A kitchen splashback protects the walls behind the stovetop and sink from water, food stains and hot steam that can dissolve paint and leave streaks or smears. A splashback can also protect the walls from potentially catching fire from stovetop burners or overheated food and hot pans.
Because there are so many styles and materials from which to choose when it comes to splashbacks, note a few tips and suggestions before you start shopping for something new for your kitchen. This will ensure you'll be happy with your new splashback, and your entire kitchen, for years to come:
For smaller kitchens
Avoid dark tile or a dark metal such as copper for a splashback in a small kitchen, even if the splashback area is very small. It only takes a few feet or meters of a dark material in a small kitchen to absorb what little light the room gets, making it seem even smaller. You also want to avoid very small individual tiles, as these can emphasize the confined space of the kitchen. Opt for white subway tiles, which are rectangular and not square, or glass splashbacks to reflect light and keep the space bright and open.
For white kitchens
White cabinets and benchtops can make a kitchen seem very clean, but also very dull. A colourful splashback is a good way to add some visual interest to a white kitchen, so choose a bold tile colour and pattern if all the other surfaces in the kitchen are white. A mosaic tile pattern can add a Mediterranean feel, or you might choose an earth tone tile to coordinate with timber floor tiles. You can also choose a coloured glass, or paint the walls and add a clear glass splashback over that.
Larger kitchens
Avoid very bold and bright colours in a larger kitchen, as these choices can easily seem overwhelming in a large space. You may also want to avoid very small tiles along a large wall, as this can make the area seem cluttered and busy.
Instead, choose a neutral tile in a few complementary shades and tones to bring in visual interest without having too much colour. A solid glass splashback can also be a good choice, as it won't make the space seem crowded or cluttered. One long piece of glass can also coordinate easily with the larger space of the kitchen, rather than having many small tiles that may break up the larger space and make it seem chunky or smaller than it is.
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