15 Backsplash Colors That Look Incredible with Gray Countertops

Gray countertops are stylish, modern, and easily matched since they’re a neutral shade. Gray countertops, whether in natural or engineered material, are a time-enduring shade that can be applied to any interior style. The conforming tone can exude either a sophisticated or casual interior style, matching it with the right colors. A carefully chosen backsplash for gray countertops can enhance this versatility, further elevating the room’s aesthetics.

Since the 1980s and 1990s, backsplashes in gray shades have become popular, especially as quartz, marble, and solid surface countertops became widely available. With all these choices, its important to carefully consider your other color and finish elements to get cohesive results.

What Backsplash Color Goes With Gray Counters?

White

Monochromatic for a Sophisticated and Modern Look: A white backsplash complements well with any color, and that includes various shades of gray. Whether the gray countertop has a warm or cold undertone, when complemented with white, it is easily matched, giving it a clean and neat look.

Adding a vibrant accent, such as lime green or yellow, can liven up the two neutrals. For instance, inlay a vibrant tile among the neutral backsplash. To further amp up the look, choose strong metallic accents or hardware. 

Blue

Inspiring and Adds Life to the Neutral Tone: Taken from the elements in nature, the myriad of shades of blue is an easy mood shifter, creating a calm and relaxing interior. Blue, when matched with gray, balances off the neutral tone, giving it life without overshadowing other elements. This can work for modern, contemporary, traditional, farmhouse, eclectic, Scandinavian, Mediterranean, and coastal kitchen backsplashes.

However, you can bring in the cool tone dominantly with a bolder blue, such as navy blue, azure, or cobalt blue backsplash. A warm undertone for gray types of kitchen countertops helps balance out the cool tones.

Teal or Turquoise

Gives the Feeling of Freedom and Revitalization: Teal and turquoise represent the infinite sky and deep sea, together with the revitalizing qualities of green. Combined with a countertop in modest gray, each area can be showcased with supporting elements such as hardware.  

Charcoal or Dark Gray

Modern Gray on Gray Charm for Any Kitchen Size: Aside from being less likely to show dirt, charcoal or any other dark gray can make a statement, especially with sleek profiles and other modern elements. With gray on gray, the focus is on the countertop itself. This is because there is less distraction from any other details or ornamentation.

Beige or Cream

A Comforting and Familiar Shade: From comfort food to the warm colors of the sun, beige and cream colors complement well with the cool gray. Undertones of yellow or orange shades on your backsplash give a rich and cozy feel to a deep gray countertop. Moreover, beige and cream colors are common wall interior paint colors, so it’s easy to have a cohesive color scheme throughout the household.

Dark Red or Maroon: Energize the Space

The dark red backsplash draws the eyes to the kitchen countertop area and creates the perfect focal point in the kitchen. If you plan to layer materials with neutral tones, a pop of red will surely liven up the space and add depth to the room. You don’t need to assign the bold color throughout your backsplash. You can paint a section or area, instead.

Jet Black and Other Black Shades: Elegant and Sophisticated

One of the most eye-catching materials today is elegant black. A kitchen with a gray countertop will look sophisticated with a black backsplash, especially with today’s luxurious-looking tiles. 

Tile is probably the most versatile of all backsplash options. The range of colors and finishes available in field tile for under $10 is literally unfathomable. – Old House Interiors Jun-Jul 2009

With a play of light, either natural or artificial, a black backsplash looks mesmerizing and has that enigmatic quality. Subway tiles in black with white grout are also a great idea, as they give vintage and Art Deco interiors. 

Dark and Emerald Green: Uplifting and Soothing Colors

One of the newest trends in kitchen and bathroom backsplashes is decorative tiles in emerald or dark green. It is a refreshing tone to see in a busy kitchen or bathroom since these spaces are one of the most visited areas in a household.

Having a cool tone with a modest gray makes it easy on the eyes without looking dull or boring. Dark and emerald green can provide that soothing and uplifting hue while you have a modern and easy-to-maintain gray countertop.

Lemony and Yellow Tones: A Strong Contrast that Gives a Zesty Quality

Unless you don’t want too much attention put on your backsplash, a yellow shade is an effective and eye-catching color for your kitchen or bathroom. It gives a youthful and fun look, but you can mellow it down by choosing a lighter shade of yellow, such as parchment or light yellow.

Another option is to combine it with white. For instance, you can add white tiles to form a mosaic tile kitchen backsplash or use white grout to soften the bright color when using tiles.

Blush Pink or Pastel Pink: Adds Energy and Warmth to a Space

Often associated with love and femininity, pink shades give energy and warmth to the reserved quality of gray. These shades are great for a monochromatic color scheme, as they break the monotonous colors, adding life and depth. As a backsplash color, it draws the eyes to the working area and can be combined with rose gold, brass, and other metallic shades.

Should The Backsplash Be Lighter or Darker Than The Counter?

Whether you go for a lighter or darker countertop depends on what look you are aiming for, as lighter countertops show blemishes and dirt easily, which can be hard to maintain. However, light colors can make a countertop look cleaner because of the brighter tone, and it’s easy to spot any damage where you can easily fix it to avoid further damage.

Darker countertops give that sophisticated look, but it can be tricky to get the right elements together, such as the material or the overall profile of the countertop. The greatest advantage is that cracks, minor damage, or dirt are not easily noticed.

Is Matching a Gray Backsplash With Countertops a Good Idea?

There are no hard and fast rules regarding the right backsplash color for your kitchen or bathroom, as each color has its benefits and limitations. Since gray can have different undertones at different temperatures, mixing and matching with any shade is easy. In addition, it can also complement other colors, making it a very versatile color for a backsplash.

Here are a few designer tips to help you choose:

• Having the same color for both can create a consistent design theme that looks stunning for a modern or minimalist kitchen or bathroom style.
• Play with different textures and patterns to break up the look and add visual interest.
• Try using different shade variations, such as a lighter backsplash combined with a darker countertop or vice versa, to add dimension and depth.
• Consider different surface finishes, such as a glossy backsplash, which can add luminosity to a kitchen with matte gray countertops.
• Ensure you maximize natural light to bring out the surface’s gray hues or artificial lighting that can enhance the material’s textures and patterns.