Is A Solid Slab Backsplash Right For Your Kitchen?
Learn The Advantages Of A Solid Slab Backsplash
Nothing is quite as dramatic or luxurious as natural stone countertops in the kitchen. They're beautiful, durable, and elegant. So why stop there? A growing trend among designers and homeowners that makes a dramatic statement is to continue your slab stone right up the wall creating a perfectly matching backsplash.
Today, modern computer-aided manufacturing has made it possible to fabricate natural stone in thin, lightweight slabs that are perfect for use as a wall covering instead of more traditional options like subway or mosaic tile.
A solid stone backsplash is a custom look that brings luxury to any sized kitchen. While it may cost a bit more than the tiled alternative, many designers feel that it's well worth the investment. There are affordable ways to get this trendy yet timeless look. Let's take a look at some of the advantages a solid stone backsplash can bring to your kitchen remodel.
The Benefits of Solid Stone
A slab backsplash is simply made with a continuous slab of natural stone. The solid surface is an entirely different visual effect than the more traditional tile backsplash. If you match the backsplash to the countertop, it creates a bold, cohesive look.
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This illusion of an unbroken plane between the countertop and backsplash gives the kitchen a real minimalist sensibility. It makes the backsplash a key visual element in a modern or contemporary design. It's the perfect balance between a modern form and a traditional timeless material.
A solid stone backsplash offers advantages beyond aesthetics, including ease of care – no worries about splashes or splatters from cooking mishaps, just clean it like your countertop. Because stone is heatproof, it makes a slab perfect for behind the stove. Plus, because it's cut from the same slab, you know it'll match your countertop perfectly, and the natural swirls and veining can create a truly dramatic surface.
Design Ideas For A Solid Slab Backsplash
You can achieve any number of looks with a solid slab backsplash. For example, using a stone with large-scale veining, like Carrara marble, is perfect in a spacious kitchen where the backsplash is on full display. It creates a stunning visual focal point that can tie your design together.
Try Our Kitchen Visualizer. See What Solid Slab Backsplash Looks Like In Your Home
Combine this look with a full stone wrapped island, and take the look to the next level! It's a bit of an investment, but the unique look you'll achieve will have an unmatched classic elegance.
While natural stone is always stunning, a slab backsplash doesn't have to be created from a high-contrast stone. An engineered material like quartz also looks beautiful as a vertical counter, especially in a modern design. Try layering with open shelving for an open, fuss-free look.
A Solid slab gives you a variety of options. You can match the slab to the counter, or the island, or even let it be its own feature element pairing it with simpler materials for the other surfaces.
Affordable Options
There are several affordable options to achieve the same look on a budget. One is to simply cover a smaller area like the space between the range and hood. This technique can be especially effective if, for example, much of the wall is taken up by a window. If you treat the remaining walls with a pale or plain treatment and the stone will make a more significant statement.
Another technique is borrowed from 18th-century furniture makers. Try taking two book-matched pieces of stone – two layers sliced from the same source and flipped to create a mirror image) to create an elegant and eye-catching effect.
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Another popular trend is to use a short backsplash, just a few inches high. This can give the sense that the stone is continued up the wall from the countertop. This is an understated technique that offers a great look while still protecting the wall from dings and dents.
In a similar vein, consider using an engineered stone on one third to half of the wall above a countertop. This leaves plenty of room to display a treasured collection of wall chargers, photographs, or a stunning painting that can give your kitchen a gallery-like feel while softening the functional feel of the space.
If you're looking for the perfect design element that will create a beautiful visual focal point in your kitchen design while adding an upscale elegance, a solid slab backsplash can be the perfect solution. Continuing your marble, granite, or quartz countertop slab up the wall is well worth the cost. Extending the slab to the vertical space, even if it's just a few inches, or as a feature, for example, behind the cooktop, instantly gives the room an upgrade and adds a level of elegance and luxury to your home.
About Stonelink Marble and Granite
If you live in the greater Boston MetroWest/ Worcester area, give the experts at Stonelink Marble & Granite a call at (508) 393-0720. Let us show you the many benefits of a solid slab marble, granite, or quartz backsplash in your kitchen. If you're looking for something a bit more exotic, ask us about our selection of limestone, natural quartzite, travertine, and soapstone.