I'm not seeing a current picture witht he sink -- just the one with the paper down on the wood which I understand to be before use. That wall looks like it has a raw end of drywall, not a side that is finished (paper or whatever) or maybe even no drywall. It looks like they tried to smooth joint compound in there, either by itself over your studs and built up or over something less than a full side of finished drywall. Joint compound will turn to mud (that's what they call it when it's wet -- hence the verb to "mud" the walls) and dissolve away if it gets wet. Paint will only seal the surface, and if water gets behind it -- well, I dare say it is probably worse than damp sheetrock, which is worse than damp green board. You say they had to sheer away your window sill. Did that sill come below the window too? I don't think you've got clean drywall there. I think you've got a really poor job of mudding and an even worse job of sealing the joint. That's my guess.

Hi. We installed out kitchen in 2012. We still haven't chosen or decided on a backslpash - it's the painted wall. I have a creamy Egyptian marble, - don't remember the name. I like unstructured European vintage-y kitchens. Many of them don't have backsplashes either. My stainless range has a stainless backsplash directly behind it. I had picked out some mini-clear glass subway tile for the backsplash that coincidentally matches my Prescott Green paint color perfectly but what if I decide to change wall color one day? Just this week I started thinking maybe I made my backsplash tile decision three years ago which was to have none. Our marble installers tried very hard to discourage us from marble in the kitchen but I have not regretted it. All those kitchens in southern Europe can't be wrong. FYI - If you are considering glass backsplash look at a product call 3-Form it comes in an amazing variety of colors,textures and imbedded items, two good friends used it in their kitchens. http://www.3-form.com/ Do what speaks to you in your home. Best.

Thanks prill...I'm leaning towards only doing tile in area to the left of the casing...then in the window area just doing paint and the casing down to the counter. I guess I'll just have to be more dilligent with cleaning. The Reef was the first tile that spoke to me...I really thought I was going to go for a more solid blue, but reef is so much softer....it allows me to play up the color of the walls more...not that I have a lot of walls...And, I found out that my designer can get it for about 12.50/sf where I was quoted around $15/sf.

Ooooh, you have me a little worried. I am planning a white on white kitchen...but back to the topic at hand. No I definitely don't think a lip of a backsplash is at all unfinished. In fact, i think most houses just have a lip? I wonder if the wall of a BS is a new thing. In fact i just took a quick look at property listings (no I am not a realtor, haha) and the 3 houses I clicked on (close to a million$) all had a lip of a backsplash. I think it is personal preference. And your right it is a dust catcher=). but better to have dust than me rub off my wall every time I wipe my counters down. (good paint may well solve that dilemma) but I do think that it looks naked with nothing. We cook alot ( and I am messy) so I have to have something behind my stove...and personally i do like the full wall of backsplash. If you have soapstone, that may break up the white enough to not make it so stark. You could possibly consider the lip of soapstone and then tile above that....? Best of luck