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The design of individual zones and rooms in a living room requires a special approach. When choosing materials and processing methods, the functional load assigned to the room is taken into account. Wall decoration in the kitchen requires a special approach: design options involve the use of materials that are practical and resistant to a number of influences. Their diversity, selection criteria, rules of use and decoration ideas are described in this article.

Wall decoration in the kitchen is a creative and complex process that sets the tone for the entire interior.

How to decorate the walls in the kitchen: selection criteria for materials for different zones

A kitchen is a place with specific conditions, which are characterized by temperature changes, air humidity and a high degree of pollution. Therefore, in the design of the room must be harmoniously combined practical and decorative qualities.

The kitchen belongs to rooms with difficult conditions, therefore the requirements for finishing materials are high

In addition to the main purpose – cooking, the kitchen performs a number of functions: they eat food, organize family evenings and often receive guests. Functional diversity involves the different design of certain areas. It is in the kitchen that the combined use of materials in wall decoration is welcomed.

A variety of options allow you to realize bold ideas and make the interior in this part of the apartment beautiful and practical. Photos of the walls of the kitchen demonstrate this clearly.

A huge variety of textures, colors of finishes allows you to create an interesting and unusual space in the kitchen

Finishing materials for kitchen walls : requirements and selection criteria

When choosing materials for decorating walls in the kitchen, you need to take into account the overall design of the apartment and the conditional division of the room into a working and dining area. The key selection criteria are functional features, the specific microclimate of the kitchen and the operational characteristics of the finish. Convenience in operation and durability of repair depend on what the walls are covered in the kitchen. The basic requirements for materials for finishing kitchen walls are:

• resistance to humidity, temperature and steam;

Durability is the main condition for a quality material for finishing a kitchen

• practicality, consisting in the strength and integrity of the coating when exposed to detergents and cleaners applied to remove stains from grease and burning;
• hygiene of the coating, which excludes the possibility of the appearance and reproduction of various microorganisms;
• harmony – the materials must correspond to the tones and structure of the kitchen furniture, ceiling, floor and appliances, because the general appearance and comfort of the room depends on what the walls in the kitchen are decorated with;

Properly finished walls in the kitchen should be washed well and not deteriorate when exposed to water

• aesthetics – the walls in the kitchen, as in other rooms, should delight the eyes of the inhabitants of the apartment.

Useful advice! Do not start work on wall decoration without a project and calculations of the amount of necessary materials. In case of shortage, it will be difficult to buy exactly the same wallpaper or tile.

Finishing material must not ignite and emit hazardous substances.

A variety of materials for wall decoration in the kitchen: photo options

Based on their described requirements and characteristics, most often in the decoration of the walls of the kitchen are used:

• ceramic tile;
• brickwork;
• decorative and natural stone;

A large selection of finishing materials allows you to create interesting interiors.

• wall porcelain tile;
• metal, ceramic and glass mosaics;
• decorative plaster;
• PVC coated MDF panels;
• wallpaper;
• painting.

It is important that the decoration material combines beauty and practicality.

In the kitchen, as a rule, use two types of wall decoration. The materials of the working area and the so-called “apron” should be as practical as possible. In the dining area you can use coverings of lower strength, but they should also be easy to wash. This method of combining coatings in different zones will give maximum effect and will help to achieve the ideal level in a combination of decorative and technological characteristics.

Material for wall decoration should be practical and at the same time look interesting and original

Each of these materials has its own characteristics – positive and negative. The better to finish the walls in the kitchen – choose the owners who rely on their own taste and financial capabilities. For this choice to be correct, you need to know the features of each of these options.

Wall tiles in the kitchen : features and combinations

Confronted with the choice of how to decorate the walls in the kitchen, apartment owners often tend to use tiles. This is the most common decoration material in the kitchen, as it has an ideal value for money.

The working area in the kitchen can be finished with stable and durable ceramic tiles.

