Article by: Jennifer Ott
While shopping recently I was struck by the prevalence of yellow hues, particularly for the latest spring fashions, in each and every store I passed. And it’s no big surprise that I’m now also seeing an uptick in requests for yellow backsplashes and wall colors for kitchens.
If you’ve shied away from yellow in the past, it’s time to revisit this hot hue. Whether you prefer a pale lemon, a warm glowing gold or an eye-popping primary, there are increasingly more options out there for yellow backsplashes. Here are 7 stunning kitchens with yellow backsplashes, as well as a few of my top picks for yellow tiles.
I would never recommend picking a backsplash color solely because it’s trendy, but if you love yellow, I think it’s a fantastic choice for a kitchen. We associate yellow with sunshine and firelight, with zesty citrus and spring’s first flowers. It’s tough to feel blue in a sunny yellow space.
The tiles used here are just the ticket in this charming, rustic kitchen. I like how the designer went for a single open shelf instead of wall cabinets, and that the tile runs straight up to the ceiling.
Backsplash: Handmade 2-inch by 2-inch ceramic tiles. For a similar look, try the bright yellow Mexican Talavera tiles from Tierra y Fuego.
Don’t want to deal with grout maintenance? Try this cool and contemporary alternative to backsplash tile: back-painted glass. This is a terrific option for those who have a specific color in mind for their backsplash and are having trouble finding it in tile form, as you can paint the glass in any color you can dream up. The bold goldenrod backsplash here adds such liveliness to this kitchen, and it plays really well with the white wall cabinets and the greenish-gray base cabinets — what an excellent combination of materials and colors.
Backsplash: Glass back-painted in Golden Sand from Dulux. For a similar paint color available in the United States, check out Yellow Coneflower from PPG Pittsburgh Paints.
Of course, paint isn’t the only thing you can put behind glass; here’s a backsplash made with fabric-backed glass. What a brilliant idea! I love the yellow and gray patterned fabric that was used; it’s busy but works, because it picks up other colors used in the kitchen. The best part about this backsplash is that it was designed so that the entire thing can be taken down and the fabric changed out as desired.
Backsplash: Custom backsplash made with ⅔-inch tempered glass, affixed with metal standoffs, over fabric attached to plywood.
These bold lemon-yellow glass mosaic tiles simply sparkle in this modern kitchen, making the backsplash the star. Which brings up an important point I like to make to clients who are on tight budgets: If your backsplash area is relatively small, such as this kitchen’s, you might be surprised how affordable even the more expensive backsplash materials can be. If you are using only a few square feet of material, it doesn’t have to be a budget buster. And if you make it the focal point of the kitchen, I say it’s money very well spent.
Backsplash: 2-inch by 2-inch Glacier Glass mosaic tile in Citrine Satin from Stone Source.
If bold yellow backsplashes just aren’t your thing, check out this beautiful glass tile in a soft sand color. I am digging this as an alternative to white subway tile. It adds the perfect wisp of color in an otherwise very neutral space. The sheen from the glass also adds a nice textural element, particularly in contrast to the more matte-finished cabinets.
Backsplash: Lucian glass tiles in Sand from Ann Sacks.
Here’s another fetching mellow yellow backsplash tile. In general I advise homeowners to pick either a bold hue or an unusual shape when selecting backsplash tile. It can help keep the tile from feeling dated too quickly. This soft yellow diamond-shaped tile has such great dimensionality as well as a glamorous, mod vibe. It’s perfect in this cool kitchen.
Backsplash: 3-inch by 9-inch diamond-shaped tiles from Heath Ceramics.
I’ve had two different clients tell me that this is their favorite kitchen on Houzz. I can see why. It’s a beautiful light-filled space with clean lines and expansive white walls that gets a warm boost from the wood floors and that fantastic yellow glass mosaic backsplash.
Backsplash: 1-inch by 2-inch glass tile in Corn, running bond pattern, from Global Tile Design.