Category: Backsplashes

When it comes to choosing a backsplash for your kitchen, the possibilities are endless. Now more than ever, there is an abundance of materials available for the design of your backsplash. Long gone are the days of plain tiles and simple colours. Today’s trends are about making a statement — it can be as elaborate or as elegant as you want.

Glass provides an attractive and cost-effective alternative to tile and other backsplashes. With minimal seams, it is much easier to clean than tiles, and it can be installed as a mirror, or with any colour with our back-painted glass.

Looking to update the space behind your sink and counter space? Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Decide your style

While it is easy to get lost in the many available options, the first step you need to take before you select your materials and design is to determine your personal style and what look you want to go for in your bathroom. This can be traditional, transitional, contemporary, ultra-modern or even a combination of several looks.

Your personal style will serve as your guide when selecting the materials to create your backsplash design. Not sure what you like? Get in touch with a professional and they will be able to offer suggestions to make your dream a reality.

2. Create a ‘flow’

Think about how all the elements of your kitchen work together. The floor, countertop and backsplash must all work together for your kitchen to have an even, balanced look. No one element should be treated as a separate entity to the overall space. All elements need to work to create an overall effect.

3. Make a statement

How many homes do you go to where there is a glass backsplash? The odds are that there aren’t many — even less that are customized to the unique taste of the homeowner. You can mix and match the smooth and seamless finish of the glass with different tiles, textures, wallpapers, and colours to really create a space that stands out. And, in case you didn’t think of it, investing in a glass backsplash will make your small space big and your big space even bigger.

So go ahead – why not make a statement?

4. Customize

As mentioned above, glass provides an attractive and cost-effective alternative to tile and other backsplashes, but don’t think that going with the streamline look of glass stops you from customizing your look. With minimal seams, it is much easier to clean than tiles, and it can be installed as a mirror, or with any colour with our back painted glass. Have fun with colour!

While most kitchens use backsplashes as a focal point for customizable design, the simple look of glass allows you to bring in textures and patterns in other areas of your kitchen — perhaps you go for a patterned tile os wallpaper instead!

5. Go with a professional

As with any construction project, it is always better to go with a professional to avoid mistakes or extra costs. If you do decide to go ahead and install a glass backsplash yourself, be careful — sometimes you need to temper the glass.

Too often we get a service call for a back-painted glass backsplash that has cracked over time. More often than not, this glass has been installed behind a heating element in the kitchen and the glass was not tempered.

Any time glass is being installed near a heat source, it needs to be tempered. This poses a bit of a problem with clients want a mirrored backsplash — mirrors distort when tempered — but without tempering, the glass will eventually crack when exposed to the heating element.

To learn more about custom glass backsplashes or to discuss your project, call Glass Showers and More today at 416-491-8815 or contact us here.

In general, the primary purpose of a kitchen backsplash is to protect the wall from water, grease, and food. But it also serves as the focal point of your kitchen. It defines the style and aesthetics of your work area and can bring an otherwise plain-looking room to life. What type of tile and pattern you choose for your kitchen backsplashes can really set the stage for how the rest of the kitchen and house look.

From a simple, minimalistic look to something that is Mexican influenced, there are countless design options to choose from, and so many fresh and unique backsplash ideas are trending this season. This is the time to create harmony between the counters, walls, floor, and every other element of your workspace. This year’s trends are all about mixing and matching colour and texture to create dynamic and visually exciting spaces. It is really up to you to decide how creative you want to get with your home and kitchen.

If choosing the right backsplash seems too tricky, worry not, we have compiled the best backsplash trends for you. In this article, we have brought together fantastic kitchen tile backsplash ideas to get you started.

How to Choose a Kitchen Backsplash

Deciding on the right backsplash for your kitchen is not an easy task. Below are just a few things you need to consider:

• You need to decide on a theme.
• You need to decide what tiles or products fit your personal vision.
• You need to find a design that fits your needs while keeping with your theme.
  • How do you want your tiles arranged?
  • Will you mix and match?

