What Backsplash To Use With Calacatta Marble Countertops

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When it comes to interior design, you cannot get any more sophisticated and fancier than incorporating a sleek slab of marble and pairing it with a lovely backsplash. One of the best and unfortunately most expensive types of marbles on the market is Calacatta marble. While the name alone carries the majority of the price tag, Calacatta marble cannot bear all the weight of interior design.

While a new coat of paint can be one way to support Calacatta, another way is by incorporating a backsplash capable of highlighting the exquisite stone.

Today, we will be going over what backsplash to use with Calacatta marble countertops, and ways to help design the room so the eyeline will always fall back toward the expensive stone.

Understanding Calacatta Marble

Calacatta marble should be the highlight of any room it is incorporated in. It should stand out to grab your attention the moment you enter its presence, and it should be the last lingering image you have of the room when you exit. In order to utilize the strengths of Calacatta marble to its utmost, then let us explain the nitty-gritty details of marble stone.

Marble Composition

Calacatta marble is a metamorphic rock, originally formed from limestone. Over time, the limestone was super-heated and morphed into a beautiful slab of marble. This process gives Calacatta marble excellent resistance to heat and extreme temperatures, but at the cost of the stone being riddled with holes and pores.

Where Does Calacatta Come From

Calacatta marble is exclusively mined in the lovely lands of Tuscany, Italy, right near the mountains of Carrara. This is also the same location where Carrara marble is quarried. While they do share a home space, they are actually quite different stones. One of the reasons why Calacatta marble is so expensive is because it can only be found in one quarry in the entire world. This scarcity means that obtaining a slab is like installing a piece of buried treasure directly into your home.

Iconic Design

When you think of stone countertops, what is the image that comes to mind? For most people, it is the image of a bright white stone with gray veins racing through the slab in a mixture of gentle and thin lines, to dynamic and bold roads. Well, that iconic image comes from Calacatta marble. Calacatta marble has been used prominently throughout history and associated with the highest of luxuries, that humanity has unconsciously adopted Calacatta marble as the go-to image for stone countertops.

How Strong is Calacatta Marble?

Short answer, not very. Calacatta marble is more of a stone you appreciate from a distance. It can be incorporated for interior designs, but they were not always actively used. When the rich had Calacatta marble, it was decorative to highlight their lavish lifestyle. Nowadays, homes can be high-traffic areas where messes and damage can befall them at any moment. Calacatta marble is optimally used in places where there is little chance of it being damaged, stained, or actively used to hold heavy objects. Essentially, Calacatta marble looks beautiful but is incredibly frail. It can be scratched, cracked, or stained horribly easily that it will take great pains to ensure it remains healthy.

Designs of a Backsplash

Deciding what type of backsplash to pair with your elegant Calacatta marble countertops requires a keen eye and a special attention to detail. While Calacatta marble can look good with almost everything, not all backsplashes will look good with marble. The unique designs, colors, and patterns can detract from the Calacatta marble, reducing its potency of admirer’s gazes. Here are a few popular styles and designs for backsplashes which will support the Calacatta marble.

Blank Stone

Simple, reliable, elegant, and matches perfectly since you are combining a stone backsplash with a stone countertop. Different stones can be used, but not every stone will make a good backsplash material. For more information on what types of stones to use, scroll down to the Calacatta Marble and Backsplash Ideas section.

Tile

This is the most common type of backsplash homeowners will incorporate in their home. Tiles look nice, provide plenty of coverage to the walls from grease, water spills, and other kitchen or bathroom messes, and can provide a delicate accent to the Calacatta marble by adding a pinch of color to enhance the room’s mood.

Geometry

This is a bit of a misnomer since geometry is not really a type of product but a classification of shapes. That being said, geometric shapes are quite tantalizing to help capture your audience’s attention. Hypnotizing them with its illusionary movements means that you have to break away and find solace within the calming embrace of Calacatta marble.

Mirror

Having mirrors as a backsplash will certainly emphasize the Calacatta marble since it will reflect it back upon itself. The mirror can bounce light onto the marble, reflect it around the room, or show you different views of the marble from a new perspective.

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Popular Backsplash Colors With Calacatta Marble

Selecting the right colors for Calacatta marble is just as important as the design. Calacatta is often a bright white stone base with deep gray veins, so having something that flows into the marble will make the room more seamless and a whole instead of a series of separate parts.

