Copper Kitchen Backsplash (Design Ideas)
Metallics, specifically copper, are now becoming more popular and trendy as construction materials for your home. Compared to stainless steel, copper has a warmer allure to the material, which can give a welcoming feel to your home. One of the popular applications of this material is through a copper kitchen backsplash.
Copper backsplashes have become famous among designers and homeowners for revitalizing the home’s space. Adding the metallic copper element in the mix introduces a warmer, glitter-filled, inviting ambiance.
This means that you get to enjoy the glam allure most metals offer on top of its warm and welcoming feel. If you’re considering installing your copper backsplash, explore all of your options to settle on the one ideal for your home.
What Is Copper Backsplash?
Featuring unique and, at the same time, high-end aesthetics, this metallic option is worth considering. It has a warm appeal to it, contributing to the current ambiance. This warm surface also comes in different tone variations, offering several options even using the same material.
This backsplash is significantly durable despite being one of the softer metals. The material is naturally anti-microbial, so you won’t have to deal with micro-organism buildup on the surface of the backsplash.
This makes it perfect for areas highly exposed to moisture, especially when close to the sink. It is also highly workable, which means that you can easily manipulate the material into shapes and patterns. But this also means it is vulnerable to scratching, denting, and scarring.
Its aesthetics also evolves through time due to the exposure to moisture and air, turning the color into a deeper shade and creating patterns and waves within the metal.
Here are some of the other popular features of copper backsplashes:
• Sizes and Shapes: You can go for the large, convenient sheets of a standard diamond or a square tile backsplash made of copper. Solid sheets tends to be more expensive than the ones in smaller pieces, but they are also easier to install and feature a clean and seamless look.
• Finishes: It is a flexible material, and you can integrate its surface with different finishes, including textures, hammered, brushed, and embossed (With different shapes and patterns).
• Hues and Shades: Copper backsplashes can come in different hues, from light brown to dark brown. This range offers you more room for the different shades you can explore.
These backsplashes can be an inexpensive option, providing you with low-profile backsplashes with incredible visual value. And this is on top of the standard protective function that comes with it.
If you plan to install a copper backsplash, hiring a contractor may be needed to get a precise fit. If you’re a DIY enthusiast and would love to have a go at this project, here are some practical tips when installing these backsplashes.
• Use copper liquid nails or an adhesive to stick pieces together
• Plywood may be used as a strong base to reinforce its hardness and prevent denting
• Rely on experts if you plan to use more complex patterns and designs that would require precise measuring, sizing, and cutting
Copper backsplashes are elegant and stunning, and they have this organic rustic appeal that will make you feel comfortable looking at them.
But in order to do so, you need to choose the ideal type of copper backsplash that can operate well, depending on what you want to do with it. It should also match the ambiance of your kitchen.
Copper Tile Backsplash
These tiles are the most common form for your backsplash, with their flat, smooth, and straightforward surface. They are very popular for a reason, and that’s because the standard size of the tiles makes them easier to work with.
The tile backsplashes made of this material look a bit posh and last for a long time.
You can easily keep the tiles together by using an adhesive. If you doubt the quality of the glue, though, you can go for copper liquid nails instead for a stronger hold.
These tiles come in various sizes, and you can arrange them in patterns that suit your preference. Some great tile patterns for the backsplash include the following.
Copper Subway Tile Wall Backsplash
See this copper tile backsplash at Home Depot [sponsored link]
A popular pattern for kitchens, a subway tile backsplash offers a traditional and interesting aesthetic that gives your design a unique flair.
Compared to pennies and mosaics, copper subway tiles are easier to clean, which is a major advantage when it comes to a backsplash that’s often exposed to oil splashes and food splatters.
Versatile in style and considered to be timeless, copper subway tile backsplash will always be trendy, whatever ambiance you’re going for. The patterns are also not difficult to do since you’re basically just dealing with straight lines, so it won’t be difficult to do them if you’re building them on your own.
Copper Penny Tile Accent Backsplash
The most popular pattern often used for a backsplash is penny tiles. The pattern is often used for glass but can also be ideal for copper tiles. With a copper penny tile backsplash, you get the combined and luxurious feel of the penny tiles and the pattern they’re arranged in, as well as the unique and warm vibe of such tiles.
