Choosing Your Perfect Kitchen Splash-back: A Buyers Design Guide

Kitchen splash-backs are a great way to add color and personality to your kitchen space, below we outline the most common splash-back material pros and cons.

We reveal the seven major considerations to ensure you choose the right kitchen splash-back for you home.

The purpose of your new splash-back

Do you look at your current kitchen splash-back and love what you see? Once upon a time a basic tile, loads of grout and little care given to style were the norm, but not anymore. 

Fast forward to today, the kitchen splash-back has become a true focal point of not only the kitchen, but the home as a whole. With an array of styles, materials and designs taking center stage, commanding attention and provoking conversation with a huge array of styles, designs and materials to choose from.. but not all splash-back materials are created equal. 

What makes a great splashback?

Here at Stone Ambassador it’s all about providing true style, functionality and practicality all at a great price. Finding a design that compliments your surrounding space and works well with existing, or new kitchen bench top selections to create the ultimate kitchen space that you and your family will love. 

We are seeing trends rapidly change from hero island benchtops, to hero splashbacks and the focus on horizontal surfaces over vertical ones. 

Continue reading below to find out all you need to know about choosing then right splashback material for your first, or next project. 

Note: Remember that your splashback will be the immediate focal point of your new kitchen, so make it count!

Common splashback materials and benefits

There are a wide range of materials available for kitchen splash-backs. Solid materials like tiles, glass, and even stainless steel are all commonplace, however as trends and technologies adapt, we are seeing more suitable splash-back materials enter the market that tick all the boxes at a great price.

Marble Splashbacks

Whilst it makes for a stunning centrepiece in any home, natural marble as a splash-back has more limitations than upsides, in a number of way, let us explain.

One is the cost:
If you’re looking at a low cost-effective kitchen splash-back solutions, 9/10 natural stone is not the answer. 

Two is the practicality
Natural marble by nature is very soft, porous and lends itself to becoming marked and stained very easily. Not good for those who love to cook with spices, sauces and oils. While it can be maintained somewhat with a strict cleaning regime, the thought of having to constantly monitor any spatter or spills is not something most people want in a social space such as a kitchen.

Marble as a splashback rating: 4/10

Traditional tile splashacks

The common splash-back staple for homes all around the globe, the humble tile is a cost effective and easy solution for those looking at creating something a little less wow factor. 

But it has its drawbacks…

One is the look – it’s been done.
If you’re looking for true wow factor in your kitchen splash, tiles may not be the best option for you. Creating something amazing means thinking outside of the norm and looking at materials that not only look amazing, but are easy to maintain and unique to your space. 

Two is the issue of grout and grout lines
To create the ultimate carefree kitchen splash-back, constantly cleaning oil, spatter and stains out of grout is not an ideal solution. The trade off between cost and functionality comes into play when consider tiles for your splash-back.

Tile as a splashack rating : 6/10

Glass Splashbacks

A common splash-back option is recent years is glass, which offers a wide array of colours and styles, offering personalised and unique designs to suit your project style. 

However, with an ever increasing price point and difficulty of installation plus extended install turn around times (Often 10 days or more), savvy home owners are turning towards more suitable alternatives. 

Another drawback of glass splash-backs are the highly polished finish, which creates issues for brightly lit spaces and while some new matte styles are available on the market, designs are limited. 

Glass as a splashback rating: 6/10

Porcelain Splashbacks

Once upon a time, porcelain was thought to be a brittle, hard to fabricate and install surface material that was too expensive and out of budget. 

As technology evolves, so do the use cases, benefits and price points of porcelain splash-back that now make them an incredibly appealing option for anyone who wants a beautiful, extremely low maintenance splash-back that will never go out of style.

With our Vasari Italian Surfaces 6mm porcelain range, the game has changed. With twenty sophisticated and on-trend surface designs, Vasari is revolutionising the Australian splash-back industry with advanced production techology, that dramatically increases quality and practicality. 

This durable and beautiful material is the ultimate splash-back companion, with a heat, stain, scratch and spill free surface that makes cleaning a breeze. 

Perfect for use behind gas cooktops, thanks to its heat-resistant technology that allows you to maintain bench-top width, removing the need for costly amendments after cabinetry has been installed. 

Porcelain as a splashback rating: 9/10

Click here to take a virtual tour of our Vasari Italian Porcelain range here

Quartz Splashbacks

Quartz is a great material to use for kitchen splash-backs due to its durability and ease of maintenance. Vitrified Surfaces Samples (VCS), by its very nature is extremely low porosity, meaning it won’t absorb liquids or bacteria, making it easy to keep clean.

It’s also very heat resistant and scratch resistant so any spills can be wiped away without worry of staining or damage. In addition, quartz comes in many different colors and styles which makes it perfect for creating an eye-catching feature in your kitchen that will last for years to come.

However, unlike porcelain splash-backs, it does need to adhere to a minimum distance of 200mm from the edge of the gas burner when used behind a gas cooktop.