The Backsplash Alternative Battle On The Beach's Sarah Baeumler Prefers To Tile
If you're a fan of HGTV's "Battle on the Beach," you know about the unique team renovation projects designer Sarah Baeumler gets to judge in each episode. During Season 2, Episode 1 ("Clash of the Kitchens"), Baeumler approved of the alternative kitchen backsplash father-and-son team Roosevelt and Brandyn Chambers chose to install over typical tile. For their project, the Chambers team installed a continuous marble-like slab within an L-shaped kitchen featuring white and teal cabinetry. "I appreciate that they've run it all the way up the backsplash," Baeumler explained in the episode. "[J]ust to keep a seamless look, which I prefer, instead of doing a tile backsplash."
The moment for the Chamberses came following the team's faux-pas with a butcher-block banquette located within the open concept of the Surfside Beach home. While traditional backsplash tile is both protective and appealing, incorporating more of the same material as the Chambers team did may offer other benefits, too, beyond the seamless look. Whether it's granite, marble, or quartz, a solid slab can highlight a kitchen backsplash with a clean and heightened appearance that's both genuine and modern.
Why a solid slab backsplash may be better than tile
While traditional kitchen backsplash tile certainly offers variety when it comes to designs and colors, using the same material for your kitchen countertops as your backsplash can prove a winning approach as well, as design expert Sarah Baeumler noted in her appraisal of the Chambers team's idea on "Battle on the Beach." "I think it keeps your eyes focused where you want it to," she said. Besides establishing flawless lines, there also may be less effort overall compared to working with tiles.
Tile can come in a variety of materials, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, or stone; however, applying similar slabs of marble or granite onto the perimeter of your kitchen surfaces, including the backsplash walls, may keep the installation process less complicated. Additionally, tiles come in several smaller sizes and require the application of grout. This potentially makes them more tedious to position while you aim to achieve perfect symmetry. As for the cost, there actually may not be much of a difference between installing a solid slab for your backsplash versus tile (of course, this will largely depend on the materials selected).
The seamless style of solid slab materials
Originally, backsplashes only stretched a few inches above the countertop, intended to protect the wall from splatter and spills. Visibly, this style may be outdated; alternatively, the use of a solid slab backsplash creates a look of seamlessness, as well as openness for a kitchen, which can be of particular benefit for smaller spaces. As Sarah Baeumler said, a solid slab creates a "seamless look" versus the mixing of materials that's present with tile backsplash.
While creating a focal point with your desired counter/backsplash materials, you might also consider a bookmatched look. Although more costly, marble slabs easily create defined lines that join together within this modern, open-book trend. A cheaper alternative to this method might be the use of granite, quartz, or hardwood. To spread out the harmonious look even further, include the same slab materials within your kitchen island and/or surrounding surface areas like a bar or butler's pantry like the image shown above. You might continue on with similar flooring as well.