Transforming your kitchen with the perfect backsplash starts with understanding its role as the "jewelry" that completes your space. Should you choose your backsplash first, or follow the more traditional sequence of cabinets, countertops, flooring, and then backsplash? While there's no absolute rule, Mike and Abby share their professional approach to creating kitchens that feel intentional rather than haphazard.
The conversation delves into an essential design question: what element should be your kitchen's star? If you've invested in showstopping cabinets or a dramatic countertop, your backsplash might play a supporting role. Alternatively, in a kitchen with simpler elements, a bold backsplash can instantly elevate the entire space from ordinary to extraordinary. One client example featured plain shaker cabinets and a white countertop completely transformed by metallic glass tile that added unexpected glamour.
From material selection (with a myth-busting discussion about glass tile's enduring appeal) to practical maintenance considerations, Mike and Abby cover everything homeowners need to know about backsplash design. They explore how newer grout options like urethane and epoxy have revolutionized maintenance, offer installation tips like using caulk at transition points, and emphasize how proper lighting makes even simple tile selections look high-end. Their practical advice on budget considerations, from affordable ceramic options to splurge-worthy custom mosaics, ensures listeners at every price point can create backsplashes that truly belong in their kitchens.
Ready to transform your kitchen with a backsplash that perfectly complements your space? Visit belktile.com, call 614-543-8334, or connect with us on social media to turn the insights from this episode into your own beautiful kitchen reality.
🎧 Thanks for Listening to the BELK Tile Podcast!
We appreciate you tuning in to The BELK Tile Podcast, where we talk all things tile — design inspiration, installation tips, and the latest in tile style and innovation.
👉 Stay Connected:
Follow us on social media for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and more tile inspiration:
💬 Enjoyed this episode?
Leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform — your feedback helps us grow and helps others discover the BELK Tile Podcast!
🌐 Visit us online at BELKTile.com
for premium backsplash, wall, and floor tiles, or explore more episodes right here on Podcast.BELKTile.com
Episode Transcript
What kind of tile can you put on the wall or shower?
Do you have to seal tile?
How much extra tile should Ibuy for my project?
What thinset is the best for mytile application?
How hard is it to maintainnatural stone?
You have questions.
We have answers.
Welcome to the Belk TilePodcast.
(00:22):
How to style the bathroom, thebackyard, the kitchen, how to
improve your home style withtiles to make your home
absolutely beautiful?
Welcome to the Belk TilePodcast.
Here's your host, Mike Belk.
Abby (00:43):
Happy Friday everyone, and happy Friday Mike.
MIke (00:46):
Good morning, abby, and, yes, happy Friday.
Abby (00:48):
Well, the kids are back to school and I am ready for the
break.
MIke (00:51):
Oh, yes, it is that time of year, isn't it?
Abby (00:53):
Yes, it seems like a mad rush right before school starts,
with shopping for clothes,school supplies and so on.
MIke (00:59):
I am glad I am past that part.
Now it is just writing checksand paying college credit cards.
So what will be the topic ofconversation today?
Abby (01:07):
I thought we would get into kitchen backsplashes.
MIke (01:10):
Always a good topic and a popular one this time of year.
Abby (01:13):
All right, mike, let's jump into it Designing a
backsplash that actually feelslike it belongs in your kitchen.
I get this question all thetime when do you even start?
Do you pick a backsplash first,or is it cabinets and counters?
MIke (01:25):
Yeah, that's always kind of funny, isn't it?
Folks think there's just oneright order, and honestly I've
seen it every which way.
But what usually works best ispick your cabinets first,
countertop, second then flooringand finally the backsplash.
The backsplash is, like youknow, the jewelry for your
kitchen.
Sort of ties it all together atthe end.
But hey, nothing's set in stone.
If a wild tile catches your eyeearly on, run with it.
(01:47):
Just grab a sample first.
Abby (01:49):
Exactly.
I always tell clients you'vegot to live with a few tile
samples for a week.
Stare at them with yourcabinets, your counters, under
your actual kitchen.
