No More Subway Tile: Erin Napier's Colorful Alternative Goes Well In Modern Homes

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If there's anyone to turn to for beautiful backsplash ideas, it's Erin Napier. The HGTV star and host of "Home Town" always finds a clever way to style this functional part of a kitchen, and guess what? She doesn't rely on boring subway tiles. If you crave a unique backsplash idea that brings color and personality to a modern space, it's time to ditch the basic subway tile backsplash for a stunning alternative, and there's one in Napier's project catalogue that's likely to inspire you: blue and white pottery-inspired backsplash.

Featured in season 8, episode 12 of "Home Town," this blue and white tile backsplash adds country charm to a bungalow, but that's not all. The broken floral design looks a lot like broken pottery, adding a rustic effect to the kitchen and paying homage to the homeowners' love of blue and white china. "I found this tile that felt, to me, like broken pottery on the wall," Napier says in the episode. The tiles themselves featured a leaf-like pattern, but it doesn't repeat. Instead, each one zooms in on the leaf, creating an irregular, mosaic-like effect when used side by side.

If you've kept an eye on recent trending designs, you'll know that delft tiles have been a beautiful tile trend that everyone's using in 2026. These traditional earthenware ceramics originated from Delft in the Netherlands and feature blue, hand-painted designs. While different, Napier's design certainly takes inspiration from the style, adding a rustic look and a blue and white palette that echoes the matching tones in the cabinetry.

The tiles Napier chooses for this kitchen are a classic square, as opposed to a subway tile. It's the pattern, however, that brings them to life. The exact tile is the Bianco Deco Blossom Rice Tile in Natural from Marazzi, which costs $19.05 per square foot at Lowes. Unlike a repeating design which is, by virtue, predictable, the irregular print looks so unique. It's almost as if a complete botanical design has been broken up, with the tiles forming a mismatched mosaic.

For something more budget-friendly but with that distinctive "pottery" look Napier chose, you could always go for a classic delft tile instead. These Faccito Delft Classic Blue White Flower Inch Tile Stickers at Amazon cost just $11.99 for 24 tiles and, being peel-and-stick, they're also renter-friendly. If you're feeling truly thrifty, you could even DIY a broken pottery look from scratch. Look for blue and white china or delft plates (make sure they're not antique ones!) and smash them with a hammer before creating your own unique mosaic using a mounting mesh and mortar.

A pottery-inspired backsplash idea like Napier's is well suited for rustic kitchen ideas, where it adds traditional cottagecore charm. Use the cool blue and white tones to offset warm butcherblock countertops or wooden shaker cabinets. That said, they work equally well in a modern space with white quartz or marble counters. If you can't get enough of the look, you can of course carry the idea into your bathroom as a backsplash, too.