Whether you’re doing a remodel or building a new home, planning your kitchen involves endless design decisions and if you’ve decided to go with the warm beauty of oak, you’ll need to pair it up with a gorgeous backsplash.
A backsplash is a functional aesthetic, with that being said you need to choose the right material that fits your particular needs. And one of the most crucial aspects to start on your quest for the kitchen backsplash is the color.
Color makes wonders in any space and when it comes to choosing a backsplashes there are two main principles to keep in mind and these are contrast and cohesiveness.
We’ve gathered the best backsplash colors to go with the oak cabinets either in their honey oak or reddish color tones to create that visual impact your kitchen deserves.
27 Awesome Backsplash Ideas for Oak Cabinets
Black Tile
Elevate the look of your kitchen in an instant using a black backsplash with a matt finish.
Black can add weight and dimension to your space, as the honey oak color tends to be too yellowish creating a pale look to your room.
If you’re unsure of the strong presence of black in your kitchen, you can go with a lighter hue such as greige which is a mix of beige and gray colors.
White Herringbone Tile
Since oak is a unique wood with beautiful grain and color, you may want to expose it and use a plain white. Using this simple choice can help make your oak kitchen cabinets become stand out, and look so much better.
Furthermore, the sleek and crisp appearance of the white herringbone tiles creates a clean look to your entire space.
Light Gray
Add a touch of elegance to your kitchen using a light gray mosaic. This kind of backsplash will easily modernize the looks of any kitchens, including the ones that use oak cabinets.
And since light gray is a strong neutral color, it’s pretty easy for this mosaic tile to blend with any kind of oak, from light oak, white oak, honey oak, or dark oak.
Cream
For you who want to create a totally harmonious and seamless design, then you can try this gorgeous option. Raw cream marble had a very similar tone to most oak, making this awesome backsplash go together in harmony with your oak kitchen cabinets.
These everlasting elements also will boost the prestige and glamour vibe, making it not only an enjoyable space to cook, but also becomes one interesting feature of your entire interior.
Brown Granite
Another great option to create a visual connection between your backsplash with oak cabinets is by using brown granite.
Brown granite will have a very similar tone to the oak, making them looks gorgeous together. While the granite vein and texture add more depth to the entire space.
Golden Granite
Alternatively, you can also go with golden granite. This kind of granite will work even better if you are using any type of oak wood that had yellow or orange hues, such as honey oak.
Adding a bit of glam vibrancy, the golden granite will easily turn any boring kitchen into a much more attractive and interesting one.
Travertine
Travertine is another awesome natural stone option that work nicely with wooden cabinets. This kind of stone may not as strong and intense as marble or granite, but still bring enough earthy vibe to your cooking space.
Furthermore, travertine will easily add some class and style to modernize any old, classical kitchen.
Dark Emerald
Since oak had a very strong natural look, why not combine it with other natural colors like green? Almost any green shade can work beautifully alongside oak, but one of our favorite choices is this dark emerald green.
These deep, bold shades of green bring more than just a freshness, but also a touch of glam modern appearance. Thus, you can still have a fresh, earthy design with a bit of a modern twist.
Pale Yellow
If you are using any variety of oak wood that had a slightly yellow undertone in it, then it will be a great idea to match your cabinets with pale yellow tile.
This kind of backsplash does not offer plenty of brightness and vibrancy like typical yellow, but still quite enough to lift up your entire kitchen while being in the same color tone as the oak cabinets.
Olive
Another awesome green shade that you can try to pair with your oak cabinets. Olive is a unique green shade with a hint of yellow, making this color feel much warmer than any typical green.
Thus, using olive green mosaic backsplash tile can provide plenty of warmth to lift up the mood of your home.
Nyanza
Not a famous color name but you’ve probably seen the very light green tint in many showrooms paired with the honey-colored shaker cabinets.
The gorgeous hue has a bluish undertone that adds a wisp of freshness to the warmer cabinet color tone. The result is a lively look where you can add bits of darker green embellishments.
Either go for the plane surface tiles with a matt finish and laid out in a diagonal square grid for a statement backsplash or create a more traditional surround with glossy subway tiles.
Pale Spring Bud
This is a light shade of yellow with a mix of green and blue. If you love yellowish tones but want a more modern take on your kitchen backsplash this is the perfect color to go for.
The pale spring bud goes beautifully with any tone of oak cabinet and creates a cohesive and mellow interior.
For a modern twist look for elongated hex-shaped tiles in pale spring bud or any similar hue. You’ll be surprised by how stunning it looks with your honey-toned cabinets.
Mousy Indigo
The mousy indigo on the onset looks like charcoal gray but it actually comprises blue, red, and green tinges and is considered a medium-dark shade of orange.
The darker tone works nicely with reddish oak cabinets when lined with white grouting. A striking look for your traditional wood cabinets is by having them in a diagonal square grid layout.
