The backsplash is one area of the kitchen that can be used to create drama through colour, pattern and texture. If you are starting with a clean slate (a smooth surface) your choices for a backsplash finish are endless.
Today we'll take a look at a few of the options from the simple and inexpensive to the more difficult and pricey.
Paint, texture finishes
A good quality kitchen paint can go a long way if you want a quick update. If your backsplash surface is sound, you can create tons of drama by painting the backsplash area with a dramatic colour, like deep red. Take it one step further and create a design like a faux tile look, a stencil pattern or a custom design of your own creation. My faux tile backsplash in blue-and-white checks creates tons of drama in my little kitchen and can be changed at any time with a fresh paint colour. Paint is an inexpensive, changeable and quick way to bring a punch of colour to your kitchen. Because the backsplash area is relatively small it can withstand bold colour without seeming over the top.
You can used textured paint or roll-on products (as long as they are water-resistant) to bring in not only colour but pattern and texture as well. Places like The Faux Store carry an array of unique roll-on finishes that can be made to look like anything from stone tiles to a totally unique design of your choosing. I would consider using minimal texture on the area directly behind the sink for ease of cleaning, but you can go nuts on the rest of the backsplash area and create a design that is unique to your particular space. These products are not as easily changeable as paint might be, so be sure it's what you want before you begin.
Tiles
A tiled backsplash is the most common choice so I'm going to spend a little more time here on how best to choose what's right for you. There are so many awesome choices in tile sizes, patterns, colours and styles from which to choose that you might be overwhelmed at first. Tiles are also a tricky choice because unlike paint, they are pretty permanent so you want to make the right choice from the get-go. There are so many variables that it's hard to say what is right or wrong for a particular space.
The best way to pair down your choices is through elimination. For starters, you'll want to take stock of what you have to work with. Cabinet colour, countertop finishes and flooring all come into play. Try to create a colour board that you can take with you to the store when shopping for tiles. A 5x7-inch piece of cardboard with a paint chip matching the cabinet colour (or an actual cabinet chip if you can find one), flooring colour and countertop colour will be a good start. This will give you the general colour scheme of the kitchen. For example, honey oak wood cabinets, taupe vinyl flooring and dark brown marble countertop would be considered an earthy, warm colour palette. You'd want to stay in that colour realm. You wouldn't choose stark white tiles for the backsplash as they wouldn't work with the warm tones of the rest of the kitchen. You can now eliminate all cool colour options from your choices. At this time you can also eliminate colours that you don't like. If you hate green, then stay away from green and shades of green.
With your colour board, include photos or two of the kitchen showing all of these elements. It's harder to work from memory than you might think. Clip out a few magazine photos of what you'd like to have as well. This will keep you on track when you're faced with hundreds of choices.
Once you've narrowed down the colour arena in which you'll be working (for this example let's say a solid light sand colour) then you'll want to make a decision on the size of tile you want. (At this point you don't need to know the exact colour that you want, just what in which realm you're working. The final choice will come later.) Larger tiles are more dramatic and graphic while tiny tiles can be busy but more textual in appearance. The tile size will depend upon your taste but also on the size of the area that you'll be covering. If you have a few feet vertically between the countertop and the cabinets you might want to choose a six-inch tile, which is somewhere in the middle. If you want to use glass tiles, then the smaller tiles (one inch) can be dramatic and gorgeous. This is where your tastes come into play. What did the photos you clipped out look like? Did your taste lead you toward tiny tiles or were they large and graphic? If you're really lost at this point, try comparing it to a wallpaper pattern that is similar. Would you go for tiny checks, a more palatable medium-sized pattern or large squares on the wall? Once again, refer back to the photos of your favourite rooms for guidance.
Once you've decided on the size of tile you want to go with then you can narrow down your colour options that are available in that size of tile.
For today's example we'll go with the standard six in tiles with a light, sandy-coloured grout. Now, we have more options to play with. Do we want to create any focus areas on the backsplash or have a scattered design throughout, or maybe even a border in an accent colour? Is the countertop busy enough that a plain backsplash is warranted? You might opt for one large decorative tile over the stove or the sink to break up a plain design or add in a dark tile border as an accent. Random accent tiles scattered through the design will offer a bit of zing to the space. Again, follow where your tastes have led you so far. Check out brochures at the store as well for ideas and examples.
Installing tiles can be a DYI project but don't hesitate to hire a professional if you're unsure, especially if you're shelling out good money for high-end products.
Custom finishes
If you want something truly unique you do have other options. From stainless steel to mirrored finishes, the backsplash area can be covered with just about anything to suit your design tastes. Check out the Internet for ideas or hire a decorating consultant or kitchen designer to give you ideas on what your other options are.
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