There were some potty training adventures this weekend. We’re not ready to boast success just yet, so we’re going to hold off on ‘that’ post. But I will say that there was a victorious #2-bomb that got dropped in the waters of the toilet. TOUCHDOWN!
In other news, the ‘arches’ are finally finished! Nick was priming them the other day, and since the primer was all convenient and available, I decided to paint over our backsplash (that I painted the very first week we lived in this house). This is what it looked like the first time I painted it to look like a tile backsplash:
It’s served us well for several years, and I liked how classic and neutral it was. But since we paint so many awesome backsplashes, I’ve been feeling like ours is pretty darn boring and plain for my current taste. It was kinda sad painting over all that work, but it was time for a change.
Now that I had this beautiful blank slate, I had to decide what to do! So many options!!
I’ve been loving the long/skinny staggered horizontal like Brenda’s backsplash, so Nick did some measuring and mathematics, and gave me some tape markers on the ruler to use for my markings.
So every couple feet, I would lightly put little penciled markings to direct my taping efforts.
Taping…
Takes…
FOREVER.
But it’s so worth it, my dear friends! Don’t be discouraged!
Next, I very randomly put little short pieces of painters tape here and there, making various sizes of long/horizontal ‘tiles’. The less you think, the better! (my kind of project!)
Now for the fun part! I wanted very contrasting colors, so I did some light(ish) natural ‘travertine’-looking tiles. I decided to throw in some solid colors that would look like ‘glass’ tiles… so I went with solid black, silver, and dark teal (using some leftover wall color).
This is what it looked like after painting and BEFORE we removed the tape…
And AFTER:
I love the unexpected shimmer of the metallic ‘tiles’.
I know I’m taking a break from turquoise, but we had leftover wall paint (Pittsburgh Paints ‘Deep Emerald’), and it just felt right, ok? I’m not one to waste paint.
Yes, I truly keep a mug of paint brushes on the back of my stove. They get used enough that it’s just convenient to have them out and available. And I decided they’re pretty!
Before/After pic:
It’s just a little more edgy and unique, and I like that.
There are still some things I would change about my kitchen… but building appliances from scratch isn’t one of Nick’s many talents. I wouldn’t hate it if Kenmore contacted us and wanted to sponsor our blog and give us a few ‘samples’. Heh heh…
P.S… if you’d like to see the technique we used to achieve the glossy swirls on the wall, click here! It’s by far our most popular post of all time!
so pretty.. and goes with your teal really nicely.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Your artistic abilities blow me away. I'm glad you kept teal in the mixture. It's really cohesive with your walls. And your orange appliances pop very nicely. It matches your personal style much better. I'm pretty dang excited to see dem arches. Woot.
ReplyDeleteLooks awesome, Beth! I love your choice of colors. Your artistic talent just blows me away! Good job!
ReplyDeleteCrystal
Love this! It is such a huge difference and it looks fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it! I especially love the color choices you made with the pop of orange
ReplyDeleteAwesome job guys!
ReplyDeleteIt's like your kitchen went from, "you look nice" to "you look hot!"
ReplyDeletewhere the heck did you find painters tape that skinny? did you have to cut the roll yourself?
ReplyDelete1/4" painters tape right here on Amazon!
Deletehttp://www.amazon.com/PAINTERS-MATE-GREEN-TAPE-Wide/dp/B0006ITPMK
thank you! :) looks like i've got a new weekend project! we've been trying to think of a cheap solution to a tiled backsplash for a while now.
DeleteI like it!
ReplyDeleteOMGosh, this looks absolutely awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou did an amazing job. My breath hitched when the AFTER picture scrolled up. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOnly two to describe it. LOVE IT!
ReplyDeleteI am totally amazed! It looks like real tile and all that taping! You must have much more patience than me! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's probably my favorite backsplash you have done! I love the super long skinny tiles.
ReplyDeleteWow! It looks sooo good!
ReplyDeleteLOVE!