Though you can also go with small squares in a grid layout for streamlined oak cabinets.
Blue-gray
Since oak brings plenty of warm tones, it may be a good idea to counter it out using some cool-toned backsplash like this blue-gray. This blue-gray mosaic looks pretty awesome alongside oak cabinets, creating a well-balanced ambiance to the entire kitchen.
Moreover, adding the different hues creates more depth and richness, resulting in a much more interesting visual appearance.
Coastal Blue
If you are creating a kitchen design for coastal-theme interior or a beach house, without any doubt, this is the ideal choice. Enjoy the airy, charming farmhouse ambiance by combining this coastal blue tile with oak cabinets.
However, this option may not works well if you are using dark oak, so we highly recommend you to only use this alongside any light toned oak wood.
White Marble
White marble is a foolproof choice when it comes to backsplashes. This earthy stone not only will easily fit in into any kind of kitchen, but can also combined with literally any color palette.
So, if you are looking for a risk-free option for your kitchen, then this is surely the safest option for you.
Black Soapstone
With a beautiful color combination of neutral black with classic veining, black soapstone backsplash will turn any boring kitchen into a stylish and elegant ones.
Furthermore, this dark backsplash can unleash the chic and charming looks of the oak cabinets, making all your kitchen elements stand out together elegantly.
Gray Stone
If your goal is to create a totally natural kitchen with different earthy elements, then without any doubt, the gray stone will be the perfect option for you.
This natural combination brings multiple layers of earthy elements, while still looking pretty elegant and modern. For better results, we highly recommend you choose black stainless appliances to finish up your kitchen design.
Stacked Stone
For an even more earthy and natural appearance, you can also try using stacked stone as backsplash for your kitchen. This choice will create a rustic feel that work beautifully against wood like oak.
However, you may need to consider the maintenance that can be a bit costly when using this option.
Natural Beige Stone
Another awesome natural stone choice, but comes with a more neutral and chic modern touch. The beige natural stone can also emphasize the oak cabinets, making them stand out even more beautifully.
While the beige backsplash serve as a charming background to the kitchen.
Chinese Tea Brown
Pump the reddish color through your backsplash surround with the Spicy red-brown or Chinese tea brown.
The lovely brick color creates a cohesive look with your red oak cabinets and makes your kitchen truly the heart of the home.
Highlight the reddish color variations with warm light and you’ll get the Italian kitchen air.
Almond
If you want to make your kitchen look bright any time of the day without the dullness of the color white, go with a similar hue with a tinge of yellow-brown.
There are a lot of almond-colored tiles and the earthy tone is a favorite choice for stone cladding with varying strains and graining.
Layout 6” x 6” filed tile in a diagonal layout and add black inserts to add a pop of color to your wall.
White Coffee
Looks delicious as it sounds, the white coffee is a very light shade of brown with red, green, and blue undertones. The milky color tone gives a cohesive match to your oak cabinet but is lighter.
If you have an ample amount of kitchen cabinets in a small kitchen, having a monolithic color scheme can brighten up the room and seem visually larger.
White coffee hues are available in almost all types of interior backsplash materials such as ceramic or porcelain tiles. You can use black grout to add contrast and emphasize your it if you plan it to be your kitchen’s centerpiece.
Orange
Another best backsplash for honey oak cabinets that had some yellow-ish tint. The orange subway tile backsplash will easily make a big difference to any kitchen with its vibrant color, adding beautiful pop to make the entire kitchen fun and cheerful.
Obviously, this choice is not for everyone, but if you are kind of person who like to stand out differently from the mainstream, then this can be a great option for you.
White and Brown
Mix the bold, classical looks of brown with the clean and brightness of white by using this brown and white mosaic.
As we already said before, brown will easily blend together with oak cabinets, while the white elements of the tile create sleek and clean contrast to light up the entire kitchen. This combination will work even better for any classical-style kitchen.
White and Yellow
Another gorgeous colorful tile that can easily boost the mood of your kitchen. But unlike any plain yellow, this white and yellow provides a totally different ambiance.
The white elements of the tile help making the entire kitchen look sleek and clean, while the yellow brings enough splash to make your cooking time feel more fun and joyful.
Black and White
Black and white backsplash will easily upgrade and modernize any kitchen, so it can be a great choice for you who want to redesign your old kitchen into a fresh modern ones.
This neutral combo also gives you plenty of room to add any other colors and elements, and one of our favorite ideas is to add some vibrant accent.
Choosing the best backsplash color for kitchen with oak cabinets is both an exciting and challenging feat for any homeowner.
If in doubt it’s always safe to go with the classic tones such as white, black, or gray but don’t forget to inject your personality.
Also, consider the lighting both artificial and natural when choosing colors, as light colors can tend to be too bright during the day or dark colors can look too gloomy without proper lighting.
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