In this example, an inexpensive ($1 to $10 per square foot uninstalled), ceramic tile is a backsplash classic. Choose glazed (it has a glasslike finish), unglazed (it has a more rough-hewn look), or porcelain. Styles seem infinite: from Spanish and far Eastern motifs to abstract art pieces, elaborately carved squares to sleek subway tiles. Consider laying basic square tiles in a diamond or brick pattern, suggests Gilmer. You can also play with scale. Gilmer likes to cut oversize, 24-inch-square tiles to fit a small area: “Whereas tiny tiles can look busy, larger tiles help open up the space,” she explains. Aside from sealing tiles and grout twice a year to protect against stains, ceramic tile is easy to care for — it wipes clean with soap and water.

Kitchen Tile Backsplash Design Ideas &Pictures

Kitchen Back Splash

Design director of Wood-Mode, John Troxell advises, “Think about items you store, or would like to store, in your kitchen. Group items by how you use them and where you want them accessible. Storage is about prioritizing your lifestyle.” With kitchen remodeling ideas such as stronger drawers and rollout shelves, we no longer need to look inside deep cabinets. Specialized inserts enable organization on every scale utilizing narrow spaces and wide ones. “Kitchen remodel” used to be synonymous with expansion, but we’ll show you how to add storage without square footage. Take these kitchen design ideas in mind:

• Flip Your Lid–If you devote an entire cabinet to tall bottles, you’ll probably only have room for one shelf. Baker’s Paradise–A tambour appliance garage and wall oven turn this kitchen corner into a baking center.
• Slim Line–Maximize shallow vertical space with innovations like tilt-out storage bins and a cutting board that drops down from the backsplash for use, revealing shelves.

• Stay Sharp–Protect blades from dulling and keep them tucked safely away with a knife block pullout in the base cabinet.

See our storage picks for a clean and orderly kitchen design.

Kitchen Design

Wish list: The couple envisioned adding a

• A built-in refrigerator,
• Multiple sinks,
• A big-screen TV and lots of storage—but without too much visual clutter.

Reality

• A bank of cabinets wrapped around the ovens and warming drawer compensate for the storage lost when the designers made the wall cabinets disappear.
• Two sinks on generous swaths of counter top produce a kitchen where multiple cooks can function just as comfortably as one.
• Getting rid of wall cabinets allowed the homeowners space for a big-screen TV and a piece of African artwork.

For more on this kitchen remodeling project, visit Point Click Home.

Kitchen Remodeling Project

Abundant corners in Franke’s line of stainless steel Peak sinks, with drain covers that match their overall rectangular, sharp shape. Marrying form and function, these kitchen appliances span a larger surface area, thereby doubling the sink’s training power. Prices range from $875 and up.

Consider US Floors Strand Woven Corboo when thinking about your kitchen remodeling project, an extremely durable, eco-friendly flooring material with distinctive texture and sound reduction properties. Twice as hard as oak, it runs from $9 per square foot.

Kitchen Sink

Check out these great ideas on kitchen makeovers.