12 Easy Kitchen Wall Panel & Splashback Tips and Ideas
Sian Victoria © - Kitchen with a blacksplash by sink
Kitchen Cladding & Splashback Options: Alternative Ideas to Tiles
If you are looking at remodelling your kitchen or simply giving it a simple makeover, I’m sure you must be aware that the decision on what you do with your walls is an important one. Till about two decades back, the choice was limited to tiles, but times have changed now.
This post is going to help you with all your design-related queries regarding kitchen wall panels, cladding, and splashbacks. So, let's find out how you can say goodbye to messy grout through new-age materials and adopt some easy yet amazing styles as an alternative idea to tiling the kitchen.
1. Say Goodbye to Grout with Acrylic and PVC Panels
Cleaning grease and pasta sauce from dirty grout joints ranks among the most irritating jobs in any home. Using acrylic or polyvinyl chloride cladding boards, popularly referred to as PVC cladding, makes sure that such a problem does not arise at all. These are large panels that provide a perfectly flat and seamless finish without providing any gaps where dirt particles can settle. PVC is 100 per cent waterproof and can simply be wiped with a damp microfibre cloth. It is extremely light in weight and very cheap.
2. Update Your Space with High Impact Glass
If you desire an extremely modern look that reflects light all around the kitchen, then toughened glass splashbacks will make for an excellent choice. Glass panels reflect a lot of light and hence make the kitchen look much bigger than its actual size. In addition, the glass panels are highly heat-resistant and can be placed right behind the gas hobs and cooker without having to fear about the glass being deformed. There is a wide range of choices available, like the polished glass panels, frosted glass panels, and so forth.
3. Consider the Seamless Look with Worktop Matching
One of the most fashionable things to do in the kitchen at the moment is to carry on from your work surface material up the wall to make one large piece as a splashback. It doesn’t matter if you have chosen quartz, laminate, or solid surfaces – by repeating your pattern on your worktops to your walls, you get a beautiful and luxurious decor feel in the kitchen.
4. Get the Luxury Look with Marble Effect Cladding
Everybody appreciates the unique veining effects and elegant look of real marble, but it's well known that real marble is rather difficult to maintain and care for, as it stains easily. It is highly absorbent and very porous, making it unsuitable for use in an area with food preparation, as it will absorb not only water but oils and acids as well. You can get the same amazing premium look at a much lower cost using marble effect composite panels.
5. Add the Warmth of Textured Timber Effects
To create an atmosphere of warmth in your design scheme that is no longer bland or sterile, you will benefit from choosing wooden-effect wall cladding for your kitchen. Even though genuine wooden panels may warp or rot due to moisture, laminates and porcelain materials can copy the texture and colour of oak and walnut wood with stunning precision. It will be especially nice when combined with neutral or sage green furniture.
6. Go Bold with Saturated Block Colours
Do not feel like you have to stick to muted greys and off-whites. Your splashback is the perfect place to inject some serious personality into your home. High gloss acrylic panels and painted glass are available in a stunning spectrum of shades. If your cabinets are a quiet neutral shade, consider a rich forest green, a deep navy, or even a sophisticated charcoal grey splashback to act as the primary focal point of the entire room.
Sian Victoria © - Kitchen with a trims around kitchen surface
7. Maximise Light with Gloss and Metallic Finishes
If your kitchen does not have enough natural light, your selection of wall panels will come to the rescue. The panels which offer a high gloss finish work well in reflecting light from the natural sun as well as the ceiling lights to give a feeling of spaciousness. The metallic finishes, like that of brushed copper or stainless steel panels, provide a stunning look of industrial chic.
Ryan from Simply Cladding says that hygienic cladding, especially in PVC, “gives you a smooth, sealed surface that doesn’t soak up moisture or trap dirt”. A quick wipe is all it takes to keep things clean.
8. Opt for Tongue and Groove Systems for Easy DIY
If you’re planning on installing your kitchen cladding by yourself, make sure to select a panel that has an easy-to-install tongue and groove system. These kinds of panels fit perfectly and easily into each other, just like a laminated floor. Such an approach helps cover large and rough walls very fast with the help of almost no tools and glue. It’s a great choice to cover the ugly tiles and save the time needed to chisel them off the plaster.
9. Safeguard Your Hob Area with Heat-Resistant Materials
Although PVC and acrylic sheets are perfect for most of your kitchen walls, they are prone to deformation or warping if they are subjected to temperatures that exceed sixty degrees centigrade. However, you should make sure that you use heat-resistant materials for the hot area around the stove. This is because toughened glass sheets, aluminium panels, or porcelain slabs would suit your needs. You could also cover your PVC panels with a sheet of glass.
10. Frame Your Windows with Clever Trims
For your kitchen wall panels to have a pro-installed finish, it is important to focus on the finishing touches. Regular panel edges can sometimes appear unprofessional where they end at window sills, corners, and doorways. You should consider corresponding aluminium or PVC profiles that will cover these areas nicely. Not only will the profiles prevent your panel edges from getting scratched or damaged with water, but they will also give your walls an extremely professional finish.
11. Create a Stunning Full Height Feature Wall
Rather than leaving your splashback at the standard height where it meets your upper cabinets, take the plunge and extend your wall panels up to the ceiling. A feature wall extending from floor to ceiling behind your cooker hood or even open shelving makes a bold and architectural statement. It works particularly well in open plan living areas as it helps separate the kitchen area while giving an impression of luxury that plain paint cannot deliver.
12. Prioritise Correct Prep Work and Adhesive
No matter how costly and high quality the wall panels are, without proper installation they won’t work. Clean the walls before using an adhesive and make sure there is no dust or grease on them. Apply an excellent solvent-free grab adhesive meant for that particular surface you are mounting your panels onto. If you are going to install the panels over the tiles, then it’s better to thoroughly scrub and lightly sand the tiles in order to have a perfectly flat and beautiful splashback.
To conclude
Picking out the right kitchen wall panels, cladding, and splashbacks will be an amazing idea for bringing both style and practical functionality into your interior design. When turning to the materials that do not require a lot of maintenance and opting for the seamless options, you will get a hygienic and beautiful environment for cooking that you will love spending your time in. There are lots of options, including affordable tongue and groove PVC and elegant quartz to choose from depending on your style and preferences.
