Super Cheap Kitchen Makeover - Part 2 (painted backsplash)

I finally finished my kitchen project. Yay me!

If you missed part one of this, here is the original post of my plan to makeover my kitchen on a $6.00 budget.  


I can report that the spray painted hardware (Krylon's oil rubbed bronze) has held up great.  After 3 months of use (in a male dominated household), the knobs and draw pulls have remained in excellent condition...no scratches or paint peeling.  This is after clean and dirty, wet and dry hands have tugged on them daily.  Impressive.  I'm thinking of spray painting all of my door knobs now.


OK, onto the backsplash.  I've really wanted a ceramic or glass tile backsplash for my kitchen for a long time.  When I built my house, I didn't have one put in to save money.  I spent the money on cabinets instead.  Almost 12 years later, I decided to do something about it.  My budget: $6.00.  Yep, that decimal is in the right place, ha.  

Knowing that I couldn't buy tile for that cheap, I thought of an alternative...painting directly on the wall to try to make it look like I had a tile backsplash.   I was lucky to find some 2oz. sample pots of Benjamin Moore paint at a salvage store.  They were 80% off and I got them for 80 cents each.  Score!

I made a paint chip card to show (and label) all of the colors that I used.  I didn't use all of the colors that I bought but I plan on using some of them in other projects.  In addition to the BM paint samples, I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) in Chateau Gray and acrylic craft paint in Linen ("grout" color).

The existing wall color (gold color - third from the left) is not labeled on the card.  I don't know the name of it but I do remember that it was a BM paint.  All of the walls in the main part of my house are that color (in flat).

Chateau Gray is one of my favorite ASCP colors.  I have used it to paint many things in my house.  It seemed only natural that I use it in the backsplash.

One thing that I did not account for in my budget was painter's tape.  Luckily, I had some in my "stash" but had I not, I would have had to buy at least 2 rolls of it.  


Let me just say this, I have never used so much painter's tape in my life!  I'm so sick of it!


I used something I hadn't used before.  Duck's 'Clean Release' blue painter's tape.  Even though it pulled some of the paint off of the wall when I removed it, I was very impressed with the clean lines I achieved when I was done painting.  NO bleeding whatsoever!  

The picture below shows a close up of the colors that I used.  This was taken before I painted the fleur-de-lis' on it.  As you can see, the chateau gray (ASCP) was sponged (and kind of smeared) on over the huntington beige color to give that "tile" a textured look.  I also sponged on the chateau gray using a stencil for the fleur-de-lis'.

In this picture, you can also see where the paint was removed when I peeled off the painter's tape.

The picture below shows my set up for "faux texturing" with the chateau gray ASCP.  I cut up a common household sponge to use for sponging on the paint then smeared it some with a piece of cut up white t-shirt.

And this is a picture of what my Formica countertops look like.  My cabinets are natural maple.  I tried to pick the colors of my backsplash to complement the two.

Here are some more pictures...taken along the way.

It was at this point when I decided to add the fleur-de-lis'.  I needed something to break up the "argyle sweater" look, lol.

This is the stencil that I used.  It came from Hobby Lobby.  I used a black permanent marker to mark the center of the pattern so that I could line it up better.  I couldn't see through the blue color of the stencil.  Colored stencils are a pet peeve of mine...they should all be clear....just sayin'.

After the great advice I received from my readers (thank you!), I decided to frame out the open end of the backsplash with some molding that I had left over from another project.  Here it is held up in place.  I still have to cut it to size and stain it. 

I happen to have some Minwax "natural maple" stain left over from the house building days.  It's 11+ years old.  Should I try to use it?  I really don't want to have to buy some for such a little job.  I guess it wouldn't hurt to try the old stuff first.  Wish me luck :)

Here are some more finished pictures.  I took these this morning so you could see how the light from the window makes the original wall color show up.  I used two different paints of that one color.  A satin paint in the diamond where the fleur-de-lis is and a flat paint elsewhere.  The BM sample paints were all satin and the chateau gray is flat.  

You can really see the difference when you look at it from this angle.

Here it is looking from the opposite angle with the same light.

Whew!  I'm glad that's over.  Now, onto something new.....hmmmm.

Linking to:

Debbiedoo's Newbie Party

C.R.A.F.T.'s Making Monday Marvelous

You're Talking Too Much's Meet Me Monday

KdBuggie's Mingle Monday

My 1929 Charmer's Sunday's Best Link Party

Craft-O-Maniac's Monday Link Party

Homemaker On A Dime's Creative Bloggers' Party & Hop

Under the Table and Dreaming's Sunday Showcase Party

Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorphosis Monday

At Home With K's Terrific Under Ten Tuesday

Home Stories A to Z's Tutorials and Tips Link Party

Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesdays

DIY by Design's Winter Blues Wednesday

{Primp} Primp Your Stuff Wednesday Linky Party

Domestically Speaking's Power of Paint Party

Power of Paint

Handy Man, Crafty Woman's Wicked Awesome Wednesday

It All Started With Paint Imagine the Impossibilities 2012 Link Party

House of Hepworths' Hookin Up with HOH 

Creative Bloggers Got Talent