To create texture from every penny tile, you can have them in different shades, elevating the aesthetics of the backsplash so that the look will not appear too flat. The textured appearance of the backsplash will result in vintage aesthetics with an undeniable charm.
Similar to mosaic tiles, the textural look of penny tiles in your backsplash offers a unique and vintage feel. Despite the classic feel to them, they also appear elegant and chic to add to the space.
Copper Mosaic Tile Style Backsplash
If you choose a copper mosaic tile backsplash, you get to enjoy the textural look. This material will offer the luster and transparency that most materials do not offer. And since these tiles also come in a variety of shades, you will have more artistic freedom to create the pattern you envision for your backsplash.
The standard color looks closer to the wood, which can be a great background for your pattern. This could be an incredible accent to your home in general.
When it comes to mosaics, you can go for small rectangular or square tiles, depending on what can be used better on your pattern. Combine it with the colors white and gray to produce a more elegant and luxurious feel to your kitchen.
Coppery Backsplash Sheet
Besides tiles, you can also use copper sheets for backsplashes. These are way bigger compared to tiles, which means that if you want them to cover your walls, they have better area coverage compared to tiles and are very easy to work with.
Sheet backsplashes will take less time to install compared to tiles with more complicated patterns like penny tiles and mosaic tiles.
While you can always go for a plain and simple sheet, you can also choose a large sheet embossed with a carefully crafted pattern. The simple version can produce a seamless, minimalist, and contemporary ambiance, while the more complicated patterned sheet can deliver a unique, eye-catching, and trendy look.
Copper Peel And Stick Backsplash
See this copper peel-and-stick backsplash at Amazon [sponsored link]
If you want to create a backsplash by hand but you’re a beginner and quite scared to do the hard labor, you can choose a copper peel-and-stick backsplash to start with. This material is easier to work with since you won’t have to deal with heavy materials and power tools.
You have to peel off the adhesive tape at the back of the plastic or vinyl, mimicking the look of copper, and then glue them one at a time to your walls. These are very simple to install, and you won’t have to face messy substances.
The misconception about copper peel-and-stick backsplashes, though, is that they can easily fall from the wall, not just from the lack of adhesive but also due to natural gravity, especially with its constant exposure to moisture. The truth is that if you get quality peel-and-stick tiles and install them right, then you don’t have to worry about anything.
Copper Glass Backsplash
If you want something different and unique, you can choose to have a copper glass backsplash in your cooking space. With copper-glass tiles, you get to have a combination of warm colors that include deep red tones and rich browns to shiny icy pearl tones.
There are times when this material is associated with something cheap because of how close the color can be to rust. When paired with glass, though, it adds a touch of elegance and luxury that can elevate your backsplashes.
This means plain-looking metallic backsplashes, and you can use eye-catching and show-stopping ones with a distinctive design that can serve as interior decor.
Copper Finish Backsplash Ideas
When choosing copper types of kitchen backsplash, you get the freedom to integrate the material into the design however you want. Besides using copper in different forms, including sheets, tiles, and peel-and-stick vinyl, there are also different combinations and ideas you can explore.
These backsplashes are more than just the functions they operate on. They are durable and may be resistant to moisture and organism buildup.
More than that, they easily elevate the aesthetics of your kitchen and add visual interest. If you are up for the challenge, here are some designs and ideas you can take into account and explore further.
Backsplash with Copper Accents: You can incorporate accents with the backsplash if you don’t want to use copper entirely.
This style combines copper with other materials, including stone or glass tiles. If you want to use this material as an accent, you can just use the material as a decorative metallic border.
Using this material as an accent can add a sophisticated and elegant touch to the design, just like most metallics do. With this option, you get to use something new and trendy at the same time and not the typical backsplash in most homes.
Hammered Backsplashes: Another idea you can go for is a hammered look. In this option, you get a metal material with an interesting texture to pair it with. If you’re tired of the standard smooth wall accents, this is a unique and fresh alternative.
Metallics like copper are some of the few materials that can make use of this specific texture, and that’s because they are durable and, at the same time, workable enough to create dents on the surface without actually destroying the material. In fact, you can use these dents as a decorative element, much like what happens in a hammered-look design.
Patina Copper Backsplashes: It is one of the materials that turn into a different color when exposed to a specific atmosphere or environment for some time, forming its patina. This metal oxidizes after a long period, turning the usual reddish-brown color to blue-green.
