Advice on slab / backsplash needed!

8 years ago

I have been planning to do a mainly white kitchen using white cabinets and a blue and gray marble backsplash, along with (most likely) a white and gray porcelain marble-look island and counters (option a). I recently found a slab that I find to be beautiful! But, I am conflicted. Is it too overpowering to do this stone on the island (whole slab) and the side counters, with the backsplash as shown (option b)? Which look is better? Or, can I do the blue-grey stone on all counters with a pretty white only backsplash? Would love opinions!!! See photos for two comparison looks. Or a third possibility - a white quartzite of some variety with my original backsplash. (Option C, though there are several quartzites I’m considering)

option A:

Option b

Option c

Featured Answer

loobab

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I don't think there is anything wrong with using two different types of marble in the same kitchen.

It is not unusual to have a dark marble on an island and a lighter marble on the counters on the periphery, or vice versa.

Photos of this abound.

So you can do either one of the slabs that you show in A or B for your island and the other on the periphery and do plain white tiles for the backsplash, and for something more interesting, instead of subway tiles, you can do square tiles set in this pattern

which is called stacked bond.

Your patterned tile is a bit busy for my taste, but hey, it's your kitchen! I think it would look better over the darker marble than the lighter, so then I would use the darker marble on the periphery and the lighter on the island.

Or if you aren't that brave you can use the plain white tile and just do an inset of the patterned tile over the cooktop.

Here is something to think about though.

Marble does stain and etch.

Some people don't care about that at all, and think, hey, that just shows we live here and cook and eat real food.

If that's how you feel, great.

If stains and etching are a concern, you might want to put the lighter marble where it might get less wear and tear, that is, not on the island, but on the periphery.

Do think about how you cook and how your family lives.

If you are all well-trained and aren't going to leave things on the island to make stains, but you cook all kinds of bubbling sauces that spurt and squirt right and left from a range top on the periphery, maybe you do want the darker marble on the periphery and the lighter one on the island.

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Comments (15)

Pj
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago

Option c didnt show up.
PRO
JAN MOYER
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
First......... DO NOT mix a real and faux marble slab in the same space. It's a fail. Do not mix two different real marbles in the same kitchen. It's overkill and a fail. If you are wanting a successful slab marble back splash and matching island, that is a choice of ONE between the marbles posted, and should be paired with a plain white quartz perimeter, unless you repeat the marble selected.

The rest we can not answer as we can't see the rest of the kitchen you are talking about. The first thing on a kitchen reno is layout, for function, apps. We can't see that either.
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Pj
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you for the advice. I’d like to clarify that I would only pick one slab. main Question is, which kption is better. A, b, or c?
Amy Gonzalez
8 years ago
I love B. what is it called?
mark_rachel
8 years ago
Either would work. I tend to like lighter counters over dark ones. I would not go with that backsplash though.
Boxerpal
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I like your lighter option the first one. Very pretty. I love the look of a slab backsplash.

Here is mine..

(oh Naughty Houzz.. here it is again)

Boxer's kitchen choices 2018 · More Info

And here are some inspirations.. Notice some have a white counter using two materials. I know this is not common but it does look pretty. And notice some dark ones. Helps you to visualize what you would like in your space.

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Notice this one above has white counters two different materials.

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Pj
Original Author
8 years ago
Blue Tahoe. I love the stone too. And yes, I think I need to go white on a backsplash.
Pj
Original Author
8 years ago
And I have only wanted a white counter until I stumbled on B and it was so stunning I’m doing a total potential design change. Which is making me nervous since I’d really wanted the lighter counters!
Pj
Original Author
8 years ago
Many thanks for the inspiration! And nice kitchen - the backsplash looks great!
Pj
Original Author
8 years ago
I’m convinced I need to go with a white tile backsplash now. Anyone have awesome white tile inspirations? Classic, but pretty and different?
whaas_5a
8 years ago
Option B is a stunning slab
Boxerpal
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
There are some great white tile backsplashes on Houzz. Are you thinking the traditional subway?

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All That and Then Some - Naperville Kitchen · More Info

East Side Eden · More Info

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Pj thanked Boxerpal
Pj
Original Author
8 years ago
That vertical picker was one I had saved. Love the look. Just wasnt confident it was perfect :)has seen a similar look on good old hgtv with enlarged pickets that was very nice.
PRO
Anglophilia
8 years ago
I much prefer your first option and don't like the darker marble at all. It's dark and just not appealing to me.

I would do your first light marble as a backsplash and then either use white quartz or white Corian for all your countertops. It will be the "star" in your kitchen, and the other countertops will be very practical and not compete.