Choices! Choices! Choices! If there is one thing that dominates kitchen backsplash trends in 2011, it is the great myriad of materials and styles to pick from. One of the most popular is tile which comes in a variety of materials, colors, and textures--glass, marble, ceramic, and recycled glass. You can even include tiles collected from your travels to add interest and re-create fond memories. Tile backsplash looks good, is cost efficient, and protects. There is vinyl fabric which you can peel and stick. You can even use an enlarged photo as a backsplash. You can continue the counter material up the wall and use it as the backsplash which provides continuity and keeps material choices to a minimum. For budget purposes, you can have a focal point like the cooking or sink area with your more expensive material and then paint or use a paint technique like Venetian Plaster in the other areas. You can use more than one material, for example, stainless steel or stone behind sinks and cooktops and tile in the remaining areas. A neutral color palette is the most requested which can be impacted with colors in a border or interspersed in a decorative pattern. There are many other choices to pick from, some of which are eco-friendly and/or budget friendly like bamboo, tin , faux stainless steel, stained beadboard panels, oil-rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, and melamine laminate wall panels. The style, color, function, cost and how easily it cleans are all factors in determining which you will want for your kitchen out of the many "choices" available to homeowners today.

Blog inspired by articles featured on kitchen2011.blogspot.com and hgtv.com.