Things to consider when choosing your kitchen splashback and our 5 favourite materials to choose from

A splashback may only be a small part of your kitchen, but aesthetically speaking, it has a big role to play. On top of protecting your wall from heat, steam and food stains, an artfully chosen splashback can inject life, texture and personality into your kitchen, and bring its disparate elements into a harmonious whole. A good splashback won’t just help your benchtop, cabinets, walls and floors to “talk” to each other. Done right, it will help them to sing. 

So, what sort of splashback might best suit your kitchen? In this article, we’ll help you find out. 

Safety first! 

Your first consideration has nothing to do with aesthetics. Above all else, a splashback must be non-combustible (i.e., unlikely to burst into flames). You can also burn your fingers on a material which get very hot (such as glass and steel) if it’s too close to the cooktop, so be sure to separates your splashback from the nearest gas burner by at least 20cm. 

Safety in your kitchen should be your top priority and our Induction Cooktop offers safety features such as child lock and FlexInduction features, which automatically detects the number, size and shape of the pots and pans used and heats up precisely where it’s needed. There’s also the intuitive TwistPadFire® that also allows you to get precise control and heat over all cooking zones, enhancing the cooking experience and safety of your kitchen. 

Size and shape second 

Consideration number two is also largely practical: what size and shape of splashback will best protect your wall? Standard kitchen splashback usually measure about 600x700x0.6mm. You can always choose something bigger (or less rectangular) if your kitchen aesthetic demands it, but any attempt to add something much smaller will probably result in a stained, dirty wall. 

Texture time 

Ok, now for the fun part! What do you want your splashback to look like? A big, bold statement? Something more muted? Does your kitchen need a dramatic focal point? Or a surface that just subtly blends in? 

Whatever ‘look’ you decide you want, you will be spoiled for choice with all sorts of colours, patterns and pictures available in stores, as well as through retailers online. (You can even mix and match random tiles, if you want. And there’s no rule that says they all need to be the same shape and size. Or even the same material or texture).  

To make your way through the wide world of choice, we suggest that you begin by picking a material. There are five major paths to go down. 

Porcelain / ceramic 

Probably the most popular choice, ceramic tiles have been a kitchen staple since the time of ancient Rome. And there are good reasons for that. They absorb heat, are easy to clean, are cheap to make and come in all sorts of patterns.  

Subway tiles (essentially narrow white rectangles, stacked horizontally) are the ‘classic’ kitchen splashback look, but don’t be afraid to experiment with a more geometric design – or ‘do as the Romans do’ and get a mosaic. 

But if you decide to go with ceramic tiles, remember that using smaller ones will involve using more grout: a substance that can be harder to clean, and quite likely to stain over time. So, starting out with a darker coloured grout might ultimately prove a smart choice, and you may want to look into sealing it with epoxy resin.  

Marble / stone 

Another oldie-but-goodie, stone and marble both come as tiles too. But the most elegant results often involve a single clean slab.  

Once used to carve out the Statue of David, Italy’s iconic Carrara marble is not always the cheapest choice; but with its soft, grey veins and bright white speckles, it’s a material that suits just about every living space – and at the same time manages to give it a lift. 

Granite stone splashbacks, meanwhile, can also look very striking – particularly if you abandon plain grey for more interesting colour (like Nordic black or blue pearl) or a chose a slab with some rich, varied veins.  

But it definitely pays to do some geological research, as not every stone will be equally dense. Some splashbacks may in fact be more or less porous, which will of course make them likely to stain.  

Glass tiles and mirrored glass 

Edgy, sleek and oh-so-elegant, glass- and mirror-based splashbacks can be a wonderful way to add a light to your kitchen and create a pleasant feeling of space. A plain and simple window can actually be the perfect splashback, should the layout of your kitchen allow such a thing (and presuming that you have a nice view).  

But glass splashbacks can also come in all sorts of colours, and be fritted, fused, frosted and stained. LED lighting, shimmer and glitter can all form part of the package, while mirrored splashbacks need not just be, well, mirrors, but can be sold in a glossy black or smoke grey 

Such glossy, black splashbacks can be a perfect companion to glossy, black modern cooktops, like the N90 from NEFF. 

Stainless steel  

While marble and porcelain are the ‘classic’ splashback choices, stainless steel could be fairly be called as the modern one. Durable, cheap and extremely hygienic, it’s the shiny go-to option for most restaurants and industrial kitchens and starting to look equally good at home in most homes.  

One reason for their popularity may sound counter-intuitive: while stainless steel flashbacks are easy to clean, they also need to be cleaned, so as to maintain an entirely streak-free appearance. Keeping on top of smudges, splashes and fingerprints will also mean keeping little germs at bay.  

So if you’re looking for a more modern look that perfectly fits your modern kitchen, our built-in stainless steel or graphite grey ovens will blend right in and complement your kitchen.

You can attend a free NEFF demonstration near you to learn more about the full range of NEFF products and see these in person for yourself to best understand how they can bring your dream kitchen to life. 

About NEFF  

NEFF is a German-engineered kitchen appliance brand, with a product range that includes ovens, cooktops, rangehoods, coffee machines and dishwashers designed to make life in the kitchen a daily pleasure. For people who love to cook, NEFF gives you the tools to create meaningful connections, express your creativity and make memories. Because real life happens in the kitchen.  

Learn more about NEFF here.