Choosing a Pattern Tile Backsplash
Tile backsplashes in any new home in Savage MN make cleanup much easier in kitchens and bathrooms. Yet, plain tile can seem sterile and institutional, even in a trendy color. Pattern backsplashes, however, offer a chance to add some visual interest, either becoming a focal point or a subtle design element. The variety of options are extensive, but when you work with Key Land Homes to build your own home, you have the chance to work with their Design Studio to help find the perfect tile to personalize your home.
Whether you go stark white or create a vivid multi-color pattern or something in between, the key is to think about how you want the tile to interact with the rest of the room. Even if you don’t want it to be a focal point, it can still have style and add to the finished look of your home. If you do want it to be more of a focal point, the sky’s the limit with colors, patterns, shapes, texture and so much more.
If you want some color, but don’t want a solid wall of color, think about patterns using varying shades or combinations of stronger colors paired with shades of white or another light neutral. This is particularly effective when you use tiles in a pattern. You can create elegant chevon mosaic patterns, or mix and match two or three shades of a color, from light to dark, using hexagonal tiles if you prefer a more random pattern. Another tranquil, yet eye-catching arrangement is the use of tiles of differing heights and lengths in multiple shades of your color of choice, such as varying light shades of blue in a bathroom. The alternating thick and thin rows have a uniformity without being boring.
Subway tile remains popular, though even it offers some variations. The original subway tile was a precise 1:2 width-to-length ratio, and while new versions keep the ratio, they’ve upped the sizes of the tiles and sometimes elongated the tile to a 1:4 ratio. Many homeowners are turning to the larger tile formats for small spaces like bathrooms for a stronger look that also gives a greater sense of space. Additionally, subway tiles, no matter the size or ratio are being created in a variety of colors, textures, finishes, and materials, such as matte finishes and even glass or stone tiles. Other options include using them vertically, rather than horizontally.
If you like the idea of patterns or stronger visual tiles, but feel that a whole backsplash may be overwhelming to the room, you could also choose a smaller area, perhaps behind the sink or stovetop for the bolder tiles, and then surround it with simpler, more subtle tiles in color and arrangement. This also works with tiles all in the same color for subtle focal shift. Try arabesque patterned tiles as one focal point framed and surrounded by regular subway tiles. It become more like hanging artwork rather than simply tiles. For a bold statement, use bright penny round tiles surrounded by darker subway tiles for an elegant but eye-catching arrangement.
No matter what you choose for your new home in Savage MN, don’t feel constrained by old design rules. Feel free to mix and match, even from wall to wall. Single color subway tiles on one wall lead to narrower tiles in multiple shades of the subway tile, creating a bold visual that still has a sense of flow. With the help of the Design Studio available through Key Land Homes, you’ll have the chance to explore a variety of backsplash tile pattern options to create something unique and uniquely you.
