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Remodeling Design Dilemma Kitchens

interchangeable backsplash? Good idea or ?

5 years ago

Since our backsplashes are, well, set in stone, I was wondering if there are options to make the focal point over my stove something I could change. Apparently, there are people who install "interchangeable backsplashes." Here's one link but you can google and find more.

https://blog.kitchenmagic.com/blog/what-are-interchangeable-backsplashes

Has anyone done this? How did it go? Any tips/suggestions?

In general, does this seem like a good idea or not? My concern: when we remodeled the guest bath I chose a wall tile for the tub that I loved-loved-loved. Now 10 years later, not so much. So my thought in the kitchen was to go w/ a neutral back splash (hand molded tile in cream or white) and have an accent over the stove. And ideally be able to change that accent if I tire of it in 5 or 10 years. Thoughts?

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Comments (4)

User
5 years ago
I planned for this in my kitchen renovation from 2008. I have a 3 x 3 ft marble mosaic black plash behind my range that was super expensive, custom created by a mosaic tile artist. I decided to install 1/4 inch backer board in the stone range hood recess, affixed with 1 screw in each corner. When I move, I am going to remove the single corner mosaic tile, unscrew the backboard and pop the whole thing out and take it with me. I don't have tile anywhere else in my kitchen, so frankly, I think new owners will appreciate the already prepared blank slate. I will likely include a tile allowance of $500 in the sale price for replacement.

This allowed me to do the high end material I wanted without worrying about leaving it behind.
girl_wonder thanked User
girl_wonder
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks cleo07. So it sounds like the extra work for the tile setter isn't that much, just a separate piece of backer board that gets screwed in. When I googled this morning there were company selling "systems." I wondered what was needed to support the weight of the removable piece. Sounds like your solution has been fine for 10 years (and counting). Thanks for sharing this info (and your strategy on resale). Super helpful.
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Instead of plastic outlet covers you can consider resin ones that look like stone, metal ones that match the cabinet hardware, or porcelain if you can find ones that are close to the color of the ceramic tile if you go that route. I think these would look nicer and wear better than the picture under the plastic method. This link shows some of the "stone" versions: http://www.wallplatewarehouse.com/textured-finish.html?gclid=COf_58rOx58CFRHxDAodGzFl3g I got the 'stone look' resin ones for the backsplash (Loews) and oil rubbed bronze outlet and switchplate covers (Target - good price!) for all over the house. They look much nicer IMHO than plastic. Places like switchplates.com, switchplatesuperstore.com, etc. will give you lots of ideas. (Check out the Fine Art series on switchplates.com if you like art -- great colors under Van Gogh and Kandinsky.) Are you doing the tiles yourself? I'm wondering if it's possible for a good tile pro to cut one of your tiles to the right size, cut out the inside to fit the outlet, and drill holes in the right spots for the screws. It's a long shot, but would look nice!
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yep that's my kitchen. Sorry it's not in your budget, but gpraceman does have a good idea about granite tiles. I have seen these used in place of granite slabs for the counter, when a budget dictated it. "To Me", they did not look that bad. I had to redo the area of the granite where the cook top is, due to a bad choice I made about cooktops, a 36" semi-circle Caldera. It died in about a year and the company went broke, so I had to replace it with a rectangular induction cooktop, Hence the granite rework. Well I could find Granite remnants (Arandis Gold) for next to nothing, (I paid about $75 for a little less than a half slab. So you may be able to do that too, and then have it cut to sizes you want for the tile, myself, the bigger the better, and the less grout lines. Thanks for your kind words about my kitchen, it is pretty unique, and as we tell folks here, Do what makes you happy, after all, it's your kitchen. For those of you that do like tiles and grout, that's great, as long as it's what you want, and you're not following others or doing what you "Think", might help sell the house later. Gary
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So tired of hearing " but that will make it look dated" or "it wouldn't be good for resale" Everything is going to be dated at some point, the kitchen designers, cabinet companies and appliance companies make sure of that. Example: stainless steel appliances were just coming on the market 15 years ago when we gutted our kitchen for a remodel. It was hard for me to find stainless in my area at that time, I live in a small mid western town. So, have you noticed in the past few years appliance companies have been trying to bring out new colors, grayed looking stainless, now ice white etc. they are trying to make people think their stainless appliances are soon going to be "dated". But I have read in several articles that stainless is still the number one choice. I chose a cinnamon stained cherry wood for our new build. I thought about white because that is the trend right now, but I reasoned cherry cabinets will always be in style while the white trend Has just a few more years. I won't be a slave to trends. Just my opinion.
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If your choice were only between to 2 you originally posted, I'd choose the one on the right--the cream one. From the photos it looks like it works very well with your quartzite. The gray one is "off" just enough not to look pleasing. However, as many have noted, either one is more difficult to clean than a smooth surface. What sort of cook are you--very neat or more devil-may-care? If you are very neat and do not splash much when you cook, then you may get away with the split-faced marble, but if you are a more exuberant cook, you may find it a challenge to clean. The mother of pearl is very formal and quite busy, so it's going to compete with the counter tops as well. Personally, I would use a smooth crackle tile in a tan/beige tone to work with your quartzite. Simple is always good.
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Sue 430
5 years ago
I have a back painted glass backsplash. I like simple, so opted for no pattern, just silver metallic on the whole thing, but the company who did the backsplash for me does interchangeable as well. Their work is beautiful. Imagio Glass Designs is the company
girl_wonder thanked Sue 430
girl_wonder
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks Sue. I love the glass panels but they don't really work with my 1940s bungalow. But thanks for the lead. That video shows how the interchangeable panels work--something I can show my contractor.

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