Kitchen tile ideas for your walls and floors
Tiles are one of the most popular design features for a kitchen, for a range of reasons; they’re hardwearing, often water and heat resistant, and easy to clean.
Recent developments in tile design mean there are options to suit every kitchen style; you can choose from countless materials, colours, shapes and patterns, and you can even find tiles that mimic other surfaces such as wood, concrete or quartz.
Let’s take a look at some of our favourite kitchen tile ideas.
Kitchen wall tile ideas
Minimalism with metro tiles
If you’re looking for a style that’s simple and timeless, metro tiles are the way to go - so called because of their historic popularity in underground stations. Their shape makes them incredibly versatile, and as a bonus they’re also easy to lay.
In a modern kitchen, a chic flat metro with contrasting grouting never fails to look edgy and on trend. Stack them in blocks, offset in a brick arrangement or switch it up with a herringbone arrangement - the choice is yours!
For a traditional or farmhouse kitchen, the softer bevelled metro with sloping edges is a better fit. Add to the farmhouse feel with an olive green or cream shade.
Go half and half
Don’t want to commit completely to tiles? You can create a stylish contrast on your walls by using tiles on the lower half of the wall and paint on the upper half. If a horizontal cutoff feels too harsh, instead use a hexagonal tile to soften the transition, or metro tiles arranged in a herringbone pattern.
Emphasise the contrast further in the colour scheme, by pairing light and dark colours; consider white marble effect tiles with a navy blue paint, or high gloss black tiling with plain white walls.
Tiles that jump off the wall
3D tiles have grown in popularity over the past year or so, adding extra wow factor to kitchens with patterns that literally pop out of the wall. These can come in the style of sharp geometric shapes, undulating wave patterns or more subtle textured tiles with a raised finish.
Whatever style you choose, 3D tiles are guaranteed to turn your kitchen tiles into a work of art. The added dimension reflects light more effectively around your space, creating extra shine and particularly enhancing small kitchens.
Kitchen floor tile ideas
Bring the outside in
Natural textures create a serene, calming atmosphere in any kitchen, and tiles can now effectively mimic any natural material often for a fraction of the price. Stone, marble, hardwood and concrete can all be recreated in resilient tile to bring a natural theme into your kitchen.
If you have an outdoor area connected to your kitchen, this is a great opportunity to blend the two, matching indoor and outdoor materials to create a seamless flow from your kitchen and a patio, terrace or barbecue area.
Go bold with patterned prints
On the other side of the spectrum, loud and proud patterned tiles create a bold statement and offer the chance to inject fun personality into your kitchen. Geometric monochrome prints add a retro theme, while a floral design feels more vintage and feminine.
You can even bring holiday vibes into your kitchen with a Moroccan-inspired print. These intricate, colourful tiles can’t help but bring a ray of sunshine into your home!
Highlight a kitchen island
If you have a kitchen island, a statement tile around it can act as an eye-catching border, or help create a separate zone if you want a sense of separation between your kitchen and dining island.
Jazz up a plain kitchen floor with a bright patterned tile around the island, or install a plain tile around the island but with a border to separate it from the surrounding floor. Tile to wood transitional flooring can also work well for this.
Kitchen splashback tile ideas
Brighten with block colours
If your kitchen is primarily neutral, a small splashback over your cooker or hob is an easy opportunity to add a splash of colour. Think hot pink, mustard yellow or deep teal, in a completely block colour or infused with a slight pattern of marble or stone imitation.
Let your splashback shine in glass
Whatever colour or pattern you go for, one of our favourite splashback tile ideas is to choose glass as your material. Not only are glass splashbacks stain resistant and hardwearing, they reflect light brilliantly to eliminate dark shadows around your stove, open up the space, and provide better visibility while cooking. Further emphasise the shine with under counter LED lighting.
Make magic with metallic
Metallic is all the rage right now, and a splashback is a way to embrace the trend of the moment without committing too much. Think statement silver, burnt copper, or millennial favourite rose gold. A touch of metallic will bring a magical shimmer to your kitchen, and add extra life to a muted grey, brown or white colour scheme.
Feeling inspired with tile ideas? Explore our ranges to find your matching fitted kitchen.