Backsplash - Make It Great!

In new construction or renovation, making a backsplash to be remembered is often overlooked. Putting 4" backsplash of the counter top material and then paint is a standard application. Tiling with subway tile looks clean and sterile. With so many decisions made on the floor color, the cabinet style and color and the countertop, many times the backsplash gets overlooked and is an afterthought..

Making a backsplash become the “Chameleon” is what I prefer.

The backsplash is a visual component of the design aesthetic, especially if under cabinet lighting application is utilized. It is the opportunity to tie many materials together.

For example, you have blond tone hardwood floor, white painted cabinets, mid-tone multi colored counters. In this scenario, the backsplash can tie the yellow (floor), white (cabinets), and kaleidoscope of white, yellow and grey (counters) can all be combined nicely with not only the color of the backsplash, but the pattern and scale of the material.

In this situation, a strong geometric pattern in a 4” x 8” size in a darker grey marble obelisk would be beautiful to tie these different colors, patterns and sizes together and then be highlighted with lighting.

Under cabinet lighting is an excellent way to magnify the detail of a backsplash and give it drama – especially at night.

Another method that is successful and allows the tile to stand on it’s own is not to tile directly to a stone counter, but to put a 1” splash siliconed to the countertop. It can be cut down in depth to include the depth of the tile and mortar base. This way, when you wipe down your counters, you are not wiping away grout (sand based), and there are less cracks with this method.