A kitchen splashback has one practical job, protecting the wall from water, oil and heat, and one aesthetic job, setting the personality of the whole room. Almost any glazed tile handles the practical side. The choice really comes down to look, grout lines and budget.
Subway tiles: the safe bet that never dates
Subway tiles remain the most popular splashback choice in Australia for good reason. The brick format suits both classic and modern kitchens, gloss glazes wipe clean easily, and the price per square metre is among the lowest of any style. Lay them brick bond for a timeless look, stacked for something more contemporary, or herringbone for extra detail.
Kit kat tiles: texture and rhythm
Kit kat tiles, slim finger mosaics laid in vertical stacks, add fine texture that reads beautifully across a long benchtop. They come sheet mounted, so installation is faster than the delicate look suggests. Sage and forest greens are the standout colours right now.
Handmade look squares: character up close
Small squares like our 100x100 tiles bring a handmade, zellige style character with rippled glazes that catch the light. They suit kitchens that want warmth rather than gloss perfection, and they wrap neatly around windows and niches.
Large format and marble looks: fewer grout lines
If you want the splashback to read as one clean surface, a large format porcelain in a marble look gives you the stone effect without the sealing and staining risk of real marble. Fewer grout lines also means less cleaning, worth considering behind a cooktop.
Mosaics and fishscales: the statement options
Mosaic tiles and fishscale tiles turn the splashback into the feature of the room. They cost more per square metre and take longer to lay, but a splashback is a small area, so the premium is usually modest in dollar terms.
How to choose: three practical checks
- Gloss reflects light and makes small kitchens feel bigger; matt hides smudges better in busy households.
- Pick your grout colour with the tile. Contrasting grout emphasises the pattern; matching grout calms it down.
- Order 10 percent extra for cuts, and check the whole splashback area against boxes-per-square-metre coverage on the product page.
Ready to compare? Browse the full kitchen splashback tiles range, or see our kitchen splashback ideas for colour and layout inspiration.