The backsplash can be an extension of the countertop if you wish, but it’s a small enough area to add some creativity. For years your options focused on tile backsplash ideas but that's not what we’re talking about today. These backsplash ideas for kitchens and bathrooms offer an opportunity to express your home's style and your personality too.
Wondering how to find and pick other materials for your kitchen or bathroom backsplash? The only thing you want to consider is how easy the material is to keep clean, as we know there will be times when food splashes onto the wall.
Kitchen Backsplash Ideas Using Stainless Steel
Stainless steel combines a clean, utilitarian appearance with ease of cleaning. It’s one of the most sensible, long-lasting of all kitchen remodeling ideas.
A stainless backsplash can be installed in sheets, which means seams are minimal (Pinterest offers other stainless kitchen backsplash ideas). You’ll have fewer places where kitchen grime collects, so cleanup doesn’t have to be a chore. They can be bonded to the wall using an adhesive, or fastened using screws.
Stainless is also available in tiles. This is a newer look that combines the shine of metal with the visual interest and texture of tile. They’re available in rectangles, circles, squares, and other geometric patterns, and are installed the same as any other tile.
One issue with stainless tiles is that they are hollow, not solid. They’ll sink down into the mortar a bit, but are more prone to dents than stainless sheets that are mounted flush against the wall.
Quartz Backsplash Ideas Compliment Countertops
Quartz is a designer favorite for kitchens and bathrooms for many reasons. It's an engineered stone made from natural quartz that's ground into dust, which is reformed using synthetic binders plus pigments to create the desired patterns.
Quartz backsplashes blend well with solid color countertops. They're one of the newest backsplash ideas and a great option for contemporary kitchens with their sleek appearance. They're manufactured as slabs so they don't have grout lines, which makes them look less cluttered which can make a small kitchen feel larger.
- Low-maintenance because it's non-porous, so it doesn't absorb dirt like marble and granite will … so it doesn't need to be sealed.
- Moisture resistant which is perfect in a kitchen, so you don't have to worry about getting your backsplash wet.
- Quart comes in many different colors and designs with subtle patterns to fit the kitchen style you're creating.
- A quartz backsplash may discolor if exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light or direct sunlight, so be careful about where you use it, indoors or outside.
Glass Offers Many Kitchen Remodeling Ideas
A glass backsplash lets you have almost any look you want. Glass is cut to fit and installed in large sheets, so it can be virtually seamless. Tempered glass is safer, since accidental breakage won’t leave shards.
What's fun about this backsplash idea, is you get to paint the kitchen or bathroom backsplash area any vibrant accent color you want … and then cover it with glass. The paint won’t wear off no matter how often you clean. You can also glue beautiful textiles from cotton fabric, burlap, or even an extraordinary tapestry, to the wall, and the glass overlay will protect it indefinitely. Some installers also offer glass that’s painted on the back side.
Lighting is another way to enhance the look of a glass backsplash. Some installers can add back lights, making the glass glow from within, and under-cabinet lights can illuminate the backsplash from above.
Pressed Tin For Old-Fashioned Kitchen Charm
They’re not for everyone, but old-fashioned pressed tin tiles, often found on ceilings of older homes, have the shine and texture to bring a backsplash to life. What you might not know is that some plastic backsplach tiles are nearly identical to tin, giving you a backsplash you can install yourself using adhesive, staples or tacks, and trim.
Pressed tiles are also available in a full range of colors and textures at The American Tin Ceiling Company. And with plastics, you can get an even wider range of looks, from bright and shiny faux metal to aged faux metal that has a warmer patina.
The texture that makes pressed metal and plastic tiles charming can be a problem. They’re difficult to clean and seams can collect grease or allow water to seep behind. There are also more seams since each tile is separate.
Backsplash Ideas Using Mosaics
Small, broken bites of tile in an array of colors can transform your bathroom or kitchen backsplash from plain to a work of art. Some mosaics are created as an abstract mishmash of colors, while others become images like palm trees, words, animals, or anything else you like.
Some mosaics are available in pre-made patterns. They’re mounted on mesh sheets, which means the whole design is pressed into the mortar at once. For larger designs, there may be two or more sheets that fit side-by-side.
Mosaics can be hard to clean because the grout lines are as prominent as the tile pieces. To help make cleaning easier, seal the grout after installation, and seal it again periodically. Once kitchen grease seeps into porous grout, you may never get it out again.
The back splash is one place where you can think about unusual kitchen remodeling ideas without breaking the bank. Where countertops should be durable, the back splash is smaller and doesn’t suffer the same abuse.
Budget Friendly Peel & Stick Backsplash Tile Ideas
If you've ever explored any of the backsplash options above, you know they are rather pricey. Fortunately there are budget friendly faux tile backsplash ideas for those that want to add some sparkle without breaking the bank. These peel and stick, faux tiles are made from:
- Water resistant vinyl
- Glass or hardened silica gel
- Metal with aluminum and tin the most common metals (see below).
- Most of the faux tiles come in sheets (10 x 10 to to 14 x 14) and some are packaged like wallpaper.
Curious about these inexpensive kitchen and bathroom backsplash tile ideas. Here are just some of my favorites that I found on Amazon …
While these these backsplash tiles are intended for DIY installation, they can be rather tricky to apply with great results. Combining my experience running a handyman business with what I learned from reviews on the products above, here are my best tips:
- Always order 10 to 20% more materials than you think you need. You may find some shipping damage and you'll almost certainly make a few mistakes.
- The biggest complaint is the tiles don't stick, they start falling off in days. That means you may not want to rely solely on the sticky adhesive that comes on the product. Various reviewers said they used glue, putty, a spray adhesive … and some said there was enough stickiness.
- Make a paper template for areas where you need to cut around outlets, and cut the openings on a flat surface where you have more space. You may also want to trim a small amount of backing to fit tiles into corners.
- Use tools that deliver the results you want – a level to make sure tiles are level (snap a line on the wall), a straight edge for better cuts, exacto knife, etc. As a quilter, I'd probably use my rotary wheel (read: The Most Important Homeowner Hand Tools).
Have you recently installed a new back splash, or are you thinking about one in the near future? Please share your ideas, so we can all benefit from your creativity!
More Kitchen Remodeling Ideas
If you're looking for backsplash ideas for your kitchen, chances are you're remodeling your kitchen … so check out these other ideas we have here at HomeTipsforWomen.com.
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