White

Keeping things simple can never steer you wrong with decoration or customization. A white backsplash with a white Calacatta marble countertop is direct, pleasant, and versatile as you can match the marble with different shades and hues.

Black

Alternatively, creating a stark contrast to the Calacatta marble would lean into the dynamic and bold angles with the veins. A black backsplash is more than capable of complementing a white slab of Calacatta marble. This is a preferred color for rooms that enjoy a clear separation of segments.

Beige

Beige is the color of warmth, comfort, and serenity. It is often used in spaces that wish to create a gentle and relaxing atmosphere like in spas or resorts. Installing this gentle color with your Calacatta marble stone will soften the stone’s appeal to feel like it is a safe haven and place of comfort you can always rely on.

Gray

Gray is the delicate balance of combining white and black. It is typically used to dull or mute a room’s expressions or tones to create a neutral space and environment. While it may seem counterintuitive to install a color that could mute Calacatta marble exquisite white stone, it can actually make the stone feel brighter. With the marble surrounded by dull and mute tones, the white marble will be the only source of color which will make a viewer’s eyes aim straight for it.

Calacatta Marble and Backsplash Ideas

With the leg work out of the way, we can start producing a few ideas of what backsplash styles and designs you can use with Calacatta marble countertops.

Calacatta Countertop with Marble Backsplash

This style is the simplest and possibly easiest option to achieve. Marble stone will always highlight itself. If there are leftover marble pieces that match up with the Calacatta, then it can appear like the Calacatta is extending upward against the wall and into the cabinets. Any of the above colors can work with a marble backsplash, but primarily white and black will be the most popular combinations.

Calacatta Countertop with Quartz Backsplash

Quartz is an excellent substitute for marble stone. Quartz does not have the same weaknesses or pores as marble, making it harder, stronger, and more resistant to stains and damage. Quartz can also be designed to look like marble, allowing you more chances to extend the Calacatta marble design without paying Calacatta marble prices.

Calacatta Countertop with Glass Backsplash

As we mentioned before, a glass backsplash will reflect everything in its vicinity. This gives your Calacatta marble a direct support system to show off more of its illustrious design. The mirror can easily reflect the marble in different views, add more light for better viewing, as well as help you spot dirt which might have been difficult to see.

Calacatta Countertop with Tile Backsplash

Tiles can come in several styles, subway, horizontal, stone, vertical, customized, or more. The level of creativity you get with a tile backsplash can fit any interior design style and artistic choice you can produce. Just remember to always keep the Calacatta marble as the centerpiece, letting the tiles serve as a gentle accent to add some extra design or simple blank space for the marble to breathe.

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Calacatta Marble with Wood Backsplash

When prepared properly, a wooden backsplash can make an excellent option to create a gentle and earthy space. Lean into the gimmick of being one with the natural world as you take in more elements from the earth, bringing them into the home. As marble is a natural mineral found outside, why not pair it with other natural elements to make the home feel like a healthy combination of indoor and outdoor living.

Calacatta Marble with Stainless Steel Backsplash

Stainless steel is a strong and formidable material that can withstand the toughest stains in the kitchen or bathroom. It is quite popular in Minimalist homes or homes having plenty of gray and modern technology to keep things simple and organized. A Calacatta marble countertop can shine beautifully on its own with a stainless-steel backsplash, or the steel can mute the surrounding area, allowing the marble to be more prominent.

Calacatta Marble with Porcelain Backsplash

Porcelain is a clay-like material which, similar to wood, adds an earthy tone to the kitchen or bathroom. Porcelain comes in many different colors and can be molded into different shapes and styles. It is the perfect catch-all type of material to complement a Calacatta countertop.

Overall, the timeless beauty of Calacatta marble can be paired well with a variety of backsplash options. Each option has its own benefits which can uplift the Calacatta marble as the centerpiece the marble is designed to be

Why you can trust Marble.com

When it comes time to get the job done, our fabrication and installation teams have the equipment and expertise it takes to get your project cut and delivered the right way, every time. We at Marble.com are known for our incredibly quick turnaround, as we understand having countertops and other mainstays installed quickly and properly is important to our customers. We value your time, and our goal is to create the best work possible and have you enjoying it as possible.

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