Interior Design Scottsdale, AZ by S Interior Design
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Technology is moving so quickly it can be a challenge to keep up with the latest and greatest options to make ‘your home smart’. S Interior Design recommends that you don’t get carried away and install every option available, but rather assess your personal lifestyle and determine the best products to support that.
Below is a guest post focusing on the back splash design element for the kitchen. When S Interior Design works with their clients on kitchen remodels, we generally select the larger design elements such as counter tops and cabinet style before selecting the back splash materials. There are however situations where the ‘perfect’ back splash material guides the design direction and we build from that design element. The article below is easy to read and provides guidance on how to select the best material for your back splash taking not only looks but functionality into consideration.
How to Choose the Perfect Kitchen Backsplash
A great kitchen backsplash is not only functional, protecting your walls from grease and dings, it’s also beautiful, a design statement that adds to the beauty of your home and the character of your space.
The options for style, materials, pattern, and color are endless, so the task of choosing one can be overwhelming. In order to help you choose the right one for your kitchen, here are six questions to ask when choosing the right kitchen backsplash for you.
1. How much do you want to spend?
The first question you should ask yourself is how much money you want to spend on the project. The size of your budget will affect the quality and brand of material you are able to buy. It will also affect whether you will be able to hire a professional to do the installation or whether you will need to take on the task yourself.
Before you start shopping, identify your budget and stick to it. You’ll be more pleased with the result if you don’t stretch your funds beyond their limit.
2. How often do you cook?
If you cook regularly, you’ll want to make sure you choose a backsplash material that is durable, stain resistant, and easy to clean. Classic subway tile is stylish and versatile and is very easy to clean. Brick is classic and durable, but it’s tough to clean and will show grease stains over time. Stone, however, is one of the most durable materials you can use for your kitchen surfaces, but it often comes at a steep price.
Whatever you choose, the rule of thumb is that the more often you cook, the tougher, more heat-resistant, and long-lasting the material should be.
5. How much space do you have?
The amount of space you have for your backsplash will help determine whether you should go simple or busy with your backsplash design. This will also affect how much you have in your budget to spend on your backsplash material. You can make a great statement with an interesting material, pattern, or color across a small and concentrated space.
Keep in mind that busy tile patterns, when applied across a large area, can overwhelm a room and grow tiresome over time. The larger the space, the simpler the pattern should be.
3. Do
you want to install the backsplash yourself?
If you choose a backsplash material or tile that
requires intricate designs or hefty cutting materials, you may be better off
hiring a professional to handle the installation.
Most DIYers can handle simple running bond or stack bond tile patterns, but herringbone and parquet-inspired styles may be more of a headache than they’re worth, so calling in the pros may save you a great deal of time and frustration. How much you’re willing to spend on the project will affect whether you can afford to hire a pro, of course.
4. What is the style of your kitchen?
Do you like sleek and modern or traditional and timeless? Is your home rustic or minimalist? Trendy or classic? The style of your home and especially the style of your kitchen will affect the type and style of backsplash you choose. Fish scale tile says trendy and playful, marble says stately and tasteful, subway tile says classic and sensible. Whatever you choose, don’t forget to coordinate it with the style you love.
You’ll also want to make sure that your backsplash coordinates with your countertops, cabinets, appliances, and flooring. If you need help picturing the finished product, try a design app that lets you take photos of you space and try on new styles.
6. How do you want your space to feel?
Once you’ve decided on the style you’re going for, you should then decide the way you want your kitchen to feel. Do you want to convey simplicity and function or are you looking for luxury and decadence? Do you want to reflect light into the room or create a sense of comfortable warmth?
If you want to create a light and airy feel in your home, then choosing a light-colored or transparent material is the way to go. Avoid dark soapstone and marble and heavy brick.
If you want to create a feel of luxury and indulgence, then heavily veined marble or sturdy granite might be the right choice for you (granite is very durable and heat-resistant as well).
Below is a guest posting to which S Interior Design added comments and photos to to augment the message (shown in red color font). We ourselves just enacted many of the 6 suggestions on our home’s back patio. It is now a cleaned up,uncluttered, cohesive design that we are proud of and enjoy spending time in with friends and family.
After a long day, there’s nothing better than coming home and relaxing. But in order to truly enjoy your home, you need to create an environment where you can feel comfortable.
Unfortunately, home decor and design aren’t always at the top of everyone’s priority list. Luckily, turning your home into your own personal oasis can be easy, and even a little fun. Keep reading for 6 ways to make your home environment a priority this month.
If you’re anything like most people, you’ve probably accumulated a bunch of stuff over the years that you no longer have a use for. Instead of trying to find new ways to organize these things, it’s time to consider getting rid of things you don’t need.
Discarding unnecessary things will make your home cleaner and more organized and can even free up some of your storage space. If throwing things away seems too drastic, you may want to consider donating any items you think could be useful to others.
Have a garage sale or donate your unwanted items to Goodwill or your favorite charity sponsored Thrift Store.
Take down heavy weight window treatments and replace them with sheer fabrics that filter the light.
Add sky lights or Solar Tubes to your ceiling.
Looking for a way to make your home feel bright and fresh? Natural light is the answer. Making it a point to open your curtains every morning is a quick and easy way to get natural light flowing through your home. Adding mirrors to your home can also help you get more natural light. In addition to making your home brighter, exposure to natural light can also have positive benefits on your health by improving sleep and boosting mental health.
