1. Add Perfectly Imperfect Details With Handmade-Look Tile

Featuring intentional variations in surface texture and color, handmade-look subway tile blends rough, unfinished rustic design with a sleek, contemporary silhouette. Choose a neutral color and pair it with natural textures for a true modern rustic look—like the Tribeca Gypsum White tile (also available in Oatmeal and Basalt) showcased on this elegant kitchen backsplash.

For a wealth of perfectly imperfect designs, explore our wide selection of handmade-look tile.

2. Choose Sustainable Hardwood

Natural, sustainable materials are essential to modern rustic design. Exposed wood beams and hardwood floors bring warmth and a rugged aesthetic to any space. Made with a eucalyptus core and an oak veneer, engineered hardwood combines the beauty of solid wood with exceptional durability and sustainability. Featuring our exclusive Corlee Heritage Oak flooring, this bright, open space shows how you can extend this modern rustic element from your kitchen to the rest of your home.

Shop our naturally beautiful selection of engineered hardwood for more sustainable styles.

3. Pair White With White

Bright, elegant and endlessly versatile, white tile always feels chic and clean. If you love the airy look of an all-white kitchen, pair your white cabinetry and countertops with white marble—natural materials like stone bring the organic details that define modern rustic design.

This beautiful kitchen, designed by @reems_design, features Hampton Carrara subway tile installed in a herringbone pattern along the backsplash. The subtle grey and beige veining adds rich visual texture, creating a subtle tonal contrast that adds depth to this monochromatic space.

Shop our exclusive white marble collections: Hampton Carrara, Calacata Evora, Volakas, Bianco Puro and Arctic White.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Creative Kitchen Backsplash Ideas to Pair With White Cabinets

4. Choose Stone & Wood Looks

If you appreciate the beauty of natural stone but want to skip the upkeep, stone-look porcelain offers an exceptionally durable and easy-to-care-for alternative. Available in sizes up to 48″ x 48″, large format porcelain tiles pair the beautiful appearance of an expansive stone slab with the scratch-, water- and stain-resistant properties of porcelain. (And unlike natural stone, man-made porcelain will never require sealing.)

Here, Navona Bianco porcelain 24″ x 48″ backsplash tile is paired with Arbour Midlands Hickory Tavern wood-look luxury vinyl flooring. Together, these materials deliver the natural look of wood and stone but are easier to maintain, easier to install and easier on the budget.

Shop our wide selection of marble-look tile and luxury vinyl flooring to find a durable look that suits your space.

MORE TO EXPLORE | How to Install Vinyl Plank Flooring

5. Pair White Subway Tile With Wood Details

If you’re updating your kitchen, you might already have a white subway tile backsplash. This classic staple is incredibly versatile and, since it first came into popularity in the early 1900s, has continued to feel contemporary. To transition into a more modern rustic look, add natural accents to complement your white subway tile—like the chic wood-patterned range hood featured in this modern kitchen, designed by @almahomes.

Pro Tip: One of our most popular styles, subway tile works with a wide range of contemporary and traditional designs, making it an excellent choice if you like to update your space regularly.

6. Use Natural Stone for a Refined Rustic Look

While today’s marble-look tiles are more convincing than ever before, no man-made material can truly capture the uniqueness and luxury of real stone. No two pieces of slate, travertine or marble are ever the same, and it’s this authenticity that makes them perfect for modern rustic design. Expressive or subtly veined, marble tile adds a refined rustic aesthetic to your kitchen backsplash—as seen in this stunning space featuring grey- and beige-veined Siberian Pearl.

Shop our most popular natural stone materials: marble, slate and travertine.

7. Match a Mosaic With Wooden Cabinets

Like natural stone, natural wood is beloved for its organic beauty and authentic feel, making it an ideal fit for modern rustic design. If your kitchen features wood with a distinctive or prominent grain, try highlighting that detail by pairing it with a geometric tile pattern—like the Imperial Moss Gloss Rhombus tile in this contemporary kitchen, designed by @cassandra_brand_interiors. The uniform grout lines running through this backsplash wonderfully contrast with the fluid, organic movement of the woodgrain in the cabinetry and range hood.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Kitchen Backsplash Tile Ideas to Pair With Wood Cabinets

8. Choose Matte Tile for a Contemporary Finish

Beautifully textured with a non-reflective surface, matte tile creates a stunning, modern backsplash. This elegant kitchen, designed by @kindwelldesignco, features Coco White Matte tile. The handmade-look tile showcases subtle color and surface variations that add refined visual texture. We love how it’s paired with white cabinets, a sleek wood range hood and chic black light fixtures for a polished modern rustic design.

