DIY backsplash

Before installing backsplash

During installation-cut around outlets

up close of the pattern

after

I have slowly been remodeling my kitchen myself.  Between taking care of my 2 yr old and 3 month old twins things have been slowly rolling, once i finish ill do an entire kitchen reveal, but for now you can just see bits and pieces.  First Ill share my backslash, it looks beautiful and the best part is it only cost me $25.00...and i had supplies to spare. I used a paintable wallpaper that looks and feels like ceiling tiles, everyone always says they thought they were ceiling tiles {before i tell them the truth}.  So lets begin with supplies.  I bought the paintable wallpaper at Lowe's in the blinds and wallpaper section for $18.00 {it comes in a white color, ready to paint}.  I used copper valspar brand paint that is premixed at Home Depot, Lowe's may carry it too I'm not sure i just had seen it once at Home depot and thought up a project to do with it!  This wall paper is prepasted so no need to buy paste, just buy a wallpaper squeegy-theyre $.99 and razor blade if you dont have one, and you're ready to go.  I read the instructions that came with the wallpaper, and consulted good old Pinterest for wallpaper hanging techniques since this was my first wallpaper attempt.  Follow your directions for hanging, but i basically measured out the area i was going to hang in, grabbed a tape measure, scissors, and ruler/lever combo to draw straight lines for cutting and trimmed the paper down to fit the area i was hanging it in.  Next i decided to save a little money and not buy a water dipping tray at Lowe's and instead just wet the wallpaper in my bathtub for a few seconds, then carried it carefully so i wouldn't rip the edges to my kitchen counter where I folded the glue sides together and let it set for 5 min.  Next I hung it on my wall space i had measured out, then hung it on my wall smoothing as i went to ensure there were no bubbles.  Wallpaper is very forgiving, you don't have to hang it in the exact right spot when you first place it on the wall, it gives you some room for error and slides easily while its wet and not smoothed in place, once you have it in the right spot, begin smoothing it down for air bubbles.  The trick is to line the pattern up correctly so there are no errors in your pattern.  Last i used a small razor blade to trim the edges where they met my granite counter and to cut around outlet spaces.  The directions say to wait for it to dry, but i did this when it was still wet.  I found the paper didn't tear this way, and wallpaper residue didn't stick to drywall in places you don't want it to.  Last wipe down the area with a wet rag to remove excess glue and let it dry.  When its all hung i waited to paint for 5 hours--being impatient like i am i didn't wait the 24 hrs the direction said to let the wallpaper cure-i could tell it was dry only 5 hrs after.  Copper paint is an oil base so its super fumy compared to most paint and sticks to ALL surfaces so be sure to wipe it off your counters right away if you accidentally spill instead of wait til your finished to try and chip it off like i normally do-lesson learned, no need to fret it will come off counter surfaces with goof off if needed ;).  Here is how mine turned out.  I still want to add a little trim on the edges just to finish it off and add a little something more, and plan on putting some on my ceiling in spaces I will share those projects when completed ;)  I had so much left over that i placed some in wainscoting I installed on my breakfast bar--ill share the wainscoting tutorial in a later post!