ReplyDeleteI love it! YOu have inspired me, several months ago, to try to do a painted backsplash. But I cannot find painter's tape that narrow. I even looked online. Where do you get it? I saw another tutorial where they used the thin painters tape and it pulled the paint right off with it when removed, and it was still wet. So I got afraid. What I did was to paint the whole backsplash a glossy white, because I want it to look like white subway tile with grey grout. Next, I am going to use regular frog tape to tape off the grout lines. Wish me luck!
ReplyDeleteNIcki, we mentioned earlier in the comment section that we get our 1/4" painters tape from Amazon. Here's the link:
Deletehttp://www.amazon.com/PAINTERS-MATE-GREEN-TAPE-Wide/dp/B0006ITPMK
It will actually work better if your backsplash is painted using an eggshell or flat sheen. Otherwise you might have a hard time with the tape sticky to the glossy surface.
Send us pics when you're done!!
Thanks so much! I already painted it a high gloss, oh no! Now I am even more worried. I thought it would look better that way because subway tiles are shiny. Seriously, I think I have looked at every backsplash you have painted, well, the ones I could find.
DeleteFavorite project yet!!
ReplyDeletewow, thats all just paint???? Thats amazing. I am pretty sure I wouldnt have the patience to tape that much, or have the brains to keep it so straight. That is one awesome effort. I'm just going to go back and stare at the photo for a while longer....
ReplyDeleteBritt @ Creating Space for Five
Wow! It is beautiful! From your before and after pictures, the paint warmed up the color of your counter top also! Can't wait to see the arches. I am sure they are awesome too!
ReplyDeleteI was ready to hate it on principle for covering up that beautiful tile. But. It's amazing. Good job. :)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE it!!!
ReplyDeleteHoly Shitballs that looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteHave you thought about doing some type of your cool painting tricks to the back of your sink/bar area? It looks like plywood in your pics....just begging for your attention!
ReplyDeleteThe island is painted an olive-beige color, and coordinates with a stencil in the pantry... I actually love the color! But I could see how it would look like plywood in pictures. :) I've thought about doing a patterned treatment of some kind to it, but I think it would be too busy.
DeleteWow! That looks incredible!
ReplyDeleteOMG! I love that new backsplash. I am working on our kitchen. Everything in it is just yuck. Poor quality cabinets, walls, trim. I just painted, but there's faux brick under the cabinets and around the two windows. I plan to rip that off and put some kind of backsplash. I really don't feel like I know what to do, but the kitchen is starting so badly I really don't feel it could be worse. I'm thinking the wall is going to be super bad behind the faux brick or I would try this method. LOVE!
ReplyDeleteLisa, could you just tape off the 'grout' of the faux brick and paint right over? It couldn't hurt to try, right? Whatever you decide, send us pics!!
DeleteYour kitchen is sexy! I'm digging that orange Kichenaid! I have borin...I mean.....gift from my husband...black. :)
ReplyDeleteLooks amazing - just like real tile! You are super talented!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou totally inspired me super talented lady! So, I tried my hand at painting my own backsplash (I did a penny tile version!). It's not as awesome as yours, but I'm inspired to keep trying these "daring" paint projects now, so thank you! I may change mine to what you just did here. :)
ReplyDeletePlease check it out if you get the chance:
http://www.makingitworthy.com/2013/02/my-painted-penny-tile-backsplash.html
Wow Valerie... that's incredible!! Don't you dare paint over that!
DeleteThat is GORGEOUS - I am amazed! You've inspired me to do my own kitchen!
ReplyDeleteI love the way your "tile" turned out! I myself did a complete faux kitchen, complete with faux shaker style cabinets (I added flat trim to frame out the existing basic MDF cabinets), faux granite painted countertops (not from a kit either!), and faux subway tile backsplash (I did the same technique you did, except I mudded over the tape, pulled up the tape and shaped each "tile" before they dried. Then I painted each one and sealed with polycrylic.) http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=753884732459&set=a.661616588559.2135691.66802967&type=3&theater
ReplyDeleteTosha! I wish I could click on your link... it says 'invalid'... your kitchen sounds AMAZING! Do you have a blog? I'd love to see how you went about the 3D subway tile!