Here are five tips that you will find most helpful.

1. Picking the right tile

There are so many tile options to choose from; glass, ceramic, porcelain, marble, granite, and even metal are some of the most popular choices.

For most people, though, one significant factor in deciding which tile material to go for is cost. Backsplashes can become very costly, and if you are on a budget, the best options include porcelain and ceramic.

However, the issue of style is not as important these days when choosing between various tile materials, so cost may not be as much as an issue as it was in the past. The latest trends are more about the creative style of a space rather than costly materials. If you can incorporate “green” methods into your backsplash design, then you are already ahead of the latest in fashion.

What about a backsplash made of pennies or a mosaic made of recycled or second-hand tiles? The options are really endless, and they won’t break the bank. The latest trends do not have to come at a high cost.

2. Tile design

Tiles come in so many cuts, colours, and styles. Here are just a few examples:

• Diagonal tiles. These tiles come in a diagonal cut, giving your backsplash a unique look. Note that you will require more tiles than usual when tiling a kitchen backsplash. Additionally, diagonal tiles tend to cost more.
• Laser cut tiles. Because of their intricate designs and patterns, these tiles are cut using laser technology. Different pieces are joined like a jigsaw puzzle, resulting in an elaborately designed backsplash. Laser cut tiles tend to be quite pricey.
• Subway tiles. These are some of the most popular backsplash tiles. They are named after the tiles used in most subway stations. They create a classic and clean-cut look.

Don’t be afraid to move away from tiling for your backsplash. Other types of tile designs include:

• Hand-painted tiles
• Specialty-shaped tiles
• Herringbone tiles
• Mosaic tiles
• Sheet metal
• Concrete
• Wallpaper

There are so many different tile options to choose from! Compare and contrast the different options. We even recommend collecting samples of different options so you can put them up in your kitchen and imagine what they would be like there.

3. Mixing and matching

One of the biggest trends this year in kitchen design is mixing and matching textures to achieve harmony in your workspace. When choosing a backsplash, you need to consider how the design will fit with your countertops, cabinetry, appliances, and paint colour. If you go for a bright, textured, or modern-looking countertop, you may want to choose a simple backsplash. Or, if you have white cabinets, you may go for a more dynamic backsplash to bring depth to your kitchen.

4. Backsplash height

The height of your backsplash is another important decision you need to make, as it affects the overall style of your kitchen. While most homeowners opt for the standard countertop-to-cabinet height, you could follow this year’s trend and go for a full-height backsplash or extend the same tiling to other walls and surfaces of your kitchen. Consider extending the same tiling to other areas of your home as well. The backsplash you choose for your kitchen could look fabulous on a fireplace mantle or as the tiling in your bathroom shower. Doing this creates a more attention-grabbing focal point for the kitchen and a nice flow throughout your entire home.

5. Installing a kitchen backsplash

If you decide to install a kitchen backsplash yourself, here are some simple tips to follow:

• Plan your layout.
• After making sure the wall is completely clean, apply a thin-set mortar or mastic adhesive according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Make sure to purchase a great tile saw; then, measure and cut tiles.

Want more information?

For more information on trends in kitchen backsplashes, contact Glass Showers and More today! Besides offering design consultation, we can recommend products that can be installed in your kitchen to make cleaning and maintenance easier.

When it comes to backsplashes, glass is in vogue. These installations are integral to pulling together kitchens and bathrooms due to their protective function against water damage. With so many options to choose from, we’ve compiled a list of 6 considerations when choosing a glass backsplash.

1. Plan for versatility

With so many interesting designs and colours to choose from, it can be tempting to make an eclectic, stand-out aesthetic choice when it comes to your backsplash. If your home is already styled to your preference, feel free to have fun with these kinds of designs. For many, however, a more neutral backsplash may be the way to go.

