Cultured Stone as a Backsplash

Go Rustic

• Because cultured stone is designed to look like real stone, you can use it to create a rustic backsplash for a Tuscan, country or log cabin-inspired kitchen. Choose a cultured stone product that has a stacked appearance to give your backsplash a natural rugged look. These types of cultured stone also have a three-dimensional appearance that allows you to add interesting texture to your walls. You can find cultured stone that resembles stacked fieldstone, limestone or ledgestone, but for the most rustic appearance, go with a river rock or stream stone style backsplash. Both have a rounded appearance, which tends to look more natural than cultured stone with a cut or brick-like shape.

Use Elegant Tile

• While stacked cultured stone is ideal for creating a rustic backsplash, you can use cultured stone tile to create an elegant, sophisticated look for your kitchen. You can find cultured stone tile that resembles marble in a variety of colors, so you can customize the look of your backsplash to match the rest of your kitchen decor. The tile has a polished appearance that provides a modern look for your kitchen. However, because the tile is made from manufactured stone and not real marble, it is a budget-friendly alternative to luxury backsplash materials.

Create a Mosaic

• If you would like your backsplash to be the focal point of your kitchen, use cultured stone to create a mosaic. Blending cultured stone pieces in different colors, sizes and shapes adds dimension to your walls and naturally draws the eye to your backsplash area. You can find pre-made mosaic patterns that are mounted to mesh for easy installation. These mosaics are typically made with cultured stone that resembles slate and feature a range of earth tone colors. However, you can also create your own cultured stone mosaic backsplash by choosing various tiles to create a custom design. For a subtle look, create a monochromatic pattern with cultured stone in different shades from the same color family. If you prefer a bolder look, opt for greater variation among the colors by including gray, tan, red, blue and beige cultured slate.

Match Your Fireplace

• Cultured stone is often used for fireplace surrounds because it is lightweight and relatively easy to install. If your kitchen opens up to a living room or family room that features a fireplace, you can improve the flow from one room to the next by matching the cultured stone for your backsplash to the cultured stone for your fireplace surround. The common element in both spaces ties their look together and creates a sense of unity. For the most versatile look, opt for a monochromatic, neutral cultured stone product for your fireplace and backsplash, which will allow you greater design flexibility when incorporating other colors in both rooms and will provide a subtle look so the rooms don’t seem to match too closely.