2024 has seen a series of statement interior 'trends,' but arguably, none has taken over kitchens quite like the slab backsplash. As a celebrity style editor, it's my job to be familiar with the design features that recurringly appear in some of the world's most beautiful spaces, and it's increasingly clear that this year belongs to this backsplash alternative.
Named the 'slab backsplash,' this feature is one single, continuous piece of material that covers a kitchen wall. It's a sleek twist on more conventional backsplashes, which may instead consist of tiles or multiple pieces of marble.
In recent months, I've spotted slab backsplashes in homes owned by the likes of Cameron Diaz, Zendaya, and Jennifer Aniston, but a look inside Bryce Dallas Howard's kitchen has revealed the most functional twist to date: A built-in open shelf.
Before seeing Dallas Howard's backsplash, I thought this feature was all about aesthetics. After all, celebrities often use a slab of luxurious marble to make a statement of elevated luxury in their space. The actress's backsplash is similar in this way, constructed of black marble with discreet veining. However, there's more to it than its luxurious looks. Unlike any other slab backsplash I've seen, Dallas Howard's feature includes a built-in shelf, inevitably made of the same material as the one that covers the wall behind her stove.
Staying in line with her pink kitchen color scheme, Dallas Howard has decorated her open shelves with rose-hued glassware, creating a fun but grown-up juxtaposition against the black backsplash. She's also added a vintage plate, perhaps an heirloom, serving as a nod to her actress's heritage. ' My Grandma Jean inspired so much of how we decorated this house,' she says in her post. The ability to make her backsplash so personal is, what I think, makes this feature so unique.
Slab backsplashes will also impress me with their luxury aesthetic, but whenever I look inside a celebrity kitchen, I admit, I'm automatically more drawn to the personal pieces that make it their own. In Dallas Howard's case, she has used the shelf to decorate with glassware in a color that she loves, while the plate (whether it is an heirloom or not) feels like a true representation of the actress: something all our homes should be.
I haven't seen other celebrities use part of their backsplash as an open shelf, but this green kitchen, designed by deVOL, is another example of how the look can be so impactful. Like the actress, the shelf has a collection of glassware, along with flower-filled vases that deserve a place in every kitchen.
Serving as both kitchen storage and a statement design feature, slab backsplashes with built-in shelves are also perfect for more compact spaces.
While Dallas Howard's house isn't small, it's still inspiring the way I think about design in my tiny London apartment. I am all too familiar with the need for multifunctional features, especially when they double as storage – and the only thing better than a dual-purpose design is when it looks good, too.
Sadly, I do not have a slab backsplash right now, but when it ticks every box for my small kitchen, I can say that it's only a matter of time. In the meantime, though, I can buy my way into Dallas Howard's home with these pink buys below.
The preferred champagne vessel of 1920s flappers and Hollywood starlets, it is a must-have for any open-shelf.
This large dutch oven is similar to the one Bryce Dallas Howard uses in her kitchen, and it's as practical as it is fun.
This Old Havana collection, made in Portugal, brings elevated, rustic charm to any shelf or dinner table.
