*Stadium Voice* A battle for the ages, glass vs glass, BACK PAINTED VS MIRROR BACKSPLASH!!!
Alright, I’ll stop being dramatic but – come on that was a good lead in.
We use both Back Painted Glass and Mirrors for kitchen backsplashes but, which one is… better? Now while it does come down to personal preference and which look you like best and what will fit into your home’s style, there are some pros and cons to both. So I guess this is the part where I tell you all the pros and cons of both… so let’s get ready to RUMBLE!!
Round One: Reflectivity
It’s no secret that regardless of being silvered or not, glass has that glossy, reflective quality to it. Unless it’s frosted or filmed on the surface to take away the gloss but – that’s beside the point.
Mirrors dominate in this category. They are MADE to reflect. Why is this important?
- Space illusion: In small or cramped spaces, reflecting surroundings creates that illusion of more space. By adding a mirror, it’s almost like knocking out part of a wall and expanding a room expect that you don’t have to actually do any of that.
- Light Distribution: Does anyone else remember that one scene in The Mummy where they used those mirrors to light up the treasure tomb? Mirrors reflect light. Now, it won’t look as dramatic as in the movie, but mirrors definitely help to brighten and distribute light in an area and that can make a world of difference.
If there are any drawbacks here I would state only this one. Clutter. Disorganization reflected can be unsettling or overwhelming to look at. Yes, you can have your appliances and every day things on your kitchen countertops, but there is that point of too much that can push over the edge. You know what mirror helps counter act that? Antique mirror. You know what helps even further? Antique Mirror Tiles. It breaks up the reflection just enough to disperse that cluttered look while still giving you all the benefits of mirror.
Round Two: Color
Using Ultra Clear mirror that won’t distort any of the other surrounding colors is great for seamlessly blending in and just giving your kitchen that extra show. But what if you don’t have any colors or want to create a feature?
I have to give this one to Back Painted Glass.
With the ability to custom color match any color, back painted glass is an amazing way to cover a backsplash and incorporate the exact color that you’re looking for. As in – exact. You don’t have to settle for, “these are the colors available so, what you see is what you get.” Even though Mirror can counter with colored and antique mirror, they aren’t custom colors. The colored mirror comes in stock colors, and the antique mirror also stays within it’s own lane. When it comes to colors, custom back painted glass is your best way of getting exactly what you want.
This purple mirror backsplash we did recently is pretty awesome though.
The Achilles heel of custom back painted glass is also its strongest point – color options. Really and truly it’s picking a color. Because of the fact that anything is possible, you have EVERY option under the sky, moon, and sun of every color available to pick. That’s a lot to choose from. Some people like being given a few colors because then they don’t have to deal with the mass array of color choices, but again, you can pick ANY color. No longer will you have to worry if the white of your cabinets matches the white of your backsplash should you choose to go with that color combo. But custom colors are great – it’s ok to branch out a little. A little blue or green or red never hurt anybody!
Round Three: Clean Up
The closest blow for blow round of the whole blog. But who will come out on top? Oh my gosh the anticipation!!
After watching the playback feed several times… I’m extremely tempted to call this round a draw.
However.
There is one thing that must be addressed.
While both are easy to clean glass surfaces… mirror might possibly reflect a smear.
*GASP*
Due to the fact that back painted glass isn’t as reflective as mirror, if you quickly wipe something up without properly cleaning up the mess with a wet rage or glass cleaner, you’re less likely to see that light smear. But on mirror? Your chances are slightly higher.
This is such a minute detail that it really doesn’t matter, but I wanted to include it because I ALWAYS talk about how great glass backsplashes are when it comes to clean up. And they are great; they’re fantastic! But covering pros and cons of anything definitely help to give a more accurate representation of what you would receive so that you know exactly what it is that you are getting.
It’s the same reason why I always bring to light the importance of Ultra Clear Glass and Mirror – if you’re going to get glass, please be aware of the quality, I would hate to see you spend money on a product that isn’t going to serve you well.
And if you’re looking for a brilliant glass cleaner, Hi-Sheen. I made a blog about it. You should read it.
We got pretty heavy there at the end my friends, and rightfully so. This was an extremely well balanced match and I have to say, really digging into these two backsplash options was kind of hard because they are both perfect options for backsplashes.
The Winner!
I’m going to leave that up to you to decide.
“NO ALEX! I did not read through this whole blog post just for you to not tell us who the best of the best is! And clearly it seemed to be Back Painted Glass by the tally!!”
I understand my friends, but in all honesty, it comes down to personal preference in style and convenience. And these two opponents were so closely matched – it really is difficult for me to justifiably pick one over the other.
If you think that there is an ultra clear winner here (hahahaha I made an ultra clear joke), go ahead and drop your vote in the comments and let us know why! Maybe we’ll have a rematch!
As always, if you have any questions or would like to figure out which of these backsplashes would look the best in your home, give us a call or come see us in our showroom and get inspired!!
