In your journey of looking for the perfect kitchen remodel, have you given much thought to the backsplash? It’s not high up on the list of things you need in the kitchen. Appliances like the fridge, stove, oven, seating, the countertop space, and many others take precedence over small details like the backsplash. What you may not realize is that the backsplash has a much bigger purpose than just a design element. It’s there to keep the walls protected from spills, water, and anything else that gets a little out of hand when you’re having an awesome cooking session. Two of the most popular backsplashes are the full-length styles and the 4-inch style, which is actually the most traditional of the two. Like all traditions, there are some pros and cons. Here’s the breakdown:

What’s great about the 4-inch backsplash?

  • It’s the best of both worlds. With the height of this backsplash, your countertop can contain whatever messes may happen on the surface, but the extended backsplash doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the wall. You can still see the gorgeous colors of both the wall and the countertops or tiles that run along the back of the wall.
How 4-Inch Backsplashes Enhance Your Design 1
  • That extra space under the cabinets can be great to add accents, pictures, lighting, wall hangings for utensils, and more. You have more space to play with your overall kitchen design.
  • You’ll be able to save money in your budget only covering up the first 4-inches of the wall. This gives you a little more “play” money in other areas like appliances or storage options.
  • The look will be more uniform between the countertop and the wall. Countertops can have the 4 inches giving it a smooth finish rather than the tiled look.

What are some things to consider?

  • You might have an issue getting the colors between the countertop and the wall to look right. The best option is to pick out both the countertop material and the paint either at the same time or make sure you have a sample of one or the other.
Tile bathroom
  • The height might not be ideal for everyone. While it does open up the wall space a little more, some may find the abrupt edge of the backsplash unpleasant. It would be purely for function, and not design.
  • Messes don’t just stop at 4 inches. Anything can splatter up in the wall whether is be grease, spaghetti sauce, dropping a cup of something, and more. The 4-inch backsplash may not be enough to catch the occasional messes of a busy family.
  • If you want a tiled backsplash instead of a seamless design, you’re working with grout. Over time that grout is going to need replacing. Old grout, or grout that wasn’t properly applied can leave the wall open for water, sauces, oils, crumbs, and anything else small enough to get in the cracks.