Tired of the same old tile? Dreaming of a kitchen with character, warmth, and a touch of timeless texture? It’s time to talk about the design element that does it all: the brick backsplash. A brick backsplash kitchen isn’t just a trend; it’s a statement. It’s the perfect way to infuse your space with a story, whether you’re aiming for a cozy farmhouse vibe, a sleek industrial loft, or something uniquely you.
Forget the idea that brick is only for rustic cabins or old-world manors. Today’s brick backsplashes are incredibly versatile, coming in a range of colors, textures, and layouts that can elevate any design. From whitewashed and weathered to dark and dramatic, this humble material adds an organic, soulful layer that makes a kitchen feel truly lived-in and loved.
Ready to find your perfect match? Let’s explore some breathtaking brick backsplash ideas that will inspire your next kitchen renovation.
1. The Bold Contrast: Classic Red Brick Meets Dark Cabinetry
Let’s start with a look that is pure, confident drama. Pairing the raw, earthy texture of a classic red brick backsplash with deep, moody cabinetry creates a kitchen that is both sophisticated and inviting. The warm tones of the brick prevent dark cabinets from feeling too cold, while the sleek cabinets give the rustic brick a modern, polished edge.
This combination is all about balance. The rich color palette creates a cozy, enveloping feel, making it the perfect backdrop for everything from morning coffee to late-night conversations. It’s a look that feels grounded, historic, and utterly luxurious all at once.
- Expert Tip: To keep the space from feeling too heavy, ensure you have excellent kitchen lighting ideas. Under-cabinet lighting is a must, as it will highlight the beautiful texture of the brick.
- Get the Look: Pair this backsplash with matte black, charcoal gray, or deep dark green kitchen cabinets. Finish with warm metallic hardware like brass or copper to tie it all together.
2. The Airy Farmhouse: Whitewashed and Wonderful
If you love the texture of brick but crave a lighter, brighter aesthetic, a whitewashed brick backsplash is your dream come true. This technique softens the traditional red, creating a charming, weathered look that is the cornerstone of modern farmhouse, coastal, and shabby-chic designs.
A whitewashed finish highlights the unique shape and texture of each brick without overwhelming the space with color. It provides a subtle, rustic backdrop that feels fresh, clean, and full of character. It’s one of our favorite kitchen backsplash ideas for creating a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
- Expert Tip: You can customize the look by controlling the thickness of the wash. A light “German schmear” technique will let more of the original brick color peek through, while a heavier coat of paint creates a more uniform, textured white wall.
- Get the Look: This style pairs beautifully with light wood accents, open shelving, and creamy beige kitchen cabinets.
3. The Urban Loft: Sleek Gray Brick
Ready to see brick in a whole new light? Meet gray brick. This chic and understated option is perfect for creating a sophisticated, industrial, or modern kitchen. Unlike its red counterpart, gray brick offers a cool, neutral palette that feels clean, architectural, and effortlessly cool.
Gray brick provides texture without demanding all the attention, making it an ideal partner for bold design choices. It looks incredible with minimalist, flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and crisp, clean lines. This is how you do “rustic” in the 21st century.
- Expert Tip: Look for thin brick veneer in shades of gray. It’s easier to install than full bricks and gives you the same high-impact, authentic look.
- Get the Look: Combine a gray brick backsplash with high-gloss white or sleek walnut kitchen cabinets. A polished concrete or a clean quartz countertop will complete the sophisticated, urban aesthetic.
4. The Authentic Story: Reclaimed Rustic Brick
For those who believe a home should tell a story, nothing compares to the authentic charm of a reclaimed brick backsplash. Sourced from old buildings, each brick carries its own history, with unique imperfections, color variations, and a patina that simply can’t be replicated. This is the heart and soul of a true rustic kitchen.
A reclaimed brick wall instantly adds a sense of history and permanence to your space. The rich, varied tones—from deep reds and oranges to faded browns and charcoals—create a warm and dynamic backdrop that feels like it has always been there.
- Expert Tip: Make sure your reclaimed bricks are properly cleaned and sealed, especially behind the stove, to protect them from grease and splatters without hiding their natural texture.
- Get the Look: This backsplash is a natural fit with hearty wood elements, like thick hickory kitchen cabinets or a large farmhouse sink. Forged iron hardware and vintage-inspired lighting will enhance the historic feel.
5. The Elegant Herringbone Twist
Who says brick has to be basic? Arranging bricks in a classic herringbone pattern instantly elevates the material from rustic to refined. This dynamic layout adds a sense of movement and sophisticated geometry to your kitchen walls, turning a simple backsplash into a stunning focal point.
