Carrara Marble Tile Backsplash – Kitchen Reveal
This Carrara marble tile backsplash has made such a difference in how updated the kitchen looks and I couldn’t be happier! With the new countertops in place the backsplash was the finishing touch and it pulls the entire kitchen together. The subtle grey veining of the quartz is picked up in the marble and I think that it’s the best of both worlds. Let me tell you why and explain a bit about the process. I hope that it helps if you’re thinking about a kitchen update of your own in the future!
Below is a before shot and while the countertops were outdated the rest of the kitchen was not. Truth be told I was fond of the sea glass tiles on the backsplash, but with the depth of the new counters it had to be removed. In construction that’s just how it goes, or I may have kept the green glass. One thing leads to another is so true! But this…white honed Carrara marble is beautiful and I’m so happy for the update! Disclosure: I worked in partnership with Bedrosians Tile on this post – all opinions are honest and my own.
Since we already had the new countertops in place before the backsplash was installed, I was a bit nervous about damage. Our subcontractor and his crew were very careful and covered all of the counters with butcher paper. The backsplash removal was fast and only took a couple of hours of chipping with hand tools. The next process was to float cement to flatten out the walls. The cement dried overnight and they came back the next day to install the tile. The entire process start to finish took them three days.
About Carrara Marble
Carrara marble tile backsplash is perfect for today’s modern kitchen. It’s a natural stone and needs to be sealed yearly. The use of marble on countertops is not for everyone. Marble is porous and over time it will etch and stain. Using marble on a backsplash however is less problematic and easy to clean.
Selection – carrara marble tile backsplash
The marble that I selected from Bedrosians is White Carrara Honed Marble in a 3 x 6 size. It’s similar to subway tile in size but a completely different look. I love the veining and the natural spotting that you find in marble and each tile is different. Honed marble has a flat finish or you can opt for polished marble. Marble looks darker when it’s first installed because of the tile mastic. It does lighten up after a couple of days and you should wait to seal it for about 3 to 4 weeks to allow it to fully dry. Then you’re good to go for a year and if you keep up with sealing yearly then you should have no issues. Quartz is not porous and so our countertops needed no drying time and no sealing. The best marriage in my opinion of surfaces with the carrara marble tile backsplash and quartz right here!
I truly love marble and would have liked it on the counters. I didn’t want the constant worry about staining and etching. In design and general homemaking I go for practicality and functionality first. On the walls issues are not likely to happen, unless “someone” around here is really sloppy…ahem;-)
The area above is sort of a butler’s pantry, with dish and glass storage on top and pull out pantry below. This house doesn’t have a formal dining room, and it’s important with the open flow for all surfaces to coordinate. Not to match, but colors and style flow nicely and the carrara marble tile backsplash in grey gives a classic elegant appeal. My next project is to paint the built-ins in the family room that you see on the other side of the breakfast bar. I’ll share that soon and the unique treatment on the back panel of it that I hope will remain!
With the angle of the shot above you can see that we installed under-counter lights. The lights are LED and light up the tile beautifully at night. The fixtures aren’t noticeable in themselves when walking around, I had the tripod set down low for this shot.
Other possible updates to this kitchen? Perhaps in time we will replace the appliances, upper cabinet doors and maybe the hardware. I’m still on the fence about hardware updates because I like these pulls and don’t want to go all trendy. Also I’m debating whether we need some pendants over the island. We have plenty of recessed lighting and tons of natural daylight, so I’m not sure. What are your thoughts? Do you think that every kitchen island needs pendant lights simply for decorative value if nothing else?
A bit hard to see, but we wrapped the pass-through window below with the Carrara marble tile. Prior to this it was just the walls and I thought it would make a nice touch to have the marble go all the way up. The window passes through to the pool, patio area for serving when necessary and we extended the sill to hold essentials.
So there you have it! I just wanted to point out that I thoroughly enjoyed partnering with Bedrosians and it couldn’t have gone any smoother. They have locations all over the country and you can find out the closest one to you right HERE. I’m happy to answer any questions that you might have!
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I currently have a glass tile backsplash in my kitchen. When we gut it, I’m definitely going with Carrara marble tiles. I was thinking the hexagon shaped tiles, but I’m really loving your tile that reminds me of subway tile but so much better. I’m in love with that pass-through window to the patio. Awesome kitchen refresh!
I am always getting your e-mails. I’m not sure about the FB posts, because I do see some. I am a happy follower.
