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Yotam Ottolenghi’s kitchen update features hand-painted tiles by artist Cecilie Maurud Barstad, decorated with family references. The design reflects a trend toward treating kitchen backsplashes as personal, decorative features, though materials need to suit heat, water and cleaning.
Chef Yotam Ottolenghi has added a hand-painted mural backsplash to his updated kitchen, using tiles decorated with family references—a design choice that reflects a growing interest among interiors designers in making kitchen walls more personal. The feature was reported by Livingetc; the publication did not give a date for the renovation.
Ottolenghi said he kept the existing kitchen layout and replaced the old white cabinet fronts with new white ones. The main change, he told Livingetc, was the tilework above the cooker and behind shelves. Artist Cecilie Maurud Barstad of Gilles & Cecilie created the mural, which was painted on tiles off-site, fired and then installed.
The imagery includes a taco, a Dungeons & Dragons logo and a cartoon-style portrait made by Ottolenghi’s children of their cousin. Ottolenghi said the references were chosen to reflect things that matter to his children and that he hopes the wall will bring back memories when they return home as adults.
Livingetc presents the installation as part of a broader design trend: treating a backsplash as a surface for artwork and expression rather than solely as a practical barrier. The report describes several approaches, including painted tiles, murals applied directly to walls, stained glass and wallpaper. It does not provide sales data or other figures measuring how widespread the trend is.
Personal Art Meets Kitchen Practicality
The backsplash sits where decoration meets daily use. Unlike a picture hung elsewhere in the home, it may be exposed to cooking heat, splashes, humidity and frequent cleaning. That makes the choice of material and protective finish part of the design decision, not just an afterthought.
Ottolenghi’s wall also shows how a kitchen feature can carry personal meaning, with its imagery tied to his family rather than selected only to match a color scheme. Designers quoted by Livingetc describe murals as a way to bring color and character to a room often planned around cabinetry and work surfaces. Whether the look is practical for a particular home depends on the placement, materials and protection used.
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How the Mural Is Made
The Livingetc report describes several ways to create a decorative backsplash. Ottolenghi’s design uses hand-painted, fired tiles; other examples include a floral mural commissioned by Studio Ashby, a metallic wallcovering from de Gournay, and a custom stained-glass panel designed by JAM Design Works with makers Tenby & Penny.
Those examples come with different installation needs. De Gournay advises protecting its wallcovering with glass or Perspex in a backsplash location. JAM Design Works founder Jules Gallop said the stained-glass panel in one project was heavy enough to require reinforcing the wall, and that its installation had to allow access to internal LED panels. These are project-specific details, not a single specification for every mural.
““The biggest difference was the tiles.””
— Yotam Ottolenghi, speaking to Livingetc
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Costs and Durability Are Unreported
The report does not state what Ottolenghi’s mural cost, how long it took to make or install, or what protective treatment was used in the finished kitchen. It also gives no information about the tiles’ long-term performance under regular cooking, cleaning and exposure to moisture.
The examples and designer comments illustrate available approaches, but they do not establish how common backsplash murals are across kitchens generally. Suitability will vary by material and location. Wallpaper or textile-based designs may need a protective barrier, while a heavier feature such as stained glass can require structural support and planning for maintenance access.
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Planning a Safe, Lasting Installation
For homeowners considering a mural, the designers quoted by Livingetc recommend choosing colors and scale in relation to the cabinetry, counters and lighting, and checking the pattern against shelves, taps, sockets and switches. Gallop said accurate templating and samples matter because finishes can look different beside one another and the backsplash must be specified for heat, water and cleaning.
The report does not announce a next step in Ottolenghi’s renovation or a forthcoming project. For any installation, the relevant next milestone is confirming the material’s care requirements and the site conditions with the designer, supplier and installer before work begins. The final choice of protection and fixing will depend on the product and kitchen layout.
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Key Questions
What changed in Yotam Ottolenghi’s kitchen?
He kept the existing layout and replaced the white cabinet fronts. He said the main change was the tiled wall above the cooker and behind the shelves.
Who made Ottolenghi’s backsplash mural?
Artist Cecilie Maurud Barstad of Gilles & Cecilie made it. The tiles were painted off-site, fired and then installed, according to Livingetc.
What does the mural show?
It includes a taco, a Dungeons & Dragons logo and a cartoon-style portrait of a cousin made by Ottolenghi’s children. He said the images refer to things meaningful to them.
Can wallpaper be used behind a kitchen counter?
Livingetc reports that protective finishes are available for some wallcoverings, but de Gournay’s Harald Donoghue cautioned that they may not be heavy-duty and can dull colors or design details. He recommended a glass or Perspex barrier for protection from splashes and humidity.
What should be checked before installing a mural backsplash?
Designers cited by Livingetc recommend checking the colors, scale and placement against the rest of the kitchen, taking accurate measurements around fixtures and cabinetry, and confirming the material is suitable for heat, water and cleaning. A heavy feature may also need wall reinforcement.
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