The angled pattern draws the eye and creates a visual texture that is both timeless and completely on-trend. It’s a fantastic way to add a layer of designer detail without introducing a new color or material. A herringbone backsplash in brick is the perfect compromise between classic charm and contemporary flair.
- Expert Tip: This pattern works beautifully with both traditional red bricks and modern thin bricks. For a more subtle effect, use a grout color that closely matches the brick. For more drama, choose a contrasting grout to make the pattern pop.
- Get the Look: Pair a brick herringbone backsplash with sleek, single-color cabinetry, like a set of stunning navy blue kitchen cabinets, to let the pattern be the star of the show.
6. Moody and Modern: The Painted Black Brick
Prepare to be bold. A painted black brick backsplash is the epitome of industrial-chic sophistication. This daring choice creates an incredible backdrop that is textural, dramatic, and surprisingly versatile. The matte or semi-gloss black finish highlights the unique shape of each brick, adding depth and dimension that you just can’t get from a flat wall.
This look is perfect for creating a cozy, cocoon-like atmosphere. When paired with the right elements, a black brick backsplash feels less like a dark cave and more like an upscale, intimate bistro. It makes a powerful statement and works wonders in both large, open-concept spaces and smaller, more defined kitchens. If you love black kitchen cabinets, this is the perfect textural complement.
- Expert Tip: Use a high-quality, durable paint designed for masonry. A satin or semi-gloss finish will be easier to wipe down than a completely matte one, which is crucial for a kitchen backsplash.
- Get the Look: Create a stunning contrast by pairing the black brick with warm oak kitchen cabinets and crisp white countertops.
7. Polished and Practical: Glazed Thin Brick
Love the shape of brick but worried about cleaning a porous surface? Say hello to glazed brick. These bricks, often sold as thin tiles, are coated with a glass-like glaze, making them non-porous, stain-resistant, and incredibly easy to wipe clean. It’s the perfect marriage of rustic form and modern function.
Glazed bricks come in a huge variety of colors, from subtle neutrals to vibrant jewel tones. The glossy finish reflects light beautifully, helping to brighten up the kitchen and add a touch of subtle glamour. This is a fantastic option for achieving a clean, polished look while still celebrating the classic, handcrafted feel of brick. Explore our gallery of white kitchen ideas to see how a textured backsplash can add depth.
- Expert Tip: The imperfections in the glaze, known as crazing, add to the charm. Look for handmade or zellige-style glazed bricks for a perfectly imperfect, artisanal finish.
- Get the Look: A wall of glossy, off-white glazed brick tiles looks phenomenal with muted gray kitchen cabinets and sleek chrome or nickel hardware.
8. The Warm Embrace: Earthy Brown Brick
Create a kitchen that feels like a warm, welcoming hug with a beautiful brown brick backsplash. With rich tones ranging from terracotta and cinnamon to deep espresso, brown brick offers a softer, earthier alternative to traditional red. It’s a wonderful choice for creating a cohesive and organic look, especially when paired with natural materials.
This style connects your kitchen to the outdoors, evoking a sense of grounded tranquility. It’s a perfect match for design styles that celebrate natural textures and colors, such as rustic, Mediterranean, or even a warm contemporary aesthetic. Paired with coordinating brown kitchen cabinets, it creates a stunning monochromatic look full of depth and texture.
- Expert Tip: To enhance the earthy vibe, choose a warm-toned grout like sand or beige. This will blend the bricks together for a softer, more seamless look.
- Get the Look: Combine a brown brick backsplash with wooden countertops, copper accents, and plenty of fresh greenery to create a truly nurturing space.
9. The Coastal Cottage: Sun-Bleached and Sandy
Capture the breezy, relaxed feeling of a seaside retreat with a light, sandy-toned brick backsplash. Think bricks in shades of beige, taupe, and pale terracotta, reminiscent of sun-bleached shores and weathered beach houses. This soft and subtle color palette provides the texture of brick without any of the visual weight.
This approach is perfect for creating a light and airy kitchen that feels both grounded and spacious. The neutral tones provide a versatile backdrop that works with a wide range of colors and styles, from nautical blue accents to minimalist Scandi design. It’s an ideal choice for a kitchen that needs a touch of texture to keep it from feeling too sterile. The soft tones would look fantastic next to statement blue kitchen cabinets.
- Expert Tip: This look is often achieved with a technique called “slurry wash” or “mortar wash,” where a thin layer of mortar is smeared over the brick face to lighten and unify the color.
- Get the Look: Pair this backsplash with light-colored cabinets, woven textures like rattan bar stools, and ocean-inspired decor for a complete coastal look.
