apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Brilliant.

Wow, I love it. Looks great.

Oh hell no I'm not washing that.

The trick to keeping that clean is to order take-out. Beautiful, though.

i've been going back and forth on backsplash options for our kitchen... but i think seeing this sealed the deal for me. mirrored it is!

it's lovely but i would go nuts constantly cleaning it

I don't think it would get much dirtier than other backsplashes.

In fact, I think it would be cleaner than tile or certainly painted walls.

You'd have to keep your countertops entirely clutter-free. Otherwise, you'll have clutter amplification... not just 1 dirty pan sitting on the counter, but its reflection, too!

Very pretty!

I don't think that it would be HARD to clean, but one tiny splatter or fingerprint would look terrible. I can't see fingerprints on my tiled backsplash.

i dont think maintenance would be too bad either. definitely easier to clean then grout!

I had a mirrored backsplash in a tiny kitchen. It seemed a little dated to me, but it definitely did open the space up. And it was no harder or messier looking than a tile backsplash.

How would it be any more difficult to keep this clean than the bathroom mirror?

...and because it's tile or a painted finish - Does that mean it gets any less dirty or that you'd clean it any less?

That´s my kitchen! I have a mirrorred backsplash, reflecting the trees outside the window. It´s perfect. And it´s easy to clean in a second, although i have to say that i´m not that obssesive with fingerprints...

My mom did this years ago in her tiny gallery kitchen and its great! It doesn't require more cleaning than any other surface, and definitely help open up the space, even with the darker color palette she has.

I'm undecided. I kind of like it, but I think it could also look quite dated it the wrong kitchen. grunge might be more noticeable on mirror that tile, but that might be a good thing-- do you want to not notice food splatter and leave it there?

but if I had one, I'd be tempted to pretend I was hosting a cooking show...

What do you do with receptacles (outlets)? Typically to be code-compliant, they are located every x feet. Do you put mirrored outlet covers on them (ewww)? I like how the staging might obscure these not-so-aesthetically-pleasing functional devices.

Very good feng shui to have a mirrored backsplash on the stove. The stove represents prosperity, and the mirror doubles your burners, therefore doubling your money. Looks good too, as long as you keep it clean.

What could be EASIER to clean than a smooth sheet of glass, or mirror? Wet a microfiber cloth and wipe it! I've always thought ceramic tile and grout was the worst thing to have behind the range top (well, in the whole kitchen for that matter, and don't even get me started on ceramic tile flooring).

We have a mirrorred backsplash in our kitchen. While it does open it up, I really want to change it because I'm constantly forced to look at my butt while in there. You can only see the narrow strip of waist down to upper thighs and I just don't need/want to be focusing on that area.

"What do you do with receptacles (outlets)?"

I read an article recently about glass backsplashes recently - was it in This Old House Magazine?

They suggested that you should make a template of your backsplash - including all the holes for electrical outlets - and take it to your local glass/mirror shop and have them cut it to size to fit. For installation, you'd simply use the electrical faceplates in your backsplash to hold the glass/mirror in place

(I'd switch from plastic faceplates to metal: either chrome or brass)

HA. The house I am renting has a mirrored backsplash (including behind stove- where it is basically full height because we only have a fan above the stove). It was a running joke when we first moved in....even the movers got in on it.

Its really not that difficult to keep clean, and it does open the space. Plus, I can pretend I'm on a cooking show while cooking!

I really thought I would do this in my new house but decided to put the mirror on the fireplace instead. I ended up with little glass tiles. Someday, I will move and probably have a mirror backsplash in my house.
This is how the fireplace turned out...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/royaltygirl/3218069596/

Thomas O'Brien did a mirrored backsplash, from Domino mag, about a year ago.

I love this look, I'd love to be able to do this. Is it costly

I love it! I clean my backsplash every day anyway so the mirror wouldn't be a huge problem for me. The only obstacle is that, while it looks great with those sleek modern white cabinets, I'm afraid it would look dated against most wood finishes.

This is what I'm planning to do in my kitchen! It adds a touch of sparkle and open up small spaces--exactly what my shaded galley kitchen needs. So happy to see it here!

As for the outlets--Stainless covers are an option. I think mirrored covers within the mirrored wall space are unobjectionable. I have this in my bathroom and it looks just fine.

I had a mirrored backsplash in my last apartment. I really liked it. Yes, every tiny fingerprint or grease spot is amplified, but it wasn't really that hard to clean. I would consider installing one in my current house.

lovely! Does anyone know which stove that is?

You would be cleaning everytime you used the stove. If you don't cook much, go for it. But, if you're like me, who cooks every day, then it would just make the kitchen look messier if not constantly cleaned.

We have mirrored backsplashes in part of our kitchen and it is a NIGHTMARE keeping it clean. Kind of like buying a car in a "cool" color....Looks great in the showroom but once you get it home you think "what was i thinking when i bought this?!"

I agree with many of the above, impratical.

Odd, I would have thought a glass backsplash would be easier to clean than tile or metal. Stuff just doesn't stick to glass like it does other surfaces.

As for fingerprints, maybe I'm just a horribly short person but I never actually touch my kitchen wall. It's just harder to brush against than other walls, since you have to lean over the counter to do so.

A mirror is WAY more difficult to clean than tile/metal/etc.
I just removed one from my mother's dated kitchen.

The worst spot is behind the sink.
Every little drop of water that gets splashed is visible.
And you cant just wipe it with your dishcloth like with tile. You have to use window cleaner and a proper cloth or there's lots of streaks.

I am SO not spending my precious life hours cleaning stainless appliances or mirrored backsplashes. It just ain't happenin' no matter what the latest trends. I am, however, considering mirrored backsplashes for my bookshelves but only the ones in the dining area that hold tchotchkes (so those shelves are beautiful and fairly uncluttered). The extra mirror really does help bounce more light around a room. If you can do the 'uncluttered counter, mirrored backsplash' thing, more power to you, but among other things I'm a professional baker and would spend my Life cleaning up... NO thanks.

Which is harder to keep clean on a daily basis. A glass/mirror top table or a back splash behind sinks, counters etc. Just asking. I once had a glass top coffee table and I became its slave. Gave it away.

Grease on the mirrored backsplash was definitely harder to clean than tile.

I had mirrored outlet plates as well. It fine. But yes, it really does depend on what everything else looks like in the kitchen, otherwise it definitely looks dated!

I like this, but I'm a big fan of mirrors and glass. I think it's a great idea for a small and/or dark kitchen, particularly if it's positioned to reflect and amplify natural or artificial light.

I am puting in a new kitchen very soon and I am really considering a mirrored backsplash. I can see how cleaning would be hard but why not use a "vintage" looking glass? I have a vintage mirror that was left in my house and has that great " old silvered" look which I think would look so glamorous and not show all the spots. Goes better with my 100 yr old house as well.
Any thoughts? Where in SF can you get a mirrored backslpash anyway?

sorry- putting- should use the preview button

Does anyone know where to find mirrored subway tile? There's a reference to it on AT Chicago...can't find it anywhere.

kmax, depends on what size tile you're looking for, one source:

http://www.susanjablonmosaics.com/catalogs/mirror-mosaic-small-rectangle-glass-tile-catalog.html

Good only for people who's only talent in cooking is boiling an egg. Just imaging cleaning up grease after sauteing and frying.