9. …Or Shine With a Glossy Finish

Going in another direction, @kjbhomesmpls chose Coco White Glossy for the backsplash in this fashionable kitchen. The sleek finish reflects light, brightening the space and providing contrast to the dark wood cabinets and black countertop.

Shop this best-selling white subway tile in matte and glossy finishes, plus three other neutral colorways: Canvas Matte, Canvas Glossy and Amber Grey Glossy.

10. Feature a Dark Natural Stone

Richly textured and authentically unique, natural stone embodies the essence of modern rustic design. While white marble complements a contemporary color palette, a dark stone—such as the Silver Grey quartzite shown here—adds drama to modern spaces, especially when paired with white cabinets and sleek black fixtures.

11. Pair Stone With Steel

To integrate stainless steel appliances into a modern rustic kitchen, balance them with natural materials elsewhere in your design. A natural stone backsplash—like the Royal White Hex marble featured in this stunning space—adds rustic charm while contrasting with the sleek modern appliances. We love how the crisp geometric hexagon tile brings a dynamic, organic sense of movement to this counter-to-ceiling backsplash.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Counter-to-Ceiling Kitchen Backsplash Tile Ideas

12. Tile to Open Shelving

We love the look of tile extending from counter to ceiling in the previous space, but if your modern rustic kitchen needs added storage, consider reducing the height of your backsplash and using open shelving as a natural stopping point.

In this farmhouse-chic kitchen from I SPY DIY, customer-favorite Nuovo Riad Bianco tile is installed in a brick-lay pattern from the counter up to an extended wood floating shelf, which serves double duty as both a practical storage feature and a place to display a collection of rustic decor.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Small Kitchen Backsplash Ideas With Maximum Style

13. Create a Stylish Sense of Movement With Chevron Tile

The zigzag pattern of chevron tile naturally draws the eye across a space. When paired with the organic veining of marble, it creates a dynamic sense of movement that brings the room to life. In this gorgeous kitchen, designed by Nikki Chu, Meram Blanc Carrara Chevron tile adds soothing visual texture through its soft white and grey tones. The wicker light fixture introduces an extra layer of rustic warmth that balances the stone beautifully.

If you love the fluid movement of this backsplash, shop our wide selection of chevron tile.

14. Incorporate Organic Designs

If you think pattern has no place in modern rustic design, think again! Nature-inspired motifs can add unexpected delight to your space while staying true to the style. This charming kitchen features Morris & Co. Hawkdale Willow Olive tile; the lovely leaf pattern—drawn from historic William Morris wallpaper—adds a touch of greenery that feels both organic and modern.

Shop our wide selection of patterned tile to discover more nature-inspired designs.

15. Pair Dark Tile With Blonde Wood

Modern rustic design favors natural colors and textures, but there’s still plenty of room to express yourself while maintaining a neutral palette. Here, @thedivinelivingspace designed a space that is both soothing and tonally complex. By pairing Glass Stoney Grey tile with blonde wood and white cabinets, the room achieves a tranquil balance of contrasting elements.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Creative Kitchen Backsplash Ideas to Pair With White Cabinets

16. Fill a Large Space With Mosaic Tile

The small pieces that make up mosaic tile create a complex tableau that can make any space feel larger and more dynamic. In this beautiful kitchen, designed by Timber Trails, Hampton Carrara Tumbled Large Herringbone mosaic tile covers the expansive backsplash, providing stunning texture that stands out against the white cabinets, walls and ceiling. In a space this open, a limited palette of colors and textures maintains a sense of tranquility, while the exposed wood beams and wide stone backsplash add subtle contrast and interest.

If you love this richly textured look, explore our wide selection of mosaic tile.

17. Weave a Beautiful Backdrop

Crisp white and warm beige marble are woven together in the Sampson mosaic tile featured on this elegant kitchen backsplash. The intersecting lines of the basketweave design give the space a sense of movement that feels both orderly and organic. Gold hardware elevates the look with sleek, contemporary style, while wooden accessories enhance the tile’s subtly rugged aesthetic.

18. Infuse Your Space With the Textured Detail of Tumbled Stone

Created by quite literally tumbling raw stone with rocks, tumbled marble is at once smooth yet subtly textured. This timeworn look enhances the warmth and character that define modern rustic interiors. Here, Meram Blanc Carrara tumbled marble adds depth and personality to the counter-to-ceiling backsplash while maintaining the soft, neutral color scheme that highlights the wood accents found throughout the space.

19. Add Natural Color

Crisp white stone walls are emblematic of modern rustic design, but there’s still room for color in this contemporary style. To add vibrancy, choose hues that echo the palette found in nature. Green and blue—especially in darker or muted tones—create a calming contrast to warm-toned woods and textured stone. To further enhance the rugged, organic feel of your space, opt for handcrafted Zellige or handmade-look tile, such as the Zellige Dirty Blue Gloss tile shown here.

