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Need Advice - New Kitchen - No Backsplash?
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Anonymous
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We're finalizing plans for our new kitchen, and we're leaning towards NOT having a full backsplash. We chose a granite with pattern/movement (Giallo Ornamental) and we think it might be overkill to have a full tile backsplash above. So our current plan is just to have the four inch piece of matching granite as a small backsplash line running along the countertops.
However . . . the more we look at photos, both in magazines and in real estate listings, the more we see that EVERYONE has tile backsplashes of some sort. Is our kitchen going to look incomplete because we opted to skip the full wall backsplash?? FWIW, our style is transitional and our design choices tend to be pretty safe/conservative. We tend to like more simple, streamlined designs, so IF we were to do a backsplash, it would probably be solid white or cream colored subway tile. Is that even worth the effort/cost? Or just stick with the four-inch granite approach? Thanks everyone. |
Anonymous
| I would do the backsplash. It will look more complete. If you do not, the paint color will stand out. Think abou the cream or travertine tile or a glass mosaic that is very neutral. |
Anonymous
| Thanks. The paint color is pretty neutral, BTW -- Elmira White (benjamin moore). |
Anonymous
| Do a simple neutral backsplash. Remember, it does serve a purpose. And you'll realize that when the spaghetti sauce that you blurped on the wall doesn't come off. Ask me how I know. |
Anonymous
Believe us, this is so true!  Not to mention, fried chicken grease. Seriously, over the years, I think you'll regret not havig a backsplash. Even droplets of water from cooking pasta can slowly discolor and stain your wall.
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Anonymous
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We just did that sized granite and painted. Simple, clean looking and you can always tile later.
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Anonymous
| I like your subway tile idea, but PP is right that you can have this done later if a spaghetti sauce blurp changes your mind. |
Anonymous
| Do the full backsplash tile now. We went with a neutral color that had some texture to it. Very subtle but cool. BTW, I was against this for the same reasons you mention and our decorator/designer really pushed the idea on us. I'm glad I followed her advice. |
Anonymous
| I understand why people like a back splash, but, in our last kitchen, for various reasons, we did the "four inches of granite" thing with painted wall above and it looked and worked fine. Paint is not that difficult to clean, and it really isn't that hard to repaint from time to time. One benefit is that paint colors are easy to change, tile is not. We just sold that house, and not one person mention the absence of a backsplash. |
Anonymous
| We also opted for the no-backsplash look and I LOVE it ... get lots of compliments on the kitchen from guests and no one has ever mentioned the lack backsplash. We also have a fairly busy granite counter and a neutral paint on the walls. One thing we did do was to place a plain piece of stainless behind the stove to protect against spaghetti sauce/grease etc. We don't get cooking stains anywhere else. |
Anonymous
| A good friend just did a $100,000+ kitchen renovation in a $2M house. She went without backslash. Every time I'm in her beautiful kitchen I wonder why they drew the line at the backsplash -- did they think it was "too much"; did they run out of money . . . !? Anyway, I would never mention it to the friend, there's no need to. But just because someone doesn't mention it doesn't mean they didn't notice it (for better or worse). |
Anonymous
Thanks everyone. Do you happen to know what type of material you used? If we go the backsplash route, I'm looking for something neutral with texture -- not shiny but not rustic either. I think it's time to go back to the tile store . . . . |
Anonymous
Yes, this is exactly what we got. I took a square of the granite to the tile place and the neutral, textured, non-shiny tile jumped out (well maybe a designer directed me to the right section, I can't remember). Again, it's very subtle but looks great. |
Anonymous
Second. If you have an upgraded kitchen with an upgraded floor, upgraded cabinets, upgraded counters, I think that having no backsplash looks like someone was cutting corners and that while no one will say anything, that doesn't mean that many people aren't thinking that you ran out of money. I think upgrades in a kitchen without the backsplash makes a kitchen look "builder grade" even when you've spent money on upgrades to other features. When we built our house, we did exactly that and it was a pain. As a cook, I found it took very little to spatter and stain the wall and repeated cleanings often showed a wear and tear on the paint job (even with a semigloss finish). I ended up putting in my own backsplash. I bought specialty tile and border from Lowe's and with about 2900 sq in or about 20.25 sq ft of walls to cover, I only spent about $240 of an reasonably fancy tile and border. I spent about $40 for materials (cement, spacers, grout). I then spent about $90 renting a tile saw. I rented it two Saturdays in a row (doing one of two sections each Saturday) for $45.00 each time and that gave me a 4-hour window each time. So, for under $400, I got a backsplash that many builders charge over $1000 for. We love it and it is so much easier to clean, better looking and now matches the decor of the rest of the kitchen. It was well worth it to us. When we sold our old house with an updated but still rather basic kitchen, the realtor did comment when we were doing the kitchen that a backsplash was one feature of a kitchen reno that typically was worth the cost to do. |
Anonymous
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This is why I prefer a tile countertop in the kitchen - b/c granite is busy.
I'd keep it as simple as possible. So if clean lines are your thing, I think you're making the right decision. |