Ceramic tiles have a coating of various structures, it can be smooth and glossy, textured and matte. Tiles most often finish the working wall or zone of the so-called “apron”, which is possible due to its properties:

• strength and impact resistance;
• ease of washing with chemical cleaning agents;
• resistance to moisture, steam and high temperature.

In addition, with the help of well-chosen tiles, you can create a harmonious image even in a small space. But for this, the ceramic tile apron must be combined with the kitchen set in color and texture, creating a single composition. Ideally, the shades of the apron overlap with the color of the countertop.

An important advantage over other finishing materials is that the tiles are not exposed to high temperatures.

Important! Of great importance in creating a beautiful combination is the size of the ceramic tile. Large, as a rule, contributes to a visual decrease in the room, and a tile of small sizes, on the contrary, visually increases the kitchen.

In the decoration of the walls of the kitchen, material with a fine pattern or plain color is best suited to avoid variegation. Dosage should also be decorative elements. If the emphasis is on the tile, then other areas should be less bright, without contrasting patterns.

Features of the choice of ceramic tiles: pictures of the kitchen with tiles

When choosing a ceramic tile, some rules should be considered. In particular, even in the store it is necessary to check the surface of the material for integrity and make sure that there are no cracks, chips, or curvature. You need to buy tiles with a 10 percent margin. For example, if the calculations showed that 5 m² is required, then it is recommended to purchase 5 and a half squares. In this case, the number of tiles themselves can be different.

Designers do not recommend tiling all the walls in the kitchen, as this will look heavy

The surface of the tile for the wall should be flat, smooth, without roughness. Otherwise, caring for it will be problematic: to wash off the grease and soot in the recesses, additional time and effort will be required. Light and plain tiles are also difficult to wash, and dark – emphasizes cracks and flaws.

Now almost no tiles are used to design all the walls in the kitchen. More often they decorate the kitchen “apron”, and the rest of the walls are decorated with stucco or wallpaper. Tiles for walls and floors need to be selected from one collection.

The tile is easy to clean, and a large selection of colors and designs adds to its benefits.

This, at first glance, universal material has one significant flaw: over time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to wash because of the many seams that contribute to the accumulation of fat and burning. Therefore, to finish the work area, an apron made of glass or a special plastic panel is increasingly chosen.

Brickwork in the kitchen: photo, wall decoration options

Fans of the Art Nouveau and loft styles often leave ordinary brickwork without decoration. To give an appropriate design and aesthetic appearance to a non-plastered wall, it is necessary to apply special means on it, which will also serve as a protective layer. As a wall covering, you can use special panels or wallpapers that mimic brickwork.

Loft-style kitchen using brickwork as wall decoration

As a finishing material, brick has many advantages. It is durable, moisture and heat resistant, so it can last a long time. Brickwork is ideally combined with a variety of materials and looks equally beautiful in both modern and classic interiors. In addition, the brick has an affordable cost and does not require additional (except coating) finish. Brick blocks provide good sound and heat insulation. Even a person who does not have building experience can ennoble a brick wall.

Important! Brickwork of all walls in the kitchen is possible only in large and spacious rooms. Such decor in ordinary apartments is often used as a design accent in the design of a certain site. The most popular brick wall decor is light waterproof paint.

The use of decorative stone in the kitchen: photo examples of wall decoration

Despite the fact that the artificial material actually just simulates a real stone, it has its own certain advantages. For example, it is much lighter than the original, which simplifies its delivery and installation work. Like its natural counterpart, it is durable, as it has increased strength indicators.

A non-standard, but original solution – decorating the walls of the kitchen with decorative or natural stone

In addition, the decorative stone is environmentally friendly, and its coating does not contribute to the multiplication of bacteria and fungi. Material is affordable. The main advantage is ease of care; it is easy to clean with a regular brush using detergents.

However, as in other rooms, the use of decorative stone in the kitchen can only be partial. The walls so completely tiled will turn the room into a medieval castle. With it, emphasize individual moments or interior elements.

The most successful solution in decorating a kitchen with decorative stone is inserts in the corners or on the wall, lining around the furniture set or a certain area. At the same time, it goes well with various decor materials and can be a great alternative to wallpaper or tile.

