Decorating Guides
Remodeling Guides
Want a Gem of a Surface Material? Luxury Agate's a Dazzler
Turn heads with amazing accent walls and countertops made from this splendid kaleidoscopic stone
When I was a kid, there was nothing cooler and more special than a geode. Remember those round stones, boring on the outside, but when you cracked them open, an eye-popping center of gleaming crystals and swirls of colors shone through? Who would have thought, staring at the tiny, artful world encased by volcanic rock, that someone could make an entire wall or kitchen countertop using hundreds of these special insides?
Natural agate is one of the most jaw-dropping home materials out there, with eye-popping colors and arresting patterns that make it sought after by high-end clients who can foot the expensive bill, which is due to the painstaking fabrication process: Take grapefruit-size boulders whose interiors have turned to stunningly colorful crystals, tightly pack them into a steel box, toss in some crushed-up crystal boulder pieces for infill, pour in concrete and let it all set. Next use a gang saw to cut the slab into thin sheets, about 2 centimeters thick, chisel away the unsightly concrete, coat the slabs with epoxy resin, then polish the resin on one side to leave a smooth surface that's nearly 99 percent agate. A skilled artisan then must cut the slab to fit homeowner's needs in a way that allows various pieces to connect visually. All in all, agate surfaces can run up to $500 per square foot.
“It’s really for people looking to invest in an amazing artisan piece of furniture,” says Luke Gilcrease, who fabricates agate and other semiprecious stone surfaces. “If you’re looking at granite as an option, don’t even consider gemstone.”
Hey, we can dream, can’t we?
Natural agate is one of the most jaw-dropping home materials out there, with eye-popping colors and arresting patterns that make it sought after by high-end clients who can foot the expensive bill, which is due to the painstaking fabrication process: Take grapefruit-size boulders whose interiors have turned to stunningly colorful crystals, tightly pack them into a steel box, toss in some crushed-up crystal boulder pieces for infill, pour in concrete and let it all set. Next use a gang saw to cut the slab into thin sheets, about 2 centimeters thick, chisel away the unsightly concrete, coat the slabs with epoxy resin, then polish the resin on one side to leave a smooth surface that's nearly 99 percent agate. A skilled artisan then must cut the slab to fit homeowner's needs in a way that allows various pieces to connect visually. All in all, agate surfaces can run up to $500 per square foot.
“It’s really for people looking to invest in an amazing artisan piece of furniture,” says Luke Gilcrease, who fabricates agate and other semiprecious stone surfaces. “If you’re looking at granite as an option, don’t even consider gemstone.”
Hey, we can dream, can’t we?
One of the most popular uses Luke Gilcrease sees for agate is kitchen islands. "It’s a way to make a statement in the space," he says. Here black granite countertops are pushed aside by the stunning natural agate island.
While it looks like a 4-inch solid slab, it’s actually multiple surfaces 2 centimeters thick that are fitted and fused together, cut artfully in a way so the stones give the appearance of thickness. A skilled artisan made them line up properly, creating a solid and homogeneous-looking piece.
The slab is backlit by LED lights, which, until only a couple of years ago, weren’t strong enough to shine through the dense stone. Only about half the stones here are translucent, creating a beautiful, unique mix of light and texture and depth.
Budget: $30,000 to $40,000
Agate: Majestic Gemstone
While it looks like a 4-inch solid slab, it’s actually multiple surfaces 2 centimeters thick that are fitted and fused together, cut artfully in a way so the stones give the appearance of thickness. A skilled artisan made them line up properly, creating a solid and homogeneous-looking piece.
The slab is backlit by LED lights, which, until only a couple of years ago, weren’t strong enough to shine through the dense stone. Only about half the stones here are translucent, creating a beautiful, unique mix of light and texture and depth.
Budget: $30,000 to $40,000
Agate: Majestic Gemstone
This natural agate wall in a San Francisco living room is impressive enough with its deep variations of blue, but ...
… when it’s LED backlights are turned on, the wall dazzles with electric yellows.
Agate: Caesarstone Concetto
Agate: Caesarstone Concetto
Backlit agate shines beautifully in bathrooms, too. Here you can see the crushed-up agate aggregate infill between the stones.
Semiprecious Gemstone Surfaces
While blue is one of the most popular agate choices, the stone comes in almost every color imaginable.
The agates come in various sizes, too. The enormous backlit stones here create an elegant leopard-recalling pattern.
Indian designer Sonali Shah is well known for playing with light. This take of hers on an agate table base looks like a glass-encased fire pit right in the dining room.
Agate is incredibly durable — it's near impossible to break, and it won't stain. So it works perfectly for a shower wall.
Having a skilled artisan match each slab surface is important to create a seamless look.
If you go for a busy pattern like this, she notes, it’s best to keep the surrounding decor to a minimum. “You want to work everything around the stone,” Islas says. “It’s loud, with lots of color and movement. You can’t fight it with anything else. You have to let it be its own piece of art.”
Since the slabs didn’t come in the actual width and height of this accent wall, she had the pieces cut and assembled as a “geometric jigsaw puzzle with bronze trim,” she says. She then added a subtle floating wenge mantel.
Budget for this wall: $75,000 for the agate; $40,000 for fabrication (about $450 per square foot).
Agate: Antolini