There is something truly mesmerising about natural stone. Nature’s ability to create breath-taking colours, patterns and designs is awe-inspiring. While not all stones and slabs are of equal quality, many would be worthy of a place in an art gallery, and it is not uncommon to find natural stones adorning the interior walls of the luxury homes we help to create.

Granite and marble both possess this natural beauty. However, it’s arguable that no stone is more alluring, exclusive and surprising than onyx. In this article, we introduce this exquisite material and consider some of its uses in kitchen design.

onyx kitchen splashback
The Monolith kitchen with backlit onyx splashback by Extreme Design.

ONYX STONE: AN INTRODUCTION

Onyx is a rare, naturally occurring material considered a semi-precious stone. Onyx comes from chalcedony, a silicate mineral mainly made of calcite similar to marble and granite. However, one quality that distinguishes onyx from marble and granite is its translucency.

The stone is naturally formed in caves when water drips and evaporates from stalactites and stalagmites, leaving traces of minerals in intricate parallel bands of varying colours. As onyx contains calcium carbonite, it is classed as calcareous, and the material is inherently soft, porous, and fragile compared to other harder stones such as granite and engineered quartz. This fragility makes quarrying and fabricating onyx slabs more challenging than granite and marble, contributing to the exclusivity and price of the material.

Onyx comes in different varieties in almost every colour ranging from black and white to vivid green and pink.

blue onyx
white onyx
green onyx
pink onyx
blue yellow white onyx
orange onyx
brown onyx
yellow onyx
orange green onyx
blue orange onyx
black onyx

ONYX IN INTERIOR DESIGN

Colourful veining, striking swirling patterns and translucency make onyx the material of choice for many luxury homes, hotels and yachts worldwide.

One of the most alluring qualities of onyx for designers is how the translucency of the material enables light to pass through, creating the option of backlighting. Backlighting onyx involves placing a consistent light source such as an LED panel or diffused LED lighting behind the material. The translucent nature of the stone allows light to pass through, and often this is when the true beauty of the material can be seen. Light glows through the stone, often transforming subtle tones into vivid colours and enhancing the natural pattern and veining.

The Extreme kitchen below demonstrates how backlighting can reveal the uniqueness of the material and subsequently transform the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of the space.

black kitchen with onyx splashback
backlit onyx and black kitchen

Some varieties of onyx have the same level of translucency throughout, giving the material an even and consistent glow when backlit. Other varieties, such as black onyx, feature areas which are opaque in combination with translucent areas. In these instances, the light only passes through the translucent parts of the stone, producing an entirely different result.

backlit slab of brown and white onyx
backlit slab of black and gold onyx

DURABILITY & MAINTENANCE

Onyx’s softness and porous nature make it more prone to wear and tear than harder stones such as granite and engineered quartz. The material is also more vulnerable to acid, ammonia and alcohol, which can tarnish and mark the surface. However, surfaces can be re-honed and re-polished to remove stains and scratches and retain their appearance over time. With proper care and maintenance, onyx can last for more than a century, and some people embrace how the material ages over time.

Due to the durability, exclusivity and beauty of onyx, the material is reserved for striking design features that showcase the aesthetic of this exquisite material. Designers typically use onyx decoratively in the following ways:

  • Decorative objects such as vases, bowls, display boxes, handles
  • Light fixtures
  • Wall panels or decorative wall art
  • Bathroom feature panels
  • Kitchen splashbacks or kitchen island feature panels

STONE SOURCING WITH EXTREME

At Extreme, onyx features in several of our designs. No two pieces of onyx are alike, and this individuality is in synergy with the bespoke nature of our design process.

We take great pride in sourcing the highest quality natural stones from quarries worldwide to add elegance and individuality to our clients’ homes. Witnessing stone in its organic form at the quarry only strengthens the admiration and appreciation for this coveted natural material. Many of our clients choose to accompany their Extreme designer to the stone yard to browse blocks or slabs of materials and identify the perfect piece for their design scheme.

natural block of pink onyx
natural block of green onyx

If you would like to find out more information about our design process or discuss your project with a designer, please contact our design team.

References: Black Onyx – Sonic Stone / Light – Embrun Lighting Collection for Dezeen / Fireplace – Dente Trading / Blocks – Stone ADD /