10 Great Backsplashes to Pair With Stainless Steel Counters

So you’ve decided to prep for cooking like a pro chef — you’ve opted for stainless steel countertops. Some may fear that stainless steel will make a kitchen look cold and sterile, but it’s all about the other materials you use. It’s a wonderful choice that works well with contemporary, modern, transitional, eclectic, industrial and even traditional kitchens. A big part of landing on the style you want is pairing these sleek and hardworking countertops with the right backsplash. Here are 10 of the best combinations we’ve seen around Houzz.

Learn more about stainless steel counters

1. Colorful glass tile. “Because stainless steel is a very modern, clean and industrial material, it looks best with modern, clean, industrial materials like glass and ceramic,” interior designer Leslie Huntley says. This kitchen belongs to a young family who loves bright colors and cooking.

Tile: Daltile


2. Gray limestone. The medium- and charcoal-gray tones pick up on the colors seen in the steel, but with a completely different finish. They also add warmer hues to the cool-toned counters. White rift-cut oak cabinets also help make this modern kitchen warm and welcoming.


3. Matching stainless steel. Continuing the same backsplash gives the room a seamless look that is free of distractions. In this more traditional-style kitchen, it lets us concentrate on details like the millwork and that charming little ring-key hook next to the sink.


Here’s how the same idea applies to a contemporary kitchen. There’s a wonderful balance between the pear wood veneer of the cabinets and the sleek steel. Note also the way the long minimalist cabinet hardware, faucet and accessories accentuate the countertops.

Countertops and backsplashes: custom-fabricated by American Circle Inc. in Brooklyn, New York; sink: Blanco



Another option for the coordinating stainless steel backsplash is extending it up the wall to the popular 4-inch height.


4. Stainless mosaic tile. Houzzers, back in the early days of Houzz, we learned that a lot of you loved stainless counters when we saw the popularity of this kitchen take off. A small-scale stainless steel mosaic adds a dynamic glint here.


5. Calacatta marble slab. The wonderful large vein patterns on this material pick up on the silvery-gray tone of the steel while balancing it out with lots of elegant white and ivory.


6. Brick or brick-colored tile. Stainless steel and brick go together like warehouses and Flashdance-ing. In this kitchen, the 2-inch by 4-inch size of the tiles and the fact that they are ceramic give the usual brick look a twist.

Tile: 2-by-4-inch ceramic in offset brick pattern with Burnt finish, Ann Sacks


7. No backsplash. Stainless is a good choice for those who like a kitchen that feels minimalist, hygienic and like a professional commercial kitchen. So going with a seamless, groutless bright white wall works. Just be sure it goes along with how you cook in the kitchen — if you tend to cause splatters, don’t feel bad about it, but this is not the choice for you.


8. White subway tile. Stainless steel and subway tiles tie vintage and modern together in this bright and tidy kitchen.


In this enchanting New Zealand kitchen, the subway tile extends to the ceiling, and the stainless steel floating shelves extend high up the wall. This provides a wonderful balance between the two.


9. Recycled ceramic tiles. The lovely blue glaze of these handmade tiles is a wonderful foil for the sterile counters. Another clever move worth noting is that the backsplash is not interrupted by pesky outlets; they are tucked up underneath the cabinets instead.

Backsplash tile: Crater Lake, Fireclay Tile


10. Frosted glass mosaic tile. This pattern dances yet is subtle, due to its monochromatic color scheme. The shades of gray and white and the frosted finish are just the right transition between the stainless steel countertops and the white cabinetry. Note the way the tile is lit.


Do you have stainless steel countertops, or are you thinking about installing them? If so, please add to this list by telling us about your backsplash choice in the Comments section.

More
How to Keep Your Stainless Steel Clean
How to add a kitchen backsplashMore Houzz guides to backsplashes

URL: 10 Great Backsplashes to Pair With Stainless Steel Counters http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-26874.html