10. The Eclectic Artist: A Creative Mix of Materials
Why settle for just one material when you can have two? For a truly unique and personalized kitchen, consider combining a brick backsplash with another material, like decorative ceramic tile. This is one of those kitchen decorating ideas that lets your personality shine.
Create a feature panel of colorful patterned tile above your stove, framed by rustic brick on either side. Or, run brick halfway up the wall and top it with a band of elegant mosaic tile. This mix-and-match approach adds layers of interest and allows you to create a one-of-a-kind design that perfectly reflects your eclectic style.
- Expert Tip: Choose one material to be the “star” and the other to be the “supporting actor” to avoid a look that feels too busy. For example, pair a simple, uniform brick with a bold, patterned tile.
- Get the Look: This approach works best in kitchens with a bohemian, artistic, or transitional style. Don’t be afraid to mix patterns, textures, and colors.
11. Mid-Century Modern Vibe: The Stacked Bond
Clean lines, simple forms, and a focus on material are the hallmarks of mid-century design. You can bring this iconic style into your kitchen by laying your brick backsplash in a “stacked bond” pattern, where bricks are aligned in straight, clean vertical and horizontal lines.
This simple, grid-like pattern removes the traditional, staggered look of brick and gives it a distinctly modern, architectural feel. It emphasizes linearity and order, which is a perfect complement to the sleek, unadorned cabinetry found in a mid-century modern kitchen. Using a thin, elongated “Roman” style brick will further enhance the retro-cool aesthetic.
- Expert Tip: Use a contrasting grout color (like a crisp white grout with a red brick) to really emphasize the grid pattern and highlight the clean, geometric lines.
- Get the Look: Pair a stacked brick backsplash with flat-panel wood cabinets, minimalist hardware, and iconic mid-century lighting fixtures.
12. Unconventionally Chic: A Touch of Pink Brick
Ready for something truly unexpected? A pink brick backsplash is a playful, charming, and incredibly chic way to infuse your kitchen with personality and warmth. This isn’t the bubblegum pink of a dollhouse; think dusty rose, soft terracotta, or a pale blush wash over traditional brick.
This soft and inviting hue can transform a kitchen into a joyful and stylish space that feels both modern and nostalgic. It’s a fantastic way to add color without overwhelming the room. In a world of white and gray, a pink kitchen with a textured brick wall is a breath of fresh air, proving that fun and sophistication can absolutely go hand-in-hand.
- Expert Tip: To achieve this look, you can source rare pale bricks or use a limewash or paint wash in a blush tone over a standard brick backsplash.
- Get the Look: Pink brick looks stunning paired with light woods, brass or gold hardware, and creamy white cabinets. It also creates a beautiful contrast with deep forest green.
13. The Retro Diner Flashback
Channel the cool, nostalgic charm of a mid-century diner or a 1970s lounge with a brick backsplash that has a distinctly retro feel. Look for bricks with a slightly orange or deep rust hue, or consider a glazed brick tile in a classic color like avocado green or harvest gold.
This style is all about having fun and embracing a bit of kitsch. It’s not about historical accuracy but about capturing a feeling of warmth, welcome, and laid-back fun. A retro kitchen is the perfect place to use bold colors and materials that make you smile every time you walk in.
- Expert Tip: The shape of the brick matters here. Look for longer, thinner bricks or classic square brick tiles to enhance the vintage aesthetic.
- Get the Look: Pair your retro brick with laminate countertops, chrome-edged details, and fun vintage accessories like a colorful stand mixer or a classic radio.
14. The Stovetop Spotlight: A Brick Arch Feature
Elevate the area around your range from a simple cooking space to a grand architectural feature with a brick arch or alcove. Building out a niche for your stovetop and covering it in brick creates a stunning focal point that evokes the image of a traditional hearth—the original heart of the home.
This design choice adds incredible depth and character, making a large kitchen feel cozier and more intimate. It not only looks beautiful but also serves a practical purpose, providing a protected, heat-resistant area for cooking. It’s a high-impact look that instantly adds a custom, high-end feel, drawing inspiration from timeless Tuscan and farmhouse kitchens. The scale of this feature can beautifully balance a large kitchen island.
- Expert Tip: Incorporate a small shelf or niche within the brick alcove to keep cooking oils, spices, and utensils close at hand.
- Get the Look: Use reclaimed or tumbled brick for an authentic, aged appearance. Frame the alcove with substantial wood trim or leave the brick edges exposed for a more rustic feel.
15. The Organic Modern Sanctuary
The organic modern style is all about blending the clean lines of modern design with the warmth and texture of natural materials. A thin brick backsplash in a soft, neutral tone like bone white, pale gray, or light beige is the perfect element to achieve this serene and sophisticated look.
