DIY White Washed Brick and Beadboard Backsplash

Part 8: Kitchen Remodel and Structural Wall Removal 

Hey y’all!

Welcome to part 8 where I’ll be sharing some more of those more aesthetic components in our kitchen renovation that make a world of difference. Once our cabinets were done it was to time tackle the backsplash and the wooden paneled wall behind the refrigerator.

Brick Backsplash 

We loved the brick backsplash, honestly who doesn’t, and all the character and texture it contributes to the space. However, I did feel that it darkened the room and I’m sure you know by now that I like things crisp and bright. So while Ed preferred it natural, I wanted to paint it white. We ended up compromising and I white washed it leaving some of the natural color peeking through.

DIY White Washing Brick

I mixed about half a cup of latex satin white paint I had on hand with about a 16th or 8th cup of water. Then I took a wadded up paper towel and dabbed it on and another dry paper towel to dab it back off until I got the look I wanted. So simple and fun to do too! After I would get done with a section I would stand back and add or remove paint where I felt necessary.

I was nervous about whitewashing the brick because I had never done anything like it before but I LOVE how it turned out!

Beadboard Wall

As you can see in the pictures below, the wood-paneled wall behind the refrigerator was originally stained red (like bright red) and I painted it blue like all the other walls in the house as a temporary fix.

Looking at the second picture where the cabinets have been removed, along with the ceiling and everything else lol, you can tell that we had to remove the paneling. For one, I wasn’t a fan of it anyway and what better time to do away with it then in the middle of the construction zone that was our kitchen. And secondly, the ceiling would now be a foot and a half taller above the doorway we didn’t want the hassle of trying to track down that type of paneling and then match it up to the existing stuff.

We opted to rip it out and replace it with beadboard since I did think this wall was an opportunity to add some different texture and interest and also because it is found other places in our home. We used the same 4×8 sheets, found at Lowe’s, that we used in our bathroom. Our sunroom is directly behind this wall, accessed by the doorway you see in the pictures and all of its walls and ceiling are covered in beadboard. The beadboard in the sunroom runs horizontally so I decided to do the same on this wall to tie it in.

The beadboard is easy to work with because it can be cut with a utility knife and at $20 a sheet it isn’t too hard on the pocketbook either. Both the whitewashed brick and beadboard contribute to the crisp white textured backdrop that I wanted to create in this neutral industrial farmhouse design. White is one color I’ve never regretted adding throughout the house and it’s certainly impacted this space in a way I love!

I can’t believe this project is almost done! We’ll be moving on to flooring next week! Can’t wait to share it with ya! 🙂