Tile Backsplashes – Add Some Flavor to Your Kitchen

Whether you’re moving into a new home or have lived in your home for several years it’s always a good idea to do some home upgrades if you have the time and money.



There are so many different ways to add on to your house and the kitchen is a great, fun place to start. One if the easiest and least expensive upgrades you can have done inside your kitchen are the addition of tile backsplashes to the back walls around your counter. There is so much versatility that comes along with installing tile backsplashes because you can customize almost everything about it. Maybe you’re looking a different shape than what the other tiles are in your kitchen in order to make it more non dimensional. If your other tiles are all horizontal you can place the tile backsplashes at and angle to make them stand out more. You can also select custom colors to go with your tile backsplashes that complement or match the motif you have going in your house.

Another great thing about tile backsplashes is the fact that you can have custom designs engraved onto each of the tiles. This is great for people who like to add a unique taste to their house and inject some of their own creativity into their project. Different designs may be a spanish sun on every third or fourth tile, or maybe just a simple wavey line that connects each tile. This can really make things more eye-catching and help the tile backsplashes go along with the rest of your house.

But tile backsplashes aren’t just for decoration. They can also serve a purpose for protecting your house from water splashes that happen above your sink. If you have wallpaper around your sink then eventually water will splash up on it, and if you’re not careful, over time the water can get under the weallpaper and cause it to peel off. If other things splash up on it then it could even start to effect the surface of the wall which could lead to larger repairs that are a pain to fix. So tile backsplashes are not only a great way to improve the appearance of your kitchen, increase your houses resell value, but also protect your investment from everyday use.

What Are the Best Types of Tile Backsplashes?

So you’ve decided that you want to upgrade your house with some new tile backsplashes, but you aren’t quite sure where to start and which kind to purchase. Every home is going to be different and so there is no right answer, but in general purchasing tile backsplashes for your home should be based on what you find attractive but without compromising the resell value of the house. What this means is that if you find bright pink colors to be an attractive thing in your kitchen, you may want to consider choosing something else you would enjoy as not many people are going to want bright pinks in their kitchen. It could make the entire house very difficult to sell if you choose something that isn’t universally normal. Another example would be to have certain symbols on your tile backsplashes. You can get anything on there, and if you choose to get somthing like a yin-yang symbol then you may be greatly reducing the amount of people who would consider buying your house.

In general it’s best to stick with simple designs on your tile backsplashes. Wavey lines, dots, or solid colors are safe bets. As for the color, it should match the rest of the house, so although you can get whatever color you choose on your tile backsplashes, for the most part the rest of your house should somewhat dictate the color scheme of the tiles. Keep in mind that lighter color tiles are going to be able to get dirty more easily than darker colors (or at least appear that way).

So while you should use your creativity, add some color and style, don’t try and push the boundries too far or you could end up shooting yourself in the foot and losing more money than you could imagine when it becomes difficult to sell your house. As with most things, research is a key ingredient when selecting the right tile backsplashes as well as patience. Don’t be afraid to take a few months to decide what’s going to look correct in your house, because once it’s on there it will be a much bigger pain to have it removed. Go to hardware stores and buy a few single tiles of different designs and hold them up in your kitchen to see what they look like. Look at magazines of model homes and get better ideas of what you want in your house. Making the right decision shouldn’t be rushed, so take your time and be smart about it.

Where can I Purchase Tile Backsplashes?

You’ll find that there are several places you can purchase tile backsplashes, but where are the best places to purchase from and what should you stay away from purchasing? There are many things that you can purchase online to great convenience, and this is a good thing for items that you know what to expect from. For instance, if you go online to purchase some nail clippers then it’s most likely a safe decision but that’s due to the nature of a nail clipper. Almost all nail clippers are exactly the same, one size fits all, and you don’t really need to look a certain way. Even if you were to go to the store in person to look at them you would end up not being able to actually try it out as it would be inside a package. For all these reasons purchasing this online would be safe, and generally a good idea.

With tile backsplahses however you are dealing with many  more variables that will affect the end result of your decision. The quality of the tile is important as well as the shape and size. Even the texture of tile backsplahses can be different although most are made of a mix of concrete and plaster with a smooth surface. What if they get the order wrong? If you order one thousand tile backsplashes for your kitchen, open up the box and the order has been incorrect, you are looking at hassel and more time spent because of shipping things back and forth. You can eliminate all of this by simply finding a store in your area that sells tile backsplashes so that you can look at them in person.

When you go to the store to pick up tile backsplashes you can even take one home so that you can hold it up to your wall and be sure it’s what you like. This is a huge advantage and will help you make the right decision the first time. If you install a thousand tile backsplashes onto your wall and then find out that it looks terrible, you’re going to be faced with a huge task and an enourmous amount of time wasted.

Having the builder Purchase the Tile Backsplashes

Another option if you’re hiring someone to install the tile backsplashes for you is to have the builder order the tiles. When you go through the builder all the responsibility is on them to get the correct kind and they usually have a more direct relationship with the manufacturer which makes it easier for them to manage the shipment. If something goes wrong then they are responsible for taking care of the matter. This can be a great advantage but of course will cost you more because you are paying for the installment instead of doing it your self, and are typically charged a slightly higher fee since there is more work involved.

When you’re shopping for the perfect tile backsplahses for your home, be sure to take your time, do research and go there in person! It will make all the difference in the long run.