Mirrored Splashbacks vs Glass Splashbacks: Pros, Cons & Best Uses | Liverpool Glass Co
Mirrored Splashbacks vs Glass Splashbacks: Pros, Cons & Best Uses
Once you’ve decided a splashback is the right choice over tiles, the next question is usually which finish: a mirrored splashback, or a plain coloured glass one. Both are manufactured the same way, from toughened safety glass and made precisely to measure, but they solve different problems and suit different kitchens. Here’s how to tell which is right for yours.
What a Mirrored Splashback Does Well
A mirrored splashback’s biggest advantage is what it does to a room’s sense of space and light. By reflecting whatever’s opposite it, it makes a kitchen feel larger and brighter than it actually is, which is particularly valuable in the galley kitchens and smaller extensions common in a lot of North West terraces and semis. We fit mirrored splashbacks in three tints: classic silver, which is timeless and suits any décor; bronze, which adds warmth and a designer edge; and grey, a cooler, more understated option for contemporary kitchens.
We manufacture mirrored splashbacks using Pilkington Optimirror™, a significantly higher-quality product than a standard mirror. It resists the corrosion and black edging that affects lower-quality mirror glass over time, holds its clarity for longer, and stands up better to everyday household cleaning products.
There’s one important technical point worth knowing: standard mirror glass isn’t heat resistant enough to sit directly behind a gas hob. For that application, we supply a specially toughened mirror glass, processed specifically to handle the heat of an open flame safely, so a mirrored finish is still very much an option behind a gas hob, but it needs the correct specification.
What a Coloured Glass Splashback Does Well
Where a mirrored splashback works with reflection, a coloured glass splashback works with colour, and that’s a genuinely different design tool. With access to more than 20,000 shades, colour-matched to Farrow & Ball, Dulux, Crown, Valspar, Little Greene and other leading brands, a coloured splashback lets you either make a bold statement or blend seamlessly into an existing colour scheme in a way a mirror simply can’t. It’s also the more forgiving option in a busy family kitchen: mirror glass shows fingerprints, splashes and smears more visibly than a coloured, non-reflective surface, which matters if you’re weighing up day-to-day practicality over pure style.
Printed and Vintage Options Worth Knowing About
It’s also worth knowing that “mirrored” isn’t a single, fixed look. Alongside our standard silver, bronze and grey mirror finishes, we offer hand-made, toughened vintage mirrors, with a softly aged, characterful finish, and antique mirrors, which recreate the distressed, speckled patina of genuine vintage glass. Both are safe behind a gas hob when toughened, and both give a very different, more traditional feel than a crisp modern mirror. If you like the idea of a mirrored finish but want more warmth and personality than a plain silver panel, these are worth asking about.
Best Uses at a Glance
A mirrored splashback tends to work best in compact kitchens and bathrooms where light and a sense of space are the priority, in open-plan spaces where you want to visually connect two areas, and in bathrooms behind basins where a bright, reflective finish suits the room. A coloured glass splashback tends to work best in larger or busy family kitchens where practicality and colour cohesion matter more than reflection, in kitchens where you want a specific paint colour carried through onto the splashback, and anywhere you want a bold, individual statement that a mirror can’t provide.
Making the Decision
There’s no universally correct answer here: it comes down to what your kitchen or bathroom needs most. If the room feels dark or cramped, a mirrored finish will do more for it than any colour choice. If the room already has good light and you’re focused on pulling a colour scheme together, coloured glass is usually the better fit. Either way, both are manufactured from safety glass, both are made precisely to measure, and both are fitted using the same free quote, home template and installation process.
If you’re not sure which is right for your space, send us a few photos and we’ll give you an honest recommendation along with your free, no-obligation quote. Call 0151 374 1044.