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Ochre Rock Panels for a Rustic Kitchen Backsplash
Rustic is probably one of the most confusing words in design terminology. To the uninitiated, rustic brings up the idea that something is old and worn down, still functional, but clearly lacking that brand new feeling. Most designers these days are throwing the term “rustic” around these days to describe a space that mainly chooses finishes and materials that are representative of finishes and materials of yesteryear, but in reality are all brand new, high quality stuff that’s just designed to capture the plain and sometimes partially unfinished feel of something “rustic”. Some designers have even gone so far to start calling it “modern rustic”. So let’s ditch the glossy white cabinets, concrete grey countertops and plan white backsplash some folks are calling “modern” design and go deep into the rustic design vibe.
This beautiful project in the woods of Wisconsin, not too far from Milwaukee, is a great example of the “modern rustic” look. This is a new build that has been meticulously designed and curated with materials and finishes that evoke the true look and sense of a old cabin, including our personal favorite, a knockout stacked stone backsplash.
A Rustic Kitchen Backsplash Straight out of a Magazine Spread
Our stacked stone rock panels in the Ochre Blend color have been installed on the backsplash of this rustic kitchen and do an amazing job of complementing the design scheme of the space. The color palette, and how well the Ochre color fits in with the rest of the materials, is one of the first things that sticks out the most to me on this project. The space is dominated by the medium brown tones of the cabinetry and the exposed natural log beams on the ceiling. The dark stone counter top and the drop dead gorgeous dark brown butcher block island give some dimension to the brown tones as well. The Ochre Blend color, which is generally made up of about 40% brown tones, 40% charcoal or gray tones, and about 20% accent colors, including the oranges, blues, greens, pinks,etc does a great job of fitting within the palette while still creating some noticeable contrast between the brown grey backsplash, the darker countertops and lighter cabinets.
Endless Possibilties for Kitchen Backsplash Ideas
Long gone are the days when a subway tile white backsplash was the only option for the space between your cabinets and countertops. The possibilities are truly endless when it comes to kitchen backsplashes these days, which is one of the reasons this relatively small space on the wall is such an important selection to get right for a cohesive design. If working with existing countertops and cabinets, options do start to get narrowed down versus starting from scratch. For example, grey countertops and white cabinets might seriously benefit from a mosaic tile backsplash that gives the space a pop of color. One of our favorite backsplash projects we ever profiled is this awesome Planc Large Format tile backsplash where the stone adds just the right amount of texture and character between the white cabinets and marble countertops. Beyond just color, you’ll find lots of different product choices for backsplashes ranging from glass and ceramic tile, stone, and even wood as possible surfaces. The rustic kitchen backsplash we are profiling today does an excellent job from both a color and product selection standpoint with the dimensional brown grey backsplash playing beautifully against the smooth dark oak cabinets and black countertops
Details Make the Difference in the rest of this Rustic Kitchen Design
While using the trend of using a stacked stone backsplash on this rustic inspired kitchen is really cool, there’s no doubt in our minds that most people when entering this space for the first time are going to have their eyes immediately drawn upward by the amazing ceiling. The base ceiling is beautiful tongue and groove pine slats that form a nice backdrop for the real stars of the space, which are the exposed natural log beams. The natural log beams and the stacked stone on the backsplash form a unique texture bridge, being really the only finishes in the space which show the natural texture of the products they are made from – whether that’s the natural split face of the stone, or the knot holes, branch nodes, or any other imperfections shown in the beams. In the whole “rustic” design theme, this is incredibly important because it gives the space credibility and an inherent “naturalness” that’s a key component of the desired look.
These days, kitchen islands are a dime a dozen, so it’s not too often that one stands out like this one. In the above photo, our eyes are immediately drawn to the thickness of the butcher block style counter top, giving the space a very bold, and you guessed it, rustic look. Everything else in this space, whether it’s the ceiling, the cabinetry, the lovely farmhouse sink, or the rustic stacked stone backsplash gets put up against this island and helps complete the design theme. Specifically as it relates to the rustic backsplash, the larger format of the stacked stone panel on the backsplash, especially as compared to a more standard mosaic tile backsplash, proves to be a good choice for a kitchen design where the clients haven’t backed down anywhere from going full scale, whether that’s with the exposed natural log beams or the thick butcher block island.
It Wouldn't be Rustic without a Farmhouse Sink
One design mainstay to consider for a rustic kitchen backsplash project is a farmhouse sink. Truly in the spirit of what’s old is new again, farmhouse sinks have seen a resurgence recently due to their durability, large size, and ergonomic design. The key features of a farmhouse sink is the front “apron” of the sink that generally overhangs the front edge of the cabinets. In this project we love how the design team incorporated the farmhouse sink into the black countertop but opted to match the color with the sink itself. While not the traditional white farmhouse sink you typically conjure up, the darker black does nicely complement the dark handle pulls and rubbed bronze plumbing fixtures, to provided a dark pop of color against the beige backsplash color tones. Farmhouse sinks these days come in just about every color, so whether you have white cabinets and a white backsplash, grey countertops with a grey backsplash, or even white cabinets with a white backsplash, or any combination in betweeen, there’s a sink out there to match.
Thanks for taking a tour of this awesome cabin with us and learning a little more about rustic and modern rustic design. Our stacked stone panels offer a rustic look with their split face or naturally cleft finish with a modern twist created by the geometry of the panel system. If a rustic kitchen backsplash or any rustic designed theme project is in your future and stacked stone might be a finish option worth considering, contact us today to learn more about our products, get a sample, and get your questions answered.
