Our Latest Obsession: The Unfinished Backsplash

There will always be a special place in our hearts for traditional tile installations in the kitchen, but sometimes, you want a more unexpected look. Enter: The unfinished backsplash. It’s a little less “perfect” and out of the ordinary thanks to the live edge-ish look it has, thanks to being installed without the usual finishing trim. It has a certain imperfect charm that looks fresh right now.

The green, glossy hex tiled backsplash shown above is part of studio 125‘s kitchenette. You can get another look in this photo:

The shape of the hex tile offers a contrast to the rectangular forms present in the rest of the space.

Another great hex example can be seen on stylist Jackie Brown‘s site. The smaller-scale marble hex tile backsplash is one of the most popular images on Pinterest for the “unfinished” or “jagged” backsplash look. The white walls and cabinetry creates less of a contrast, but the effect is no less dramatic.

Mandarin Stone shows a new way to try the ever-popular herringbone tile pattern, using their Carrara Polished Marble tiles. The jagged edges introduce an element of movement (a quality that’s enhanced by the veining in the marble as well) into the kitchen.

We’ve previously highlighted Kate La Vie‘s bathroom before for its interesting way with tile. The herringbone pattern in white-on-white is a lovely take on this trend.

Academy Tiles takes the look beyond the backsplash with large hexagonal tiles in a mix of colors for the bathroom. It’s not a look that’ll be for most, but it would make for a memorable result in any space.

Hand aside, the red grout of this hex tiled wall from Ideal Home adds another interesting element in a bold bathroom.

Jade from Number Five Interiors sets off her marble countertop with a white herringbone backsplash with an unfinished edge. Like Kate La Vie’s bathroom, it adds just that little extra something without distracting from the rest of the space.

But, we’re still gravitating towards contrasting marble hex tile against a darker wall, like this kitchen spotted at The Design Sheppard.