If I ever get to redo my backsplash, I will lower my electrical boxes and put the sideways. I hate seeing them and end up strategically placing something in front to hide them. Sounds kind of funny? I am truly a type A with OCD…?
I’m redoing my kitchen and love the idea of the outlets turned sideways! Makes sense—-I’d never thought of that!
All together now.. GORGEOUS!! ???❤️
Your kitchen looks so fresh and light. The new counter an backsplash make such a huge difference. Love the way you used marble tiles instead of the plain white ones. I’m hoping to redo our counters and backsplash this fall and will definitely check out Bedrosians. Thanks for the info!
Love love love this Janet. It is gorgeous. I bet you smile every morning when you walk into your new kitchen. Beautiful. Happy New Week.
Kris
There is such a great difference now, the backsplash looks so good. I have to redo my kichen when I get a little money saved up.
Your kitchen looks awesome and I love the color flow of the marble backsplash with your counters. Well done!
Perfection, Janet! Thank you for sharing!
Janet—
What a beautiful makeover! It’s a timeless, classic look that will last and last!
It gives me some hope for future changes I can make to update my kitchen!!
Your marble backsplash is lovely, great choice to complement the countertops. You nailed it!
Gorgeous kitchen! The backsplash is stunning and really complements your countertops and cabinetry. Love the transformation of this kitchen.
Love it! I actually did the same tile in my kitchen a couple years ago. A friend helped me and we were able to bang it out in a day! I want to replace our laminate counter tops and paint our cabinets also. But our flooring is probably next on the list because it is unglued at the seams and cracking from age.
You can never go wrong with Carrera! Love the updates…super fresh and clean!
We tiled our own backsplash too. It’s a lot of work but it’s so worth it. I love your marble backsplash. i love white & gray modern kitchens!!
I really like this tile! It really adds dimension and a feeling of texture to the backsplash area and looks fabulous with your countertops and white cabinets!
I love it! It’s the perfect combination for your beautiful new countertops.
That carrara backsplash looks so pretty. Love the grays and whites. Brightens up the space, makes it look sleek and clean. Beautiful look.
The subs did an excellent job Janet! You are lucky that you have your husband to over see. Will keep that tile company in mind, going to talk to the tile people this week.
Maria
Hi, I like the look a lot, however I’m concerned that you replaced it only because it looked “dated.” I am wondering what you did with the countertop and backsplash that you replaced. It is a waste of perfectly good natural material, imho. I heard another decorator say, in a PBS home improvement show, that she replaced the existing countertop with “something that would last forever.” I couldn’t help but think, it won’t last forever if it is replaced merely because it’s dated. And, that is what you are doing here. On the bright side, it does keep our economy going to provide jobs for people. There must be other ideas for updating the look of a room than gutting perfectly useful materials. Smh, first world problems!
Alice, we are updating our home and it did look dated before. Thinking ahead to selling the next couple of years down the line and homes in our area sell for higher value when updated. The post about the countertops explains that they were taken by our fabricator for reuse. The previous tile had to be destroyed to get it off the wall. Yes, construction does provide jobs and these workers all have families back in Cuba that they help support. Hope that explains where we are coming from 😉
Yes, it was a worthy venture in your case (adding resale value), and providing jobs, as I mentioned. I do love your blog.
Love the new look Janet. The new backsplash looks perfect with counters
Cindy
Hey, Janet, wow it looks fantastic! I am dying to get new granite or quartz in our kitchen too. The dark is just too dark and I want light and bright. This quartz looks so pretty and so much like marble. I’d definitely be interested in going with it if the cost was right. Your kitchen looks gorgeous, I know you must be thrilled!
This white Carrara white tile backsplash looks oh so chic, modern and clean!!! I love bright setting and I am showing this to hubby as inspiration for our future dream kitchen/home.
Love the new backsplash and countertops! What a nice upgrade. I am sure you will be very happy with it!! Enjoy!
I love a good tile backsplash. They look so classy and so beautiful, too! I love the mixed colors on this one.
It looks great, Janet! Very nice mix….it should serve you well! <3
Your kitchen looks amazing with that backsplash. I love it. I did mine in chalkboard but yours looks so elegant.
I love the muted colors and how clean it looks in the kitchen. This definitely is my kind of theme. 3 days is fast enough for them to finish the entire thing.
It looks like a whole new kitchen! I’ve been following this post because I’d love to get some ideas and inspiration for when we work on our kitchen! I love how it looks afterwards. It’s so beautiful!
