I have no back splash at all. We redid the kitchen last spring and decided we liked the neutral beige paint better than adding one more eye catching thing in the kitchen. We used semi-gloss paint so it cleans up very easily with a damp sponge. Its not quite a year and it looks as clean as it did when we first painted. However, my stove is in the work island and doesn't have a wall behind it, not even a low wall.

I had butcherblock laminate for 28 years with the 4 inch backsplash strip. Above that was blue wallpaper, which I loved and held up great with regular wiping, even behind the stove.

With this remodel I'm getting flat laminate, no 4 inch backsplash strip. My DH and GC were apoplexic over this--envisioning waterfalls behind the counter warping walls and growing deadly mold.

I compromised and found white 2x6 inch bullnose tile that GC will sit on the counter as a backsplash. Above that will be white beadboard.

I like your idea of just leaving the wall painted without adding another focal point to distract the eye. Just keep that countertop to wall joint protected against water.

On the two walls of our kitchen that have no upper cabinets, we chose to do a 1.5" granite splash. It is small enough so that it blends right into the countertop, but it still makes spills and flour splashes easier to cleanup.

Hi,

I think in hindsight I would have been better to just leave the backsplash painted. The paint really worked well with the granite and made it stand out. My KD wanted a granite backsplash behind the stove and a 4" inch backsplash everywhere else. The granite fabricator (whose family owns a tile store that he also works at), talked me into tumbled marble tiles as a backsplash. The wall behind my sink is not straight and bows out about 1/4" for 2 1/2'. He cautioned me about leaving this gap open.

I didn't know what to do and had to make a decision ASAP (or so it seemed). If I had to do it over again, I would have taken more time and not rushed into a backsplash (like you). When I looked at other kitchens with the granite as a backsplash behind the stove, it was too overwhelming for me and I have too small of a kitchen for that. It was like hanging a piece of abstract art in the kitchen. I did like the way having just granite on the countertops made the kitchen look and liked the clean lines of the kitchen.

The point of all this rambling is that in hindsight just the paint looked really good in my kitchen. I don't think the tile backsplash adds anything to the beauty of the granite. If you look at the kitchens on the Finish Kitchen Blog, notice what you like about each kitchen and where the focal point is (i.e., where your eyes look first). Then look at your kitchen and try to notice what stands out the most in your kitchen and if that is what you want.

Santa Cecelia is beautiful granite and with your cabinets, I'm sure your kitchen is lovely. I think you were smart to wait on a backsplash and my advice would be to proceed cautiously and look for something that adds to your kitchen while keeping the lines simple and clean. Also, if you add a small backsplash where needed, it is much easier to hang items or decorate with just paint then a tiled backsplash.

I hope this helps your situation in some way!

Karen

We have a 2.75 inch backsplash. Like you, we are struggling with the idea of leaving it alone or do something more or perhaps apply a different paint color. We have "Gold of Troy" which is another name for St. Cecilia.

Please post an update, if you make changes. I'd be interested in learning what you did.

Thank you and good luck.

kiwimanor - do you have any pics? I want to do the same thing. What is on your walls?

Metal cabinet cove is another alternative for the joint at the backsplash wall/ countertop joint.

My mom's kitchen (circa 1960) had yellow Boomerang Formica counters w/ metal edging & the metal cove molding w/ a really cool yellow plastic 4x4 wall tile, i.e., tile w/ no grout lines.

One option for a no backsplash look in wet areas would be to use the metal cove, cover the splash area with Formica and paint the Formica.

Here is a link that might be useful: Metal Cabinet Cove Moldings

I have no backsplash, just paint, except for behind the sink and the cooktop where I have backpainted glass. It looks great, and gives me the clean look I wanted.

I had no backsplash for almost a year. Sunday my DH installed our backsplash and I'm having a hard time adjusting to the area over the sink. I think it takes away from the sink itself. Not sure what to do with window area.