This wonderful chemical change is worth taking advantage of, and yes, you can actually use it for your wall accent. Besides the less effort required to achieve patina, you also enjoy the unique blue-green color you won’t easily get elsewhere (without having to paint anything).
Backsplash Behind Stove: One of the most common placements of backsplashes is not just near the countertop but also behind the stove. This plays an important factor in deciding which splashback type to install.
The splashboard needs to be the most durable one. Installed behind the stove, it is exposed to moisture, oil splashes, and food splatters.
This also means that it is exposed to high temperatures, and that’s not something you have to worry about this material because it’s not just a good conductor of heat but also corrosion-resistant.
Modern Style Backsplashes: If you’re going for a modern uptake, choose the straightforward copper sheet. This gives your splashboard a smooth and seamless look, and with its striking metallic glint, it also offers an elegant touch. Besides the sheets, you can also choose larger tiles if you are used to using these tiles.
More than just copper sheets and larger tiles, you can also use specific finishes to achieve a mother look. Some finishes that match the modern style are oxidized and hammered tiles.
Rustic Style Backsplashes: Besides the modern style, one of the popular styles used for these backsplashes is the rustic look. Its color is rich reddish brown, which is naturally rustic. The vibe offers a feeling of history and old antiques embedded into the material.
With rustic backsplashes, it is best to go for classic and timeless designs to produce the ambiance of nostalgia. You can consider subway tiles, penny tiles, or mosaic tile backsplashes.
Is Copper A Good Backsplash?
This splashboard is becoming more popular, and that’s for a reason. This can only mean it is functioning well, besides being an additional aesthetic and interior decor. It is durable in its own right, on top of being highly workable and customizable.
It can be a good splashboard, depending on the factors that you consider. Yes, it can be a good DIY option since the material is highly workable and can be dented and embossed with your preferred patterns.
You have many options, from shapes and forms to colors and finishes. It is also a good option for people who love the development of natural patina and what it does to the aesthetics of a material.
How Much Does a Copper Metal Backsplash Cost?
This type of splashboard can set you back around $20 to $25 per square foot, but this can be more expensive, given that the installation fee has not yet been added to the mix.
Some of the factors that can affect the increase in the cost of such splashback include the following factors:
• Manufacturer
• Purity of the metal content
• The complexity of the design or pattern chosen
• Finishes and added textures (brushed metals can be expensive)
• Size and thickness of the sheet
• Size of the sheets. These are more expensive than smaller tiles
What Colors Go With Copper Kitchen Wall Cladding?
Copper is metallic and can go nicely with any other color, adding a luxurious feel. Some elements you can pair with your copper countertops include the kitchen walls and countertops.
Some of the popular colors that easily match your countertop are the following:
• White
• Black
• Navy blue
• Emerald green
• Red and Pink
• Turquoise
• Yellow and Gold
The colors red and yellow help ground the warmth of the comforting color and help blend your countertop seamlessly into your chosen palette. When paired with cool and neutral colors, like navy blue and emerald green, copper can easily stand out.
How To Get A Backsplash With An Antique Copper Patina
If you’re searching for antique copper backsplashes, you should look for something classy and rustic charm. Many of these antique elements are meticulously handcrafted. If they are antique, check for signs of patina, which is easy to see, considering blue-green will easily stand out from the reddish-brown color of the copper.
If you want to DIY this project and have your own material, you must measure your wall and cut it to fit the area needed.
There are several methods to achieve an antique patina. For a slower method, you can run the material under water and add salt to the surface. Another popular method involves using a solution of white vinegar and salt to accelerate the natural patination process. Apply the solution to the copper and wait for it to develop the desired level of patina.
Alternatively, you can purchase pre-patinated copper sheets that are ready to install. To preserve the patina and protect the copper from further changes, you can seal the surface with a clear lacquer or two-part epoxy made for kitchen use.
Is a Backsplash Made of Copper Easy To Clean?
Cleaning it is easy, and this applies to both the sealed and unsealed tile varieties. You need a soft cloth and water to start getting rid of dust from the surface.
You can also use soap for better cleaning, but avoid harsh chemicals that might strip your splashback with its polish. And if you want to avoid building its patina, use a cleaning cream to maintain its reddish-brown color.
See more related content in our article about matte backsplash tile on this page.