Herringbone Kitchen Backsplash in Capitol View

This kitchen backsplash in a Capitol View home was installed in a herringbone pattern using cream subway tile. Herringbone requires a center reference line established horizontally before any tile is set, and all cuts at the perimeter are angled. The tile run extends from the counter surface up to the underside of the floating oak shelves, with the shelf brackets sitting against the finished tile.

The key challenge with herringbone is keeping the 45-degree angle consistent across the full width of the backsplash. We use a snapped chalk line and check the pattern every several courses rather than assuming the angle is holding. One degree of drift over six feet of backsplash is visible at the end of the run.