Painted Backsplash Tutorial!!

I know you all are giddy with anticipation to see the new and improved backsplash. I'm not into real tile backplashes... because it's hard to clean, expensive to install, and you have limited color and size options. So I've created a faux painting technique to look very similar to porcelain or natural stone tile. Check it out:


This is a 'before' shot. The original backsplash is the same color as the walls. (don't be jealous of all my sweet orange appliances)

First things first, I taped off the backsplash, and painted it white! (in a eggshell finish)

Using 1/4 inch painters tape, I created a grid based on what size tiles I wanted. You can do vertical... or diagonal like I did! If you want to get real fancy, you can do a mosaic over your stovetop or sink, or go for subway tiles or even brick! To see more examples, you can look at our S/E Backsplash Website!

I chose several colors of acrylic paint for my palette. I wanted a neutral 'tumbled travertine' look.

And I went to work with the handy little sponge brush. This is the fun part!!

Just try to get a slightly different combination of paints on your brush for each "tile', and try to be purposefully random!!! That totally makes sense, right?

No need to wait for the paint to dry. You want to remove the tape before it's too dry to make sure it comes off without peeling back the paint that you just spent so much time on! This part is SOOOO rewarding... INSTANT GRATIFICATION! It's so fun seeing the final product... it looks so freakin' REAL!

Here's the finished product!!

Here's some others that we've done: