The Kitchen Backsplash
The kitchen backsplash takes a lot of abuse. Food coats its surface by cook top and food prep areas, and water continually splashes it above the sink where dish washing takes place. Yet no other part of the kitchen sets its tone and expresses a homeowner’s personality quite the way the backsplash does.
Options abound for creating a unique and beautiful backsplash. Whatever you choose, however, first consider the placement of switches, outlets and pot fillers, which can really detract from the overall design of the backsplash if they are positioned wrong. For instance, if the border design runs through an outlet cover it can really be disruptive to the overall look. The best way to avoid this issue is to have your electrician place outlets very close to the countertop and run them horizontally instead of vertically. Another alternative is to use plug molding, which is installed under the cabinets and is hidden by light rails trim. A countertop disposer switch is another way to avoid having a disposer switch on the tile backsplash.
When you are ready to choose your tile, bring your countertop and cabinet finish selections along with your kitchen plans and elevations with you to the tile store to help you find just the right thing. Your tile choice should work with the height dimensions between the countertop and bottom of the wall cabinets. When selecting your backsplash material it is best to consider all the dimensions so that there are as few small tile cuts as possible. A huge variety of materials and colors are available, and what follows is a rundown on the most popular of them.
Patterned tiles work well to create an overall pattern repeat similar to that of wallpaper. Mosaic tiles are another great option for backsplash. The mosaic creates texture and can offer an abundance of patterns, shapes, colors and materials, including stone, glass, metal and slate. Mosaic blends work well when there are different height backsplash areas like under the window sill, behind a hood area, along a peninsula or inside an open shelf.Glass tiles are very popular for the contemporary, eclectic and transitional kitchens. The ease of maintenance for glass is a great motivator in using it, and its reflective qualities provide light and color. Glass tiles come in a variety of colors, textures, and patterns running the gamut from large, contemporary tiles to mosaics.
Hand-painted ceramic or stone tiles provide a beautiful, customized backsplash that is unique to your kitchen. Many art tile companies offer murals, borders and decorative tile designs that can be made to order using your color palette. Neutral field tile to accompany a mural can be an accent or a contrast.
Decorative tiles can work in a multitude of ways, creating crown moldings, borders, decorative field tiles or dots. Options for glazes are extensive and can be custom-made if the client wishes. Backsplashes above professional cook top areas offer a wonderful space to create a visual focal point; popular decorative themes include bees, butterflies, acorns, animals, and floral motifs.
Glass tiles are very popular for the contemporary, eclectic and transitional kitchens. The ease of maintenance for glass is a great motivator in using it, and its reflective qualities provide light and color. Glass tiles come in a variety of colors, textures, and patterns running the gamut from large, contemporary tiles to mosaics.