Unlike some cabinetry and other semi-permanent fixtures, a backsplash, once installed, takes a fair bit of money and effort to remove or replace. If you go with a showy backsplash and decide five years later that you want to remodel the rest of the kitchen or bathroom in a wildly different direction, your plans may come with extra costs.

That being said, you don’t have to feel chained down to choosing pure whites. Grey and black can offset many colour palettes beautifully. If it matches, you can even opt for marbled or glitter-splashed neutral colours to give neutrals an extra pop. Generally, you will at the very least want to go with either a monochrome look to keep things clean and crisp.

Finally, just like any match, sometimes opposites attract. If your space, particularly the kitchen, is otherwise plain and simple in design, a bright backsplash can be the perfect accent to add some style flavour. You can even choose to keep just a few accented tiles if you’re wary of making a long term commitment to ‘loud’ colours.

2. Aim for durability

Sometimes the most beautiful designs can’t stand the test of time. Remember that the kitchen and bathroom are spaces that undergo daily use, so aesthetics shouldn’t be your only consideration. If your backsplash design can’t handle ‘splash’, it’s probably not the best choice.

One option that is especially known for its durability is sheet glass. Due to its transparency, the back side — the side against the wall — can be painted in just about any colour. Mosaic glass is another popular option. An overall advantage of glass backsplashes over some other materials is ease of cleaning. Unlike textured stone, for instance, glass can be easily wiped down in one go. This means that spaghetti sauce can splatter away without the need to bat an eye.

A final benefit of choosing a backsplash you won’t want or need to rip out later is that minimal renovations are more environmentally conscious. Your home and the world wins when you choose wisely the first time around.

3. Take cues from cabinets and countertops

If you are remodelling your kitchen or bathroom from scratch, a good strategy is to pick out your countertop and cabinet colours before anything else. If they’ll be hit with direct sunlight from a window at certain points during the day, hold them up in natural light to get an accurate sense of what your core colours will be. If these items happen to feature prominent designs or patterns, that’s probably a cue that a simpler, monochrome backsplash will complement them best.

Finally, the style of cabinets and countertops can help you choose the shape of your tiles. An overall rustic appearance, for example, can pair well with brick-shaped tiles, whereas a sleek, modern look can be amplified with neat squares or eye-drawing hexagons.

4. Think about grout

If you aren’t one hundred up to speed on backsplash terminology, grout is the paste that fills spaces between tiles. Although grout may seem like a minimal aspect of design, the wrong colour can easily take a wise one-colour scheme into multi-coloured territory. While white may seem like the safest option from a design perspective, you may want to tone it down with a less vibrant hue.

When in doubt, a good rule of thumb is to go with grout that is one shade lighter than the colour — or most prominent colour — present in your backsplash. Black is another relatively safe option. The big takeaway here is that grout is usually not the aspect of backsplash design where you should channel your individual style with bright pops of colours. Low-key and subdued tends to be the way to go.

5. Factor in dimensions

Backsplash height is usually measured to meet the bottom edges of shelves or cabinets. However, there are a couple of other options you may want to consider, such as installing a backsplash up to the ceiling to create an illusion of awe-inspiring height. Standard sizing — the average backsplash height of 18 inches — can be a good starting point to in terms of initial budgeting and planning. However, if you are unsure about measurements or know that you’ll need unique dimensions to achieve your dream kitchen or bathroom, be sure to contact a company that specializes in custom glass backsplashes.

6. Order with time in mind

A benefit of going with a local company that creates in-house fabrications is that it’s the best guarantee that your home project will be completed on time. Ordering glass tiles from across the province or the border may come with a myriad of complications. Working with far away companies or those that heavily outsource custom products will add extra days to your renovation timeline, and sometimes even months. Additionally, shipping fragile items, such as glass tiles, comes with the added risk of breakage, delays, costs, and customs fees.

To learn more about your custom glass backsplash options, call Glass Showers and More at 416-491-8815, or contact us here.