Kitchen Splashback Tile Ideas: subway, kit kat, zellige, herringbone and large format
06 October 2026 · Tile Touch
A splashback is one of the easiest ways to set the tone of a kitchen, and the tile you choose decides how much grout you clean, how the light bounces around the room and how the whole space reads. Below are five splashback styles that come up again and again, with real tiles from our range to show how each one looks in practice. If you want to see colour and finish in your own light before you commit, we post samples Australia-wide and you can visit the Waterloo showroom in Sydney.
Quick answer: which style suits what
Subway tiles are the safe, classic choice and the cheapest to install. Finger and hexagon mosaics add shape without shouting. Zellige-style and crackle glazes bring a handmade, slightly uneven character. Herringbone is a layout that works with small formats for a bit of movement. Large format means fewer grout lines and a calmer wall. Here is how each one plays out.
Subway tiles
The rectangular brick is still the most popular splashback shape, and for good reason. It suits almost any kitchen, it is forgiving to lay, and a gloss glaze reflects light back into the room. If you want the look with a touch of colour rather than plain white, the Indigo Italian Subway Gloss 48x450mm-Baby Blue is a long, slim ceramic brick in a soft blue. The length gives you fewer vertical joints than a standard brick, so the wall reads as long horizontal lines.
Lay subway in a straight stack for a modern feel, a half-brick offset for the traditional look, or run it vertically to draw the eye up behind a range.
Kit kat and hexagon mosaics
Kit kat (finger) mosaics and hexagon mosaics give you shape and texture that a flat brick cannot. Because they come on sheets, they are easier to fit around power points and tight runs than you might expect. For an elongated mosaic with a bit of geometry, the Voss Denim Gloss Long Hexagon Mosaic and the Voss Turquoise Gloss Long Hexagon Mosaic are both gloss ceramic in strong colours that work well as a feature behind open shelving or a cooktop.
If you prefer something quieter, the Lucas Mini White Gloss Hexagon Mosaic keeps the honeycomb shape in a neutral white gloss, so it adds pattern without adding colour. Gloss mosaics catch the light across every facet, which makes a small wall feel busier and brighter.
Zellige and handmade-look tiles
Zellige describes a handmade look with slight colour variation and surface movement from tile to tile, rather than the flat uniformity of a machine-printed face. If that irregular, crafted character is what you are after, a crackle glaze is a good way to get it. The Mystic Feather Crackle Jade Green Gloss Mosaic Tile 300x305mm is a jade green ceramic with a crackled gloss surface that shifts as the light moves. It reads as handmade while still arriving on an easy-to-fix sheet.
For a cleaner handmade feel in a square format, the Maison Edouard 150x150mm is a matte porcelain in a 150 x 150 mm square. The matte face hides fingerprints and splashes better than gloss, which is handy directly behind a sink or stove.
Herringbone
Herringbone is a layout as much as a tile, and it brings diagonal movement to a wall without any pattern printed on the tile itself. The Keoni Herringbone Mosaic 35x150mm-New York arrives pre-set in the herringbone pattern on a mesh sheet, so you get the woven look without lining up every single piece by hand. It suits a full splashback or a narrower band under the overhead cabinets.
Because the pieces are small, herringbone copes well with awkward corners and short runs, which is where larger tiles can force you into fiddly cuts.
Large format
Fewer tiles means fewer grout lines, and fewer grout lines means a splashback that looks calmer and wipes down faster. Large format porcelain is the go for anyone who wants a near-continuous surface. The Pols Graphite 600x600mm is a 600 x 600 mm porcelain in a natural matt finish, a dark graphite that works as a moody backdrop behind pale cabinetry. For a lighter, textured option, the Zara Cross Cut White Grip 600x600mm is a 600 x 600 mm white porcelain with a grip finish.
One thing to plan for: large tiles need a flat wall and tidy cuts around windows and sockets, so measure carefully or ask your tiler before you order.
Encaustic and feature looks
If you want a splashback that does the talking, a patterned or textured tile behind the cooktop makes a natural feature. The Odilia Encaustic Look 200x200mm-Blue Crown is a 200 x 200 mm matt porcelain with a blue encaustic-style pattern, so you get the painted-tile look without the upkeep of real cement tiles. For something with sparkle, the Rockline Silver Diamond 200x200mm is a 200 x 200 mm porcelain with a diamond finish that catches the light.
Recycled content is another option worth knowing about. The Cressida Recycled Glass Jade Green Mosaic 65x143mm is a honed glass mosaic in jade green, a softer, non-glossy take on a green splashback.
Frequently asked questions
What size tile is best for a kitchen splashback?
There is no single right size. Large format like the Pols Graphite 600x600mm gives you the fewest grout lines and the quickest clean. Small mosaics and subway bricks add more pattern and texture but mean more grout. Choose by the look you want and how much joint cleaning you are happy to do.
Gloss or matte for a splashback?
Gloss reflects light and makes a small kitchen feel brighter, which is why gloss subway and mosaics are so common. Matte finishes, like the Maison Edouard 150x150mm, hide water spots and fingerprints better, so they can be easier to keep looking clean right behind a sink or stove.
Do mosaics take longer to install?
Mosaics such as the Keoni Herringbone Mosaic 35x150mm-New York and the Lucas Mini White Gloss Hexagon Mosaic come fixed to sheets, so a tiler sets several pieces at once rather than one by one. They do involve more grouting overall, and the cutting around power points needs a careful hand.
Can I order a sample before deciding?
Yes. Samples are available and we ship Australia-wide, so you can see the real colour and finish in your own kitchen light. You are also welcome to view the full range in person at our Waterloo showroom in Sydney.