DeleteIt is absolutely brilliant!! How many colours do you suggest and what is the "sheen" to them.
ReplyDeleteYou can use as few or as many colors as you want! We usually use a handful of neutrals (5 or 6) plus whatever accent colors you're throwing in. For the tiles that are meant to look like 'stone' we use a flat paint. And for the solid color tiles that are meant to look like 'glass' we use high gloss. Hope this helps! Send us pics when you're done!
DeleteAwesome! Love the look. Don't have the patience to do it though. Also, I need a backsplash.
ReplyDeleteDid u use acrylic paint for this? If not what do you recommend?
ReplyDeleteWe just use simple acrylic craft paint. Works like a charm!
DeleteDo you have to clear coat over it?
ReplyDeleteMartha, yes we forgot to mention that! We do recommend rolling on a clear coat of PolyCrylic for durability.
DeleteAny tips for painting over a laminate backsplash? Wondering if the paint will stick?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately we don't have any experience with laminate. You could try it, but I would sand it real good and prime first for maximum adhesion. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!!
Deleteok. so i painted my backsplash last weekend. It's a huge improvement but I don't think I am in love with my color choices. I will live with a bit and see how I feel. Question is: did you seal yours at all? I am worried about splatters and splashes wrecking all that work.
ReplyDeleteAlso, found the tape locally at Grainger.
Hey Michelle! Sorry your not loving your color choice. You could try taping around those individual tiles you don't care for and redoing them?
DeleteWe do recommend sealing your backsplash with a clear coat of PolyCrylic for added durability.
Beth, THANK YOU for posting this! I just did something like this in our bathroom from stumbling onto your site and I LOVE it! But it's soooo much work, lol. I wish I could've just paid for you to come do it. /facepalm
ReplyDeletehttp://theninjaherself.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/sneak-peek-our-bathroom-redo/
Oh man... that looks AWESOME. I know it's a lot of work, but isn't it sooooo worth it? I'm glad you listened to your hubby and kept chugging along until it was finished. It's the BEST feeling pulling the tape off, right?! You should be proud!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOH! One more big thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen do you recommend peeling the tape? While it's still wet or after it dries?
Thanks for any input. I shoulda taken pictures.
oh, boy. I just painted over my first attempt at a painted backsplash. As in taped, painted, peeled the tape, watched all my silver tiles come off with the tape, saw a LOT of bleedthrough, tried to fix it, realized that I had played through 3 records and had "fixed" only one line of tile....and then painted over the whole thing with KILZ. I'm not sure what the problem is..Oil-based primer? Too much paint on each tile (I used a brush, not a sponge, and went pretty heavy, especially with the failed silver.) Could it be our taping method? My husband picked up the 1/4in tape locally, but only had experience using it in an automotive setting. He suggested, given that our wall is old and uneven, that I anchor the tape on one end of a stretch, measure an even height at the other end, and stretch the tape across to make it appear perfectly straight. The taping went much quicker this way, and actually looked a lot better than my measuring out every 6 inches. But I wonder if it affected the adhesion. Doesn't seem likely, since that's the method used to tape off striping on cars....but cars are a lot smoother than a kitchen wall. He's retaping it today while i'm at work. I plan to try again, with a more "stenciling-inspired" approach (less paint, sponge application instead of brush, layers if needed for depth, but very light on each layer. Any thought, suggestions...pity? Pulling out the KILZ was a bummer, but there was no rescuing it and I wasn't going to use polycrylic on a wall I wasn't satisfied with--that stuff be spendy.
