Instant {removeable} Backsplash for $30

Okay... maybe instant is a little bit of a stretch.

But I DID do it during naptime, so I consider that's pretty darn fast in my book.

BEHOLD--THE BACKSPLASH.

Yeah, I know--ideally the quartz strip wouldn't be there, and the backsplash would go all the way down to the counter, and blah blah blah. But here's the deal--eventually we'd like to install a subway tile backsplash. Probably in a similar color to this. But it's not in the budget right now, since Mr. Handsome is working on finishing the basement. But I reeeeeallly wanted to get some color in there, because I didn't exactly realize how close in color the countertop was to the wall color we chose when designing our house. 

See?

I almost cried when they first put the countertops in. Once everything else is there it's not really a big deal, but we chose things with a blue backsplash in mind. I just didn't realize how much the lack of color there would drive me crazy in the meantime.

Well.

CONSIDER ME CRAZY.

On a completely related note, I spend a lot of time in Target these days, since my daughters' preschool is right around the corner from one, and who wants to drive all the way home for an hour and a half just to drive back out to pick up the tiny human, when that time could be spent walking around the haven that is Target? 

My point is that I stumbled upon this aisle while looking for their command hooks.

"Oooh! Pretty colors!" my mind said... and I naturally gravitated towards the blue diamonds (Devine Color Diamond Wallpaper in "Horizon"). 

Which, ironically, are not in this photo because they were all sold out when I went back to get a product shot. Go figure. 

I had to give it a try, though. I figured it would be a nice, fast, way to add some color. It's wipeable (vinyl, not paper), so when I spray cake batter from my mixer all over the wall, it's no big deal. It's supposedly easily removed, without any damage, which is awesome--RENTING, ANYONE!?!? And it's repositionable (peel-and-stick!), so if you don't get it perfect the first time, you can gently pull it off and try again. HOLLA!

(I can't actual testify of this quality, since I haven't tried to remove it. When we actually get around to replacing it with tile, I'll let you know. Figured I had nothing to lose, since when we actually DO remove it, we'll be covering the area back up anyway.)

So I got a nice fresh squeegee and a roll of wallpaper, and once the kids were snoozing I went to town. I had to reposition a few times, but it was a lot easier than I expected. the cuts aren't perfect. If you look close at the top ends (which no one with ever see unless they feel the unquenchable urge to squat down in my kitchen) it's not particularly pretty, which you can see below:

But again. Who really cares, right?

 I'm really liking the way it looks behind my spice jars.

I chickened out and didn't put it on the wall with the window. There would be a LOT of "cutting around" stuff, and I'm not sure what I would want to do along the top edge. Maybe a strip of thin moulding? Hmmm. It's suddenly sounding a lot less scary. What do you guys think? Overall, it was suuuper easy to put up, and it makes a HUGE difference, for only $30. I consider that a huge win.