You have your kitchen design down and you are almost ready to go but you have to decide upon the backsplash and you are torn, there is so much to choose from. This is where your kitchen design really takes on a personal touch. The backsplash is where you can use splashes of colour, personalized mosaics and add texture such as metallic or raised tiles the only limit is your imagination.
Nevertheless, don’t forget aesthetics are important but a back splash has to be durable, easy to care for and clean. These are considerations that should be taken into account when you decide upon a backsplash. Think about where the backsplash is going and what it will be impacted by in the kitchen. Are you using the same backsplash by the stove, as you would be the sink? You need to make sure you choose materials that make sense for your lifestyle and your design.
These are just some of the most popular materials and we have included their pros and cons so you can make a great decision for your kitchen.
Glass
Glass tiles have an abundance of advantages. They are a beautiful way to add colour to a kitchen and with some of the gorgeous iridescent tiles available these days you can have that little touch of bohemian chic you have always wanted. Glass tiles also add reflection, light and the appearance of space to a kitchen, which makes them suitable for all sizes of space.
Pros:
- eco-friendly and can be matched to your countertop.
- available in a wide array of sizes, shapes and colours
- very easy to clean and maintain
Cons:
- a little trickier to install because they are see through
- the smallest mistake in installation will show up
- more expensive but you can use them as an accent cutting down the cost
- they tend to be smaller than a typical ceramic tile so you will use more, the largest tends to be around 4″x 4″
Ceramic
Pros:
- affordable and available in many colours and patterns that mimic other materials
- lightweight and easy to install
- wide range of patterns that compliment other surfaces
- very durable
- come in a huge variety of sizes
Cons:
- some ceramic tiles can look cheap
- check if the tiles are sealed to make cleaning easier
- depending on the size of the tile they may require a lots more cleaning when the grout darkens over the years.
- they can be easy to install but may take a lot of grout to finish off
Marble
Pros:
- a luxury backsplash and a beautiful complement to dark cabinets
- has an elegance and depth of colour and tone that makes it stand out
- dramatic and stands out and has a soft ‘feel’
Cons:
- can be very expensive
- it can etch, chip, stain and crack quite easily
- it must be sealed every few years or stains will ‘soak’ into the stone
- can be difficult to keep clean
If you can’t decide what you want in your new kitchen come on, see us, and check out our showroom, which has samples of all types of backsplashes. Alternatively, make an appointment with one of our designers who can help you choose.
