webuser_196530850

Backsplash or no backsplash???

Jenny S
5 years ago

Just painted my kitchen cabinets white, added hardware, under cabinet lighting a nd am deciding on quartz countertops. Can't decide if we should do backsplash or not. Seems trendy right now, and I've never had it. Not sure if it'll make it look too busy. I bought some backsplash that I like, then I got the cabinets done, and now I'm not sure! When I order the countertops I have to decide on the 4" kick or not. W/backsplash no kick-w/out backsplash I'll get kick. I plan to get a lighter countertop- not white. HELP!!! BACKSPLASH YES OR NO?????????

Before w/brown cabinets


Now, painted white w/hardware and lighting


backsplash I had picked out

Comments (28)

  • PRO
    Anglophilia
    5 years ago

    NO to that backsplash! I would not spend the money on quartz countertops for what is a dated kitchen (your paint did improve it!). At some point, you are going to want to re-do the entire kitchen.

  • Cheryl Hannebauer
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I would not do that backsplash; what quartz are you looking at ? decide on that first & then look the backsplash.

    Jenny S thanked Cheryl Hannebauer
  • User
    5 years ago

    @Anglophilia , whats so dated about it?

  • User
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    First of all, lovely paint job on the cabinets. They look so fresh and easy on the eye!

    Your countertop is a beige with pink undertones. The tile for the backsplash has no color tie-in to the countertop or the cabinets. The tile has a very nice pattern, and if you can find a similar tile with a pinkish-beige undertone, it would really tie everything together.


    I'd wait to you get your actual planned countertop installed before getting a backsplash. You countertop will have colors in it that you can play off of in the backsplash.

    Jenny S thanked User
  • PRO
    JAN MOYER
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    @ Tony Montana

    Yawn.......... Think there is a soul left on planet earth who isn't aware of your loathing of painted cabinetry? My bet is not.

    @Jenny

    As to the splash, pick your tops first. Then decide of you want tile. Make sure you consider your flooring when you pick the TOP. As in what IS the flooring? : )

    Jenny S thanked JAN MOYER
  • AC LB
    5 years ago
    No to the 4 inch backsplash. Yes to a simple classic backsplash such as a white subway tile! No to the VERY busy backsplash which is going to date your space. Love the transformation of your kitchen so far! Can’t wait to see the end results!!
    Jenny S thanked AC LB
  • Jenny S
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thanks for the comments! Think I'll focus on countertops for now. Im not crazy about subway tile, but I know it's classic- we will see. Thanks for the compliments on the cabinets! Personally I love them- glad I did it!

  • PRO
    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    5 years ago

    Nasty can just go away. As for the backsplash question wait until you choose your counter then you will have a much better I dea of what will work for the splash. I would however do a backsplash and forget the 4” piece , that really is not done much anymore.You might want to check out glass subway tile and you will for sure need a new wall color .

    Jenny S thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • leelee
    5 years ago

    No to the 4 inch addition of small counter backsplash. Don't let the counter fabricators try to talk you into it. Leave it off entirely. When your counters are in the you can post more pictures. The mosaic you show is very busy. So that backsplash wouldn't be right for any light counters.

    The cabinets turned out great! Look at these knobs/pulls. Adds just a little contrast even though the appliances are stainless.


    Also, consider your floors when choosing counters. They don't need to match but they do blend and not clash.





    Jenny S thanked leelee
  • beagle1
    5 years ago
    Again...nasty comments are so unnecessary. Not everyone on Houzz has, or ever will have, the budget to completely gut their kitchens! I love a white kitchen and this paint refresh looks great so far. As to the question posed, I would choose a beautiful quartz, refrain from adding the 4 inch backsplash, and find a larger sized subway tile that works with the countertop and the floor to complete the look. Ignore the haters. Enjoy your kitchen!
    Jenny S thanked beagle1
  • leelee
    5 years ago

    Yikes!

