After discussing countertops for the last two weeks, it's only natural that we move on to the topic of backsplashes today. They originated from the need to have a surface that could be easily cleaned or sterilized in a hospital or public space. The Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 was a tipping point for this. It took another decade before backsplashes were adopted into kitchens.

Many materials and products can be used for backsplashes and they can really add to your overall design, either with flourish to make a statement, or with understated simplicity.

You can use the same material as your countertop, or something different.

Plastic laminate countertops often (but not always) come with a 4” high integrated backsplash.

Stone (natural or manufactured), glass and metals can be used at various heights, ranging from the standard 4” high all the way to the underside of the cabinets. They can extend behind the range, above the sink, or all the way to the ceiling as well.

I can’t say that I’ve seen, nor would I recommend, a wood backsplash as wood and water don’t interact well together.

Tile is by far the most common material for backsplashes.

Tile can be installed from one tile high to all the way up to the cabinetry or to the ceiling. There are lots and lots of different patterns and colours depending on your preferred design. You may want to jump back into your foundational work with your dreaming and inspirational pictures to really get a good indication of the direction that you want to go.

There have been lots of trends that have come and gone for tile backsplashes – 4”x4” tiles with fruit and flower motifs, tumbled looks, colours, borders, glass mosaics. The one that has really stood the test of time seems to have been the subway tile.

Subway Tiles

The first use of the subway tile was….drum roll please….below ground in New York’s subway system!

The standard size is 3”x 6” but these days the materials, sizes and colours are played with to make all the variations seem fresh and new. Whether it's glass, white, another colour, glossy or matte or a slightly different width and height, it's still essentially a subway tile. And it’s such a classic that you can’t really go wrong with choosing it!

You may feel overwhelmed by all the possibilities.

You would absolutely NOT be alone in that. We’ve had clients not be able to make a decision until after they’ve lived in the space for a bit. For us it’s harder to work in an occupied kitchen but it's not impossible. So never fear, even if you haven’t chosen one towards the end of your project, you can always do so after the fact if you're going to go with tile. If you’re going to go with your countertop material you probably want to do it all at one go.

What to consider before going to a tile shop.

So before going to a tile shop it might be a good idea to consider again what that overall design intent is. Because once you get in there, let me tell you, there’s going to be so many options, it’s very easy to be overwhelmed.

1. Do you want a solid colour or multi-coloured/patterned/mosaic style of tile?

If you have a busy countertop you may want to be looking for a more subdued tile. If you have a uniform or a subtle look to your countertop, you may want to be a bit bolder with your colour, size, or mosaic for your backsplash. Just keep in mind what your design choices have already been up until now.

2. Colour, texture and shape.

Tiles are available in many shapes: rectangle, square, hexagon, mosaics, really long strips etc. They come in a rainbow of colours and textures to choose from (for example, antiqued, tumbled, or with a relief)

3. Layout

Even with a neutral or basic tile you can achieve a pretty dynamic look by how they are installed. Some of the layouts are a little more classic, some are a little more out there.

Classic styles are brick, stacked or herringbone. Brick is like a fireplace, where one tile bisects one tile above. Stacked is obviously one tile on top of another, and herringbone is sort of a zigzag-y pattern. Tiles can also run vertically on walls.

Tile layouts and sizes can be intermixed behind a feature such as a range or a sink in order to create an accent area. You can also use the same tile as the field but change the orientation for a visual effect.

Another idea is to use a narrow border tile above them to subtly break the flow or maybe even line it up with something. There are many directions that you can go with the layout. Go back to some of your original inspiration pictures to help you decide where you want to go with it.

Pro-Tip: It’s a good idea to check with your tile installer about the exact layout that you want. Make sure that they mark out the centre lines of the key areas. You should also be aware of how the cut tiles end up looking.

Example: you may know you want a subway tile laid in a brick pattern:

You may want to make sure that a centre line of grout will end up centre of the range, or between upper cabinets or floating shelves. Also, choose a location that the horizontal grout lines will line up with.
Often you won't end up with a full tile meeting the corner. So you should decide what happens at the corner when the tiles get cut. Are they going to be a sliver wide? Or are they going to be at least a half tile long (which looks better)?

It’s really easy to erase pencil lines on the wall and it’s much harder to move tile once it’s installed. This is a really good element to discuss with your tile installer to make sure everybody is on the same page, and that nobody is going to end up with a surprise once the tile is installed.

The open sides of the tiles and the cut edges can be “capped” with decorative bull-nosed tiles. These are the same tiles with a rounded edge on one or two sides to finish off the look. These were a little bit more traditional in the 80s and 90s. Or you can use a metal edging or strip that finishes off the rough edge of the tile. These come in a lot of metal colours, profiles and finishes, that can be matched to your faucet for example.

Grout

Grout can totally transform the effect of your backsplash.

For example: a white subway tile with white grout is going to be more subdued and relaxed…it’s not going to be hitting you in face, it’s going to be a nice subtle background. If you use a contrasting colour like black, all of a sudden it becomes more graphic and makes a statement.

There are a lot of different colours that you can choose from, ranging from lights, light neutrals all the way to more dramatic colours that you can match to the colour of your tile or use to make a statement.

Choose a good quality grout that has an integrated sealant so that you don’t have to keep sealing the grout all the time.

Tile costs can range drastically but even a budget tile can be made to dazzle or provide an understated sophistication with a great layout and grout choices. I hope that you have fun choosing your backsplash and I hope that some of the options that we’ve discussed today give you at least a jumping off point for your decision.

For more information, check out our podcast All Things Renovation at www.AllThingsRenovation.com . The second series of episodes focuses on kitchen renovations.

Backsplashes