A backsplash can make, break and downright save the design of a kitchen. It's a small, but absolutely vital element that, with the slightest tweak, can push your look in one direction or another; it's ultimately responsible for tying everything together. To us, the backsplash is no small matter. For this Top Five Friday, we eagerly bring you the following five backsplash favourites from which we're sure you can draw ideas and inspiration galore. Let us know what you think!
Solid Glass
From the left: "Eluma" LED panel from Element Design, glass backsplash from Beearo
Glass tiles are ubiquitous in contemporary kitchen and bathroom design but a new glass trend is on the rise and that’s the solid glass backsplash – literally panels of glass adhered to your walls. This is a choice full of options, as the back of the glass can be painted any colour you desire, or simply frosted for a soft opacity (the option above right shows fun decals on the glass.) If you’re really adventurous, you can integrate light into the glass (above left) for an ultra modern look that’s also functional. Glass is a relatively cost-effective, green material, but labour costs can be unpredictable as not everyone is familiar with installing glass as a backsplash. Also, if you’re installing glass around a stove or anything emitting high heat, make sure you use tempered glass to avoid cracking.
For Canadian distribution of “Eluma” from Element Designs contact Bob Bryant at Bryco Sales: C: 416-722-5264 P: 416-680-2209 email: bryko@rogers.com, or Howard Enros at Blueridge Sales: C: 604-220-9498 P: 604-990-1293 email: henros@blueridgesales.ca.
Mirrored
From the left: Domino magazine, Decorno Blog
Try to see beyond the potential of this option to turn your kitchen into a bad basement wet bar, because if you succeed, the intended effect of installing a mirrored backsplash can be not only striking but a clever device to create the illusion of space. Both options above show application in traditional style kitchens, but mirrored backsplashes are great in modern design as well. The costs are loosely comparable to tile (and again, choose your installers wisely), but I won’t lie; keeping a mirrored backsplash clean may give you the crazies.
The Extended Backsplash
From the left: Decorno "Marble Madness", Decorno "Kitchen Porn"
This options isn’t so much a product as a style, but we love it, and encourage you to consider it especially if you have open shelving in place of suspended cabinetry. Extending your tiled backsplash beyond what is conventional adds sophistication to the room and height to the ceilings. It’s not exactly cost effective as it requires twice as many tiles, but if you choose just one wall such as the window wall in the example above (right), it can create a striking focal point. If you like what you see, note that both the marble and ceramic tile options are rectangular, laid in a subway-tile pattern (staked like bricks) in neutral colours – if you choose to bring your tiles all they way up, err on the safe side and keep the colour/pattern/material simple.
Paneled
From the left: Armstrong ceiling panels as backsplash as seen in Domino magazine, Decorno "Kitchen Porn"
OK, so not exactly ‘paneled’ in that basement sense again, but this option packs the most bang for your dollar. The above right example shows a backsplash made of good old bead board – better known today as prefab wainscoting – available in very reasonably priced sheets of natural wood or painted composite board at most home improvement stores. The example on the left is actually an Armstrong ceiling product applied as a backsplash, which I think is a perfect example of being creative and thinking outside the box. Both materials can be painted and sealed to ensure water resistance, and offer a great, cost-effective way to quickly the outdated and unsightly. Note: products such as the Armstrong ceiling panels, may not be sold in such small quantities as a backsplash may require, so make sure you don’t choose a product that requires you to buy much more than you need.
From the left: tiles from Mod Walls, Mod Walls tiles as seen in Domino magazine
There are many applications of decorative metal surfaces in backsplash design – solid sheets of stainless steel, traditional copper tiles, patterned sheets of various metal materials, etc. – but this stainless honeycomb tile has captured our hearts. It’s just such an irresistible pattern, that I challenge anyone to find me a kitchen in which it wouldn’t look good. (Ok, perhaps something Rococo and resplendent, but I bet if integrated properly, it could be done.) It’s not the most economical option, but it’s not the biggest of splurges either, and if you’ve gone for a subdued look of tone on tone cupboards and counter, then something like this stainless honeycomb can add a most sophisticated point of interest to your design. Look to your boutique tile stores or check out this option which ships to Canada.