Splashbacks with wow factor
Making a splash in the kitchen has never been more fun, as there’s much more to splashbacks than subway tiles, writes Shabnam Dastgheib.
Awell thought out and beautifully designed kitchen splashback is a wondrous thing. A splashback has to withstand splatters, heat, moisture, and be easy to clean, while also looking good and aesthetically tying your whole kitchen together.
That’s not an easy feat.
With myriad options on the market now, including some very luxurious looks, the different choices for splashbacks are limited only by your budget and imagination.
Tiles
Experts say the humble tile splashback still can’t be beaten.
Nicky Claridge of NC Design says the toughest and lowest maintenance option is still ceramic or porcelain tiles.
Porcelain tiles are tougher than ceramic and often come with a higher price tag.
The Christchurch-based kitchen designer says large format tiles are the most popular with her clients.
‘‘With so many large format tiles and colours available, the grout which has always been the biggest put-off with tiled splashbacks can be kept to a minimum and, with the right product, the grout line would be well above the splatter zone,’’ she says.
The colour choice will depend on how much the tile is designed to take centre-stage, or whether it needs to fade into the background.
Geometric shapes such as the hexagonal tile were hugely popular for a time but are no longer in vogue with tile designers.
When choosing tiles for a splashback, be sure to shop around as many tile shops have everchanging clearance lines.
Glass
Glass splashbacks provide a few advantages, including a completely seamless finish.
There’s an infinite choice of colours for glass splashbacks, in gloss or matte finishes.
Glass can give your kitchen a sophisticated or bold look, and can even be mirrored for extra flair.
Experts advise caution when going with a bold colour though, as it may not age well.
Kitchen designer Trish Simpson says that even though glass is easier to clean, as there are no grout lines, tiles are still more popular.
‘‘People want more texture, like you can get with tiles. With glass you will see more smears as well,’’ she says.
Price wise, a glass splashback and standardpriced tiles are largely comparable.
Slab
For those looking for a timeless ultra-luxurious look, porcelain or granite slab splashbacks are gaining in popularity.
A slab splashback can be a continuation of the benchtop or matched with the island bench, giving the kitchen a picture-perfect flow that can’t be achieved with any other option.
Linea Stone sales administrator Jo Ogilvie says porcelain is a new product in its slab benchtops and can be as thin as 6mm.
She says although stone splashbacks look incredibly luxurious, there is a wide range of products, varying hugely in price.
Stone splashbacks are easy to clean, and heatand scratch-resistant.
They do need to be sealed correctly though as stone is a porous material, and they are a complex and heavy item to install.
Polished plaster
A more subtle finish that can give a beautiful textured finish to your kitchen is Venetian plaster.
This refers to any polished or decorative plaster that’s applied using an age-old technique from Venice.
It can be a completely bespoke finish as it can be customised to suit the style of the house, from ultra glossy to highly textured.
Venetian Plaster director Mark Hamlyn says the product is completely natural and so is suited to those looking for a green option.
‘‘It’s from the earth and can be put back into the earth,’’ he said.
Hamlyn says polished plaster is a lightweight and cost-effective option.