One of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to add beauty and vibrancy to your home is to invest in a kitchen renovation. Not only does it make the space more appealing to homeowners and their guests, but it also substantially raises the value of a home. Even a simple mid-range kitchen renovation can yield as much as a whopping 92% return on investment, which is the highest of all home remodeling projects. Does renovating your kitchen sound pricey and time-consuming to you? Don’t worry, there’s actually a quick and inexpensive way to gussy up everyone’s favorite room in the house – a backsplash!
Backsplashes!
A kitchen backsplash is usually made from materials such as tile, stainless steel, glass, or granite. A backsplash is installed on the wall space between the countertops and the cabinetry and works as a beautiful background for the kitchen.
There are a variety of styles and materials that go into the creation of kitchen backsplashes, and the prices can range from low to premium. There are many different designs to choose from, such as mosaic, floral, mural, geometrical, and rustic. The style you choose should depend on the look and feel you are trying to achieve in your kitchen.
Some tips to keep in mind when considering materials and style choices:
- Glazed machine-made ceramic tiles will usually be the least expensive
- Hand made glazed tiles, porcelain tile, stone, glass, and metal will probably cost more
- Mesh backed mosaics offer different designs to choose from in geometric or floral patterning and often use a mix of materials
- Tumbled and dimensional stone materials offer a rustic look
- Glass and stainless steel materials offer a more contemporary appeal and are also available in panels as well as tile format
- Plain tiles can be used alone or in combination with accent tile pieces called listellos or deco accents
- There’s a variety of countertop materials, including laminates, solid surfacing materials (i.e. Corian), engineered stone or quartz composite (i.e. Caesarstone, Silestone, and Cambria), metals (i.e. stainless steel, copper, and zinc), and wood (i.e. butcher block, teak, and walnut), concrete, and stone (marble, quartzite, and granite)
- Natural and Engineered stone materials are available in polished and honed (matte) finishes
- Remember that not every material will work for everyone’s BUDGET or personal taste
Custom, hand-painted ceramic tiles.
Backsplash Design Ideas
JM Construction has been lucky enough to have in-house talent. Our designer and project coordinator helps our clients realize what a huge difference a backsplash can make in a kitchen or bathroom.
Mixed material mosaic backsplash incorporated into custom vanity designed by our in-house designer.
Some of our recent projects that our in-house designer has flexed her design muscles on include “The White Project”, in which the role of this particular backsplash focused on protecting the wall’s surface while adding visual interest. The travertine backsplash with metal accents featured below helped to transform the kitchen of this cape-style home.
Travertine backsplash designed by our in-house designer.
Travertine backsplash designed by our in-house designer.
Below, glass tiles set in a herringbone pattern were coupled with a stainless steel range hood and clean white custom cabinetry to create an elegant cook space.
Color, material, and style preferences will ultimately have the biggest impact on the design you choose for your renovation, but there are other elements that should also be taken into consideration before any initial steps are taken.
When beginning the process of a kitchen or bathroom renovation, you’ll want to consider the following:
- Define the Scope and Budget – cosmetic upgrade or moving walls/addition
- Space Planning and Functionality – does the current layout work or how can I improve my space
- Get Professional Advice – don’t have remodeling remorse, without proper guidance unknowns of design options/costs can come back to haunt you. Design-build contractors like JM Construction offer design services to help guide clients thru the renovation process. Helping to understand design choices and related cost implications
- Details – good design is all in the details.
Beyond space planning, the DETAILS of a renovation project include consideration of:
- Cabinet door style and finish as it relates to existing or new flooring
- Counter-top material selection and finish as it relates to cabinets
- Back-splash material, finish, and patterning as it coordinates with counter-tops, cabinetry, and the overall style preference
- Coordination of cabinet hardware and lighting selections as finishing touches
A partial kitchen renovation can include new countertops and/or a new backsplash on existing cabinets. A new back-splash can potentially offer an inexpensive upgrade a dated kitchen needs, a focal point of beauty and function.
A note of caution to not over-invest in date/poor quality cabinets. This is where design professionals like JM Construction and our in-house designer can offer sound advice to guide clients to make value-oriented decisions for home remodeling projects.
Here at JM Construction, we’re committed to a higher standard of excellence in all that we do. We strive to establish firm relationships of mutual trust and respect with each and every individual we work with and believe that the process and systems we institute to meet your needs are as important as the final product.
Contact us today to discuss your ideas for bringing new life to your kitchen, and we’ll be happy to begin the design process with you.
