Dear Alice | Backsplashes

This week’s podcast is all about backsplashes and wall treatments! When walking into a kitchen for the first time, your eyes are immediately drawn to the backsplash so you have to make that first impression count. You wont want to miss this weeks episode on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Google Podcast.

First and foremost, functionality in your home is of the upmost importance. Be careful of wallpaper in kitchens or in spaces that are around water because you want a wipeable and washable surface- we would never use wallpaper as a backsplash.

Subway tile is overdone and quite frankly- pretty basic. It’s usually 3” x 6” so we use 2” x 8” or 2” x 5” tiles to mix it up! Moroccan tile is stunning because of all the unique features they have in it while having a simple square shape. It can be uneven on the top because they’re handmade, hand glazed and hand baked so light hits it at all different directions while having various colors. They are timeless and so charming in any space you use them in! 

There are so many ways to lay tile on a backsplash! Some more common patterns include:

• straight stack - which is one tile right on top of each other

• brick lay - which is off center just a little bit

• there's zipper lay

• soldier lay - which is when the tile lays on its end vertical, looking like little soldiers

• Zellige (seen in photo above) is usually straight laid since it is so uniquely patterned, and to give focus on other aspects of the space.

Pinterest will be your best friend to see what tile layout fits your style.

Take your countertop onto the walls! Marble from the countertop to the ceiling, under the range hood or to cabinets is stunning. It’s expensive but is so beautiful and can help maximize a slab. You get to see the grandness of the slab throughout a space. It feels like the home is made out of marble and is a monolith. If it’s too expensive, get a matching tile to your countertop slab. If your cabinets don’t touch the ceiling, put the tiles above the cabinets! 

Go to a slab yard- its so fun! It’s God’s art gallery. A bone yard is all the remnants of slabs that aren’t completely used by people so be sure to check there as well if you’re shopping on a budget. 

You could use an antique mirror as a backsplash- but maybe reframe from using it as the full kitchen’s backsplash; it’d be nice for a butlers pantry or a basement kitchen backsplash!

Invest in your backsplash to live luxuriously! Any questions or podcast ideas? Email us at dearalice@alicelanehome.com