When it comes to decorating a kitchen, there's quite a lot to think about. The valuable appliances—from convection ovens to wine fridges—need to fit all cooking needs and work with the room's decor. Then comes selecting indestructible kitchen countertops and islands that can stand up to all types of experiments and spills. Considering those decorating decisions, it makes sense that the walls of the kitchen often get overlooked.
Since kitchens are high-traffic areas, it can be smart to take a more restrained approach to the kitchen walls. Nobody wants to see their coveted art collection accidentally covered in flour or splattered oil. One sensible way to add pattern in a cookspace: Consider cladding walls—not just the backsplash—with tile. You can also add personality to a kitchen by pulling that heirloom creamware collection out of your party closet and displaying it on open shelves in the breakfast area of the kitchen. You could even consider hiring a decorative artist to paint a one-of-a-kind border or mural across the room.
No matter if you're putting the final touches on your modern kitchen or small cook space or sprucing up the butler's pantry, you'll surely be inspired by these designer-approved ideas for wall decor. It's time to get cooking!
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
1
Keep It Simple
Roger Davies
This Napa Valley kitchen's medley of materials—cerused-oak cabinetry, slate-hued soapstone countertops, and a backsplash of earthy brown tiles—called for a more simplistic look on the walls. Designer Dan Fink placed a quirky bird artwork over the cookspace, referencing the flying friends that visit the vineyard.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
2
One-of-a-Kind Touches
Maureen M. Evans
At his San Miguel home, designer Andrew Fisher punctuated the kitchen’s floor-to-ceiling tilework with a hand-painted border, offering an artisanal touch to the room. The flooring is hand-burnished, local terra-cotta.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
3
Gallery-Like Accents
David Tsay
Earthy greens add warmth and energy while carefully-placed historic paintings give the kitchen of this 1920s Los Angeles home a sense of character. Designer Fran Keenan painted cabinetry Castle Grey by Farrow & Ball. The countertops are by Caesarstone.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4
Unexpected Tile
Douglas Friedman
Decorator Todd Romano's application of Talavera tiles in a chevron pattern puts a mod spin on the traditional kitchen backsplash. The dramatic look in the San Antonio kitchen is completed with cabinetry painted in a glossy ebony shade (Black, Fine Paints of Europe).
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
5
Tiles and Plates
Zach & Buj
Hand-painted plates over the kitchen hood mimic the colors and details seen in the vivid Moroccan- and Cuban-inspired tilework throughout this Sea Island, Georgia getaway by Sara Gilbane. The hand-forged iron bell-jar lighting is by Formations. The countertops are by Caesarstone.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
6
Tropical Wallpaper
Thomas Loof
Designer Summer Thornton color, pattern, and personality into this Naples, Florida kitchen in way of a hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper acting as a backsplash. The decorator achieved the look by placing a protective glass over the wallpaper to save it from water food messes. The leather stool upholstery is by Moore & Giles.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7
Colorful Flourishes
Dylan Thomas
Textile designer Richard Smith firmly believes you should identify your most-used room and celebrate it. For Smith, this meant placing his favorite plates over the cooktop and covering the kitchen of his English cottage in a rainbow fabric. "The French stripe patchwork on the walls pulls together the disparate elements of the kitchen, seems appropriate in both summer and winter, and makes a colorful background to frequent kitchen suppers for six or eight," he says.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
8
Subtle Statues
Emily J Followill
Architect Peter Block designed the intimate kitchen galley in Brays Island cottage with windows that appear to soar higher than the ceiling. The striking wall sculptures pull the eye up and help prevent the kitchen from feeling “boxed in." The Waterworks sink fixtures are in unlacquered brass.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
9
Collected Creamware
Thomas Loof
In John Saladino's Montecito home, a lifelong collection of Continental and English creamware dresses the kitchen walls above a repurposed 19th-century bookshelf. The vent hood is by Thermador.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10
Floral Prints
Roger Davies
Glass windows adorned with flower prints befittingly decorate the seating area of this garden kitchen at an entertaining-forward Los Angeles estate by designer Anthony Baratta. The chairs are from Style by Annick de Lorme.
Sarah DiMarco (she/her) is the associate editor at VERANDA, covering all things design, architecture, art, gardens, jewelry, travel, wine and spirits. She also manages social media for the brand.