20. Combine With Coastal Design

There are as many design styles as there are homes—and the people who live in them—because every space, like every person, is unique. If your home already reflects a particular style, or you’re drawn to more than one aesthetic, consider blending them to create a space that truly expresses your individuality.

This kitchen, featuring subtly textured Jeffrey Alan Marks Natural Zen Birchwood White tile, white cabinetry, and a wooden countertop, embodies many characteristics of modern rustic design, while also expressing the breezy elegance of coastal chic style. By blending refined and raw elements, modern rustic design works beautifully with a wide range of contemporary looks.

If you love this relaxed, beachy vibe, explore our exclusive Jeffrey Alan Marks designer collaboration.

MORE TO EXPLORE | Tile for Every Style: Coastal Chic

21. Go Dark

While modern rustic style often favors a light color palette, incorporating darker elements adds weight and depth to your space. When choosing a dusky tile, select a material that stays true to the style. Black stone and handmade Zellige tile—like the Zellige Dark Grey Gloss tile shown here—embody the rugged, natural aesthetic characteristic of rustic design.

Love the authentically unique character of this handcrafted tile? Shop our wide selection of Zellige tile.

22. Combine Modern Rustic With Industrial Design

The modern side of this versatile style makes it especially compatible with industrial design. Whether you live in an urban loft or a suburban ranch, you can incorporate metals and cement—or cement-look large format tile—into your modern rustic space to create a chic industrial vibe. This stylish kitchen, designed by Angelia Guthrie, features a Calcata Evora Honed tile backsplash; the subtly veined white marble softens the stark industrial elements in this cool, open space.

Let’s Bring Your Dream Space to Life!

No matter your style, we have the materials, tools and expert advice you need to create a space that is uniquely you. Explore our wide selection of kitchen tile—and even more inspiring kitchen tile ideas—to find a design you’ll love. Ready for your reno? Schedule a free design consultation or stop by your local Tile Shop showroom—we’re here to help every step of the way.

The post 22 Ruggedly Chic Modern Rustic Kitchen Tile Ideas appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.

We recently got to sit down with two of our favorite designer friends, Morgan Molitor of Construction2Style and Stephanie Goldfarb of The Divine Living Space. They answered their most frequently asked tile and design questions from homeowners and fellow designers. From their favorite tiles to whether you should make a statement or keep it timeless, we got the scoop!

Q&A

Q: Do you have an exact plan for each design or do you let things fall into place?

Morgan: We have a process that we always follow that creates the plan. And we always have a design plan before we move into any construction and/or give any bids. Once we get to know our clients, their lifestyle, needs, wants, things that are important to them… this becomes the base for what creates our design plan. Once we know that, it’s simple for the elements to come together into place. 

Stephanie: A plan.. ALWAYS a plan! If you don’t have a plan you will waste money on selections that don’t go together and don’t feel cohesive.

Q: What backsplash would you recommend for a HUGE wall above our range with no uppers?

Morgan: I love statement walls and am drawn to patterns and colors. Recently actually, I just did a statement wall for a project using the Skyline with Gold Stone Mosaic.

Stephanie: There are different ways to approach it. If you want a classic look I would go with longer subway (4″ x 12″ or 4″ x 16″). There are a lot of options and colors in the Imperial collection. I would pair this tile with some chunky open shelves for a beautiful, timeless look.

Check out our guide to subway tile here.

Q: Thoughts on painting interior doors black when you have grey walls and white trim?

Morgan: Love that look and that’s actually exactly what we have in our home! Black interior doors with black casing and white door trim, white baseboards and black window trim all complimented with gray walls. Black window trim was a non-negotiable for my husband Jamie. And gray walls for me. However, we both knew we didn’t want black base trim and we both were on the same page for interior black doors. We loved how the black window trim and interior doors tied the spaces together, but were able to brighten things up with the white base trim and light gray walls.

Stephanie: We did black stained oak doors in our last home and they were gorgeous. Go for it!

Q: What are your favorite bathroom tiles right now?

Morgan: Too many to say just one! That’s what I’m loving about the time we’re living in right now. Brands, manufacturers, designers and homeowners are all wanting and willing to mix styles, patterns, and textures and incorporate different styles and elements into their home. When it comes to a bathroom, I love a good black hexagon tile, big or small, and think that will forever be in style and that subway [tile] will forever be timeless.

