Okay, This Is Definitely Going to Be the Big Trends in Kitchen Backsplashes for 2026 — These Super-Personal, Custom Delft Tiles Are the Coolest Way to Bring Personality to Your Space

So much of designing your home revolves around the idea of bringing as much of yourself into it as possible. We want our space to feel like a true reflection of us, of our identity, our style, and our experiences. But finding a way to do this that feels elevated and stylish can often be a bit of a struggle. Unless, that is, you use custom Delft tiles.

A modern take on a classic style, the signature blue and white painted tiles are given a new lease on life with this highly personalized and uniquely beautiful type of tile, and they make for a particularly striking kitchen backsplash idea.

But, as Adam Davies from the custom Delft tile brand, Not Quite Past, explains, "Since the Dutch started making them in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Delftware has always been about reflecting the world all around us in blue and white, like ships, animals, and tiny scenes."

Simultaneously, a reference to a long-established element of design history and a deeply personal, meaningful design feature, there's something very special about this trend, and our experts agree.

Why We Love Custom Delft Tiles

Drawing on the hundred-year-old Dutch artistic tradition of Delft tiles as a means of reflecting the outside world, this trend is, in many ways, not new at all.

However, the approach to them we're seeing at the moment still feels unmistakably modern in essence. As Adam explains, "Our Delft tiles update that idea for our own times. Instead of a generic windmill, you get your dog, your house, your kids’ favorite toy, all looking like they’ve somehow slipped back to the seventeenth century."

Interior design trends and the home are inherently personal realms, and the idea of a custom type of tile is just another way to emphasize this sense of personal identity within your space. "Having a design created for you — be it a beloved pet, favourite view or something as mundane as your trusty wellies, means the tile comes from lived experience that’s as individual as you are," comments Julia from Decorum Tiles, "It's like having a dream or a memory turned into a tiny little art work, just for you."

Another aspect of the custom Delft tile that makes it feel so special is the way it harks back to the past, referencing and acknowledging a vast history of design that came before us. This, coupled with the hands-on, deeply involved process of actually creating your own custom design, comes together to make the perfect antidote to the trend-led, fast-fashion-type approach to interior design that is becoming all too common.

"Delft was first created in the 16th-century Netherlands, so it’s a style and craft that is centuries old," says Julia. "So many things these days just feel ephemeral and trend-led, but Delft has a heritage that stands the test of time."

How to Choose Your Design

The whole beauty of the custom Delft tile is that the power is completely within your own hands; your tiles can depict any scene or image that feels particularly important or relevant to you. But if this wealth of choice feels overwhelming, it might be helpful to understand the kitchen tile trends others are adopting in their homes.

By far the most popular design, referenced by both Adam and Julia, is, perhaps unsurprisingly, that of the family pet. Adam says, "Pets are number one, with lots of slightly smug dogs and cats." A far more subtle (and in my opinion, vastly more chic) take on the animal portrait, this type of design is a lovely way to honor a family pet, immortalizing them within the heart of the home.

Another very popular design, not dissimilar to what you'd find on traditional Delft tiles, is a view or landscape of personal significance.

But while these may initially appear to be in line with traditional designs, as Adam says, on closer inspection, they have a deeper, more personal meaning. "Quite often, people ask for something that looks traditional at first glance, then you realise it’s secretly very specific to them. One customer of ours actually mixed tiles of sailing ships and nuclear submarines in a very imaginative way."

Thinking of places and images that particularly resonate with you, or moments in time that you wish to remember, can be helpful things to consider before tiling your kitchen backsplash.

How to Design a Kitchen With Custom Delft Tiles

As appealing as this style of tiles is, it can be slightly intimidating to know how to incorporate them into your kitchen layout, ensuring that they receive the attention they deserve, without making the room feel overwhelming or cluttered.

To mitigate this, Adam says, "We often suggest mixing 'special' tiles in with simpler ones so the wall doesn’t feel too busy." One way of achieving this is using them "as a panel behind the hob or range as the main feature, a small run behind the sink with family scenes, or just a few personalised tiles scattered through a larger splashback."

One helpful thing about these tiles is just how durable they are, despite their delicate appearance. "They’re fired ceramic tiles, so they can go anywhere you’d usually put tile. They wipe clean and handle heat just fine," says Adam.

This durability offers you a certain freedom in how you choose to use them within your kitchen. "Some clients use their tiles as a neat little sink backsplash, others as whole feature walls," says Julia. "We’d recommend really thinking about their overall design scheme and how everything will sit together once it's finished."

Combining custom, patterned tiles with plain tiles for a checkerboard tile pattern can be a particularly charming finish. Or, for something more bold, "you could do a Delft-style tile mural with the decoration covering a large section of tiles," suggests Julia.

In terms of materials, Adam suggests pairing these tiles with "Anything with warmth and a bit of texture: stone kitchen worktops, brass or copper fittings, and real timber." Or, he counters, "On the other hand, in a sleek, modern kitchen, you can keep everything else simple and let the Delft be the one romantic detail that brings a touch of history to an otherwise contemporary space."

Ethan Pomerance, from EPA Architecture, explains how these tiles can bring some much-needed personality into one-tone, neutral kitchens. He says, "I think they can be used effectively as an accent backsplash to provide to mono colored cabinets that don’t tend to have as much variety in their color and texture."

What Kitchen Style Do Custom Delft Tiles Look Best in?

"Delft Blue is used frequently in country, cottage-style kitchens, often combined with white or off-white tiles, like the traditional Dutch 'witjes'," shares Chanta, from StoryTiles.

However, just because this is the most typical setting for Delft tiles, this is not to say they cannot look just as effective in more industrial kitchens, with more modern design sensibilities.

As Julia explains, "Yes, they are super classic and look gorgeous in a traditional, cottage-core style, cozy kitchen. But they also look really fresh in more modern settings - they can lend an unexpected twist to a simple, sleek design with a pop of royal blue and a personal story within a pared-back design."

In modern kitchens, Delft tiles bring a sense of juxtaposition, offering a softer kitchen finish, preventing the space from feeling too cold or sterile.

"We've seen our tiles gorgeously used in everything from medieval merchants' houses in Norfolk to new-builds in Utah," says Adam.

Shop Tiles to Pair Custom Delft Tiles With

If you love the idea behind this style, you may want to have a look through this Toronto home with 19 types of tiles used throughout. Also, we reckon you'll be a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow's kitchen tiles. And if it's good enough for GOOP...