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Yotam Ottolenghi’s recently updated kitchen features a hand-painted tile mural by artist Cecilie Maurud Barstad, with illustrations tied to his children. The design is one example of a wider interiors trend toward treating backsplashes as personal, decorative features, though materials need protection from kitchen heat, water and cleaning.
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi has added a hand-painted mural backsplash to his recently updated kitchen, a personal design choice highlighted by Livingetc as part of a wider move to make kitchens more decorative. The tiles, painted by Cecilie Maurud Barstad of Gilles & Cecilie, include small illustrations connected to Ottolenghi’s children.
Ottolenghi told Livingetc that the kitchen’s layout stayed largely the same during the update, with new white cabinet fronts replacing the old ones. The biggest change was the tiled wall, which runs above the cooker and behind shelves. The tiles were painted off-site, fired and then installed, according to the report.
The mural 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 images will give his children memories of home when they return as adults. His explanation frames the mural not just as a decorative pattern, but as a feature built around family references.
Livingetc describes murals as one way designers are moving away from treating the kitchen as a purely functional room. The examples in its report include a meadow-inspired tile design by Studio Ashby and artist Anna Glover, a floral wallcovering by de Gournay, and a custom stained-glass backsplash commissioned by JAM Design Works. These projects use different materials and methods; they do not establish how common the trend is across kitchens generally.
Personal Stories on Kitchen Walls
The examples show how homeowners can use a backsplash to add color, imagery and personal meaning to a room usually dominated by cabinets, counters and appliances. In Ottolenghi’s case, the family-specific illustrations make the surface function as a record of shared interests as well as a practical wall finish.
That creative choice has practical consequences. A backsplash sits near cooking and cleaning, so a material that looks striking may need extra protection or careful specification. Design studio founder Jules Gallop told Livingetc that murals should be planned alongside cabinetry, counters and lighting, with accurate measurements around sockets and switches. Her advice highlights the balance between visual impact and a surface’s day-to-day demands.
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From Painted Tiles to Stained Glass
The reported projects illustrate that a backsplash mural does not refer to one particular product. It can be painted onto tiles, applied directly to a wall, made from stained glass or presented as wallpaper. Ottolenghi’s tiles were painted before installation; a Shanghai kitchen featured in the report uses de Gournay wallcovering above metallic cabinets; and JAM Design Works developed a stained-glass piece for clients around personal references and colors.
Each approach has different installation and care needs. Harald Donoghue of de Gournay told Livingetc that protective finishes for textile-based wallcoverings are not heavy-duty and can dull colors and design details. The company recommends adding a glass or Perspex barrier where appropriate to shield wallpaper from splashes and humidity. Gallop also said the stained-glass installation was heavy enough to require reinforcement of the wall, with access planned for its internal LED panels.
““It makes me so happy.””
— Yotam Ottolenghi, speaking to Livingetc
Costs, Care and Wider Uptake
The report does not provide the cost of Ottolenghi’s mural, the project’s exact completion date or details about its maintenance over time. It also does not quantify how many homeowners or designers are choosing mural backsplashes, so the description of a growing trend is a design-industry characterization rather than a measured market statistic.
Durability will depend on the material, location and protective finish. The source offers examples of precautions but no comparative testing or long-term performance data. Homeowners considering a similar feature would need to confirm that the selected surface is suitable for exposure to heat, water and cleaning, and establish any reinforcement or protective barrier required for its installation.
Planning a Mural for Daily Use
No further work or public plans for Ottolenghi’s kitchen are announced in the report. For readers considering a similar design, the next steps are practical: decide how the mural should relate to the room’s existing colors and finishes, review samples in the kitchen’s actual light, and measure carefully around cabinetry, outlets and switches. Gallop told Livingetc that samples matter because colors and textures may look different beside other materials.
Before choosing wallpaper, glass, painted tiles or another surface, homeowners should ask the designer or installer how it will handle splashes, humidity, heat and routine cleaning. The report’s examples suggest that a mural can be tailored to a household, but the installation details and suitable protection will vary by material and kitchen.
Key Questions
What does Yotam Ottolenghi’s backsplash mural look like?
It is a hand-painted tile mural by Cecilie Maurud Barstad of Gilles & Cecilie. The illustrations include a taco, a Dungeons & Dragons logo and a cartoon portrait made by Ottolenghi’s children.
Was Ottolenghi’s whole kitchen redesigned?
According to his account to Livingetc, the layout remained the same. The update included new white cabinet fronts, while the main change was the mural-covered tile wall.
Can a backsplash mural be made from materials other than tile?
Yes. The report describes murals made with wallcovering and stained glass, as well as painted tiles. The appropriate material depends on the design and how the surface will be protected and installed.
How can wallpaper be protected behind a kitchen counter?
Harald Donoghue of de Gournay told Livingetc that the protective finishes used on textile-based wallcoverings are not heavy-duty. The company recommends considering a glass or Perspex barrier to protect wallpaper from splashes and humidity.
Is the backsplash mural trend widespread?
The Livingetc report calls murals a growing design trend and gives several examples, but it provides no market data showing how common they are among homeowners or kitchens.
Source: rss
