It’s hard to miss the luxe design trend taking over in kitchen design — natural stone kitchen benchtops and splashbacks. And boy are we here for it! From ever-popular white marbles, like Statuario and Calacatta, to darker stones and even coloured varieties, we’re loving how people are embracing stone to make a design statement in their kitchen.
Unlike man-made alternatives, natural stone brings an organic sense of warmth to the kitchen. In our book, it’s perfect for those wanting a high-end, bespoke feel… but there are some practical considerations to be aware of. For all the inspiration (and information) you need on natural stone kitchen benchtops and splashbacks, keep scrolling!
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Best natural stone benchtops
Not all stones are created equally. Well perhaps they are… but their appearance and density varies! This is important as it affects cost as well as durability. Let’s run through the most popular natural stones for kitchen benchtops and splashbacks, covering the pros and cons of each.
1. Marble benchtops
Starting with the most popular natural stone in Australia right now, marble benchtops create a luxurious look and feel. There’s a world of choice under the umbrella of marble.
Most popular marble stones:
- White marbles: such as Carrara, Statuario and Calacatta, blend seamlessly in modern kitchens. They suit a broad range of styles, particularly traditional, Hamptons and contemporary
- Black marbles: like Marquina and French Black marble, create drama and are ideal in penthouse and masculine spaces
- Red and pink marbles: including Breccia Pernice and Arabescato Rosa, suit the brave! Use in spaces where you want the stone to be the hero or you’re playing to a particular style
- Green marbles: such as Verdi Apli, offer the best of everything — luxurious appearance with versatility in design, durability and timeless elegance.
Long time readers of SC may recall Gina considered a natural marble benchtop in her kitchen but was talked out of it (compromising on just a marble splashback). It’s true that marble is porous and even with maintenance, its appearance will change over time. That’s part of the beauty of stone and something you need to be willing to embrace.
Pros:
- Broad appeal, potentially boosting your home’s value
- Wide range of stones available, giving you plenty of choice with colours and veining (aka patterns)
- Delivers a luxurious vibe
- Ages gracefully. Over time the marble will darken slightly and some discolouration may occur. But so long as you don’t use harsh cleaners or expose the stone to things like red wine, lemon juice or turmeric, these imperfections can add to the timeless beauty of stone.
Cons:
- Porous, so it stains easily. This is what everyone will warn you about! It’s worth noting marble benchtops have been used in Europe for hundreds of years and can be done with proper care and maintenance
- Must be sealed regularly, using purpose-designed products. With the right products and prep, you can do this yourself. Around once a year is recommended
- They’re more prone to scratches and chipping
- One of the more expensive options.
2. Granite benchtops
If you are looking for a durable, heat and stain-resistant benchtop stone, then granite is your best option. These qualities made granite an extremely popular stone until it fell out of fashion. We’re here to tell you granite is back, looking better than ever. Forget the speckled varieties that were overdone in the ’90s. The new wave of granite in modern kitchens is all about veined and coloured varieties, like soft green Acacia or intricate White Ice.
That said, granite requires proper (and regular) sealing to stay in good shape. We recommend working with experienced kitchen renovators to install your granite benchtops.
Pros:
- Granite is heat and stain-resistant
- Available in many different colours and patterns, making it a fab option for almost any kitchen design style
- Extremely durable, so it’s great for busy kitchens.
Cons:
- Requires periodic sealing
- Extremely heavy. Given its density, this stone requires quality cabinetry and construction
- Some varieties (think speckled pattern) can make your kitchen appear dated
- Visible seams. Because of the stone’s intricacy, if you do have to use multiple slabs, this can be more apparent than other stones
- Expensive.
Designer tip: Natural stone adds wow factor and luxury to any kitchen. Elevate the look by carefully considering your materials palette as a whole. Look for undertones in the stone that you can pick up in the joinery, flooring and paint colours.
3. Travertine benchtops
Travertine benchtops are less common than marble and granite. Still, they are great for anyone looking to create a warm and earthy vibe in their kitchen. These stones tend to look and feel more natural than marble and granite, and they’re also less expensive. That said, you can also find a wide variety of travertines out there. These range from classic beige vein cut travertine to ocean blue travertine, the galaxy-like silver brown travertine and moody black-brown titanium travertine.
Pros:
- More affordable than marble and granite
- Warm, earthy look
- Durable when properly maintained
- Highly patterned so scratches or staining are less obvious.
Cons:
- Porous so it is prone to staining
- Softer than granite so susceptible to scratches
- Limited colour options.
