Wall decoration in the kitchen, the choice of colors, the materials used, the features of tiling, wallpaper, clapboard, panels, natural stone and brick, painting and decorating finished surfaces. The content of the article:
- Finishing features
- Tile
- Wallpaper
- Lining
- Panels
- Stone and brick
- Painting
- Decorating
The kitchen is the “holy” abode of the housewife, in which she creates culinary masterpieces in the best sense of the word. Therefore, in such a room, a creative atmosphere is very important, and its design and furnishings should make you want to stay here longer, giving free rein to your talents. To know how to decorate a wall in the kitchen, it is not at all necessary to master complex drawing techniques, experience can be gained in the process. More valuable are original ideas, and it does not matter at all whether they are theirs or taken from someone else.
Features of wall decoration in the kitchen
Color plays an exceptional role in human life. With regard to the decoration of the walls of the kitchen, it must be determined carefully, but confidently enough once. It is important not to overdo it with the color depth, it is much better to work with its shades and accentuate the divisions.
Despite the various types of coverage, classic tones are most often used:
- Yellow walls … They give the feeling of eternal spring and joy, bloom and celebration. Touching the interior of the kitchen, this color emphasizes its smells, tastes and gives the room a special flavor.
- Green walls … This is the color of freshness. Playing with its shades with overflows in lighter tones and contrasts of yellow and beige, you can give the kitchen a pleasant and original appearance.
- Red walls … It is an exclusive color, clear and beautiful. Its use requires caution, but if this color of the walls in the kitchen is correctly decorated, the interior will receive an excellent style and an unrivaled look. The red color allows you to very sensibly decorate the walls with stencil patterns and stickers.
The kitchen in the house differs from other rooms in its extreme conditions in the cooking area. It is often hot here, high humidity, splashes of grease and soot. Therefore, increased requirements are imposed on the wall covering of the kitchen. With all this, it must maintain its aesthetics and be beautifully designed.
You can decorate any part of the vertical surface, corners near the ceiling, adjacent or opposite walls entirely, make horizontal or vertical thematic stripes on them, create panels from scrap materials, etc.
Usually, all this is done during cosmetic repairs. Finishing materials, with a creative approach to them, are an excellent decor in themselves. It can be paint, ceramic tiles, decorative plaster, washable wallpaper, artificial and natural stone, plastic panels and others. Let's take a closer look at the most popular ways to combine modern design with functionality when decorating walls in the kitchen.
Tiling the walls of the kitchen
Kitchen decoration with ceramic tiles is classic and functional. Despite the emergence of new developments in the field of wall decoration, tile does not go out of fashion and remains a popular and demanded material to this day. Its new and interesting solutions are constantly appearing: hexagonal honeycomb tiles imitating wood, 3D tiles and others. Modern tiles are produced not only in plain colors, they can be textured, they can have an artistic drawing or a complex ornament.
The popularity of the tile is due to its undeniable advantages. In the kitchen, the tiled wall covering, in addition to excellent decorative characteristics, has impeccable moisture resistance, is not afraid of oil splashes and other contaminants associated with cooking. The tiles are durable, easy to clean, which is important for a kitchen, given the specifics of this room.
Due to the fact that this process needs frequent repetition, tiles for the kitchen should be chosen one that has a smooth surface covered with a dense layer of enamel. Seamless coatings, which create the appearance of a monolithic layer on the wall, are now very popular. As for the format of kitchen wall tiles, large-sized products are in fashion and mosaic small patterns are no less popular.
The relative disadvantage of the tiled coating can be called the laboriousness of its manufacture, since the material is stacked individually and requires a certain professionalism. Another disadvantage is the high cost of work and quality tiles. Therefore, often the entire walls in the kitchen are not tiled, but only their problem areas are highlighted with ceramics.
Wallpapering walls in the kitchen
Wallpaper for kitchen walls is a good choice, but it attracts a lot of criticism: they say, this material is not practical for this type of room, it absorbs smell, is afraid of grease and moisture, gets dirty and generally does not live on the walls for long. In principle, there is some truth here, but the other side of the coin in this matter may be more like it.
Due to the fact that wallpaper is a very popular material and is in high demand, their manufacturers are in a constant state of competition with each other, creating new textures, patterns and thereby increasing the range of products. Sometimes it is difficult to choose a finishing material that is able to convey as many shades as standing wallpaper.
Another advantage is their price. Often, wallpapers are much cheaper than other materials, therefore, they can be changed at least every two years, updating the design of the kitchen and refreshing its walls. In addition, the process of wallpapering the walls is so simple that it does not cause much panic even among beginners in the field of repair.
For the kitchen as a room with special operating conditions, fiberglass or vinyl wallpaper is suitable. They are very durable, moisture resistant and fire safe. Vinyl wallpapers are foamed and flat. The canvases of the second type are thinner, they conceal wall defects worse, but are more resistant to external damage. Fiberglass wallpaper has a fabric structure. They are durable, resistant to any detergent and even acid. Their service life, according to the manufacturers, is 30 years. These wallpapers are hygroscopic, they can be painted, but the cost of the material is quite high.