    Jenny S thanked leelee
  • joycedjay
    5 years ago
    Pick a quartz that works with the floor color. If you pick a bossy quartz (lots of movement, etc.), do a subtle backsplash. If you pick a subtle quartz, you can get a busier, bossy backsplash. Just be sure everything plays nice together. And put your counters in (without the 4” backsplash) first - then pick you backsplash.
    Jenny S thanked joycedjay
  • njay
    5 years ago
    The gray backsplash that you've chosen doesn't compliment the counters. You're mixing cool and warm tones. I'd skip a backsplash at this time. Paint the wall and you're done.
    Jenny S thanked njay
  • PRO
    NmgKB
    5 years ago
    Re kitchens, a gigantic 'NO' on the 4" counter splash to everyone, everywhere, for the rest of time. Period. The little 4" strip does virtually nothing to protect your walls and screams 1980's. Further, in addition to taking up counter space, it visually cuts the wall space making things look busier & smaller and decidedly unmodern. I agree with others re the tile pattern selected. However, if you love that look, it is your kitchen and you should have what you, not others, love. I would however only use it with a solid colored countertop, no marbling or speckling in the countertop, and if you're not planning to remain in the home, consider that it may soon look very outdated to buyers. I think the brilliant suggestion here came from the poster who suggested a hardware change. While the hardware style is nice & simple, the silver/stainless gets lost on the yellow white of your cabinetry and does nothing to enhance or accent your look. If new hardware is not in your budget, consider removing & spray painting the hardware you already have black or a dark tone using the appropriate type spray paint for the job. Re the spash itself, my recommendation is that, especially with arched/cathedral cabinetry, the simpler and cleaner pattern (i.e., no pattern) the better or at least one with significantly less contrast within it. Your paint job looks great and you're definitely on the right track. To take things a step further, if budget allows, consider replacing just the doors on the upper cabinets with simple square doors instead of the cathedral shape. You could buy them unfinished, even route out a couple to accept glass, and then paint them with the same color paint you've already used on the rest of your cabinets. If updated is what you are looking for, getting rid of the cathedral style doors will shoot you light years into the future. Best of luck!
    Jenny S thanked NmgKB
  • Boxerpal
    5 years ago

    Great job on the cabinets. You must be so happy with your transformation. I would vote no to the 4 inch backsplash and wait until your counters are in to find the perfect full backsplash for your space. I like the one you chose and once your choose your counter top you will be able to really see if it matches.


    I am not saying you should do this, but since others are suggesting door replacement. Here is a company that replaces doors. fast doors and they are not too expensive.

    ~boxer

    Jenny S thanked Boxerpal
  • PRO
    DAB Interior Design, Inc.
    5 years ago

    Hi, I definitely agree that you should get rid of the 4" piece, I think you called it the kick, as others suggested, as it is sooooo dated and does absolutely does nothing to protect the back of the sink.

    Before I do anything, I select and bring all the necessary materials together. into kitchen and put them next to each other and that way, I can make an intelligent, visual appealing aesthetic selections.

    I'll never understand why homeowners select things as they go, because they never end up with the look they ultimately want. Please don't depend on the contractor either as they build and they are definitely not designers. They just want to get through the project.

    Select, all the elements you need to complete the kitchen, then get your opinions, because everything must co-ordinate with each other. I might decide once I see everything to do the backspash tiles vertically to make things look taller or even go all the way to ceiling if there is a fan hood, on either side. There are so many things to consider to make it a cohesive look?

    Attaching several different kitchens, back splashes ,floors with quartz tops.

    East End Avenue, One Bedroom Renovation · More Info



    East End Avenue, One Bedroom Renovation · More Info




    Transitional Kitchens · More Info

    Contemporary Kitchen · More Info

    Jenny S thanked DAB Interior Design, Inc.
  • Kathy Handy Ginter
    5 years ago
    Your cabinets look great can’t wait to see your countertop and choice of backsplash
    Jenny S thanked Kathy Handy Ginter
  • User
    5 years ago

    Your cabinets are lovely. Please please ignore the nasty.

    (I find certain homes very dated. Can you guess which one?)

