Slippery Rock Gazette

by Megy Karydes

Reprint  Courtesy usenaturalstone.org

Thanks to celebrity culture, more natural stone options, better technology, and social media influencers giving us a peek of backlit kitchens and islands in high-end homes, natural stone is getting lit.

Once reserved for the hospitality industry when restaurant and club owners asked for backlit countertops or backsplashes to make a statement in their restaurants and bars, backlit natural stones like quartzite and onyx have grown in popularity in recent years as celebrities and affluent homeowners began requesting it for their homes. 

More Natural Stone Options

Backlit stone is becoming popular partly because the quartzite market has quite literally lit up, especially access to materials like Cristallo quartzite. As its name suggests, Cristallo has crystal-like colors and patterns which lends itself to being backlit. “Everyone loves Cristallo quartzite. It’s very much a celebrity chosen material,” says Rachel Jones, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Triton Stone Group. Jones has seen homes in Miami featuring Cristallo quartzite lit up on double islands and backsplashes.

When Jones and her co-founder, 2024 Natural Stone Institute board president Katie Jensen, launched Triton Stone Group almost two decades ago, a client might ask for onyx for a front of the bar or a backsplash in a bar atmosphere to be backlit. It was something requested to amp up the aesthetic in a hospitality setting or very high-end homes because at the time, natural stone options that could be backlit were limited and onyx was considered top tier and luxe.

As more accessible and affordable natural stone options entered the market, and lighting technology improved, Jones says demand for backlit stone in homes began to increase. At the same time, homeowners were looking for more color and movement in their stone options, outside of the white and gray tones that have dominated the market for the last decade. 

There are several places where backlit stone can be added to make an impact. While Jones admits most people add them in a kitchen area, others like Judith Meaney, interior designer with River House Interiors, have installed Byzantine onyx in a home to brighten up an otherwise dark hallway. Some have included backlit stone behind a wine cellar. It’s a great option for those who are seeking a wow factor.

Above, Left: This stunning backlit Honey Onyx bar back was awarded a 2015 Pinnacle Award of Excellence in the Residential Interior category. Above, Right: Byzantine Onyx wall.   Photo courtesy of River House Interiors and  Corry’s Creations

Better Technology Allows Stone to Shine

Technology plays a crucial role with backlit stone and cannot be an afterthought when it comes to the installation process. It’s always a good idea to make sure your fabricator and installer are top notch but it’s even more important for this kind of work, according to Jones. “You want to work with experienced stone and lighting installers to ensure lighting is balanced,” she says.

In the past, Jones says one would be able to see the individual light bulbs because the lights are part of a strip. “Now they’ve figured out a way to kind of blur the lights so that it truly does look like the full slab is lighting up,” she adds.

The thickness of the stone has to be just right in order to ensure the lumens (a unit of measurement that indicates the amount of visible light a light source emits) are bright enough so the stone is illuminated when backlit. There is another reason skill and thickness come into play and that has to do with skillfully shielding the weave on the back of the slab that often looks like honeycomb. “If you backlight it cheaply or with the wrong light, you actually project that honeycomb through the stone and it ends up looking chalky,” Jones adds.

Depending on the type of lights installed, a homeowner can opt to change the colors with the touch of a button. This can be especially fun with stones where there are a few colors at play within a pattern. “There have been so many advances in technology with LED lighting that most are operated with a light switch and a remote can change the color while it’s already in,” Jones says. Think of it like the lighting a homeowner installs in a swimming pool where one can change the lighting color by simply tapping a button on a phone app.

For those concerned about replacing burnt lights, Jones notes a smart installer will recommend including a panel or other way to access the lighting so any lighting issues can be addressed easily.

Backlit stone might not work for every project but it certainly makes a statement in the right spots.

Megy Karydes is a Chicago-based writer. Find her at MegyKarydes.com .