Lighting Photos help too.
Sometimes I'll have folks emailme a snapshot of their space
with their sample tiles thrownin, and it's wild how that one
little detail can change yourwhole perspective.
The camera picks up stuff youreye misses or maybe that's just
(02:12):
me.
Sometimes I'm squinting andoveranalyzing the lighting.
Mike, you ever notice that?
MIke (02:18):
All the time.
Abby Lighting's a whole topicin itself.
But real quick, ask yourself doyou want your backsplash to be
the star, or is it there to backup the counters or the cabinets
?
Like if you've got acrazy-veined quartz slab, maybe
let that shine and thebacksplash blend in quietly.
But if your kitchen's sort oftame making the backsplash pop
adds the drama, oh, I have theperfect example.
Abby (02:38):
I worked with a client last year Super plain shaker
cabinets, white countertopreally nothing fancy.
We installed this metallicglass tile for the backsplash.
The whole vibe changed.
It caught the light andsuddenly the kitchen felt
intentional and, dare I say,glamorous.
It was like putting on thatstatement necklace.
Everyone stops and stares.
That's the impact of going bold.
(02:58):
But sometimes you want thingsto just flow and let you know
your grandma's china or thecountertop do the talking.
It's just about deciding whatyour star is.
MIke (03:09):
Totally and look.
Even after all these years, Istill ask people what's got to
stand out in this room.
It's the same sort of questionwe get for fireplace surrounds,
or remember that shower floorsepisode.
Sometimes safety is the star,sometimes it's the style.
Just depends on what you valuemost.
All right, since we're on thesubject of making things pop or
blend, let's talk productchoices.
I swear the number of optionsnow is staggering Glass, stone,
(03:30):
metal, porcelain.
Abby, do you have a favorite,or is it all about the space?
Abby (03:34):
You know me, I'm always mixing it up, sometimes
literally Size matters too.
Traditional kitchens, I tend tolean towards a 4x4.
Or for some texture, a nicemosaic, I tend to lean towards a
4x4 or for some texture, a nicemosaic.
More modern.
Sometimes we go big, thoselarge format subway tiles or
even something linear like 2x12s.
But I love using glass or metalas accents if the client's up
(03:59):
for it and can we finally bustthe myth that glass tile is
going out of style?
If it fits the home's vibe, itworks.
Classic glass still feels fresh, especially if you play with
shape or color.
MIke (04:08):
I get asked that by every third customer.
Is glass just a fad?
But look, technology's takenoff.
Glass these days comes in everytexture frosted, clear, colored
, you name it.
It's not going anywhere, I willsay, if your tile doesn't have
a bullnose finish, that's wherepeople get tripped up.
Some tiles, especially naturalstone, just don't come with trim
.
So you've got to get creative.
(04:29):
Maybe a pencil molding or asleek metal edge.
A lot of choices there too, soit still looks finished.
Abby (04:34):
And can I just point out, you do not need the backsplash
to match the floors to make itwork.
But true story, I had this oneclient dead set on using the
exact same porcelain tile fromtheir floor for their backsplash
.
I was skeptical at first, mikenot gonna lie.
But with a metallic liner addedfor contrast, it all came
together.
The effect was super cohesivebut not boring.
(04:55):
Sometimes repeating a materialadds that custom designer touch.
But you gotta tweak it a little, add an accent so it doesn't
get too matchy-matchy.
MIke (05:05):
Yeah, I had a guy a while back who did the same.
At first I thought, uh-oh, thismight be a bit much, but it
turned out great, especiallyafter we threw in a band of
glass.
It just proves there's no oneright answer With tile.
Experimenting's half the fun,and always, always, get samples
and see them in the actual lightof your kitchen before you go
all in.
Abby (05:23):
Let's get a little practical for a second.
You want a beautiful backsplash, but you also want one that's
not a royal pain to clean ormaintain.
So what should people look forif easy care is a priority?
MIke (05:39):
Oh, easy.
Glazed porcelain or ceramic isyour best pal here.
Super smooth, doesn't needsealing.
