Tile & Backsplash – Part 2: Choosing the Right Tile : Backsplash Styles & Flooring Options
Choosing kitchen tile is about more than picking a color you like. The right material should match how your kitchen works, how much cleaning you want to do, and the style of your cabinets, counters, and flooring. In this second part of our three-part series, I’m breaking down popular tile options for Utah kitchens: from classic subway tile to durable porcelain flooring and handcrafted zellige backsplash tile.
Ceramic Tile: A Flexible Backsplash Favorite
Ceramic tile is one of the most popular choices for a tile backsplash because it offers a wide range of colors, shapes, patterns, and prices. It is relatively easy to clean, simple to coordinate with cabinetry, and available in familiar styles such as subway tile, hexagons, mosaics, and decorative patterns.
For most kitchen walls, quality ceramic tile provides excellent water resistance and everyday durability. It is especially useful behind countertops, around a range hood, and beneath upper cabinets. A glossy ceramic finish can reflect light and make a smaller kitchen feel brighter, while matte ceramic creates a softer, more understated appearance.
Porcelain Tile: The Best Choice for Kitchen Flooring
For kitchen flooring, porcelain is often the strongest all-around option. Porcelain is denser than standard ceramic tile and absorbs less water, making it well suited for spills, tracked-in moisture, and busy households. When the product is properly rated for floor use and foot traffic, it can stand up to years of cooking, cleaning, pets, and daily activity.
Porcelain is also available in large-format sizes and realistic stone- or wood-look designs. A matte or textured surface can provide a more natural appearance and help reduce the visibility of small smudges. Always confirm that a specific product is approved for flooring before installation.
Large-format porcelain also creates fewer grout lines, which can make the floor easier to maintain and give the kitchen a clean, spacious appearance.
Natural Stone: Marble, Travertine, Slate, and Granite
Natural stone adds variation that manufactured tile cannot perfectly duplicate:
Marble brings elegant veining and a high-end look but can etch or stain without proper care.
Travertine offers warm, earthy character and works well in traditional or rustic kitchens.
Slate provides deeper color, texture, and a more organic appearance.
Granite tile is durable and distinctive, with strong patterns that can become a focal point.
Natural stone can be used on backsplashes or floors, but it generally requires sealing and more attentive maintenance than porcelain or ceramic. If your countertop already has dramatic veining, a quieter stone tile may create a better balance.
Glass, Subway, Mosaic, and Handmade Tile
Glass tile backsplash installations remain popular because glass reflects light and adds color without making the room feel heavy. Glass is commonly used in mosaic sheets, linear patterns, and accent areas behind the range. It is usually better suited to walls than floors because of slip and impact considerations.
Subway tile remains a reliable choice for nearly any cabinet style. Standard 3-by-6-inch tile installed in a running-bond pattern feels classic, while elongated subway tile or a stacked layout looks more contemporary. Herringbone installation adds movement but requires more layout and cutting precision.
Mosaic sheets are helpful for adding detail, especially in a small accent area. They may feature ceramic, glass, stone, or a combination of materials. Handmade or zellige tile creates warmth through irregular edges, subtle surface variation, and changing glaze tones. That character is beautiful, but installation requires careful planning because the variation is part of the finished look.
Textured or three-dimensional tile can add depth to a neutral kitchen. Use it thoughtfully, since deep texture may require more attention when cleaning near cooking areas.
Grout and Finish Matter
Grout affects both appearance and maintenance. Standard cement-based grout is common and economical, while epoxy grout offers strong stain resistance and is useful in areas that receive heavy use. Grout color can match the tile for a calm, continuous surface or contrast with it to emphasize the pattern.
Glossy tile reflects more light and is often easier to wipe clean on a backsplash. Matte tile offers a modern, natural look and can be more forgiving of fingerprints and small water marks. For floors, a properly rated matte or textured porcelain is usually a practical choice.
The best kitchen design connects the backsplash to the floor through shared undertones, cabinet hardware, or a repeated accent color. If the floor is visually busy, choose a simpler backsplash. If the floor is quiet, a mosaic, zellige, or patterned tile can become the kitchen’s focal point.
For pattern inspiration, Daltile’s backsplash layout guide is a helpful starting point. For broader kitchen planning, visit our kitchen remodeling guide.
Plan Your Kitchen Tile Installation
Tile can improve cleanliness, durability, style, and long-term value: but installation details matter. Proper surface preparation, layout, waterproofing where needed, expansion planning, and grout selection all help protect your investment.
At Your Handyman Pros, I’m Mike Sansing, a licensed B100 General Contractor and licensed and insured contractor #12888335-5501. We help homeowners plan and complete kitchen tile projects throughout the Salt Lake Valley, including Herriman, Riverton, Sandy, Magna, West Valley City, South Jordan, West Jordan, Draper, Murray, Highland, Cottonwood, Union Park, Taylorsville, Kearns, and surrounding communities.
Call 801-949-2376 or visit www.yourhandymanpros.com to request an estimate.
Part 3 will cover tile coordination, installation planning, longevity, and how to keep your finished kitchen looking its best.
