2. Marble Slab
Designer: Jessica Koltun Home
Location: Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas
Size: 352 square feet (33 square meters); 16 by 22 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner specifically requested a natural marble stone slab backsplash, so the entire kitchen was arranged around this,” says designer Jessica Koltun, who used Houzz photos to inspire the look of the space. “Natural stones come in a variety of sizes, so this was very important to first select the slab prior to framing in the kitchen. We could bring the walls in if necessary and drop the header if necessary to accommodate the perfect slab.”
Backsplash. Honed Carrara marble (2 centimeters thick). “What’s special about marble is its unique properties — no two will ever be the same,” Koltun says. “It’s so beautiful it’s almost like a piece of art. We kept the rest of the kitchen neutral to allow the backsplash to be the feature in the room.”
Other special features. The countertops are the same slab Carrara marble as the backsplash. “The slabs only came in 2 cm, which is smaller than the standard 3 cm, so I mitered all the edges of the countertops,” Koltun says. “This is relatively low-cost and gives an expensive look because the countertops appear twice the size of a standard countertop. But it’s achieved with an apron piece with invisible seams.”
Designer tip. “Natural stone can be a great way to add a unique, custom feature to your home,” Koltun says. “When using natural stone, always make sure to confirm your cabinet dimensions, especially an island, as you can change this to accommodate your slab size without having to do unsightly seams.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The most challenging part of this kitchen was deciding exactly what part of the slab to cut the backsplash from,” Koltun says. “We bought about six slabs in total for the entire house and had the backsplash size mapped out in blue tape across different sides of the slab, even rotating the slab 180 degrees to make sure that the movement in the stone would look the best when up on the wall. It took a few hours and several people to get the layouts for all slab cuts perfect.”
Shop for kitchen island seating
Designer: Jessica Koltun Home
Location: Preston Hollow neighborhood of Dallas
Size: 352 square feet (33 square meters); 16 by 22 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowner specifically requested a natural marble stone slab backsplash, so the entire kitchen was arranged around this,” says designer Jessica Koltun, who used Houzz photos to inspire the look of the space. “Natural stones come in a variety of sizes, so this was very important to first select the slab prior to framing in the kitchen. We could bring the walls in if necessary and drop the header if necessary to accommodate the perfect slab.”
Backsplash. Honed Carrara marble (2 centimeters thick). “What’s special about marble is its unique properties — no two will ever be the same,” Koltun says. “It’s so beautiful it’s almost like a piece of art. We kept the rest of the kitchen neutral to allow the backsplash to be the feature in the room.”
Other special features. The countertops are the same slab Carrara marble as the backsplash. “The slabs only came in 2 cm, which is smaller than the standard 3 cm, so I mitered all the edges of the countertops,” Koltun says. “This is relatively low-cost and gives an expensive look because the countertops appear twice the size of a standard countertop. But it’s achieved with an apron piece with invisible seams.”
Designer tip. “Natural stone can be a great way to add a unique, custom feature to your home,” Koltun says. “When using natural stone, always make sure to confirm your cabinet dimensions, especially an island, as you can change this to accommodate your slab size without having to do unsightly seams.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The most challenging part of this kitchen was deciding exactly what part of the slab to cut the backsplash from,” Koltun says. “We bought about six slabs in total for the entire house and had the backsplash size mapped out in blue tape across different sides of the slab, even rotating the slab 180 degrees to make sure that the movement in the stone would look the best when up on the wall. It took a few hours and several people to get the layouts for all slab cuts perfect.”
Shop for kitchen island seating