This content was originally published on OldHouseOnline.com and has been republished here as part of a merger between our two businesses. All copy is presented here as it originally appeared there.
Kitchens are usually all granite counters and kitchen cabinets. This usually leaves little-to-no room for us to paint our kitchen walls. In other words, our kitchen’s ambiance usually just narrows down to cabinets, ceilings, our counter space, and just that little area between the counter and floating cabinets.
How we choose to cover that wall is what we call a wall backsplash. We’re here to fill you in on how a wall backsplash in your kitchen benefits you. In other words, we’re basically just advising you to NOT paint that little area between your stove top and chimney – we’re suggesting that you install tiles on it. Here’s why:
A Wall Backsplash Defines Your Kitchen’s Theme
You can combine the aesthetics of your floor, cabinets, and wall backsplash and define a theme for your kitchen. Go for a wooden floor, light brown cabinets, and classic white brick-print walls for a minimal and easy makeover. You can also go for a dark theme and gray wall-patterned backsplash for a more sophisticated look.
- Makes clean-up easy
Since a wall backsplash is usually basically done with tiles, it makes it extremely convenient for you to clean your walls. The area right behind the stove, in particular, is constantly suffering due to oil stains and food splashes. But don’t worry, it’s nothing that a tile cleaner and a few wipes won’t clean.
- You can use them to create a cool focal point
You can choose your backsplash tiles multi-colored. Buy both the colors in a 4:1 ratio, with light color being in excess. Use the dark color to create a small focal point right where everybody can see it. It’ll be an instant eye-catcher and if you can make a cool pattern or design out of the dark color, even better!
- Add strength to your damaged walls
Over time, our walls usually suffer due to water seepage and general deterioration of paint and cement. Since tiles are usually installed with a mixture of tile bond and cement, it helps add strength and integrity to our damaged walls.
- It protects your walls from moisture
Moisture is a very common phenomenon. It tends to get inside our walls and sits in the base. You don’t see it throughout the summer but as soon as the humidity and cold weather kick in, you see your paint chipping off in patches. When you install a wall backsplash, you can say goodbye to moisture for good!
- They’re super easy to install and last for years
The only tricky part is making sure you’re aligning the tiles well. Besides that, all you need is a mixture of tile bond and cement. Apply it to the back of your tiles and hold the tile in its position until it sticks. Once it’s installed, the backsplash is sure to last you two to three years if you clean it regularly.
- Increase the value of our home
When it comes to increasing the value of your home, anything you can do to make it look better works. A wall backsplash is an excellent aesthetic addition so it pops out instantly and serves as a statement piece to the buyer.
Summing Up: Here’s a Timeless Kitchen Backsplash Idea
If you’re not sure how to go about choosing the right design for your kitchen backsplash, white subway tiles are a classic and hands-down, the safest option you could go for. Lastly, we advise that you avoid going for tiles with engraved patterns since dirt and oil will accumulate inside them, making them difficult to clean.
