Versatile choice for clean monochrome designs. White work surface can be ordered from artificial stone, laminate, chipboard and chipboard. Despite myths about impracticality, real experience proves otherwise. Water stains will not be visible, minor scratches and imperfections, and even dust. In addition, white is a universal color for the design of a classic kitchen, but also a modern one too. And the photo is proof of that. nine0003

Instagram @design_v_dome

Instagram @design_v_dome

2. Black

A white kitchen with a dark countertop is a classic contrast that will be relevant at any time. But here the practicality is less obvious. Contrary to common misconceptions that dirt is not visible on dark, real reviews again say the opposite. So take care of dark furniture will have to actively. nine0003

Instagram @remont_na_25

Instagram @remont_na_25

Instagram @remont_na_25

3. Brown

As a rule, this color is embodied in a white kitchen with a wooden countertop. But the shades may differ: from beige wood, to red and dark wenge. The choice depends on the factors that we described in the first paragraph. If there is dark furniture, choose the same wood.

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Instagram @blue_indigo

Instagram @blue_indigo

Instagram @blue_indigo

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Instagram @mybohoplace

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Instagram @proremont_67

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Instagram @keephousing

Instagram @keephousing

4.

Gray

Gray will lighten up white facades a bit, but won't draw too much attention to itself. As a rule, artificial and natural stone has a grayish tint, there are also options with marble chips that shine like a diamond. nine0003

Instagram @yummy_dreams_

Instagram @yummy_dreams_

1. Stone imitation

It looks aesthetically pleasing, and more practical than natural material. Stone imitation is less susceptible to mechanical damage and reproduction of microorganisms. You can choose acrylic, polyester, quartz - the final option depends only on the budget and imagination.

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2. Natural stone

Quite a rare choice today because it is expensive, but it is not quite resistant to the factors that are typical for the kitchen: a lot of water, high temperatures, sharp knives.

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3. Wood

One of the most popular materials today. Wooden elements need to be coated with protective oil or varnish to prolong their service life. Otherwise, they are ideal "companions" of white headsets. nine0003

Instagram @kateshyggehome

Instagram @kateshyggehome

Instagram @kateshyggehome

4. MDF

Laminated boards are resistant to moisture, and there is a large selection, including imitations of wood or marble. Be careful with a lot of water, seams and joints may swell.

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5. Chipboard

The quality is inferior to MDF and is suitable for cases where you need to save a lot. In addition, harmful formaldehyde is often used in the composition. nine0003

Instagram @whitekitchens

Instagram @whitekitchens

6.

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