Liquid wallpaper is a continuous coating that can fill all cracks and mask wall defects. The design possibilities of this material are quite large. However, despite the obvious advantage of these wallpapers, they are rarely used to decorate kitchen walls. The reason for this is their low moisture resistance. To increase it, the finished coating is varnished and applied in several layers.
Any wallpaper for the walls in the kitchen can be combined with other types of finishes, for example, with plastic panels, tiles or painting. In such cases, it is important to monitor the unity of the chosen style and the harmonious combination of shades of the coating.
The weak point of wallpapering kitchen walls is the adhesive used in the process. Currently, it is difficult to find the optimal composition that reliably fixes heavy washable wallpaper, while being resistant to temperature extremes and high humidity, which are characteristic of this type of room. Therefore, if possible, it is recommended to use more practical materials.
Sheathing the kitchen with wooden clapboard
This type of wall decoration emphasizes all the exceptional properties of wood. The wooden covering makes the kitchen extremely cozy, creates a favorable healthy atmosphere in it and regulates the humidity of the air. Such a kitchen looks very harmonious in a country house.
Interior wall decoration with wood is not afraid of temperature changes and sunlight. If necessary, the coating can always be washed. If it is possible to revet the walls of the kitchen with natural wood, this should be done, since you will not have to regret it later.
Full wall clapboard decoration can be too expensive, but it goes well with other materials: natural stone, ceramic granite, tiles, decorative plaster and others.
For kitchen cladding, it is recommended to use lining made of pine, spruce, oak, alder, cedar or linden wood. Spruce, for example, has a pronounced structure, and cedar is able to purify the air.
In addition to excellent decorative properties, environmental friendliness and easy maintenance, which are undoubtedly the advantages of wood cladding, it has a couple of negative points. Due to the fact that the lining is attached to the lathing previously installed on the walls, the volume of the kitchen space is slightly reduced due to the thickness of the frame and wooden boards. The surface of the coating shifts to the center of the room along its perimeter by about 4 cm. Another disadvantage is the high cost of the material.
Kitchen wall decoration with panels
One of the options for decorating the walls of the kitchen is wall paneling. They are made from a variety of materials, have many excellent characteristics and are ideal for this type of environment.
For cladding, plastic, MDF and wood panels with a protective finish are used. Panels made of other materials can be used depending on the style of the kitchen interior. When choosing, you should pay attention to the technical characteristics of the panels, taking into account heat resistance, moisture resistance and their hygroscopicity.
Plastic panels are especially popular with designers, homeowners and craftsmen. There are many colors and textures in their rich assortment. In the kitchen, such cladding is not afraid of moisture, temperature drops and the effects of mold. The material has an acceptable cost and relative environmental friendliness.
Care should be taken when using the coating. Plastic panels can fade, therefore it is recommended to protect them from exposure to sunlight. Also, do not forget that in the event of a fire, plastic releases toxins. To avoid such a disaster, the gas or electric stove in the kitchen must be handled carefully.
Choosing a wall panel for the kitchen, you should pay attention to moisture-resistant materials based on modified plywood or fiberboard. The surface of such panels is covered with a laminated film or natural veneer, which provide products with protection from moisture, mechanical damage and facilitate their care. In the overall design of the kitchen, the panels can be successfully combined on the walls with stone, tiles, wood and glass. The options chosen depend on the artistic taste of the owners and the thickness of their wallet.
A practical and unconventional finishing solution is to use the Skinali glass decorative panel as a backsplash on the wall. The product has an excellent appearance due to various images applied to glass by photo printing.
Installation of such a backlit panel allows you to achieve the effect of a three-dimensional "live" picture. At the same time, lighting has a decorative and functional significance. Glass cladding visually expands the space of the kitchen and successfully sets off the set.
Skinali panels are made of tempered glass, which provides their main advantages:
- Mechanical strength - the panels are not afraid of accidental damage.
- Resistant to high temperatures, which is important for coatings near kitchen stoves.
- Easy cleaning of coatings - glass maintenance is incomparably easier than removing, for example, grease from tiles and cleaning joints.
Glass panels can be made to order by selecting the appropriate image in advance. It can be a drawing taken from a catalog, or a photo, including one selected from a personal or family archive. In catalogs, drawings are sorted by subject: city at night, nature, waterfalls, sea, etc. Consultation on the choice of the image for the glass wall apron can be obtained from the designer of the manufacturer.
Cladding the walls of the kitchen with stone and brick
Natural stone for wall decoration is considered an exclusive material. It looks great in the interior of the kitchen. It is better to use granite for cladding. This material is available in the form of fine mosaics or large slabs. The granite flooring is resistant to grease, chemicals, heat, sunlight and water. It is very durable and can be easily cleaned of any dirt that accompanies the process of cooking on the stove. But, unfortunately, not everyone can afford to decorate the walls with natural granite: this stone is quite expensive.