We have no backsplash, except for a stainless steel sheet behind the stove. We used one of those scrubbable paints and it's worked extremely well. I always thought we'd end up with a backsplash, but our kitchen is small and the simple painted look works too well.

I've been living for over 2 years without a backsplash, because I couldn't decide what to put in! I'd still LIKE to have one, and have picked out some glass tile, but now I need to find someone to install it. I have a sheet of stainless on the wall between the cooktop and the hood, so that catches most of the grease. The main problem was that when they framed the house they were a bit haphazard, and nothing is truly square, so there are some gaps between the granite countertop and the wall. However, not having a backsplash so far doesn't seem to have hurt anything.

Like Kiwimanor, we have soapstone counters with no backsplash at all except the quilted stainless panel behind the range. Several on this forum have commented that the painted wall looks fine. Somehow I would like a little more there but can't decide what to do. I am still debating the choices.

alku05- the tile behind your cooktop...what is it? I like your whole kitchen very much but I think that wall looks just fantastic.

Thanks,

Nina

We have silestone counters and put in a 2" silestone backsplash. I have since seen a granite counter that had a 1" backsplash with a beveled edge that looked great--the beveled edge is a great touch to a short stone/silestone backsplash as it makes it look less blocky.

Nina, the tile is 1" x 2" white venatino marble subway mosaic. The tile has been discontinued, but you can get similar ones from Walker Zanger's Tribecca collection. Thanks for the flattering words!

Thanks for sharing everyone. I'm getting new countertops in an upgraded Laminate, Sedona Trail. I see the different backsplash sizes here and now I don't feel so bad losing a 1/2" on the backsplash of the new countertop. It was 4 inch. Although I still don't know why it has to lose it in the first place! I also wanted to suggest "Balsam Beige" for a kitchen color for "just joe." :) It's an awesome color I found at Walmart which I've used in my own kitchen and living area. It goes with everything and is very soft looking. Take care all and "Happy Holidays."

I plan to dispose of my all-in-one ceramic double sink and 2 in backsplash. Behind it is a large window. The counter top will run directly into the window sill-awkward. If a backsplash is designed into the new counter it will block the bottom of the window. Short of raising the window sill [budget won't allow) I can't think of a good way to deal with this dilemma. Suggestions?

We're coming down the home stretch with our kitchen renovation. Cambria quartz countertops go in on August 3. We opted against any backsplash at all: Behind the range is stainless steel and there's nothing behind the sink (it's mounted at the counter height passthrough).

So here's my question: When they install my countertops, do you think they will do SOMETHING where the countertop meets the painted walls? Caulk? Suggestions? I may or may not tile the backsplash area in the future. In the meantime, I sure hope there's not a "crack" or little space where the countertops meet the walls.

Here is a link that might be useful: Before, during and almost-after photos

Gamegrrl - now that all is said and done with your Cambria, what did they do? I'm having my quartz (no backsplash) installed 08/13, and have the same curiosity. Also - have you installed a backsplash since the posting? I clicked on the link you provided, but it threw a 404 error.

Hi. We installed out kitchen in 2012. We still haven't chosen or decided on a backslpash - it's the painted wall. I have a creamy Egyptian marble, - don't remember the name. I like unstructured European vintage-y kitchens. Many of them don't have backsplashes either. My stainless range has a stainless backsplash directly behind it. I had picked out some mini-clear glass subway tile for the backsplash that coincidentally matches my Prescott Green paint color perfectly but what if I decide to change wall color one day? Just this week I started thinking maybe I made my backsplash tile decision three years ago which was to have none. Our marble installers tried very hard to discourage us from marble in the kitchen but I have not regretted it. All those kitchens in southern Europe can't be wrong. FYI - If you are considering glass backsplash look at a product call 3-Form it comes in an amazing variety of colors,textures and imbedded items, two good friends used it in their kitchens. http://www.3-form.com/ Do what speaks to you in your home. Best.