More On Backsplash Ideas
 

Whether you are designing a kitchen for your new home or redesigning the old kitchen, adequate attention must always be paid to the kitchen backsplash. The kitchen backsplash serves the crucial function of protecting, the portion of the wall between the countertop and the wall cabinet, from staining with the daily spatter of cooking. As this area comprises a small part of the wall, by giving it an eye-catching design the overall layout of the kitchen can be made more attractive. 
 

Backsplash materials 
 

Besides protecting the wall a backsplash can be given an aesthetic value. Therefore the material selected for the backsplash must fulfill these two functions. It should be noted here that often the countertop is also made from the same material. The material used must be strong and durable and easy to maintain. Some of the materials are: 
 

Ceramic and porcelain tiles: These are available in many styles and colors. They can also be given a natural stone look. 
 

Mosaic tiles: Mosaic tiles have recently become very popular. Mosaic tiles can be made from glass or from clay. You should make an attempt to install the tiles yourself since it is easy to do. In the process you will be saving a lot of money. Simple mosaic tiles come cheap but the exotic varieties are expensive. 
 

Natural stone is the most durable of materials and comes as marble, granite or limestone. Natural stone offers a lot of variety. With a little effort you can have a unique design. 
 

Glass most probably gives you the largest variety among all materials. They come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. Backsplash made from glass are easy to maintain, does not stain and gives the kitchen a modern look. However, they are expensive. 
 

Stainless steel is a very durable material and if designed well can give your kitchen a very modern look. It’s disadvantages are that it stains and is expensive. 
 

Some of the materials mentioned are also available as sheets. Using sheets is a great idea since it does away with the hassle of filling the gaps between tiles by grout. That means it will be very easy for you to clean the backsplash. In tiled backsplashes dirt gathers on the grout used to fill the gap between tiles. This dirt has to be cleaned regularly and can be hard work sometimes. Even if you select tiles, go for the bigger ones since there will be fewer gaps and hence less grout to fill. Choose a dark grout since dirt is less visible on them

 

Basic design

To start off you must first have an idea about what your kitchen should look like. You can get these ideas from pictures magazines, design books and even from kitchens that you have seen in the homes of others or in showrooms. An idea is necessary to avoid making a mess of your design. 

There are many basic styles to choose from. There is the old style where the kitchen is given a cozy comfortable look by using mainly aged, broken or earthy materials like tumbled marble, broken or chipped backsplash tiles or cobble stones. Painting the kitchen backsplash in earthier colors like beige, gold or copper will add to the old world charm. 
 

You can give your kitchen a fresh, vibrant and at the same time a cozy look by using Mediterranean colors like sea-blue or sea-green. Tiles in these bold colors can be used as accents or as a design for part of the backsplash. These colors look best when contrasted with lighter toned earthy colors of the countertop. 

To give your kitchen a more contemporary look you could use clean, sleek and smooth surfaces. Many colored glass tiled backsplashes are a great idea for such kitchens. So also is a stainless steel backsplash for an ultra modern kitchen 

If your kitchen is small you could make it look bigger by using either a mirrored backsplash or by using a large design. You can also make your kitchen look large by using a simple design where small tiles are combined with large tiles. The lighting in your kitchen can be improved by lighter toned or shiny surfaces that reflect more light. 

Since you must be having a budget for the backsplash keep in mind the three things that decide your cost. These are area of the backsplash, the material used and the design used.

A backsplash made of standard porcelain or ceramic tiles will be cheap compared to one made with custom made tiles.  

Just keep in mind that the best way to keep costs down is by doing it yourself wherever possible because hiring professionals can be very expensive. With a little effort you will find them easy to do.