A kitchen backsplash is a very important decorative element, as it completes and unifies the look of the room. It not only facilitates cleanup of splattered food and water around the range, sink and prep areas but also offers much more durability than paint. In fact, you can clean it every day, if necessary. Current trends and the layout of your kitchen can significantly influence your choice of wall covering. That’s why it’s always a wise idea to seek the advice of a kitchen specialist.
Selecting a kitchen backsplash is an important step when it comes to designing or renovating your living space. A well-chosen backsplash can transform a lackluster kitchen into an elegant modern room, while also protecting it from splatters and stains. But how do you go about choosing a kitchen backsplash that will correspond to your needs and your lifestyle? Here are a few factors you should consider.
The material you choose for your kitchen wall covering will depend chiefly on your tastes and your budget. However, since durability and upkeep can vary tremendously from one material to the next, it’s also important to choose one that fits your lifestyle.
Common kitchen backsplash materials include ceramic tile, natural stone, glass, metal, and wood. Each of these materials presents certain advantages and disadvantages. For instance, ceramic tile is affordable and easy to install, but it can be fragile and it requires regular maintenance. As for natural stone, it’s durable and stain-resistant, but it can be expensive and it requires professional installation.
The choice of colors and patterns for your kitchen backsplash will depend primarily on your personal tastes with regard to the design and general style of your kitchen. Kitchen wall coverings can be solid-colored or feature a pattern.
If your kitchen is already very colorful, a solid-colored backsplash could help balance the overall mood of the room. Conversely, if your kitchen is predominantly neutral in tone, the backsplash could add an interesting contrast if it includes an eye-catching design or a bold accent color.
Kitchen wall coverings may come in a single piece, as in the case of glass, stainless steel or natural stone panels, or in the form of separate tiles. These tiles can be square, rectangular, hexagonal or even irregularly shaped, thus offering you a variety of ways to personalize your kitchen. The disposition of the tiles also plays an influential role. You can consider different layouts, including a classic straight alignment, a chevron pattern for a dynamic effect or even a staggered arrangement for a more traditional look.
By playing with the color, texture and orientation of the tiles, you can create a backsplash that radically alters the appearance of your kitchen while adding a touch of originality.
The size and shape of your kitchen backsplash might depend on the configuration of the room and the height of the ceilings and appliances. It’s important to choose a wall covering that’s proportionate to the size of your kitchen so that it won’t overwhelm the space or appear too small.
If your kitchen is U-shaped, you might opt for an L-shaped backsplash to complement the layout. The surface of your backsplash will depend most of all on the structure of your kitchen and the placement of your cooktop and your sink, where the backsplash will be the most useful.
The height of your wall covering can also vary depending on your personal preferences. For a long time, it was fashionable for backsplashes to extend 6 to 18 inches from the countertop; however, the tendency today is to extend them to the top of the cabinets or even all the way to the ceiling.
The cost of your kitchen backsplash is another important factor to consider. Kitchen backsplashes can vary significantly in terms of price, according to the material, size and quality. It’s important to choose a wall covering that corresponds to your budget while still offering you optimal quality for your money.
Finally, it’s important to consider how easy or difficult it will be to install your backsplash. If you’re experienced in DIY projects, you might choose a backsplash that you could easily install yourself. However, certain materials, such as natural stone, require professional installation.
Originating in New York subway stations, this familiar material remains a very popular choice for backsplashes in today’s kitchens. However, the original 3″ x 6″ format is beginning to see some changes. In fact, you’ll now find subway tile in 3″ x 9″ and 2″ x 8″ sizes. The positioning of the tiles has also taken some new directions: instead of a half-and-half arrangement, you’ll often see ⅔ – ⅓ or even chevron patterns, lending a sense of movement to the kitchen. What’s more, subway tile now comes in diverse materials, including glass, ceramic and even porcelain, offering a wide range of choices to suit kitchens of all different styles. The colors, textures and finishes are also diverse: you can combine matte and glossy tiles, opt for embossed tiles or use contrasting grout.
The use of vertical subway tile is also an emerging trend, as it lends a touch of elegance and originality to the space. Additionally, by combining different shades of tile, you can create geometric patterns, color gradients or horizontal bands to customize your backsplash even further. As you can see, today’s subway tile has adapted to current tastes while still preserving its timeless charm.
One of the most popular new trends is to continue the counter all the way up the wall. The use of a single material for both surfaces results in a clean, streamlined look, conferring an elegant, luxurious aspect to the room as a whole. It also facilitates cleaning and maintenance by eliminating seams and uneven surfaces where dirt and grime can accumulate. Whether your counter is in quartz, Dekton or granite, it’s possible to create a wall covering from the same material, thus achieving a harmonious result. This type of backsplash is particularly suitable in modern kitchens, where the design favors sleek lines and uniformity of materials. A counter backsplash behind a decorative hood, for example, can be a particularly eye-catching way to enhance the appearance of your kitchen. To accentuate this style, you can also experiment with recessed or under-cabinet lighting to highlight the texture and sheen of the material you choose.
Think outside the box with diamond, hexagonal or arabesque backsplash tiles. Or opt for extra-large tiles in soft colors like matte blue-grey, antique pink or dusky rose to add that understated aspect that’s so popular in today’s kitchens. With a tone-on-tone backsplash, you’ll also unify the style of the kitchen by avoiding the addition of any overly conspicuous elements.
Before initiating your kitchen renovation or construction project, take the time to examine all of the aspects you need to consider. To learn more about the different styles of backsplashes so you can select the one that’s best for you, don’t hesitate to visit one of our Cuisines Verdun locations. An on-site kitchen designer will be happy to guide you in your choice of materials and advise you regarding which design will best suit your needs and preferences.
Like installation, the removal of a kitchen backsplash may require the assistance of a professional. This expert will have the necessary experience and equipment to remove the backsplash while minimizing the risk of damage to the wall or surrounding structures. However, if you’d still prefer to tackle the job yourself, here are the steps to follow:
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This is why we recommend calling on the services of a professional. However, if you enjoy DIY projects and you’d like to do the work yourself, here are the steps to follow:
This expert will have the necessary experience and equipment to remove the backsplash while minimizing the risk of damage to the wall or surrounding structures. However, if you’d still prefer to tackle the job yourself, here are the steps to follow:
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