Adding a backsplash in your kitchen or bathroom is a fantastic way to give the look of the room an upgrade without necessarily doing a full remodel. For a natural stone backsplash, you can use marble or any of the granite colors, but don’t forget about glass and metals. Whatever you end up with, it’s likely to add a lovely new texture to an otherwise undervalued, unused space.
The backsplash area, which joins the wall with the counter top, is often overlooked. But after living in a space and using it for a while, these areas tend to suffer: grease splatters, toothpaste, soap scum and stray bits of food tend to congregate there. And if all there is in that space is a pain job or some scraps of wallpaper, the wall is somewhat ruined. True, it can be periodically wiped down. But wipe wallpaper or a painted wall enough times and it begins to show. Backsplashes can protect these areas with surfaces that are meant to be wiped down and can better survive the elements of kitchen and bathroom. Over time, they pay for themselves, since a well kept backsplash gives the impression of an upgraded or remodeled room.
Tile is available in pretty much any shape, color, size and material, so matching with the rest of the room shouldn’t be too challenging, whether you go with a natural stone backsplash or otherwise. Current trends have shown a growing affinity for the color white – bright, neutral, and easy to spot when cleaning is needed. Though it’s become a DIY favorite, don’t bite off more than you can chew: hire a contractor to handle installing your backsplash for ease and peace of mind – but especially if there are any irregularities in the way the above cabinetry is cut of in the angling of the surface the backsplash is being applied to.
Perhaps you even have leftover tile slabs from a floor installation, which could be a shoe-in for a backsplash that will match. But people get fancy with these since you needn’t buy nearly as much as you would to cover a floor: white Italian marble tile, limestone slab and any of the other natural stone tiles are fair game.