If you have white cabinets, it’s sometimes a struggle to figure out how to connect them to the rest of your kitchen. Too bold of a color or pattern makes the white seem too bright, while more white just makes the kitchen look washed out.
Thankfully, this list of white cabinet kitchen backsplash ideas provides the inspiration to get your creative juices flowing and allows you to see how different patterns and color combinations work with white cabinets.
20 Ideas for Kitchen With White Cabinets
White cabinets provide a lot of freshness and light to a cabinet, but they can also make the place look a little plain. A unique backsplash provides some personality and breaks up the white while still allowing light to fill the space.
1. Dark Gray Herringbone
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If you’re looking to break up some of the white, a great option is to choose a darker tile. Something like this gray herringbone tile offers a bit of depth with the shape and breaks free of the white with a darker color. The white grout between the tiles keeps them connected to the rest of the kitchen.
2. Black Fish Scales
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The last tile was great to add a subtle bit of depth, but if you want more of a stark difference between your cabinets and backsplash, pick something black. This black tile shaped like fish scales provides a unique texture and allows for the white grout to break up the black a little.
3. Big Blue Hexagons
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If you want something dark, but don’t really want black, a rich blue tile might be the option. This dark blue goes well with non-silver finishes as you can see in the image and it works as a support to the white cabinetry. The big octagon shapes allow for slight movement without being distracting.
4. White Wavy Tiles
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Ceramic tiles add a shine to any wall backsplash and are easy to clean. This wavy tile offers a subtle texture if you’re not feeling a bold look. It blends in well with both white and slightly off-white cabinets. If you have two-tone cabinets, like in the picture, it helps to bring down the white and support the other cabinet color.
5. Mosaic Tiles
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Looking for a really unique kitchen idea? Consider getting mosaic tiles. These tiles add fun textures like some of the tiles above, but do it with a pattern painted on the tiles instead of with the tile shapes. These tiles offer a floral pattern in light and dark blue, but there are all sorts of patterns that range from subtle to bold and bright.
6. Shaded Subway Tiles
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If you want to keep the bright look that white tile would provide your kitchen, but don’t want just plain white, consider a tile that offers dimension and slightly different shades. The tile in this picture has between four and six different tones in every tile. Despite the high gloss, it also has a bit of texture to it to differentiate it from regular subway tiles.
7. Marbled Linear Wall Tiles
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While on the topic of tile with different tones, this glossy glass wall tile offers a great shine and shades of white and gray swirled throughout it. The different widths and lengths break up the wall a bit and give a dynamic dimension. It works well with the silver finishes and white cabinets throughout the kitchen.
8. Green Subway Tiles
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If you want a classic tile, with just a pinch of a twist, these old copper subway tiles might be what you’re looking for. The tile starts with a teal color, and then gets patina highlights to add variation and depth. As you can see in the image, it works well with white cabinets and counters and silver finishes, but it would also work with copper finishes to bring out some of the old copper highlights in the tile.
9. Marble Vertical Tiles
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When it comes to rectangular tile, you most often see it placed horizontally or in a herringbone tile. The backsplash pictured changes it up by placing it vertically. The tiles are tall and skinny, giving the kitchen movement. The natural color variation in the tile further provides movement and helps to break up the black and white of the cabinets and counters.
10. White Subway Tiles
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There have been other white tiles on this list, but this one offers a few unique variations. For one, it’s only a half-tile backsplash. Then it is cut off by the gray-painted wall.
This provides a bit of a twist and makes the eye follow the tile to have the kitchen feel larger. Additionally, the black ground connects the black finishes and sinks to the white cabinetry and tile better.
11. Stone Tiles
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Do you have white cabinets, but colored dishes or counter accessories like flowers (check this website to get the most vibrant ones)? If you can find stone tiles that have flecks of that color in them, it is a great way to make your dishes or counter decorations feel more like a design choice. This works especially well in kitchens that have glass doors to the dishes or are just open shelves.
12. Metal Squares
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Want a bit of shine and something that reflects the pretty sunrise and sunset colors from your window into the rest of your kitchen? Consider some metal tiles. As you can see in the image, this backsplash is made up of small glass tiles with metal tiles of the same size thrown in randomly. This provides a bit of texture, brightness, and ever-changing colors throughout the day.
13. Gold Accent Herringbone
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This Calacatta Gold marble in a thin herringbone pattern has a lot to offer. It works well with white cabinets that have gold finishes, but the gray pieces throughout also make it ideal for silver finishes. The thinner tile offers more color variety, while the subway tiles framing the center tiles add a bit of depth and focus to the kitchen.
14. Arabesque Mosaic
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Do you want something that looks modern and sleek but also has a reminiscent and cozy feel to it while still working with your white cabinets? These white ceramic arabesque tiles offer a clean color, while also providing a pattern that makes the kitchen feel cozy and classic. Pair it with flowers from your garden and cute cookie jars to complete the look.
15. Elongated Hexagons in Black and White
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These tiles provide a wallpaper-like appearance while remaining easy to clean. The black and white patterns match white cabinets with black finishes quite well and create something to catch the eye more than standard hexagons would. Plus, for the game lovers out there, they are a little reminiscent of the rupees from The Legend of Zelda series.
16. Black Subway Tiles
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Back to subway tiles! If you want your white cabinets to provide contrast to your otherwise dark kitchen, these black tiles keep the look going. The glossy black provides a bit of depth and light despite their bold color and the white ground helps to break up the darkness a bit and blends with your cabinets. Add some colorful decorations on the counter for a finished look.
17. White Herringbone
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If you have white cabinets, but also a bit of natural wood shelving, then a white herringbone tile with dark grout can help to pull it all together and create a more cozy farmhouse look. Keep the theme going with black and white appliances and dishes, or use it as a background for bright and colorful items.
18. Geometric Tiles
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If you want more of a beachy theme, geometric tiles can really complete the look. These light blue geometric tiles look a little like the ocean with shades of blue and white throughout. The pattern is fun as well and adds some dimension to a more minimalistic kitchen.
19. Framed Designs
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The gold herringbone above already showed a bit of the frame design, but this is a fun and more obvious version. While the rest of the kitchen has a textured gray subway tile, right above the stove is a different kind of tile in a rectangle. Using a tile that’s easy to clean grease off of while still being cute is a great way to add a focal point and give yourself a bit less work when it comes to scrubbing down the walls later.
20. Sea Glass Small Hegaxons
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When paired with a lot of plants, these small sea glass hexagons give off the feel of a cozy cottage vibe. These tiles provide a bit of dimension to all-white or off-white cabinets but work well with many other patterns, colors, and designs too.