ReplyDeleteWow Sierra, that's a major bummer! I'm sorry it's not working out right! Globbing too much paint on could DEFINITELY be one of the reasons. We use a sponge brush and just blotch the paint on. I can't vouch for any tape by the one we use, but it sounds like it should be working better than that. What you could try is... AFTER taping, paint the whole thing white first. That way any paint that seeps under will be white and won't show anyway. Then paint your tiles after that. Does that make sense? The white paint will seal the tape down too, and you should have a perfectly crisp line. As for removing tape, we start taking it off as soon as we're finished painting. If the paint dries completely, it will peel off when you pull off your tape. That might be what happened with your silver paint. Sorry you're having SO many problems. Feel free to ask ANY more questions you might have. And be sure to send us pictures when you're done!!
DeleteI'm doing a plain black or plain white backsplash soon. Wish my cooking skills would spare the dainty painted ones.
ReplyDeleteThis looks amazing. thanks for sharing.
Did you have to sand down the old paint so you wouldn't have ridges? I painted my backsplash last year (inspired by you of course!) and just wondered if you had to do any special prep work before painting over it.
ReplyDeletethanks!
-andi
Hi Andi! There weresn't really any ridges from the previous pattern... perhaps because we just didn't put the paint on very thick? If you have ridges, I would just sand 'er down with 220 before priming.
DeleteHi i would like to know what colors you used in
ReplyDeleteIn Anagalas Home love those colors and would be a great idea for my mobile home
ReplyDeleteLOVE THIS!!!! I'm remodeling our RV, and I want to do a tile backsplash, but I'm worried about the grout cracking while it bumps around. THIS is perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's your technique with the paint? Are you mixing different colors on the tiles, or is the realistic look just from the sponge brush?
So awesome! Can't wait to try this tonight!!
We just squirted a couple different colors of paint on a paper plate and blotched our sponge brush into it and blotted it onto the wall! There isn't really any technique to it. It's fun and easy! Send pics when you're done!
DeleteYour backsplash turned out great, so beautiful! I've got this linked to my backsplashes post too today!
ReplyDeleteHi Beth!
ReplyDeleteI JUST finished my backsplash and I love love it! Thank you for being so helpful for all us newbies!
A couple questions, if you dont mind. I bought the PolyCrylic like you said. I bought semi-gloss, is that what you use? They had matte, semi-gloss, and gloss. Didn't know which would look more real, so i went with the one in the middle. What do you use?
Question 2: It seems very runny when I shake it in the can, almost like water. How do you apply it? Does it run the colors that I just painted?
3: How many coats do you use? This will be in my kitchen behind the stove and sink so I splatter. I want to make sure it is durable so I can wipe it to clean it.
I can't thank you enough for being so inspiring and helpful!
THANKS!
Jen
Hey Jen! The sheen of the PolyCrylic doesn't matter that much. The glossy one is the most 'wipeable and durable' just because it's glossy... but it doesn't look as real. So I would have gone with the semi-gloss too.
DeleteIt is pretty runny. I think the back of the can says to stir instead of shaking, so that might pick up some residue at the bottom and make it a LITTLE thicker. Just pour some into a paint tray and roll it on with a paint roller. If you drip... it's water based, so it's easy to clean up with soap and water. And you really only need to do one coat.
I usually recommend waiting a couple days after painting the backsplash to seal it. That gives the paint time to fully cure.
Hope this helps!! Send pics when you're done!
Thank you so much!!
DeleteJen
Oh, and one other, How long did you wait until you applied it to the new backslash?
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!!
Jen
I just finished my own painted backsplash inspired by this post! I love it! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the post http://myslush.blogspot.com/2013/06/painted-backsplash-diy.html
Thank you for the inspiration for my back splash. I have a quick question. I want to paint the portion of the wall behind the range with chalkboard paint. Do you have any experience with chalkboard paint? I have used it on small projects but not a large one. My other concern is splatters on the chalkboard paint from the range. Would you advise using it there?
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog and your story is inspiring. Thanks for any advice!
Heather, chalkboard paint is going to really show grease stains and splatters. I think it would look really cool, but I'm not sure about how well it would clean up. We've used chalkboard paint a few times, but not in a frequently-used area like that... so it's really hard to advise you one way or another. Please do let us know if you give it a try and what kind of experience you have with it!
ReplyDelete