Red Kitchen Tile Ideas – 8 ways to vamp up your kitchen area

The colour of passion and adventure, attention-grabbing red is a bold choice in interior decor.

Smaller tiled areas are the perfect place to unleash your creativity and experiment with a colour that you may not have in other areas of your home. Red is a brilliant accent colour and will work well against the core kitchen cabinet colours.

Introducing a vibrant colour like red into a kitchen can completely transform it, so if you’re ready to take the plunge, keep reading to find out how to introduce this dynamic shade into your home.

Deep red is a bold, bright and beautiful choice and offers a touch of glamour to any kitchen.

Image credit: @hannah_sutter_interiors

Recommended Tile: Rio Burdeos

What colours go well with red?

Red is surprisingly versatile and will work well with the most popular kitchen colours.  Red does look particularly dramatic with black, but it’s no less striking next to blue, white, grey and cream. Whatever colour your cabinets are, fitting red tiles is sure to add a kick to your kitchen.

Red kitchen tile ideas

Although you don’t have the vast range of shades that you do with some colours, you can still achieve a range of different looks with red tiles. From bright chilli red to sophisticated burgundy and subtler shades, take a look at our pick of the best red tiles for your kitchen.

Spanish-style red tiles

Red is a colour that’s often associated with hot, sunshine-blessed countries. Bring warmth to your kitchen with radiant red tiles. This Spanish kitchen design skillfully blends vibrant tiles with an otherwise neutral kitchen to maximum effect.

You can break up a wall of red tiles with a contrasting strip of colour for extra interest.

Radiant red tiles are a choice which bring warmth and comfort to your kitchen, they can add a stunning splash of colour to an often neutral coloured room.

Image credit: @tamarargoodwin

Go bold with bright red

Few colours will spice up a kitchen as well as scarlet. This brilliant shade is perfect for lifting neutral interiors and adding heaps of character.

If you’re on a budget and want to refresh your kitchen, adding new tiles is one of the most cost-effective ways to do so and it can make a phenomenal difference to the overall look of the room. If you love red but aren’t keen on a whole red room, adding a small area of tiles is an excellent way to include the colour in your home.

If you love the vibrancy of red but are unsure about a whole room in red, adding a touch of red tiling to a small area is an excellent way to include the colour in your home.

Image credit: @ourdorsetflat

Recommended Tile: Emilia Cherry 

Keep it traditional with terracotta tiles

Red doesn’t have to be bright and bold. Natural terracotta tiles have a reddish hue from the iron oxide contained in the clay. If you prefer a rustic look, terracotta tiles will help you to achieve this. As well as the traditional squares, you can choose more modern hexagonal tiles.

Terracotta tiles are extremely durable and they’ll go with most colours, making them an attractive option for your kitchen floors and walls. As terracotta is porous, it will need to be periodically sealed to protect it from water and staining.

If you’re looking for a subtle red, natural Terracotta is always a winner. Offering a rustic finish these tiles are very tough and durable, a beautiful option for both walls and floors.

Image credit: @millykr

Recommended Tile: Natural Terracotta 

Tile a splashback with variegated tiles

Brick-effect tiles are perfect for adding an industrial-style look to a room. Subway or metro tiles are one of the most popular tile designs due to their versatility and myriad layout options. We love the understated vertical stack lay, it’s great for creating the illusion of height in smaller spaces and is effortlessly elegant.

Create an impressive splashback with variegated tiles. Laid vertically they create the illusion of height in smaller spaces and are effortlessly elegant.

Image credit: @originalstyleuk

Recommended Tile: Rio Rosa

Add elements of red with patterned tiles

If you’re desperate to include red in your kitchen but can’t be persuaded to go for an all-red wall, you can introduce red more subtly, by choosing tiles that include the colour within a pattern.

Bring your kitchen walls to life with beautifully patterned mosaic tiles.  Patterned tiles are perfect for highlighting small areas, adding interest and creating a look that’s a little different.

Red can be introduced beautifully yet subtly with patterned tiles or mosaics. This adds both colour and interest to any kitchen.

Image credit: @originalstyleuk

Recommended Tile: Provenza 

Go wild with vermilion tiles

Make a statement in your kitchen with the brightest shade of red.  Created from cinnabar, a natural ore of oxidised mercury, vermilion was the priciest pigment used in Roman wall paintings. Vermilion was the most widely used shade of red around the world until the discovery of the similarly hued cadmium red.

Fiery vermilion tiles are one of the best ways to brighten up a kitchen, go bold and use them on every wall, or make a statement splashback, whichever way you use them, they’re going to look spectacular.

If you want to make a statement, bright red is the way to go. This creates a spectacular result and can be combined with many other colours.

Image credit: @originalstyleuk

Keep it sophisticated with burgundy tiles

If a deeper shade of red is more your style, opt for breathtaking burgundy tiles. Rich and refined, wine-coloured tiles will add a touch of luxury to a kitchen area.

Burgundy will sit beautifully with green, navy, black, cream and natural wood, making this shade a versatile option.

Burgundy tiles offer a sophisticated and refined look adding a touch of opulence to a kitchen area. A very versatile option, burgundy sits beautifully with green, navy, black, cream and natural wood.

Image credit: @thenordroom

Introduce a subtle shade with a Victorian-style tiled floor

Traditional Victorian floor tiles are produced in a range of subtle shades including deep red, blue, brown, ochre, black, olive green and off-white. You can purchase more modern, bright colours, but if you prefer a traditional look, opt for the historic colour schemes.

Victorian floor tiles can be arranged in a vast number of patterns including the classic chequerboard design.

Traditional Victorian floor tiles always look classic and timeless when laid in a chequerboard style

Image credit: @athomewithmelmel

Recommended Tile: Richmond Victorian Floor 

Have fun with two-colour tiles

You don’t have to cover a wall exclusively in one colour tile, mixing and matching different colours can look incredible and it’s a great idea if you’re torn between two colours!

Unless you’re the men’s England football team, red and white is a winning combination. Stick to deeper shades of red for a more luxe look or spice it up with brighter chilli shades. You can effectively combine red with white, cream, yellow, green, grey, chocolate brown, blue and black.

Recommended Tile: Lindisfarne Rich Red 

Top tips for using red tiles in a kitchen

1. Although a vibrant red can be a bold choice, there is a range of shades to choose from, depending on your preference. Red can be bold and bright or more subdued and sophisticated.
2. Combine red tiles with another colour to soften the impact.
3. If you’re keen to incorporate red tiles in your kitchen but aren’t sure which shade to go for, grab some samples and see how different tones can transform your room.
4. Use rust-red hues for a more earthy, laid-back feel and brighter shades to make a statement.

Atlas Ceramics has a beautiful selection of red porcelain and terracotta tiles to help you achieve a similar look in your kitchen or utility area. Browse our selection yourself or call one of our experts for advice