How to Pick the Perfect Kitchen Backsplash- Sina Architectural Design

 

The key to building a beautiful custom home is in the details. In the kitchen, people spend a lot of time on the big items like cabinets, countertops, and flooring. However, nothing can pull together a design quite like the right backsplash. Picking the perfect one isn’t always easy though. Here are a few helpful tips to make sure you’re selecting the best backsplash for your custom home kitchen.

 

Select it Last

The best way to have a cohesive design is to select materials in a certain order. Big items like countertops, cabinets, and flooring should be selected first. Then items like lighting, appliances, and cabinet hardware. Only once all of this is decided on should you start picking your backsplash. The goal of a backsplash, besides protecting your walls from water and grease, is to pull together a design. The best way to do that is to select is last. In fact, the only thing that should be chosen after a backsplash is paint colors.

 

Wait for Installation

Creating a mood board design is great, but materials and colors tend to look very different once in the space. If possible, we always recommend that clients wait to make their final backsplash decision until everything else is installed. That way you can see how colors look in your home’s lighting and how busy or plain the backsplash should be to compliment the design. More often than not, people have one backsplash idea in mind but completely change it once they see how everything looks installed.

 

Think About Materials

When we say “backsplash” people usually picture tiles, which is the most common backsplash material. However, there are tons of other options out there, including stainless steel panels, running the countertop up as the backsplash, ceramic tiles, natural stone tiles, glass, etc. Each material has their pros and cons, so be sure to consider those before selecting.

 

Consider Lighting

Often when people approach us about renovating a dark kitchen, the solution is as simple as swapping out the backsplash. Underneath cabinets is naturally dark due to the shadows the upper cabinets cast. Using a glossy, metallic, or light colors backsplash can install lighten and brighten up a kitchen. So if you have your heart set on a dark backsplash, make sure you compensate for that elsewhere.

 

Don’t Forget About Grout

If you decide to go with a tile backsplash, which most people do, then you will also have to decide on the grout color. Grout is what keeps the tile in place but it can also impact the look of the backsplash. Using a contrasting grout highlights whatever pattern you’ve laid the tile in while using a grout color similar to the tile creates a visually smoother look. It all depends on the other elements in your kitchen, but it’s something to keep in mind.

 

Don’t Combine With the 4-inch Backsplash

A common thing done in standard builds is to put in a 4-inch section of the countertop material as a backsplash. While this is great in some situations, a common mistake people make is leaving that there when putting in another backsplash. This look reads very “builder grade” and looks un-expensive. One or the other is fine but combined it doesn’t look great.

 

Final Thoughts

Nothing completes a kitchen design like a backsplash. It gives the room a finished look, as well as provides utility. Picking the right one can be easy by following our simple tips. If you have any questions or want guidance in picking the perfect backsplash for your custom home kitchen feel free to contact us!