If you do like natural stone,travertine, marble, whatever
just know, you'll need to sealit every now and then, but
honestly, not that big of a dealif you're on top of it.
Glass easiest cleanup ever Alittle spray and a wipe and
you're done.
But here's what I always pushNewer grouts like urethane or
epoxy total game changer.
They don't need sealing,they're pretty much maintenance
(06:00):
free and they resist mold andstains like crazy.
Abby (06:03):
That newer grouts thing it's a revelation, not gonna lie
Makes life so much easier,especially in a kitchen with
spaghetti sauce flying aroundand when it comes to install,
big debate, mike.
MIke (06:19):
Grout or caulk at the counter and cabinet edge.
Use caulk always.
Grout will crack and fall outover time.
Where the tile meets a movingsurface like the countertop or
cabinets, most grouts have amatching caulk so you still get
a seamless look and you knowtransitions are important.
Don't forget your finishingpieces bullnose or metal edges,
otherwise the whole thing justlooks unfinished.
Abby (06:33):
And just to toss in some real numbers.
The range on a backsplashinstall is wild.
A straightforward ceramic 4x4job.
You might be out just a fewhundred bucks, but last month I
did a custom glass and metalmosaic for a client Little under
cabinet lighting and let's justsay that one got closer to a
few thousand.
It's all about the materials,how complicated you want to go,
(06:56):
and I mean even a simple jobdeserves some finishing flair If
you budget for one wow moment,even a small kitchen gets
special.
MIke (07:03):
Since you brought up that, under cabinet lighting, let's
get into lighting.
You can have the prettiestbacksplash in the world, but if
it's living in the shadows,what's the point?
Proper lighting makes everycolor and detail pop, especially
glass or metallic finishes.
Abby (07:15):
Oh, absolutely, and you want to think about more than
just.
Can I see my coffee pot?
Try under cabinet strips orpuck lights to avoid that ugly
shadow line across the tile.
If you've got a feature wall ora super textured surface, it's
like what we said a coupleepisodes ago with black tile
Lighting brings out every bit ofdepth and texture.
Just a bit of warm white LEDthink 2700K to 3000K and you're
(07:39):
gold Too cool and things getharsh and starry.
MIke (07:42):
Right.
Watch out for glare on glossytile too.
Sometimes matte finishes oreven just diffused lighting
solves that.
But placement is huge.
I always nudge people to gettheir lighting installed before
they lock in a grout color ortile finish, just so you can
actually see the real-lifeeffect.
And hey, integrate the fixturessmartly, hide those wires and
pick a fixture style that fitsin, not one that looks like an
(08:04):
afterthought bolted on top.
Abby (08:06):
The seamless look is everything lately, especially
with open layouts.
Sometimes a little planning isall it takes Tuck the wires,
match your switch plates, planthose lighting runs before the
tile goes up.
When it all comes together,that's when kitchens start to
feel high-end even on a tightbudget, and that's what we want
for everyone tuning in.
MIke (08:25):
Couldn't have said it better, Abby.
Well, that about wraps uptoday's Backsplash Deep Dive.
If you picked up somethinghelpful or have more questions,
there's always future episodes.
Thanks, Abby.
Always a pleasure chatting tilewith you.
Abby (08:35):
Thank you, mike, and thanks to everyone listening.
Go try some samples.
Play with lighting and we'llcatch you next episode on Belk
Tile Talk.
Take care.
MIke (08:43):
See you soon, Abby, Take care everyone.
BELKY (08:46):
You've been listening to the Belk Tile Podcast.
When it comes to creating abeautiful home using tile, this
is the podcast for products,design ideas and tips.
We hope you got some usefulpractical information from this
show and we'll be back soon, butin the meantime, reach out.
The website is wwwbelktilecom.
(09:08):
Our store phone number is614-543-8334.
Find us on Facebook and Twitterat Belk Tile, and on Instagram
at Belk Tiles.
Make sure to leave a rating andreview and if you have
questions or comments, reach outand we'll talk about it on the
next show.
Till next time.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.