The marble is super pretty and chic. I am thinking of redoing my backsplash as mine is so dark. It really darkens the room.
I love the whole kitchen. I could not get my eyes off of the staging. Gorgeous!!!!
Question: is the island tiles waterproof and is gazed. I ask because if kids (running and dropping things on the floor).
Janet… this looks lovely! I really like how the gray back splash compliments the counters. Very chic looking! My thoughts on the pendants… If you don’t need them, I would keep the light and airy feeling going, and not have to worry about cleaning the pendants if they aren’t there… ya know what I mean? 😉
Beautiful! Could you give some information on where you purchased your under counter lighting strips? Are they hardwired? I think if you added pendants over your island it would detract from the view of your beautiful chandelier in the dining area. Enjoy!
I love the look of your kitchen. My husband always go for a darker color but I am into white color since it makes the space a bit bigger.
That backsplash is pure perfection! Wow! You have my dream kitchen. I love anything having to do with marble and copper and you’ve tied in all the textures so well in your kitchen – great job!
I love the layout of your kitchen . Looks neat, simple but elegant the backsplash really adds life to any kitchen. We’ve been thinking about that also hopefully soon we can start our home project.
I think that back splash was the right choice. It really brings everything together.
I love how it turned out. The outcome is so nice and it looks very clean and elegant at the same time. I wish I have already my own home so I can decide what to put in.
I would love marble counter tops but was always hesitant about their durablity…love how you married the marble and quartz for the perfect, and functional use! Great tips…thanks for the post and I’ll be sure to check out bedrosians when we redo our kitchen (hopefully sooner rather than later!)
Lynn
Janet the kitchen looks great and the change up in the backsplash was a great idea. They really complement your countertops perfectly!
Congrats on your beautiful “new” kitchen! I love the Carrara marble! It’s been a favorite of mine forever! Your copper accents go wonderfully with the new look! I’ve never seen a copper mixer! How cool! About pendant lights – I think a lot of times, they’re for show or people feel they have to have them. No rules! Use them if you want or if extra light is needed. Personally, I’ve always loved your Mason jar chandelier! Thanks for sharing and enjoy! Hugs! Leena
Hi Janet – your new backsplash is beautiful. I also have Carerra Honed Marble 3 x 6 tiles as my backsplash, with a thin strip of dark navy glass tile running the length of the counters. Love it! But having trouble picking a paint color for the kitchen walls . Wondering if you could advise: we have white shaker cabinets and blue pearl granite countertops. Any suggestions? Someone suggested navy walls to make the white cabinets and backsplash “pop” but I’m just not sure……thanks.
Hi Victoria, thanks for visiting the blog. I’m not a fan personally of the dark walls that seem to be trending right now, but I do like the look of navy bottom cabinets and white top. All of our walls are Benjamin Moore White Dove in both of our homes.
Just curious how long your Carrara backsplash took to dry to its original color? I just had mine done and it looks a bluish gray color like your picture during install. I’m hoping it lightens up as it matched my counters better prior to installation.
For our home it took only a couple of days to lighten up. If you’re using the a/c or (depending on where you live)…heat on it should help. Also I think it depends if you had it installed directly on to the drywall or over existing tile.
Hi! What type of quartz did you use? Looks beautiful.
Here you go Christina: https://shabbyfufu.com/quartz-countertop-installation-kitchen/
Love you kitchen! Stumbled upon your site while doing research as to what I am going to do for grout color. I too purchased Carrara marble 3×6 subway tile from Bedrosians and I have purchased calacatta statuario quartz for the countertops (cabinets will be white shaker). I keep going back and forth whether I should do a very light gray or white grout. It looks like you did white and it looks awesome. Did you always know you wanted white grout or how did you decide?
Hi Yvonne, purely for aesthetic reasons as I prefer the contrast with the grey tones.
I am in love with Carrara marble. We are putting in a Carrara marble backsplash in a herringbone pattern. We also have Carrara marble counters. They are gorgeous. They MUST be sealed and resealed from time to time, but they are worth the extra effort.
Your kitchen is gorgeous! So light and beautiful!
Definitely Carrara marble is beautiful and yes, needs to be sealed! We have quartzite counters in our beach home and they are a natural stone that needs to be sealed as well. Thanks for stopping by Lori!
I love the marble , what color grout did you use?
Thanks Lori! It’s just white, nothing special
What is your countertop?
Shelly, we used Hanstone Montauk quartz and you can see more in this post: https://shabbyfufu.com/quartz-countertop-installation-kitchen/