4. Quartzite benchtops
If you’ve never heard of quartzite before, you’re not alone. Only in recent years has quartzite been making a name for itself as a kitchen benchtop material in Australia. Perhaps because it’s so expensive or that it’s highly patterned and colourful, and until recently white kitchen benchtops dominated. Whatever the reason, we’re thrilled it’s finally having its day.
Not only is quartzite one of the most striking natural stones, with many varieties literally looking like crystal agate, it’s also even harder than granite. This means, it’s resistant against heat, scratching, chipping, staining and many chemicals too. However, there are some types that contain calcium carbonate which can react with acidic substances, so we still recommend being cautious.
Pros:
- Exceptional hardness and durability
- Unique, natural patterns
- Many colourful varieties
- High-end appearance.
Cons:
- Can be difficult to work with, given the stone’s density
- Expensive.
5. Onyx and limestone benchtops
Finally, onyx and limestone are other types of natural stone available in Australia. Onyx is a soft, natural stone with extremely vibrant colours. While the soft nature of this stone makes it delicate and sensitive, it is still used as a kitchen benchtop material for its sheer looks. As big believers of balancing aesthetics with practicality, this wouldn’t be our pick for a kitchen bench but we’re including it for completeness. Similarly, limestone is also a softer stone that we would only use in low-traffic kitchens.
Onyx is available in various vibrant colours with unique veining and swirling patterns, including pinks, whites, golds, greens, oranges, and creams. Limestone is more similar to marble in appearance, predominantly available in white, grey and black varieties.
Pros:
- Very dramatic and stunning to the eye
- They look super luxurious (we’d use this as a feature wall in a grand entrance)
- Available in various colours with one-of-a-kind patterns.
Cons:
- It’s high-maintenance
- Expensive
- Very delicate.
Bonus option: Porcelain benchtops
We know this article is all about natural stones benchtops but porcelain has come leaps and bounds in recent years. What are we talking about? Porcelain slabs or extra large porcelain tiles! Essentially, these are large slabs of porcelain with the pattern of natural stone applied to the surface. Porcelain is a durable, non-porous benchtop made from baking natural clays and minerals. Although they are man-made, manufacturing technology has come so far that they perfectly mimic natural stone.
Pros
- Low maintenance
- Heat and stain resistant
- Durable
- Available in every stone pattern, so endless choice of colours and patterns
- Available in extra large slab sizes (over 3m) so there’s no seam or join in large island benchtops
- Cheaper than natural stones like marble.
Cons
- The edges tend to be brittle and can chip
- Although closely mimics natural stone, it isn’t quite as luxurious as high-end stones like marble and granite.
How to keep your natural stone kitchen benchtops looking good
Natural stones can be delicate. They’re also quite costly, so you want to maintain them correctly if you want to prolong their life and get the most out of them. Here are some tips to help you with that.
1. Choose the right stone
The first and perhaps most important tip is to pick the right stone for your lifestyle. More specifically, consider what kind of kitchen (and home, for that matter) the stone will be installed in.
High traffic kitchens should steer clear of the ultra-soft stones like onyx and instead opt for harder stones like granite or quartzite, or look-a-like materials like porcelain.
2. Seal your benchtop regularly
Natural materials tend to be porous, meaning they can absorb liquids. This can damage the appearance of the stones (think red wine stains!) and harbour bacteria.
To prevent this, reseal your stone benchtops regularly, every 6 to 12 months. You can test your stone’s seal by spilling a bit of water. If you notice the water getting absorbed into the stone, it’s time to reseal it.
3. Follow the maintenance guidelines
Besides resealing them regularly, different stones have different requirements for maintaining them. That includes the types of cleaning products and even the materials to wipe them down. And though some stones are heat resistant, professionals may advise against putting a hot cooking pot directly on them to prevent cracks and discolouration.
Talk to your kitchen renovator for the guidelines on cleaning and maintaining your stone countertop. And make sure to follow those guidelines at all times.
4. Watch out for liquid spills
Wipe liquid spills on your kitchen countertops as soon as possible. This is particularly important for acidic liquids, such as lemon juice, vinegar, and cleaning detergents. If these liquids are left to sit for too long, they can create dull spots on natural stone countertops or change the appearance of the surface.
We hope this info on the best natural stones you can use for your kitchen countertops helps you. As we’ve covered, each stone has different properties so consider your needs, situation, and budget. Do you have any questions? Pop them below and we’ll get back to you asap!
