I think that vanities without some sort of backspash look unfinished. What are you doing for your counter? Can you do that on the wall for about 4 inches? Or a mirror?

That said, here is a beautiful bathroom without a backsplash:

[Traditional Bathroom design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_712~s_2107) by Toronto Interior Designer Jennifer Brouwer (Jennifer Brouwer Design)

You can make a short backsplash matching the counter, or you can get a tile that has a cove to end it up aways....maybe to the mirror or as far as you want. Or you could use a small mosaic and taper it back in various ways to create an interesting edge.

Thanks for your responses. We are not having a countertop - the vanity we have chosen is this one although the one in the picture is size up from what we will end up with. Good point about it maybe looking unfinished though. I like how this looks in the picture but just wondered if it was really practical.

The tile we want to use in the rest of the bathroom is porcelain and doesn't come in bullnose - it has an unfinished edge so wouldn't look right either if we went half way up to the mirror.

[Modern Bathroom Vanities And Sink Consoles design[(https://www.houzz.com/products/modern-bathroom-vanities-prbr1-br~t_469~s_2105) by Fixture Universe

Well, I think it looks great in the photo above. It doesn't look unfinished to me at all. And it isn't like a kitchen where you're splashing who knows what around. Especially as this looks to be a bathroom for adults, I think you'd be able to wipe any errant soap bubbles or whatever off the wall if you used decent quality paint. I'm really looking forward to seeing pix of your finished room!

Yes, that's a very clean line and doesn't look unfinished. If you're concerned and it's an option, could you have the mirror start right there?

oh, interesting idea Shellking! I've seen photos of mirrors that come down to meet the vanity. Might be tricky to keep clean though.

Thanks for the input!

in my experience, baths do get splattered with toothpaste and mouthwash and shampoo and soap and cleaning products so I would want some kind of splash.

Note that in the first pic i posted, the tile didn't come in a cove but there was a coordinating chair rail to finish the edge. They also make tile that is quarter round that may come in a matching color.

Putting the mirror to the vanity top is also an option and while it will double the spots, it will be easy to clean.

Thin, white piece of something like corian 3-4 inches tall might be one way to go. If you have teeth brushing at the sink, I don't see how the paint will hold up.

Kashmi, thank you for relaying your experiences. A good quality paint will be a must if we do go this route.

Hags00 - yes, the showroom where we are purchasing this from mentioned something like putting a small strip of cesarstone or something on the back.

If this wasn't for the fact that we have a door immediately to the left of where this would be installed I could be ok with tile but I think it may look weird going up and over the door frame. And the tile we have chosen for elsewhere in the bathroom does not come in bullnose so going half way up to the mirror is not an option.

Hi tartanhabit. I have the exact same question for our master bathroom remodel. Did you end up going with a backsplash of some sort or just paint? Would love it if you would be able to post a quick picture. Thank you.

If you want a finished edge on your tile, use schluter. I like photos without a back splash....but I always put one in....just 6" or 8" is enough in most cases.

I would have tiled the entire wall behind the vanity in the above situation.

Powder Room in former closet by Bay Area Contractor · More Info

We just installed a stand alone floating vanity in our new master bathroom and also have a similar but not floating vanity in another bathroom. Neither bathroom has a backsplash, just paint. For the master we used BM Bath & Spa Paint. I cannot speak to how the paint has held up in the master, since it is has only been a few days, but the in the other bathroom, it has just been fine. Two adults using that bathroom on a daily basis, plus guests, it is fine after almost 8 years. To me, in the space we had, a backsplash would not have really worked. It would have just looked like it landed there from outerspace. I love the photo Mayflowers posted and if you can do a whole wall of pretty tile or have a natural starting and stopping point for the backsplash, then I think that is great. But I personally would not add it, just to have it. Especially in a clean design where less is more.

I'm curious what you ended up doing. I know this is a super old post. However, I'm debating the same thing. I really love this vanity without back splash which is very much like the one Mayflowers posted:

[https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-bath-vanity-traditional-bathroom-denver-phvw-vp~572721[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bathroom-bath-vanity-traditional-bathroom-denver-phvw-vp~572721)

Any updates on this? I also would like to avoid backsplash

Good quality paint will be fine without a splash.

It's been 6 1/2 years since my original post and the painted back splash in both the downstairs/guest bathroom and in our master bathroom have held up just fine! As mercurygirl says, go with a good quality paint and semi-gloss and you'll be fine.

I didn't bother with a backsplash either, just a thin bead of caulk between the wall and the sink and after a couple of years it still looks good. The wall does not get wet at all.

I have to have a tile backsplash because I sometimes wash my face at the sink with a face cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide, and I splash A LOT when I wash my face.

Upstairs hall bath currently has just a 3-4" high quartz backsplash (matches the countertop) and just a nice quality medium-to-light blue paint above, and then a framed mirror. A few times a year I'm forced to wash my face in that bathroom because we'll have company staying in the basement using the basement bathroom.

Pretty much the first time I washed my face in the hall bath, despite trying not to splash the wall, I splashed the wall. So now the paint has obviously lightened splotches on the painted section between the quartz backsplash and the framed mirror. Maybe if I used a face wash w/o benzoyl peroxide, the splash marks wouldn't show.

Wow, I know this is stream started in 2012, but I do have a follow-up question. We have a vanity similar to the original posters and we did not install a backsplash. It has been two years and everything has been fine except that the caulk where are the vanity top meets the wall is beginning to crack. Not sure what our contractors used but wondered if others had this problem and if not what has been successful for them in keeping the wall and vanity top line looking clean. The paint,which was Farrow and Ball, has held up wonderfully.

Wow, I know this is stream started in 2012, but I do have a follow-up question. We have a vanity similar to the original posters and we did not install a backsplash. It has been two years and everything has been fine except that the caulk where are the vanity top meets the wall is beginning to crack. Not sure what our contractors used but wondered if others had this problem and if not what has been successful for them in keeping the wall and vanity top line looking clean. The paint,which was Farrow and Ball, has held up wonderfully.

@oncdoc36 it sounds like you got a lot of years out of the vanity. It still looks great except for the small amount of cracking on the caulking. As I understand it caulking is pretty easy to replace. I’m not an expert but I’m guessing you could scrape/cut it out and replace it your self. Good luck.

Here is a photo of my bathroom backsplash. It's 2 years since I posted on this thread and the backsplash/caulk joint is 5 years old, so things look just fine with paint and caulk.

Other than sometimes having a mirror that came down to the vanity, I never had a backsplash on one until now. Grew up in kitchens without back splashes, too. You just wipe good paint clean every once in a while, and you have practices that do not spread mess.