When you're renting and you want to jazz up your kitchen, the options are often pretty limited. No paint, no appliance switcheroo, no new materials like tile, countertops, flooring. That's why we jumped at this nifty temporary backsplash idea:
Over at Remodelaholic, there's a tutorial on putting up a DIY fabric backsplash with starch. When it's time to move (or when you tire of it or it becomes worn or damaged), you simply remove it by saturating the fabric with water and - voila - the landlord-white walls are good as new.
While fabric doesn't quite seem the answer for a forever kitchen, it might be just what's needed to spice up the kitchen for now. See the full tutorial here.
Related: Kitchen Tour: Jackie Gives Life to Her Rental Kitchen
(Images: Remodelaholic)
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
Easy Pickle Recipe: Cucumber Kimchi Bites
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Bacsac Bacsquare 04...
Dirty Little Secrets of Tidy Families
Hillary & Michael's Refined Roost
I tried to do this in my college dorm room and the starch doesn't work for very long on some types of walls. I ended up using velcro strips to hang the fabric and that worked really well.
I like her application method than mine, she uses a soaked sponge and I've used a roller (generally doing larger spaces), overall it's a terrific way to change the look of a rental - and - not damage anything.
I have done a similar trick by wrapping wall paper or fabric around thick cardboard or that thin foam project board. Work great for a backsplash as long as you don't splash too much! This also works to add (non permanent) color to the inside backs of bookcases, china cabinets and other shelving.
This idea seems like a bit of a fire hazard. You are putting something flammable near a stove where a grease fire could happen.
Ugh, previous comment did something odd. Reposting.
I made a vinyl-wrapped fabric backsplash awhile back. Just fold fabric into some vinyl, hang with wire nails, and when you need to move you just remove the nails and spackle and no harm's done!
Seconding the fire hazard.
Most friends of mine that lived in dorms were prohibited from putting up fabric wall coverings because of the fire risk. I wouldn't be comfortable putting it behind the stove. Behind the sink, perhaps!
I think this only works if you aren't cooking much.
That fabric is sideways in opposite directions, or is it just me?
I don't think it's any more of a fire hazard than the paint on the walls, depending on how wild one gets with one's flambe. I like the idea of doing this with foam board and oil cloth.