I like your idea of a nitche in the wall, DARRAH. Hope you'll post pictures of your work in progress. For many years, I've wanted the nerve to cut out a niche in one of my walls in order to either put something into or to make a mosaic. You seem to have figured out the answer to your question. As for myself, I never get tired of looking at my mosaics I've made permanent on my walls or in the garden. They give me pleasure every day. Go for it, and follow your art.

I wonder if you could use Velcro. I saw on the internet where someone used industrial strength Velcro glued to the back of a piece with E-6800 silicone adhesive(also known as 'ShooGoo'), and the mating surface of Velcro was glued to the wall.

So if you created a niche, and then all your mosaic murals were exactly the right size to fit into the niche, then you could change them out. How cool would that be?

Thanks so much for the responses. We are planning a kitchen makeover hopefully in the near future and at the time stuff is tore out would be the time to do this nitch if it is possible.

I use to do porcelain painting and have thought of getting back into it and creating something unique for that spot over the sink.

Haven't been creative in so long and realize how much it was a part of my being, like breathing. Unfortunately life got in the way and had to put hobbies on the back burner. Looking at all the lovely pictures on this forum has definitely inspired me to get back to what I loved doing.

Welcome to the forum Darrah! This project sounds delightful!! Hope you get time to start a mural...AND keep us posted...with pics...we are like sharks with a feeding frenzy, when it comes to pics!ha!

If the mural is not permanent, you can use plywood as a backer. Better yet, use wallboard. Cement board will work, too.

I like the idea of the recess, and the velcro idea is smart.

Use regular tile mastic to stick the tiles, and sanded grout. I am assuming you have experience with tile murals, so won't bore you with details on how-to.

You will still have to consider how to finish the edges between the mural and the recessed tiles - I would recommend tubabd tile grout in a color that closely matches the grout color. It can be easily scraped off when the time comes to replace, and it will prevent moisture from getting behind the works and mucking things up in the future.

Good luck, and would love to see pics of the progress as well as the finished product.

I don't know how extensive your wall re-do is going to be. But another idea instead of cutting a nitch into the wall is to built an extention onto the wall. Attach a 'permanent frame'to the wall, making it part of the wall, using stucco or however your wall is finished. Either finish it different or match the wall, so your work will pop. You could even do several of them. I think it might be easier and you could still 'set' you work into it. I hope this made sence!