When designers started putting Calacatta Viola in their kitchens a few years back, we thought countertops had reached peak boldness. We were wrong. What’s more colorful, more eye-catching than purple marble, you ask? Lava stone.
The natural material comes from—you guessed it—volcanoes, and its seemingly endless perks have been capturing the hearts of interior designers. After it’s quarried, the volcanic rock is glazed at extremely high temperatures, which makes it super-durable: It’s nonporous, so it doesn’t stain or scratch easily, and it won’t damage if you set a hot pan on top of it. But probably the biggest draw of all is that it comes in just about every color imaginable. We’ve spotted shades from lemon yellow and soft lilac to cobalt blue and cherry red.
The only catch is, lava stone isn’t cheap. In fact, it’s more expensive than fancier slabs of marble, coming in around $250 to $300 per square foot. The expense stems from the cost of shipping. Most lava stone comes from France or Italy, specifically near Auvergne and Mount Etna. The most prominent companies manufacturing and selling lava stone right now are Pyrolave (in France); Danish brands Made a Mano and File Under Pop, both of which source from Sicily; and Ranieri Lava Stone, also in Italy. But if you’ve got room in your budget for a splurge, we highly recommend going this route.
Lava stone’s vivid hues and high-shine finish add instant personality to kitchens and bathrooms—especially ones where the cabinets and walls are white. Here are some of the most creative applications of lava stone countertops we’ve seen so far.
A Gateway to the Rainbow
Who says you need a cohesive color palette? Francis Merrill of Reath Design proves a funky lava stone countertop (this lilac one is from Pyrolave) automatically forces you to have fun. At least, that’s exactly what she did when she chose yellow Bruno Rey chairs, a red 1953 Chambers stove, and trim in Farrow & Ball’s Cook’s Blue.
A Statement Island
“Most people now don’t really want their kitchens to look like kitchens,” Katie Glaister, the cofounder of K&H Design, says of her decision to go with the unexpected material for this London home’s kitchen island. The aqua blue is a much-welcome hit of color in a space where gray cabinets dominate.
A Monochromatic Scheme
Copenhagen’s Matrikula Studio matched all the lower cabinets in this space to the minty green lava stone counters, including the fluted trim that runs underneath the worktop. The surface came from Made a Mano, which already offers 64 different colors, but for this space, the designers opted for a bespoke shade.
A Perfect Partner for Brass
Danish custom kitchen builder Københavns Møbelsnedkeri frequently utilizes Made a Mano’s lava stone products in its projects. In this space, the designers chose a honey mustard hue for both the worktop and large-format backsplash tile that nearly match the brass metal accents (peep the range hood) in the space.
A Minimalist Take
Not all lava stone countertops are out-of-this-world bold. In this space, which also features a Made a Mano slab, a glossy dark black surface makes the space feel cool and relaxed. Psst: Even the tile on the floor is lava stone.
A Red Hot Bathroom
Dorothée Melchizon went wild with lava stone from Pyrolave in the bathrooms at Cowley Manor Experimental. Each space stars a different hue, but this classic red might be our favorite. She didn’t stop there: The side tables and bar in the lobby are also made of lava stone, reminding us that kitchens and bathrooms are just the beginning for this trend.