The key is to choose a brick with a subtle texture and a matte finish that feels earthy and handcrafted. This creates a tactile backdrop that prevents the minimalist space from feeling cold or sterile. In an organic modern kitchen, the brick backsplash serves as a quiet, textural counterpoint to smooth wood, sleek stone, and unadorned cabinetry.
- Expert Tip: Pair the light brick with a matching or slightly lighter grout color to create a seamless, monolithic wall of texture that doesn’t feel busy.
- Get the Look: Combine this backsplash with light white oak kitchen cabinets, matte black hardware, and countertops made from a natural stone like honed marble or soapstone.
16. The Industrial Edge: Exposed and Imperfect
Embrace the raw, unfiltered beauty of an industrial loft with an exposed brick backsplash that celebrates imperfection. This look isn’t about perfectly uniform bricks; it’s about showcasing the history of the material, complete with chips, color variations, and even bits of old mortar. It’s a design choice that is confident, edgy, and full of urban character.
This style pairs exceptionally well with other industrial elements like exposed ductwork, concrete floors, and stainless steel. The warmth of the brick provides a crucial balance to these cooler materials, preventing the space from feeling stark. If you’re designing a contemporary kitchen with an industrial twist, this is your go-to texture.
- Expert Tip: To get this look without an existing brick wall, use a mix of different reclaimed thin bricks to create a patchwork of color and texture that feels authentically aged.
- Get the Look: Combine your exposed brick with open metal shelving, factory-style pendant lights, and sturdy stainless steel countertops.
17. The Tuscan Sun: Warm Terracotta Tones
Transport your kitchen to the sun-drenched hills of Italy with a warm, weathered terracotta brick backsplash. With its earthy, orange-pink hues, terracotta brick creates an atmosphere of rustic elegance and timeless comfort. This style is less about perfect lines and more about creating a rich, layered look that feels collected over time.
A terracotta backsplash has a soft, chalky texture that pairs beautifully with other natural materials like aged wood, stone floors, and wrought iron. It’s the soul of a Mediterranean or vintage kitchen, providing a warm and inviting backdrop for cooking, gathering, and savoring life.
- Expert Tip: Choose a wide, rustic-looking grout joint and apply it with a slightly messy technique (overgrouting) to enhance the authentic, old-world feel.
- Get the Look: Pair a terracotta brick backsplash with creamy, plaster-like walls, dark wooden kitchen cabinets, and a large, rustic farmhouse table as the centerpiece.
18. The Contemporary Clean Slate: Solid Painted White
While a whitewash offers a rustic, semi-transparent finish, a solid coat of white paint on a brick backsplash creates a look that is decidedly more modern and clean. This approach preserves the incredible texture of the brick while neutralizing its color, resulting in a bright, sophisticated, and highly versatile surface.
A painted white brick wall acts as a “textured neutral,” adding depth and interest without competing with other design elements. It’s the perfect backdrop for any color palette, from bold and bright to soft and serene. This look is a cornerstone of Scandinavian, modern farmhouse, and transitional styles, offering a fresh take on a classic material. We have a lot of kitchen cabinet color ideas that would pop against this clean backdrop.
- Expert Tip: Use a high-quality primer and a durable, scrubbable paint in a satin or eggshell finish to ensure your white brick stays bright and is easy to clean.
- Get the Look: Create a chic, high-contrast look by pairing a white brick backsplash with dramatic black cabinets and white countertops.
19. The Height of Drama: Floor-to-Ceiling Brick Wall
Why stop at a backsplash? For a truly immersive and high-impact statement, extend the brick from the countertop all the way to the ceiling. A full brick accent wall transforms the kitchen, creating a powerful focal point that grounds the entire space with texture, color, and architectural gravitas.
This bold move works especially well in kitchens with high ceilings or an open-concept layout, as it helps to define the kitchen zone and add a sense of warmth and intimacy. Whether you choose classic red, modern gray, or painted white, a floor-to-ceiling brick installation is a commitment to character that pays off in spades. It creates a stunning backdrop for open shelving, artwork, or statement kitchen island ideas.
- Expert Tip: To avoid overwhelming a smaller kitchen, consider using a lighter-colored brick or a whitewash finish for your full feature wall.
- Get the Look: Let the wall be the star. Keep cabinetry simple and uncluttered. Floating shelves made of thick, reclaimed wood look particularly stunning against a full brick wall.
A Foundation of Style
As you can see, a brick backsplash is so much more than a single look. It’s a versatile design foundation that can steer your kitchen towards any style imaginable—from a cozy farmhouse haven to a sleek urban loft. It’s proof that a timeless material can feel fresh, modern, and completely personal. So, which brick story will your kitchen tell?
