Faux Stone Tile Painted Backsplash In The Kitchen

I needed a backsplash update in my kitchen.  Last year we got new countertops, and I knew I wanted to do something different to the walls and backsplash area as well.  I was hoping to get stacked stone or stone mosaic tile, but it didn't work out.  Next, I looked into using tin ceiling panels, an idea I had seen online.  At the same time I had begun to experiment with faux painting, and while searching for more backsplash ideas, I found a couple of blogs where people had painted their backsplashes to look like stone.  During Spring Break I decided to try mine.

I used a stencil to help with mine, though many people just tape off the area with painter's tape.  I looked this morning to find the website and stencil I used to share with you, and can't find it.  It was a tile stencil, and it had large diamonds on one overlay, with smaller ones to fill in the empty spaces in between on the top overlay.  I ended up doing only the large diamond shapes.

For paint I used my trusty Lowe's and Home Depot paint samples.  I LOVE those things.  I have so many of them I'd be ashamed to admit the number.  You see I am addicted to paint and paint colors. Really!  And spray paint. 

I wasn't doing any blogging yet so only have a few before and afters to share.  I took these to share with my husband who was away on the tug at the time.

Step 1:  Taping off the top of the countertop and the bottom of the cabinets.

Step 2:  Measuring and Getting Started.  I wanted a full design at the end of the counter next to the fridge, so I started there and worked backwards to the window over the sink.  This picture is after it was dry and I was cleaning up, but you get the idea.  On the other end of this wall I started with a full design starting at the corner and traveling toward the sink.  This worked out well for me.  In the picture you can see my stencil, the natural sea sponges I used to do the painting, and some of my little sample pots.  I used 6 different colors layered on top of each other for this faux granite effect.  The colors were a light cream, beige, medium tan, two different browns, and black.  I used the beige as the base, then the tan, then the browns, and highlighted with the cream and black.  It matched up really great with my countertops.

Step 3:  Getting in the groove.  In the corner on the oven wall, I started with another full design and worked to the left.   Please ignore the mess and dirty dishes in the sink.  Let me warn you if you decide to try this - it IS NOT a quick project.  This took me all of one day and evening (with breaks for paint drying time) and a little bit the next morning.

Step 4:  This summer I decided to change out my hardware to copper and add copper accents.  This project was one of my first blog posts.

Remember the light I got and didn't like the color of, so decided to add more copper accents.  Here is what it looks like now.

Now that I have lived with it a while, I am considering going back and doing the second overlay to add the accent "diamonds".  If I do, I am thinking to do them in a darker black based shade to help tie in the black appliances.  (like this combo I did on my scarred up living room end table top). What do you think?