A cheaper solution is a conglomerate that combines natural stone and polyester resin. This synthetic material is very strong, acid resistant and flexible. Artificial stone slabs on the kitchen wall can be large.
Do not use marble when cladding kitchen walls. Such a coating will absorb grease and be easily stained due to its porous structure. Other similar stones, such as travertine, must be thoroughly polished before being used in kitchen wall cladding.
Recently, brick-like walls have been successful. Depending on the style of kitchen design, you can choose a brick in a natural color of fired clay or painted with white enamel. The brick cladding located above the kitchen worktop must be protected from dirt by special impregnation or by a glass panel.
The same effect, but with less investment, can be achieved using decorative tiles. It has a classic brick size and an artificially aged surface, so the appearance of the tile practically does not differ from the original. Brick-like kitchen walls are the perfect solution for loft-style interiors.
Painting the walls in the kitchen
This type of finish is considered very practical and original, but not always cheap. The reason for the high price is a number of preparatory work prior to painting the walls of the kitchen. This is their cleaning, leveling, soil treatment, etc. If the walls are clean and even initially, there should not be much of a problem with painting them.
Today it is possible to choose any of their colors, and a variety of paint textures allow you to create an original and often exclusive design. Taking into account your own requirements for the future coating and its cost, you need to determine the manufacturer, the quality of the material, its characteristics and protective functions, and then start painting the walls in the kitchen.
Paint manufacturers are constantly competing to create the best offer for special environments such as bathrooms and kitchens. Therefore, the paints for their walls, due to the special chemical composition, are resistant not only to the effects of temperature and moisture, but even to scraping.
According to many experts, the ideal material for wall decoration in the kitchen, given the price-quality ratio, is water-dispersion paint. It protects structures from moisture and allows air to pass to their surface, without disturbing its exchange in the room. After the material dries, a coating remains on the wall, which can have any color depending on the pigment added to the composition.
Water-based paints do not contain solvents, so they are absolutely safe for health. This is especially true if there are children or people prone to allergies in the house. The disadvantage of the material can be called its unstable "behavior" at the location of the stove. The surface of the painted wall here can spoil steam from boiling water in a saucepan or hot fat from a frying pan. Therefore, you need to worry about the apron for the wall separately. It can be tiles, glass, metal, etc.
Water-based paint may have antimicrobial properties. This is a separate form of it, providing additional functions of the material. Antimicrobial dispersion paint can reliably protect the kitchen from any bacterial attack. Typically, this paint has a bright white tint and, when applied to the wall, forms a durable coating that will not turn yellow over time.
The bactericidal effect of the material is based on the addition of silver oxide or zinc pyrithione to its composition. Such paint does not contain any toxic components. Manufacturers recommend using this material in schools, hospitals and kindergartens. However, now it has found application in kitchens and children's rooms in residential buildings and apartments.
This paint is applied only to well-cleaned dry walls; water can be added to lower its viscosity, but not more than 10%. After thoroughly mixing the composition, the surface can be painted with a spray gun, roller or brush.
The advantages of choosing such a paint are obvious: the bactericidal properties of the coating block the pathways of possible spread and reproduction of not only mold, but also E. coli and staphylococcus. Antimicrobial paint can be colored with special water pastes. This somewhat limits the design possibilities, but you need to be prepared for this.
Advice! Kitchen paint should be free of lead and toxic zinc compounds. Their fumes can negatively affect health.
Decorating walls in the kitchen
Wall decoration in the kitchen can be done in a variety of ways, just show your imagination. However, to make the task easier, we can offer you several options:
- Decorative plaster … It can be performed only at the stage of preparing the wall for finishing. In this case, a certain texture is given to the surface, and at the end of the work, painting is performed on plaster.
- Additional Drawings … Even with high-quality painting of kitchen walls, their surface is often presented in the form of a monochromatic dull picture. For a change, additional drawings can be applied to it. If chosen correctly, they will easily merge with the design of the kitchen and correct the boring look of its walls.
- Paintings and photos … You can decorate the walls with small thematic pictures or photographs inserted into original frames. Such decor is not unusual, but it is not bad and quite interesting.
- Racks and shelves … These accessories can not only decorate the kitchen, but also create a certain comfort in it. Observing the general tone of the kitchen, you can put saucers, plates, cups and sets on the shelves, which are rarely used and take up extra space in the kitchen. So, instead of unusable dishes, they will become useful decorative elements.
- Kitchen sets … Usually they hide in drawers of tables and pedestals. If you close the empty sections of the walls with a part of kitchen utensils, exposing the accessories for everyone to see, you will get decorative elements from them. For this purpose, you can use wooden spoons, various ladles and shovels.
Panels and wooden elements also look great on the walls, such elements should be in harmony with the style of the kitchen. How to tile the walls in the kitchen - watch the video:
We hope you figured out how to decorate the walls in the kitchen. This is not an easy job that requires investment and patience. However, it is worth doing if only for the sake of the fact that in the end you will expect a durable and unsurpassed result of the highest quality. Good luck!
