Colorful backsplash can make a room come alive

When you cook a meal, even if all the ingredients are perfectly measured and the course is crafted with perfection, sometimes the satisfaction still comes down to the quality of the presentation.

Kitchen design often works in the same way. Even if all the pieces of the kitchen — the flow, the cabinetry, the top-of-the-line appliances, the countertops and the flooring — are just right, sometimes it all comes down to the backsplash to make the room come alive with attitude.

“You can use almost any material for a kitchen backsplash,” said Samantha Stinocher of Arizona Tile in Las Vegas. “Selection all boils down to how you will use the space and what your preferences are.”

Consider the texture of the backsplash as well. While intricate details and texture can bring in a great design touch, they also can be harder to clean.

For frequent cooks — think pasta sauce and the inevitable splash behind the stove — consider something that’s easy to wipe down in one easy take, rather than tiles you’ll have to pull out the toothbrush and scrub in between.

“If you use your stove often and are known to splash, then you may want a backsplash that’s nonporous like porcelain or ceramic and that’s a larger format so you have less grout lines to contend with,” Stinocher advised.

Contrasting color on the kitchen backsplash can really finish a room.

As the all-white kitchen emerges as a front-runner in the current trend scene, the backsplash takes center stage.

A neutral color on the walls can bring to life an otherwise sterile room, or a continuation of the white onto the walls can create a uniform look awaiting pops of colors in other places.

But gone are the days of having only one color, or being limited to a color with one accent tile. Going big and bold is the hot new trend. Consider the Marrakesh series and the options for mixing and matching complimentary styles.

Either way you go, Stinocher says that the large-format tiles are the hot new trend.

But don’t worry, you’re not stuck with your decision forever.

“Generally, having a backsplash installed or reinstalled later is relatively inexpensive, so many customers use this area to make a statement in their home, knowing they can change it later on without having to do a full remodel if necessary,” Stinocher said.

Backsplashes typically range in price from $2 to $20 per square foot, plus installation. But the surface space is fairly minimal in most average-sized kitchens.

And choosing a material can be just as important.

“The most unique backsplash I’ve seen was probably one that used about five different stone, mosaic and stackstone products to create a beautifully textured backsplash with a framed design over the stove,” Stinocher said.

But, she said, a stone that really pops with attitude can make a room, so be sure to highlight that one stone with other, more muted tiles that don’t compete for attention. Pick the star of the show and the rest should be supporting material.

Whatever you do, don’t do it halfway.

“The most current trend in backsplashes is to use one material and take it from countertop to ceiling,” Stinocher said. “This creates sort of a wallpapered effect and definitely provides a focal point for the space.”