Wall porcelain tiles in the decoration of the walls of the kitchen: photo options

Porcelain tile appeared quite recently, but managed to gain a positive reputation in the construction industry as a practical and aesthetic material. It is used in different rooms, but it is especially popular in the design of the kitchen.

Porcelain tile – a high-strength material that can withstand changes in humidity and temperature

The main advantage is the easy cleaning of grease and various stains using basic detergents. The material is antistatic, which prevents the accumulation of dust. The color of the porcelain stoneware should harmonize with the overall design of the kitchen. It should be borne in mind that on a light surface, pollution is more noticeable, and dark walls reduce space. It is better to choose a neutral color material. It is better to refuse a matte or embossed surface, since such a coating is more difficult to wash.

The richness of the color palette of porcelain tiles allows you to embody both traditional and creative design solutions in the kitchen interior

Ceramic granite also has favorable material characteristics: it is cheaper than decorative, and even more so natural stone, although it also has the advantages of noble materials. Recently, countertops and sinks made of porcelain are widely used in the kitchen .

Useful advice! A great addition to the background design of various coating options can be decorative inserts made of porcelain tiles. For example, a beautiful panel will help create a decorative accent or highlight a functional area.

Porcelain tiles require minimal maintenance, since the material does not collect dust, it is enough to wipe the surface from time to time with a damp sponge

Wall decoration in the kitchen: options for using mosaics and flexible stone

Mosaic gives the wall in the kitchen a special “zest” or focuses on any part of the room. The material has various color shades, patterns and textures. For the manufacture of mosaics using various raw materials: plastic, glass, mirror, metal, ceramics, as well as natural stone and wood. Mosaic canvas is resistant to temperature changes and other influences. Difficulty in care is created by multiple seams.

The material has a different shape. It can be circles, rhombuses, ovals, rectangles. The most popular are the classic squares. Recently, a variety in the form of a continuous web has been especially common. More often it covers a work wall and an apron. On the countertop, it also looks great, and the mosaic wall panel will become an original decoration of the room.

Flexible stone is a fairly popular material, which is preferred by many contemporary designers. This is a successful synthesis of natural material and artificial base. In the production of flexible stone, sandstone is used as raw material, which is neatly and evenly applied to fiberglass . The material is produced in the form of two-meter rolls or tiles of various sizes.

The main advantages of the material are environmental friendliness and ease of installation. Thanks to its flexibility, it can be given any shape, thus realizing various design ideas. Additional advantages are given by fire safety and resistance to temperature influences. A flexible stone can withstand temperatures from -45 ° C to 600 ° C.

The main plus of the mosaic is that it is easy to clean and lasts a long time.

Decorative plaster in the kitchen : species diversity and application rules

In the decoration of the walls of the kitchen quite often use decorative plaster. At the same time, almost all its types are suitable in the design of the dining area, the main of them:

• structural;
• textured;
• venetian.

The base material for application are polymer, silicone and silicate solutions or mixtures on an aqueous and anhydrous basis, with admixtures of marble chips or lime-sand particles. The main advantage is affordable price. Various design options using this type of decoration clearly demonstrate a photo of decorative plaster in the kitchen.

The most popular types of kitchen plaster: Venetian and Moroccan. They allow you to copy natural stone and give the finish a texture of marble or travertine. Using the sgraffito technique, they create the illusion of an applique or aged surface, as well as imitation of silk and velvet. Depending on the chosen style, the walls are decorated with bark beetle plaster or create an analogy of a concrete wall.

An important advantage is that the application of decorative plaster does not require absolute alignment of the walls.

Useful advice! In order to protect the plastered wall in the kitchen from moisture, grease and mechanical influences, it is recommended to coat the surface with a special protective varnish.

Panels for kitchens: material and installation features

Multiple photos of wall decoration with MDF panels, quite often found on the network, testify to the popularity of this option for designing kitchen walls. This recognition is due to the density and durability of the material, as well as its resistance to moisture and temperature extremes. This environment inhibits the development of microorganisms and bacteria.

