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Yotam Ottolenghi’s updated kitchen features a hand-painted tile mural with illustrations tied to his children, drawing attention to decorative backsplash murals. Designers describe the approach as a way to make kitchens more personal, while warning that materials must suit heat, water, and cleaning.
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi has added a hand-painted tile mural to the backsplash in his recently updated kitchen, a feature Livingetc presents as part of a wider design trend toward personal, decorative kitchen walls. The mural includes illustrations connected to his children, turning a surface built for practical use into a display with family meaning.
Ottolenghi told Livingetc that the kitchen’s layout stayed the same and that the main change was the tilework. The mural was painted by artist Cecilie Maurud Barstad of Gilles & Cecilie. According to the report, the tiles were painted off-site, fired, and then installed above the cooker and behind shelves.
The design includes a taco, a Dungeons & Dragons logo reflecting his children’s interests, and a cartoon portrait they made of their cousin. Ottolenghi said he hopes the wall will feel like a collection of memories when his children return home as adults. The report does not provide details about the project’s cost or installation schedule.
Livingetc describes backsplash murals as appearing in several forms, including painted tiles, artwork applied directly to walls, stained glass, and wallpaper. The examples in its report range from a meadow-inspired tiled design in a London kitchen to a stained-glass installation created for specific clients. These examples show varied approaches, not a measured estimate of how widespread the trend is.
Turning Kitchen Walls Into Personal Art
The shift matters because kitchens are often planned around surfaces that withstand everyday cooking, cleaning, and moisture. A mural brings decoration and personal expression into a part of the room usually treated chiefly as functional. Ottolenghi’s example also shows how a design can carry meaning beyond color or pattern: its illustrations refer to his family’s shared interests and memories.
Designers interviewed by Livingetc say the effect depends on how well the mural fits the rest of the room. Charlotte Fuller, a muralist whose work has appeared on backsplashes, described the result as a “commitment to joy.” That is her view of the design’s emotional effect, rather than a claim that murals suit every kitchen. Scale, existing finishes, light, and the wall’s position all affect how a mural reads.
The practical stakes are also real. A decorative finish installed near a cooker or sink may face heat, splashes, humidity, and frequent cleaning. The material and protective measures therefore shape whether an artistic idea is suitable for that specific location.
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How Designers Approach Mural Materials
The Livingetc report frames Ottolenghi’s update as one example of a wider interest among designers in making kitchen backsplashes more expressive. It does not cite sales figures, survey results, or other data to quantify the trend. Its supporting examples instead show how designers have used different materials and custom artwork in individual projects.
Some murals are painted onto tiles before installation; others use stained glass or wallcoverings. Harald Donoghue of wallpaper brand de Gournay cautioned that protective finishes for textile-based wallcoverings are not heavy-duty and can dull colors and design details. He recommended a glass or Perspex barrier where extra protection is needed.
Jules Gallop, founder of JAM Design Works, said designers should treat a backsplash as part of the overall kitchen scheme, considering cabinetry, worktops, lighting, and colors together. She also stressed accurate templating around sockets, switches, and cabinets, and checking that the chosen material is specified for exposure to heat, water, and cleaning.
““The biggest difference was the tiles.””
— Yotam Ottolenghi, speaking to Livingetc
What the Trend Report Does Not Show
Livingetc characterizes backsplash murals as a growing trend, but its report supplies no market data showing how many households are installing them or how interest has changed over time. The examples establish that designers have used murals in several projects; they do not establish the trend’s scale.
The report also does not state the cost of Ottolenghi’s mural, how long its design and installation took, or what specific protective treatment was used around the cooker. It is not clear whether the tiles require any special care beyond ordinary kitchen cleaning. Material performance will depend on the particular product and installation, so the examples should not be taken as a universal specification.
Planning Around Heat and Splashes
The report does not identify a scheduled next step for Ottolenghi’s kitchen or announce a new project. For readers considering a similar design, the practical next steps described by the designers are to choose a material suited to the location, coordinate colors and scale with existing finishes, and review samples in the actual room lighting.
Before installation, Gallop recommends accurate measurements around fittings and cabinetry and confirming that the selected surface is appropriate for heat, water, and cleaning. Where wallpaper or textile grounds are used near splash zones, de Gournay’s Donoghue advises a glass or Perspex protective barrier. The article does not offer a single solution for every kitchen; final requirements depend on the chosen material and site.
Key Questions
What is a backsplash mural?
A backsplash mural is decorative artwork installed or applied to the wall behind a kitchen work area. The Livingetc report describes examples made with painted tiles, stained glass, wallpaper, and direct wall painting.
What does Ottolenghi’s kitchen mural show?
According to Ottolenghi, the mural includes a taco, a Dungeons & Dragons logo, and a cartoon portrait his children made of their cousin. He said the images were chosen for their personal meaning to the family.
Can wallpaper be used behind a cooker or sink?
The report says textile-based wallcoverings may need extra protection in splash-prone areas. Harald Donoghue of de Gournay recommends a glass or Perspex barrier, noting that protective finishes for textile grounds are not heavy-duty.
What should homeowners plan before installing a mural?
Jules Gallop advises coordinating the mural with cabinetry, worktops, and lighting, taking samples, and making accurate templates around sockets and cabinets. The chosen material should also be specified for the area’s heat, water, and cleaning conditions.
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