    Jenny S thanked User
  • chocolatebunny123
    5 years ago

    Ignore those that say you need to gut your kitchen. I put quartz on 20 year old cabinets and am really happy with the way it turned out. Whoever painted your cabinets did a really nice job.

    I had some backsplash tile samples before my counters went in, and now I have to start from scratch because the tiles look very different with the vast expanse of counters. Even though my counters do look pretty close to my sample, it's very different seeing them in my kitchen with various lighting.

    I don't like the grey mosiacs you picked because they are too cool for your floor. If you do plan on changing the floor, do that first. If not, then pick your counters first, then the backsplash.

    I had once considered a similar mosaic but then came across this picture on google that convinced me not too. It's way too busy a look.

    Jenny S thanked chocolatebunny123
  • PRO
    Designer Drains
    5 years ago

    Not all kitchens need a backsplash, this is one of those. It looks great already.

    Jenny S thanked Designer Drains
  • Rosey R
    5 years ago

    Jenny, your paint job looks fabulous. Your before kitchen looks exactly like mine. I am at a standstill deciding to paint white or remove. If I thought it would come out as lovely as yours I would just paint cabinets white,What paint did you use? The price? I have received prices from $750 and up . (just outside)

    Jenny S thanked Rosey R
  • Jenny S
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    @Rosey- it really wasn't that bad to do. I used Benjamin Moore advance paint. I cleaned, sanded, primed, sanded, painted, sanded, painted, and doors got a 3rd sand/paint. I let dry a full 24hrs in between- I think that was important. Total cost for primer and paint $100! I love how they turned out. It is a little work, but not crazy hard to me! Good luck!

  • Jenny S
    Original Author
    5 years ago

    Thanks to everyone for all the helpful tips! The backsplash is being returned, counters will be picked out and installed then ill relook at backsplash! Oh, and not putting in the 4" backsplash! Seems that's a huge no! Thank you all again!

  • artistsharonva
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Thanks for the the update. Good plan. Thanks for the thank yous, too There were some good tips other houzzers posted:)

    Jenny S thanked artistsharonva
  • artemis_ma
    5 years ago

    Btw, if there are areas of your kitchen you plan not to put up a backsplash on, I'd definitely have a short area of your quartz or countertop material going up 2-4 inches. While sloshing water around for cleanup, you don't want it settling into your sheetrock at the back of the counter, and people who have decided that this is "dated" are sacrificing practicality for some ideal I don't particularly "get". (But where you DO plan on a wall backsplash, do leave it off...)

    Jenny S thanked artemis_ma
  • cpartist
    5 years ago

    Jenny, first great job on the cabinets.

    Are you keeping your floors? If you are, then I think a marble look quartz will not work with your floors because the floors have a warm tone to them and marble quartz is normally cool. This may be a case where you pick a plain counter and then you can bring in some color and pattern with the backsplash. The point is to do either/or and not both.

    I would also look at granite slabs. If you still have one of the floor tiles, bring it with you when you go to pick out slabs.

    And yes, wait to pick your backsplash.

    Jenny S thanked cpartist
  • Anne in Virginia
    5 years ago

    Your white cabinets look wonderful! We are having new white cabinets installed now in our kitchen, and are getting a quartz countertop which is white with some small gray swirls here and there. However, I do NOT want a full tile backsplash and am getting a 4" backsplash using the same quartz material.

    I can see from the above comments that everyone has a HORROR of the 4' backsplash! However, here's my reason: Our remodeled kitchen, which included removing some walls to open it up to the family room, will have almost no wall space. With white cabinets, white countertop, and medium brown wood flooring, I want some color in my kitchen! It was painted a really lovely light green, and I plan to repaint what small bits of wall are left in the same color. I can also add a hook or nail to hang something on my walls, like a calendar or a trivet. If I get tired of the green paint at some point, I can easily repaint. But if I have tiled backsplash covering all the walls, I'm stuck with it. And I doubt that kitchen styles will remain the same forever; someday the popular tiled backsplash will look dated to future homeowners. We should all choose what we like, not what someone else prefers!

    Jenny S thanked Anne in Virginia