I like the idea of not tiling under shelves, except I just had a look and there is about a 1cm gap between the bench and wall so it seems like we have to tile :( The painting also hasnt been done all the way down to the bench top but that’s an easier fix. Thanks for the suggestion re bench top.

the kitchen lacks texture/pattern. i had a similar dilemma and got white with a grey modern repeating pattern. also cant see dirt as easily on it unless its pasta sauce of course. just perfect. modern but not sterile. some nice italian ones around

That looks great Ann!

Thanks kbodman14. I am in Oz so i’ll have a look. Like the idea of it being cheaper! Does it look okay given it needs to be grouted?

I agree Dairy_maid, just not great with design and styling etc to be able to ”name” the issue! Hoping the shelves might add a bit more warmth as well. Do you have a pic of your tile?

Hello, a tiled splash back will finish the area off nicely, if you have the budget to stretch to painted glass splash backs, this will bring reflection of light into the space. I would definitely put splash back to the right of the kitchen window. It is quite a large wall to not want to get dirty. White is an easy option, black is highly reflective. OR seeing you would have loved to have a marble vein in your stone, why not add marble veined tiled splashback, it is on trend at the moment and would look stunning.

Your kitchen selections are very restrained. If you decide to keep the same level of restraint and use the Caeserstone benchtop material as a splashback then be aware of the cooktop setback requirements. Caeserstone say " For both electric and induction cooktops it is a requirement to have a minimum 50mm gap from the back edge of the cooktop to the Caesarstone splashback..", Measure the distance between the wall and the rear edge of the cooktop, then subtract the width of the splashback and the fibre cement sheet backing board (assuming you have a timber stud frame construction), and make sure that the difference is not less than 50mm.

Sometimes there are tehncial requirements behind making design decisions which are actually more important to get right than just the superficial aesthetic decisions based on well-meaning advice. Don't risk melting the Caeserstone polymer that binds it altogether and potentially starting a house fire if you can't comply with Caeserstone's tecnical requirements.

Caeserstone technical installation advice.

Best of luck, and if you can't make a decision then call on a professional,

Regards

Dr Retro

of Dr Retro House Calls

marble matches anything :) modern or traditional

i like a tinted mirror splashback because it makes the room feel bigger and it's sophisticated. Goes with all colours and its modern. Good luck

I would put some colour in there. Nothing really pops in your kitchen. It’s a great set up but needs some colour. For the wall behind the sink I’d go with large tiles at least 30x60 and put lengthways. Under cabinets is where I’d add colour. Make it a bit fun! Even muted colour looks great.

Although my colour scheme is different to yours it is quite plain and needed some added interest. I used a really pretty grey and white patterned tile as a splash back and they are the absolute feature of the kitchen. Everyone comments on the tiles.

We used a beautiful italian marble/stone and laid it in a herringbone pattern. It blends beautifully with the white benchtop but adds texture. Its gorgeous and our favorite thing in the kitchen, plus it's neutral but classic so dont think ill ever get sick of it. Good luck

Depending on your taste of course, I would introduce some colour - either as tiles or a glass splashback. Personally I think you will need to fill the entire area otherwise there are simply more lines to take in and will create an unwanted feature. We've had a glass splashback painted back and it was super easy to clean. For one kitchen, we've gone for a bright yellow to give it some pop. You can also have photos too but it's not as easy as the file sizes mean that they need to be taken/supplied by a professional photographer. If tiles is your preference, there are many great patterned tiles out now. Good luck!

Yes colour. This is how I went. that is a glass painted splash back. So easy to clean.

Photos on splash backs look amazing too. Paints on Glass in chatswood are very good at it!

I agree with the need for some colour.

This is our kitchen which we finished a couple of months ago.

I think you have two good options - match or continue the bench tops, or get a supply of patterned tiles in white, black and grey, like a Moroccan patchwork. Or even a different colour if you want to add something.

I vote for some colour & pattern :) My obsession with Southern Cross Ceramics continues .... they even have a visualiser you can have a play with.