Seems like a nightmare to keep clean - there's no hiding dirty/fingerprinted glass.

Easier than trying to keep grout clean, and the high gloss is no different from tiles. One could go with a matte glass same as you would for framed art, which would alleviate the issue.

We just finished our remodel and did glass backsplash. I love, love, love it. Far from being difficult to clean, it’s a breeze. Since it’s backpainted, it’s not like it shows every fingerprint like clear glass. Ours is back painted with a silver metallic. I also had a very difficult time finding someone to do it here in the U.S. in Michigan. A fellow houzz member from my area knew of someone, I ended up using them and was very happy with them. Here in the U.S., it’s fairly pricey. They need to come and template and then cut and paint the glass. They were installed with just a few drops of glue here and there. It looks beautiful, and they told me just to use windex to clean. So far I haven’t gotten it too messy, but if you do, no worries. One thing to clarify with a company who does it for you is outlet covers. Be sure that they will make them as well and if they are included in the price. My company had a very hard time finding truly clear glass covers to back paint, but finally located some. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you decide to move forward!

A glass backsplash came with my house. I love it. No problems keeping it clean. It is only behind my range. I wipe it with glass cleaner every evening as I tidy the kitchen after making dinner.

Having said that, I am changing it out for some pretty tile- I love tile.

PS The glass is only behind the range because that is the only solid wall in the kitchen. Everything else is window or cupboards.

I had one. The only thing I would say is that the wall has to be very flat. I had one that cracked when they were test fitting it, and the one that was actually installed eventually developed a stress fracture in exactly the same spot. Luckily it was behind the microwave.

Actually, it's not a problem with fingerprints so much. One they aren't all that easy to see, and two---how often does one touch the backsplash? I don't have a glass one in this house, and probably won't when I redo...but I can't remember the last time I touched the one that was there bare handed...there's not really any reason to touch it.

Thank you - these are encouraging stories!

Ours is a Victorian farmhouse, and the walls aren't that straight, so we'll need to take that into consideration.

I hadn't really thought about the outlet covers - Sue Mcgrath - any idea where your company sourced them in the end?

And Sue Mcgrath , Rita and palimpsest - how was your glass mounted? In a metal channel of some sort, or just glued to the wall, mirror mounts, or ...?

The glass was templates to fit in very snugly. Most of my panels were in place for a couple of weeks with no glue while they redid a piece that had been cut wrong. It didn’t move. I’m not sure where they ended up getting the plates, I know that they said they had ordered sample after sample claiming to be the right thing and weren’t. And as palimpsest mentioned, the walls do need to be relatively flat, they don’t have to be perfect but can’t have any big bulges or anything.

Mine was just caulked around the edges. I stripped a mirrored outlet cover (not fun, you have to use paint stripper and Muriatic acid to get the backing and then the silvering off and you have to used heavy duty gloves and a respirator.

Now the offer clear glass plates that can also be back painted:
https://www.arnev.com/Beveled-Clear-Glass.html

Here are pictures of my current back painted, backsplash. The pictures are from the company the PO hired to do the remodeling. I am not sure how the glass was attached. Good luck with your project.

We are going to do one, and my KD has a company locally (Chicago) that does it. I can't wait!

Thanks again - you're all really helpful, and I really appreciate your feedback.

The local glass company got back to me today - they've never done one before, which concerns me somewhat.

Anyway, I was surprised how inexpensive the tempered glass is.

My alternative thought was Lexan/Plexi-glass, which is less expensive and won't mind the somewhat uneven old walls, plus it'll be easier to drill if I want to put up a shelf or rail like yours, Rita - which is fantastic, by the way!

Is this really the best look for a Victorian farmhouse though? It's so sleek, minimal and modern and a Victorian farmhouse is completely and totally opposite of that! Totally different feels and looks.

Blondelle, of course a true Victorian farmhouse wouldn't have electric or modern appliances, either. (I am far more willing to go exploratory in a kitchen than elsewhere...)

Lol - you're both right - we have a clunky big old stove, and the glass would run along the wall for a couple of feet above the countertop, to protect fun wallpaper I fancied using to cover the whole of that wall, no upper cabinets, just one long shelf running along the top edge of the glass, if that makes sense? The glass would protect the wallpaper and is so easy to clean.

Don't get me started on modern fridges, lol. I posted separately about the colorful Elmira ones here as I figured a stand-out color would be better than a sheet of stainless, but they are ridiculously expensive for what is basically a Whirlpool in an anorak. I wish panel-ready fridges weren't so ridiculously expensive.

Acutally, blondelle - if you check out Houzz UK you'll see lots of totally sleek modern kitchens in houses that are obviously 200-600 years old and more. Not sure it's my taste, but it's definitely A Thing over there.

Glad there's something behind it. You can also coat the wallpaper with several coats of matte or satin water based urethane to protect it. They also might be able to heat laminate plastic film over it. There are antique stoves and a fridge can be behind paneling. I just thought a solid sheet of colored glass would be jarring in that setting.

blondelle - that's a great idea about the urethane! Is there a particular one I should look at? The wallpaper in question has a creamish-white background - would the urethane darken it a bit? I don't think that would matter tbh, as it'll be below the shelf.

We had a plexiglas piece covering wallpaper behind the range, attached with screws through drilled holes. It was a loose fit, but you could hardly tell it was there. (And you can slip postcards, photos or other mementoes behind it too).

A water based one shouldn't yellow although sometimes they do a bit. They also have spray versions which might give you a more even application. You have to make sure the pilot light is out though. For the fridge you might be able to make a freestanding armoire for it out of IKEA parts. You can use the Bodbyn grey doors and sides or paint them a fun color. Victorian kitchens don't have to be fitted. Use the Bodbyn doors in the mullion on top and replace the glass with antique mirror. You can put crown molding on top, and other molding on the back as you need more depth than the 24" and have to pull it away from the wall a bit and need to hide the gap. I don't mind a sleek modern kitchen in an old house but not one that mostly victorian with a sheet of colored glass.