12 Best Natural Stones To Use For Your Kitchen Slab Backsplash

If you're planning a kitchen remodel, one key decision you'll need to make is what to put on the wall behind your counter. Those aren't just basic walls; they're called backsplashes, and they prevent spills from causing any damage, especially behind your stove or sink. One option that you might be considering is to use a slab backsplash made of natural stone. But if you want to say goodbye to tile backsplashes and use stone instead, you'll need to figure out which type to choose.

While traditional options for backsplashes include various shapes and sizes of tiles, slab backsplashes bring a different aesthetic into a kitchen. These use a piece of material (in this case, stone) to cover the entire wall behind your counter. These solid backsplashes can truly elevate a space, making it look high-end and luxurious by removing grout lines. But while most people are familiar with marble or granite, there are actually a lot of options out there for natural stone slab backsplashes. Plus, all of these stones actually come in different colors, allowing you to create unique green, pink, or black kitchens that mix modern sleekness and retro colors. 

Natural stones have that timeless and elegant look that so many homeowners seek. Part of that appeal comes from the rarity of the material and its price. Stones slabs can be quite expensive to use for a countertop of backsplash, but the price may vary based on the amount of stone needed, its thickness, its origin, and the rarity of its color or pattern. Natural stone kitchens look straight out of an old-money manor, but they typically have the price tag to match.

White marble is a simple and classic choice, perfect if you want a high-end and modern base around which to build your kitchen. It pairs well with modern and sleek kitchens, as well as retro old-money ones. It's a safe choice, but it does require serious care. Marble is porous, so it can stain by absorbing spills. To avoid this, make sure that any backsplash made of marble is sealed. And, especially with such a light color, make sure to clean it often and don't wait before removing spills and splashes when they inevitably happen. 

If you like marble but want something a bit warmer and bolder, look into varieties of pinkish-red marble. These are typically called Calacatta Rosa, featuring a warm white base with dramatic veining that's pink, brown, or peachy. These veins are bold, so a slab backsplash allows them to shine without interruption. Calacatta is a luxurious stone from Italy, and you can find sub-types with different hues and patterns. Some are lighter with thin veins, while others, like Calacatta Vagli Rosato or  Calacatta Viola, have much deeper tones. 

Granite has one great quality as a slab backsplash: it's hard and won't get stained easily. As long as the slab is sealed, you'll have no worries about spills leeching into the stone, which makes it a popular material for countertops and backsplashes. This natural stone is resistant and will stand the test of time, making it perfect for busy families and messy cooks. There are tons of granite countertop of backsplash colors, including understated-but-classic gray slabs. These typically look multi-toned, with small specks that look lighter or darker than the gray base. 

For something darker and sleeker, consider black granite instead. This has all the benefits of granite, but it looks a bit more sleek because the difference in color between the base of the stone and the specks/veins are less harsh. From afar, black granite almost looks monochromatic, but the small crystals and veins reveal themselves when you look more closely. Each slab looks unique, and you can search around for versions that are more dotted, or types with clear lines. 

Soapstone is a great natural stone to use as a backsplash. It's not that porous, which means it can survive spills, splashes, and heated cooking. This is a great way to avoid mold problems and to make sure your backsplash looks great in the long run. This option is naturally antibacterial and requires very little maintenance, making it perfect for busy families. Soapstone is primarily made of talc, so it's a bit soft compared to some other options and can scratch easily. This far less of an issue when dealing with backsplashes than countertops, though. 

Slabs of onyx are great for backsplashes, especially if you're looking to create a backlit showstopper. This is because onyx is translucent, so it allows you to set up lighting behind the backsplash. That lighting shines through, highlighting the texture and colors of the natural stone and its veining. This isn't something that you'll see in other kitchens, especially because it's a rare stone, which makes it a premium material with the price tag to match. It's also the natural stone that requires extensive routine maintenance to keep it looking like a true luxury piece. 

You might be familiar with natural stone quartz, but in the world of kitchen makeovers, the real deal is called quartzite. Here, quartz refers to materials that are made or engineered using resins and pigments, while quartzite is naturally-occurring. The latter is the strongest material you can find for kitchens — even harder than granite. It also comes in plenty of different colors. A timeless, sleek, and safe option is white-and-gray quartzite, also called Calacatta White Quartzite. This makes for a classic take on one of many stunning kitchen backsplash trends. 

When choosing a slab backsplash material, think of it as a piece of art. This is especially true with something like Patagonia quartzite, which looks like a painting. These slabs have a beige base with large specs of grey, as well as deep brown lines cutting across the stone as if someone had painted on it. With something as dynamic as Patagonia quartzite, slab backsplashes are a great way to showcase the stone's natural beauty in full, instead of cutting them into smaller pieces. 

Taj Mahal quartzite is a safe choice if you're looking for something warm, yet neutral. This type of quartzite has a creamy, white-beige base with small brown veins running through it. It's high-end, and not as cold-looking as some white options. Named after India's Taj Mahal because of its color palette, it's also reminiscent of the palace's elegance and grandeur. In any case, it's a perfect choice for a modern kitchen and pairs well with brown wooden cabinets, creamy walls, or golden fixtures. 

While natural stones are luxurious and elegant, that doesn't mean they have to be neutral and simple. In fact, you can be bold and loud with certain types of natural stone slab backsplashes — for example, with emerald green quartzite. These slabs have a cool mint-colored base, with pinkish and brown veins running across them. That color palette is deliciously old-school, and some homeowners have chosen to lean into the mid-century modern aesthetic by pairing it with dark wood cabinets and pink accents. 

If you like green but aren't a fan of the warmer veins of emerald quartzite, consider green marble when designing your slab backsplashes. These have a darker and deeper green base with lighter veins throughout. The vein patterns can look particularly stunning, almost like the ocean on a stormy day. Here, a slab backsplash allows you to see the natural pattern of the stone, instead of it being interrupted by grout lines. It allows the stone to shine like a piece of art. 

Travertine is most commonly used for backsplashes when cut into tiles. However, large slabs of this natural stone can be purchased and used for your backsplash. More and more, this stunning stone is used in modern households that want that sleek-but-warm look with gentle beige colors and organic shapes. It's minimalist, modern, and pairs beautifully with oak colors and wooden cabinets. These backsplashes can also be paired with matching travertine countertops and islands, turning a kitchen into a high-end space that looks like it came out of an interior design magazine.