The one that started it all

Due to a miscommunication, we didn’t paint a backsplash this weekend. So I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share the story about how the backsplash painting came about. Because… it never fails: every time we paint a backsplash, the homeowner asks how we got started painting backsplashes to look like tile. And I think the hubs is getting sick of hearing this story.

I was living in Westminster, Colorado… my first apartment EVER! The owners were kind enough to allow me to paint the interior the way I wanted. So long as I paint it back to white before I leave. First I did my living room, bedroom, then I came to the kitchen. And as I was painting, I noticed the wall area under the cabinets, and thought to myself, “do I just paint that the same color as the wall?” I had never painted a kitchen before, and didn’t know what I was supposed to do with that area. Painting it the same wall color just didn’t seem right. And because installing tile in a rental didn’t seem economical… I set out to try and make it LOOK like tile.

Now, mind you, this was 7 years ago… I barely had a cell phone, let alone 1/4 inch tape. So I tediously cut my painters blue tape (with a box cutter) into long narrow strips to use as the ‘grout line,’ layed out my grid, and went to work painting. It was extremely fun, and looked alarmingly like stone tile.

My friends had to touch the wall to believe it was just paint. Then they started having me paint their backsplashes… then my mom. And neighbors. And ex-boyfriends.

Then, I decided I needed to start charging for this service, and the backsplash business was born. And I gotta say, has been a wonderful supplemental income in saving… so that we can go forth and multiply. Nick has been my partner in crime, and does just as much, if not more work when we’re doing a backsplash. His mathematic and meticulous engineering skills come in very handy. And he paints too!!

So here it is… my first ever backsplash. Not bad, eh?