DIY Kitchen Backsplash

DIY: Kitchen Backsplash

Spring is officially here, and with the change of season comes what I like to call my “home décor ADHD.” With all the extra sunlight we’re getting now, it’s harder to ignore the things that have either been bothering me or I’ve been bored by for a while when it comes to our apartment. Sometimes I just need a small refresh, like changing the bedding set, putting up new curtains, or even just lighting a nice spring-scented candle. 

One of the things that has been bugging me for a while was the wall behind our kitchen counter. It had screw holes that needed to be patched up and some spots that needed to be repainted. Problem is, they no longer make the paint color of our kitchen and mixing it is probably more of a pain than it’s worth.  I had been wanting to do a backsplash for a while, but the supplies to do it aren’t all that affordable right now.

On a recent trip to the dollar store, I found some adhesive shelf liners with nice patterns.  I thought to myself “hmm, I wonder if this would stick to the wall as a backsplash?” So I grabbed a few rolls of this one and got to work. 

When it was done, I realized I had two problems: 1) it was not easy to match up the pattern between rolls and 2) the colors practically blended in with the counter. So I went to Walmart and this time I picked up a roll in a much simpler chevron pattern.

When I put it up I cut it into smaller pieces using the grid on the back so it would be easier to work with. BAD IDEA.  It was still tough to match up the pattern. I realized after I was halfway finished that I should have cut it between the points on the chevron on the front so it would be even. Lesson learned. I screwed up just enough times to be short about 10 inches of liner. Since I was most certainly NOT going to spend another $6 on a roll for a measly 10”x 30” section, I painstakingly used every tiny little piece I had trimmed off the roll to finish it. 

Wasted time and tiny mishaps aside, this was a super easy project that would realistically only take a couple hours to pull off as long as you cut strips by the pattern and not the grid.  I think this is a great idea for renters or for someone wanting to try out a patterned accent wall without making it permanent. Shelf liners are even great for decorations on the kids’ wall, considering they like something for approximately 3 months before moving onto the next thing (maybe in a later post, I’ll show you how I used it in my daughter’s room to make some cool decals!)

What do you think? If you try this, let me know and post a pic in the comments!