I’ve been working through my home slowly, introducing myself to each element and seeing where my style meets the style of my house. But the biggest challenge I face is not actually my house, it’s my landlord.

I’m a renter. And though I have a great landlord who basically will let me do whatever I want, that’s really code for “I can do whatever I want as long as the house looks the same when we move out”. For an avid DIYer/artist that can be a little sad. Especially when walking through the tile aisle at Home Depot where the possibilities are endless!

I love my house! It’s a 1940’s California Bungalow complete with original wood floors, the original milk bottle delivery slot, the original beachy blue-green tiled shower, and an open floor plan (after some remodeling). It’s very cozy.

But even when you have great bones, a house isn’t a home until you’ve put your stamp on the details.

This kitchen is a big reason why I begged and pleaded with my husband to live here despite having to part with half my wardrobe due to closet issues. R.I.P. cute dresses from the days when I was in corporate life. Side note: Why is it so hard to convince a guy to give up his office for a closet room!? #clothesneedspacetoo, but I digress…

As someone who has a recipe blog, my top priority was plenty of space for all my kitchen gadgets and enough counter space to deal with my piles of dishes when I can’t figure out a recipe. Our kitchen is bigger than our bedroom and these hickory cabinets are très chic compared to the typical renters pressboard.

With all the kitchen gadgets we have, this was super important! I wanted space to gather in the kitchen at the breakfast nook while making waffles, or room for our popcorn maker on movie nights, or enough space to do 3 batches of cookies at once when I’m testing which ingredients will create the best cookie. The heart of the home is definitely in our kitchen! It’s the room we spend the most time in. And nothing is worse than a kitchen you don’t want to be in.

But it still needed a personal touch on it. I considered painting the walls, but I would want to do something dramatic and didn’t want to worry about painting it back to white later. Next, I considered contact paper but didn’t think it would hold up with water splashes from the sink or oil splashes around the range hood. I wanted something luxe to add life to the space.

Enter: Smart Tiles. After researching some other kitchen backsplash ideas, I realized the perfect solution was something removable, water-resistant, heat resistant, and easy to clean. I knew a Smart Tiles backsplash would be a better solution than my white walls!

These peel and stick tiles are so easy to put in! And they’re so beautiful!

 

They have so many wall tile backsplash options, from subway tiles, to marble, to mosaic tiles, and accent patterns. Say goodbye to kitchen design envy with these tiles that mimic the look of your favorite glass tile backsplash or ceramic tiles.

HERE’S HOW:

1.Gather Supplies

I put scissors in the mix because I used them on small grooves I needed to make, but they recommend using a blade of some sort – box cutter or an x-acto knife.

2. Wash Your Walls & Remove Wall Fixtures

The website recommends TSP or a heavy duty cleaner that can remove grease. I used a Goo Gone spray. Great prep really sets the stage for long-lasting tiles.

3. Mark & Measure

I put each tile in place and marked the cuts one at a time. Unless your kitchen has a lot of corners and edging, most tile sheets will just go straight on without cutting at all.

4. Cut & Install

Each tile needs to be installed/placed before marking and measuring the next tile. The biggest challenge I found in this whole project was making sure I installed in a straight line. Be careful not to press too hard when placing until you’re sure it’s in the correct spot. It’s a peel and stick adhesive, so it’s fairly forgiving if you need to make some small adjustments, just be careful not to peel if it’s not perfectly aligned. If you have to remove a piece, a little heat is needed for a clean separation.

This is the one part where I wanted a little extra help since the cutting part really wore out my arm after awhile.

5. Voila!

This project took me about half a day to install on my own…and we have a pretty big kitchen! I do recommend doing this project with 2 people, but it’s more because my hand got tired than it being 2-person job. I love the way it looks in my kitchen. Paired up with the stainless steel appliances, it looks just like real tile on both walls–no one has guessed yet that they’re temporary tiles. I think this white carrera marble color goes perfectly with my white kitchen, but they have other colors available to suit your needs. If we owned our house, I would not hesitate to add in a marble tile, or maybe a natural stone face. But as renters, these Smart Tiles do a fantastic job of sprucing up the room without causing any damage to the walls. It’s also a great temporary solution for owners if you’re not sure what look you want permanently! These will last as long as you need. This is a home improvement that anyone can do!

Or go straight to the Smart Tiles website for a bunch of how-to’s! No more appétence and wishing for perfect subway tile backsplashes–I already brought it home.