Are there any appliances in your home that need to be repaired or replaced? Having broken appliances in your home can impact the overall functionality of your space. Investing in a good home appliance plan can help you save money while also staying on top of routine maintenance.
Sometimes it makes sense to fix what you already have. If you decide to get new appliances make sure they are energy efficient.
The color scheme can really affect the overall feel of a room so it’s important to choose all of your colors wisely. While an entirely new paint job may be a little too much to undertake, you can find other ways to introduce new colors around your home. For example, try bringing in colorful accessories and bold accent pieces.
New throws or throw pillows can change the look of a room entirely. A new area rug can make a big impact too. You can even change out a few pieces of your wall art.
There’s no doubt that having a clean home will give you peace of mind, but clutter is hard to avoid. As you go through your day to day life, it can be easy for things to pile up and get unorganized. Coming up with a way to neatly store all of your belongings can save you lots of time and energy.
You can start by organizing your current storage areas such as drawers and cabinets. Once you’ve gotten some success under your belt, you can move on to larger spaces.
Have you been feeling a little tired of your home? If so, you’re not alone. But moving isn’t always the easiest or most logical thing to do. The good news is that rearranging some furniture around your home can give your space a completely different look and feel.
Try to re-imagine some of the rooms in your home with a different setup and move things around until you get the look you want.
Remember to keep these tips in mind, as you move your home to the top of your priority list this month. With a little bit of time and effort, you can create a home environment that is everything you’ve ever wanted.
Guest Post for S Interior Design
By: Paige A. Mitchell
There’s nothing worse than a botched DIY home remodel. But what if you were able to know what not to do before you dove into a home remodel on your own? Here are some prime examples of mistakes to avoid during a home remodel, in hopes that you will be wiser before jumping into the deep end.
Jumping into a home remodel without a distinct plan in mind is a recipe for disaster. For all intents and purposes, there is no such thing as “over planning” for a home remodel. Make sure you know exactly what you want to remodel and you know why you want to remodel it. Then, make sure you have planned everything as completely as possible, from the budget to the materials to the daily schedule. Leave no stone unturned.
Everyone gets a little excited when they want to dive into a DIY remodel and the first place they turn to for inspiration is Pinterest. The problem? Going crazy with what the current home trend is, only to have that trend expire after a month and you be left with a less than desirable kitchen filled with Spanish influence. Be sure to pick a look for your home remodel that fits your personal interest and is also timeless. That way, you won’t feel that remodel itch a month after you complete your project.
In the same vein as making sure you plan your home remodel ahead, make sure you completely map out your home renovation budget before diving in. That means making sure you have a realistic budget in mind with real-time numbers for all your materials and labor planned out. Just because you are performing a DIY home remodel does not mean you shouldn’t take labor into account. Even if you are able to perform the entire remodel on your own, which is hardly ever the case, you have to take into account time lost while doing that work.
Did you use paid time off at your work to perform the home remodel? Are you missing out on projects that could have earned you money? Your own time will play a factor in your budget. Along with that, make sure you know exactly how much supplies you need and how much it will all cost you. There is nothing worse than stopping at your home improvement shop only to get to the register and not have enough money for your supplies.
Measure your work, then measure it again, then measure it again! The last thing you want is to measure your flooring or wood for your patio, get ready to lay it all out, then realize you mis measured and have to cut everything all over again. What could be worse than that? Ruining your materials because you cut too much and have to start from scratch. Check, double check, and triple check that all your measurements are correct so that you only have to cut once.
You’re already saving money by performing your home improvement project on your own. Make sure that when you do spend your money, you are purchasing items that are so cheap that they will fall apart in less than a year. If you are trying to DIY a home appliance, considering instead saving money on a home warranty and have the experts come in to make repairs. The last thing you want is a puddle in the bathroom because you thought you could fix the sink. Make sure you are being frugal in the right places and splurging when you need to same. Same with buying the right materials, know your limits. If you are even slightly unsure about performing a task, hire a contractor.
As a designer of 17 years time, it seems to take a bit more each year to make me say ‘WOW’. Last night I was invited to an A.S.I.D. meeting at a Scottsdale Arizona vendor – The Tile Shop for a special presentation of the latest product introduction from Ann Selke. Ann Selke is a renowned designer of furnishings including textiles via Pine Cone Hill bedding and area rugs via Dash and Albert. Now she has introduced her custom tile and decorative glass products.
Consisting of over 200 tiles, the Annie Selke for The Tile Shop collection pushes the boundaries of technology to bring the look and feel of popular Annie Selke textiles, prints and artwork to life. Reflecting the texture of rugs, the sheen of metallic fabrics, the softness of dappled watercolor paintings and more, this inspired collaboration ranges from feminine to bold. Mix and match within the collections to maximize cohesion within a space and from room to room.
I needed to share! A breath of fresh air in the tile world. Besides standard porcelain and ceramic tile, she has coordinated a line of large format glass panels to go along with the tile options if desired.
Of course while I was at The Tile Shop I took the time to look at their entire inventory of fabulous tile options. I was happy to see new dimensional tiles, use of color and patterns along with the natural stone classics.
Now that my creative juices are flowing I am eager to embark on a new client project that I will hopefully be able to use some of these wonderful new tile finds in the design plan!