Stephanie: The Laura Ashley Charcoal is one of my FAVORITE choices for a laundry room, The 10” black hex for a bathroom paired with a wood vanity, the Bulevar Ceramic for a kitchen backsplash, and a 2” Carrara honed marble tile for a master bathroom floor are my current “go to’s.”  

Q: Best tile for a small bathroom floor?

Morgan: Large or small black hex is what we are drawn time and time again. Subtle and clean, yet makes a statement.

Stephanie: I always recommend using a larger tile for a smaller bathroom. I know it’s counterintuitive, but larger tiles means less grout lines so it looks less busy. I adore the Versatile Light Gray Matte for a classic look. 

Q: How do you decide which pieces to splurge vs. save on?

Morgan: It really depends on your story, your lifestyle. What space is most important to you? Where do you spend the most time within? What do you use the most? Once you’ve dialed in on how you use your home then I’d recommend splurging on those elements. If you love and cook a lot, I’d recommend splurging on your appliances. If you work from your island (like me), have a creative job, and need to continuously be inspired by your surroundings to get your creative juices flowing, a statement yet timeless backsplash is something you might want to invest in. Maybe retreating away to a little oasis and within your home every night is a must to unwind, then I’d recommend investing in your bathroom to create that spa-like feel. 

Stephanie: I tell my clients to find unique pieces for rooms you spend the most time in and then splurge on some pieces that you LOVE for those rooms. Sometimes it’s a rug, other times a light fixture, or maybe it’s a killer backsplash that will really make a statement. 

Q: Make a statement or keep it timeless?

Morgan: Both! I’m all about making a statement, however, I think you can make that timeless as well. Regardless of whether or not to make a statement or to keep it timeless in your home make sure you DO YOU. For us within our home… family, heritage, and pieces that tell a story are all important aspects to me. Both of which can make a statement and remain timeless. When it comes to colors, tiles and styles, I don’t think anything will forever remain timeless. It all evolves and comes back around in one shade, shape, form or another.

Stephanie: I’m all about the statement in my home, but I always say that as long as you stay true to yourself, it will always be in style.

Q: Grey hex tile… white or black grout?

Morgan: Depends on how dark or light it is. If it’s darker gray I’d say white grout. I love a good contrast. If you were to ask Jamie, the contractor and installer, he always says to match it. Remember, imperfections easily show when the tile pops. 

Stephanie: White for sure. I think that’s clean and classic. 

Q: Are large format-tile bathroom walls and floors the new classic or just a trend?

Morgan: I don’t think they are a new classic; I think they’ve been around but you’re just seeing more and more homeowners jump on the bandwagon, and I think it will forever be on trend.

Here, we did a large oversized black tile to give it the illusion of a black slab for half the cost. Paired it with light and bright oversized floor tile to keep it clean, simple and timeless. 

Stephanie: If they are neutral in color, I don’t think they will ever go out of style. The larger tiles that are specific colors may date themselves ten years down the road.

Learn more about how to use large-format tiles in your space here.

Q: How do you find your style?

Morgan: We found our design style when we stopped caring about what anyone else thought. Which is exactly how we’ve been remodeling our current house. I usually say my style is Eclectic Bohemian and Jamie says his design style is Craftsman. I like to make sure every single piece that comes into our home has a meaning, purpose or a story to tell, and Jamie likes to put his carpentry skills to the test. ⁠And best of all, it’s always evolving. Our style might be totally different come this time next year. And all of those elements are reflections you see within our home.⁠ If you looked at our last two homes, they’re nothing like what we’re living in now.

‘Create a space you love & your life will launch off of that.’ Everyday we get to wake up in a home, our home, that inspires, gives us energy, sends daily motivational & sentimental reminders, pushes and breathes life into us. – Morgan

Stephanie: Ha! Great question. I still don’t know what my “style” is, but I know what I love! 

Q: What is a tile you are drawn to and would love to use but haven’t had the opportunity to yet?

Morgan: I have loved the Annie Selke collection, and all the pink tiles, since I laid my eyes on them. And I’ve only gotten one client to add a subtle touch of pink tile in their twin girl jack and jill bath. I would love to have the opportunity to design out a bathroom space with the Annie Selke 3 x 12 subway in a stacked vertical layout within a shower. 2021, goals!

Read more about pink design trends here.

Stephanie: You guys have a floral tile that I have been DYING to use! Flowers are my signature; they are part of my branding and I will never tire of them. Now I just need to find a client who loves florals as much as I do.

A big thank you to Morgan and Stephanie for sharing their expertise on all things design! Follow along with their latest designs on the Construction2Style Instagram and The Divine Living Space Instagram.

The post Designer Q&A – Construction2Style & The Divine Living Space appeared first on The Tile Shop Blog.