The brown panels on the wall harmonize well with the light kitchen furniture.

Use different types of panels for the walls of the kitchen, in particular:

• veneered;
• painted;
• PVC coated.

More often MDF panels are used in the manufacture of furniture facades, but decorating the walls with them also looks quite attractive – photos of the panels in the kitchen are confirmation of this fact. Panels with PVC coating are often used for wall cladding, as the material is easy to wash and at the same time it is resistant to household chemicals.

Plastic panels for decoration have a specific appearance, but they look beautiful and stylish in the kitchen

Useful advice! The panels have the disadvantage of low resistance to temperature effects, therefore, for the purpose of fire safety, it is not recommended to place the material near sources of open fire.

Plastic panels or wooden lining in the kitchen are also widely used. The popularity is due to moisture resistance and electrical safety. Moreover, the color scheme of the proposed models allows you to implement various interior styles. In addition, panels are one of the most affordable materials in terms of price. It is the lining that is ideal for those who are looking for a budget option in resolving the issue of how to finish the walls in the kitchen in the apartment.

Photo panels for the kitchen show various options for wall cladding. To install plastic panels, two main methods are used:

1. A frame is assembled from profiles or beams. Panels are inserted into special cells.
2. Gluing to the wall. This method involves large glue costs.

The selection of the appropriate method depends on the individual characteristics, wall structure and the specific situation.

The main minus of the panels for decoration – they quickly ignite

The use of painting and wallpaper in the interior of the kitchen: photos of original ideas

The traditional and perhaps the most popular option for decoration in any room is wallpaper. They are irreplaceable in the case of the design of kitchen walls. At the same time, it is immediately worthwhile to exclude the use of ordinary paper wallpapers, since they absorb moisture and odors. Therefore, in rooms with high humidity and specific aromas, liquid, vinyl, non-woven, and glass are more often used. The best option is vinyl wallpaper. Photos of kitchens with this type of decoration demonstrate how such a good choice.

Conventional wallpapers will not work in the kitchen, so it is better to use the following types: liquid, glass, vinyl or non-woven

The vinyl coated material, which is a polyvinyl chloride film, is easy to wash using a variety of detergents. Wallpaper, thanks to the protective layer, is resistant to moisture, dust, soot. In addition, they do not peel off when exposed to steam.

Widely used also non-woven kitchen wallpaper. The photo is a clear confirmation of this. The main advantage is the strength and the ability to hide the imperfections of the walls. The material easily passes air and does not peel off even at high humidity. An additional advantage is the possibility of repeated painting.

A new and fashionable design option – liquid wallpaper in the kitchen. Owner reviews indicate their aesthetics and practicality in use, since they practically do not give in to deformation and are not scratched. They are produced in packages, not in rolls; they are applied to the walls, not glued.

Cullets are made from special fiberglass. The material is difficult to apply, so you need to use special glue. At the same time, the fiberglass is resistant to physical influences, characterized by fire safety, strength and reliability.

Wallpaper for the kitchen must have high light resistance, that is, be resistant to fading in the sun

Useful advice! To hide surface irregularities or communications, panels are often used on the walls instead of wallpaper.

Painting is the most affordable way to finish, but is not suitable for covering all surfaces. Most often, brick, plaster and certain types of wallpaper are painted. To cover the kitchen walls, it is better to choose a moisture-resistant paint, which after drying creates a glossy finish. Unlike matte, such a surface is much easier to wash. Any painting has a serious drawback: it is not able to hide the unevenness of the walls, so any flaws will be noticeable.

When choosing wallpaper for the kitchen for painting, it is recommended to give preference to those types that are suitable for repeated staining.

As you can see, there are various ways to resolve the issue of how to finish the walls of the kitchen. When choosing materials, you need to be guided, first of all, by your own taste and financial capabilities; consider the overall design of the apartment and the rules of zoning. The options considered in the article prove that even with the help of inexpensive and standard materials, you can create a beautiful interior with your own hands in the most functional room – the kitchen.