Backsplashes for the modern Indian kitchen

The humble backsplash, which protects the wall from accidental splashes and splatterings of oil, water and food, is essential to a modern Indian kitchen, where curries and khao suey are prepared with equal ease. But no longer does a backsplash have to be a monotonous addition to your gallery. Today backsplashes come in many avatars, each with its pros and cons. What’s important is that it should not only complement the fixtures of the kitchen, but it also should be functional, and most importantly, easy to clean.

Here are six ideas to inspire you to decorate as well as protect your kitchen walls:

1. Banish the banal: You can opt for a wide variety of materials, such as delicate ceramic mosaic, colourful tiles, glass, granite, quartz, brick and stainless steel, etc. With the hearth the focal point of a home, you can make any material work. Be it a hardwood backsplash made from reclaimed wood in your open kitchen, a funky custom-made backsplash that acts like a photo wall, or even quaint, pounded tin tiles, you can add depth and texture to your kitchen with carefully chosen backsplashes.

2. “Steel” the wall: There are several options that you can pick, depending on your budget and requirements. One of the easiest to use is stainless steel that is long lasting and affordable, but is prone to scratches and loses its lustre over time.

3. Say it with tiles: Another favourite are tiles — think lovely patterns and motifs on ceramic and porcelain tiles to display art on walls. Not only are these easy to maintain, but these add beauty to your scullery.

4. Set it in stone: Why not try something different and use flooring as your experimental canvas? Try experimenting with stones, which are all the rage now. While granite and marble are costly and hard to maintain, they have for long protected many homes and are a good option for backsplash. But now, engineered stone is becoming popular, thanks to its durability and resistance to heat and stains.

5. Slather on solutions: Composites and laminates are cost effective solutions for a backsplash. But if you prefer shabby chic, why not slather some plaster and polish your wall? The nicks and stains will add character to the kitchen and your home.

6. From the market: Some of the best picks in the market today include Häfele’s Caesarstone. This stylish range is made from engineered stone, comprising 93 per cent pure quartz, with splashes of colourful pigments to the mix. The result is a stunning decorative and textured stone perfect for a backsplash, given that quartz is extremely scratch resistant, heat resistant, anti-bacterial and absorption free. For those seeking inbuilt kitchen solutions, H&R Johnson (India) has partnered with Germany’s Germany’s Nobilia, and has introduced new handle-less kitchens in the country. Christened the ‘LINE N’ kitchens, these come fitted with a backsplash, thus simplifying your work to select a separate backsplash.