The backsplash is one way you can express your creativity and craftsmanship skills in your kitchen.
A backsplash is an easy way to bring decorative accents to a light or neutral wall. This narrow band of wall tiles, between the countertop and upper cabinets are also an inexpensive way to bring life and character to a kitchen. You can choose any type of tile for your backsplash since it would not be constantly exposed to water.
Tile backsplash looks best when it runs all the way from the countertops to the upper cabinets. Most people prefer the backsplash in cobalt blue, orange, or terra cotta. Pre-assembled glass mosaic is also common.
However, the backsplash should be compatible with the decor of the kitchen and give the kitchen a visual appeal. In the picture above, the interlocking of the three mild colours of the tiled backsplash enhance the glass door cabinets and is compatible with the stainless steel countertops.
The choice of colours for a backsplash would depend on the amount of light in the kitchen. Glossy tiles will reflect light and increase glare, so if a kitchen has a lot of sunlight it would do best with a satin or matte finish tile. In a kitchen where there is not much natural light, light coloured and even glossy tiles can be used to reflect the light and brighten the kitchen.
The focal point of a kitchen also dictates how you will begin the tiling for the backsplash. If you are tiling your own backsplash, remember to begin work outwards from the focal point. The tiles at the focal point are generally bold with some unique pattern, tile placement, colour, or picture to help make the area stand out.
The horizontal and vertical grout lines and border creates diamond shapes at this focal point.
So go ahead and bring out your creative juices, but before you install your backsplash, remember to first plan your design. Test your idea out. One way to do this is to place the tiles with double-sided tape in an area to see if you would like the pattern and its effect.
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