Brighten Your Kitchen with a Beautiful New Backsplash
By E. E. Kane
Photo: © Lorraine Kourafas - iStockphoto
 The backsplash in a kitchen is more than a catch-all for flying food and water droplets. It is a highlight, and if it is done right, it will enhance the style without attracting undue attention. Use the following ideas to install a new, enlivening backsplash in your kitchen.
1. Paint
By far the cheapest material, paint is always an affordable choice for a new look. If your kitchen walls still look fresh, choose a coordinating paint color for the backsplash only. A quart of paint should be enough for most kitchens, but buy a gallon in case you need several coats. You can save the extra for future touch-ups. A scrubbable paint sheen (semi-gloss) is a must for the backsplash, where food splatters are likely.
2. Wall Finishes
Most wall finishes work well on a kitchen backsplash, as long as the finished wall can be scrubbed without marring the finish. Color washing, glazing, stippling, dragging, sponging, ragging, combing and blocking can all be done in scrubbable latex paints. To increase the protection, apply a coat of non-yellowing latex polyurethane over your artwork.
3. Tile
Ceramic or porcelain tile is ideal for a kitchen backsplash. It comes in versatile colors and styles and is super easy to wipe up messy splatters. You can design your own pattern with different colors, or buy sets of 12x12 mosaic patterns. Installation is moderately easy for a beginner. It helps to have a good set of directions, and practice on a small board before you begin the backsplash project. If you paid extra for special order tile and you don’t feel comfortable with your DIY skills, spring for the professional installation.
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4. Stainless Steel
This material is used in most restaurant kitchens for its sterile qualities. In the home it also lends a contemporary feel. Some stainless steel has the practical property of accepting magnets, meaning you can post your recipes or other notes on the backsplash. While stainless steel is very easy to clean, it is easily scratched and can be damaged by harsh chemicals.
5. Wallpaper
Wallpaper is easy to install, and as long as you choose a product meant for the kitchen (specifically designed to hold up under humid conditions), it is a versatile and affordable choice. To make cleanup really easy, install glass over the wallpaper.
6. Wood
The ideal backsplash should be easy to clean, so wood isn’t necessarily the best choice. However, with the right paint you can get away with it, especially if you are an occasional, rather than avid, cook, and you don’t get too wild with the dishwater. Choose tongue-and-groove wainscoting, or bead board plywood to cut the cost. Wood laminate or wood Formica are good choices for retro kitchens.
7. Decorative Tin
Molded tin, copper, chrome or other metal decorative panels add a bold and eye-catching visual to any kitchen. A less expensive alternative is thermoplastic panels, which look surprisingly authentic and come in a variety of patterns and colors: rubbed bronze, brushed aluminum, verdigris, and copper, to name a few. Decorative tin patterns can be traditional and classy, or ultra-modern edgy.
8. Mirrors
If your kitchen is small, every little trick of the eye helps. Mirrors open up spaces and satisfy the backsplash demand for easy maintenance. Mirrors can look sophisticated in the right kitchens, and kitschy in others. Test the look with a full-length mirror. With mirrors and a light palette, your small kitchen will look larger. |
