Indian households rarely have a tool room or garage but do have a food factory called a kitchen. From the perspective of a five-year-old, this is the place where all the good stuff comes from, and for cooking enthusiasts, the kitchen must look fabulous, functional, and comfy.
So, whether your family has a five-year-old or a foodie, or both, the kitchen is one place you must design with perfection. Kitchen walls are one of the critical components of the design for this area, apart from the countertop, storage, cooktop, and wash basin.
While all the other spaces have more functional value than aesthetics, kitchen walls play purely aesthetical and safety roles. In other words, you can put anything on the walls or any type of kitchen wall tiles that look great, but should also keep the structure and kitchen safe.
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Why Wall Tiles for Kitchen?
Indian kitchens are prone to spicy splashes, fumes, and other elements which can accumulate on the walls and make the kitchen unhygienic and look dirty over time. Glazed ceramic tiles provide an easy-to-clean and stain-free surface for the kitchen wall.
Covering the wall behind the cooktop and kitchen counter makes the task of keeping the kitchen clean easy. The tiles do not need special cleaning, and you can remove the oil and spice marks using a microfibre cloth and warm soapy water.
Designer wall tiles for the kitchen will also take care of the appearance. Tiles are a popular material for covering modern kitchen walls where an open kitchen is attached to the living room. Designer tiles can make your kitchen not only functional but also captivating for your guests.
How to Select the Best Wall Tiles for the Kitchen?
Selecting the best wall tiles for your modern kitchen is more about the looks and designs of the tile rather than functionality. The wall tiles do not bear any weight. So they can be thinner, have unusual patterns, and can be installed in a variety of patterns.
If you look through the ceramic or vitrified tile portfolio selecting kitchen wall tiles only requires you to take care of the following:
- Finalize the Kitchen Theme
The theme of your kitchen interior matters the most, as it will decide the color of the tiles and the designs you can explore:
- Colour combinations
- Texture
- Spaces for tiling: All backsplash, cooktop back, washbasin wall, and other walls
- Select Tile Colours
You can select a uniform tile color or decide to use different tile colors and designs for different spaces on the wall. For instance, the wall behind the cooktop can have a different tile design than the rest of the countertop.
Similarly, if you are tiling the wall space after the kitchen counter, the tile design or colors could be different.
- Select Tile Pattern
Tiles offer various patterns and designs. Plain solid color tiles have been popular in the classic culture, but now you can install intricately designed 3D elevation, embossed, and illusion tiles as well. Other popular patterns include wood, artistic, and mosaic.
- Right Surface Finish
The surface finish for kitchen wall tiles is the most important factor for the backsplash area, especially behind the cooktop and wash basin. If you are in love with matt finish tiles reserve it for the remaining usually splash-free areas.
A glossy finish makes it a lot easier to clean the cooking residue off the tile’s surface. Thus, high-gloss tiles are preferable for kitchen walls. However, other areas can use other surface finishes.
- Correct Wall Tile Size
The usual height of a kitchen backsplash is 60 cm, while the length can vary depending on the kitchen size. Thus, tiles of 60x120cm, 60x60cm, 60x30cm, 45x30cm, and other smaller sizes like 10×30 cm (heritage tiles), fit better on the kitchen wall.
Plain Wall Tiles for Kitchen Design
Plain wall tiles are a raving trend for Indian kitchens. The superb design and luxurious high-gloss finish of the plain tiles make them a perfect choice for constructing a beautiful, exclusive, and modern kitchen.
Though, high gloss is not the only surface finish you can look for. Plain tiles are available in several finishes nowadays. For example, one of the largest tile manufacturers in India, H&R Johnson offers the following surface textures:
- High Gloss
- Satin Matt Finish
- Wood texture
- Carving finish
- Mosaic Designs
- Matt finish tiles
Apart from the surface textured, you can look for unique designs as well. Tiles with artistic prints can create a unique appearance in the kitchen. Digitally coordinated tiles have a coordinated design for the entire wall, with each tile a piece of a larger graphic.
Designer Wall Tiles for Kitchen
Designer wall tiles typically feature 3D designs and patterns in different ways. Though, one thing remains common among all 3D design kitchen wall tiles – glossy surface finish.
- 3D Elevation Glossy Finish Tiles
- 3D Embossed Glossy Finish
- 3D Illusions High Gloss Tiles
Wall tiles with 3-dimensional illusion designs are quite popular for premium kitchen spaces. High-contrast designs such as black and gold can create a mesmerizing backsplash pattern in your kitchen.
Using Heritage Tiles for Kitchen Backsplash
Heritage tiles are solid-colored small tiles. These tiles are usually available in sizes of 10.8×10.8 cm (square blocks) and 10x30cm (rectangular blocks). Their small size leaves a lot of room for creativity during installation. For instance, you can install these tiles in the following patterns:
- Subway Tiles: Tiles stacked like brickwork, with each tile line joining in the middle of the tile below. This pattern can be achieved with both square and rectangular tiles.
- Solid Colour Wall: Simply install the tiles stacked on top of each other with straight lines defining the columns. The entire dado is created using tiles of a single color.
- Chess Board Design: Tiles of two distinct colors are set like a chessboard.
- Herringbone Patterns: Rectangular tiles are placed crossing each other at an angle. Though the pattern is quite common, installation requires a lot of cutting. However, wastage is low.
How to Buy the Best Tiles for Kitchen Walls?
You can explore the designs and patterns of various kitchen wall tiles online before visiting a store. However, visiting the store is important, as tiles may feel very different from how they appear online.
You don’t change the wall tiles every day. So, experience your favorite designs and patterns first-hand before buying. Also, an online search will help you select a few designs and inquire at the local dealership about their availability before visiting.
Most tile manufacturers, including H&R Johnson, also have experience centers and experts who can consult and guide you with your purchase.
