Plates + Hangers = Instant Backsplash

Here's a sneak peek at my latest project in collaboration with my friend Donna. We're working on a fabulous pad for a single girl, but with a twist--the twist is that the pad is a rental. Because of this, we're obviously avoiding making any major changes to the cottage apartment. One of the biggest problem areas is the kitchen, as is typical in a lot of rentals. The cabinets are oak in a medium finish and the counter top is a cream formica---not exciting finishes, but I've seen (and lived with) worse. Furthermore, there is no backsplash, just 4 inches of formica and sheetrock. Luckily, our single girl loves blue and white and had a large collection of plates. A coat of a beautiful soft blue paint, some plates hangers, a few nails, and voila: an instant backsplash. For interest, I used a variety of different patterns. I also overlapped some of the pieces, but there was an ulterior motive: the large bowl is hanging over an outlet and hiding the plug to the coffee maker!

In this case, because of the nature of the apartment and the client's taste, we've gone for a cottage inspired look, but the idea could be adapted for other styles. We're putting the finishing touches on the rest of the cottage and I should have some pics by this weekend.