Onyx stones are not only for creating beautiful jewelry. We can use them to make items with a purpose but are also decorative (like a candle holder), and apply the stones in larger projects such as furniture and construction.
“But can you give us onyx stone recommendations to consider?” This article is all about that and other information about the stone.
The top 6 famous onyx slabs are:
- yellow onyx
- white onyx
- blue onyx
- green onyx
- pink onyx
- black onyx
These are in no particular order, although the yellow and white ones are commonly bought.
Types of Onyx Stones
Yellow Onyx
This can be a strong and bright yellow with parallel bands of white, creating a beautiful ombre. It can also be a subtle cream variation with bands of white and brown, more on the neutral side of the palette.
We often see this color of onyx in buildings and residential establishments for their interior wall cladding or fixtures such as sinks. The solid yellow variation is usually backlit, producing a beautiful combination of honey and orange.
White Onyx
White onyx largely resembles marble, except for the better translucence. This beautiful color has different shades ranging from solid white to an almost transparent or crystal-like variation.
It can have parallel bands, but white onyx can also have a veining pattern, although it’s less defined than marble. Sometimes, there is also a hint of a darker color, such as brown or soft black.
Photo by David Phoenix Interior Design as seen on Houzz.com
A lot of you will choose this color for your walls, as well as your bathroom fixtures like the bathtub for a relaxing touch. Believe it or not, we also see kitchens with white onyx countertops—yes, they are brave! But the stone is easy to clean too.
Blue Onyx
This is one of the colors that you’ll think is impossible to be created naturally, but it exists. Blue onyx resembles the color of the ocean, but it also goes lighter, like the color of the sky. It has beautiful veins of white and gold, making it look heavenly.
Also called Argentina Antofagasta Azul, the use of blue onyx in rooms usually follows a theme since it’s a color that we need to carefully match with the other colors around the house.
But it’s a good pick if you want to make a statement, such as installing a blue onyx panel on a portion of the wall, but the rest is white or any light neutral color. There are also tons of blue onyx decorations online.
Green Onyx
Another ethereal color is our green onyx which we attribute to the color of the forest. If you look at the slabs below, we have two variations of light green; one has a cloudy white pattern, and the other has a cloudy goldish-green appearance with a hint of white.
We recommended green onyx for wall panels as an alternative for picture frames and paintings, but we can also use it as a material for a kitchen countertop. We can match it with white chairs and kitchen fixtures such as the cabinets.
Photo by Masterpiece Design Group as seen on Houzz.com
Pink Onyx
Another top onyx stone is pink onyx, a mixture of rosy and baby pink with white. While the previously mentioned ones have a relaxing effect on the interior, this particular color has the most cooling and soothing appearance.
There are no limits to where we can use pink onyx, such as flooring, walls, and sinks. However, we recommend trying this stone on furniture such as a tabletop.
Another unique way to utilize pink onyx is a clothing rack for a fashionable way to hang our clothes—gold goes very well with it, too. The same with the table above.
Lastly, you won’t see an onyx door handle every day, but we promise it’s a good way to use the stone. Especially for hotels trying to achieve an elegant but minimalist signature look, a pink onyx on a door will help.
What Is Onyx?
Like marble, onyx is also rich in calcite. That’s why there is a big similarity between the stones, except for the patterns, because onyx has more varieties.
Onyx is a variety of Agate which is a type of chalcedony. It’s translucent and banded, usually with straight and parallel lines. However, its patterns can also be cloudy and veiny, just like we saw in the product samples above.
The way it’s formed needs ground or spring water, particularly the minerals in it. Onyx is commonly found in caves and bedrock openings, with the color and pattern affected by different mineral compositions and the strength of the water flow carrying these minerals.
Why Use Onyx Stone in Your Next Interior Project
1. It’s translucent and shiny. These traits made onyx famous because no other stone has them. Marble may reflect light, but it’s not as fine as onyx.
One of the ways we can take advantage of this characteristic is by using LED lights for a backlit effect. These lights are compatible with the wall, table (either the tabletop or the body if also made of onyx), and even with fixtures exposed to water, like the sink.
We also pair onyx with glass when manufacturing laminated stone panels. The purpose is to make onyx lighter in weight and enhance its translucence simultaneously by allowing light to pass through. Laminated onyx is perfect as an interior wall cladding.
Lastly, onyx makes a good flooring material because the surface will glow if hit by the light. It’s also pretty easy to clean, debunking the misconception that “beauty comes with hectic cleaning.”
2. It’s durable. Like other natural stones, onyx is a durable material. Even though it’s not at par with granite’s sturdiness, onyx can still handle brutal kitchen activities as long as we seal it.
Since we’ve mentioned that we can also use this stone as a flooring material, it can handle foot traffic with proper maintenance.
3. It’s fairly priced. In purchasing onyx for your next project, you must prepare at least $40 up to $250 per square foot. It’s quite expensive, but it’s fairly priced compared with marble, costing $125 to $250 per square foot.
While both natural stones are beautiful on their own, onyx can be more friendly on the budget but can still offer a superb appearance and quality.
Conclusion
Onyx is a famous stone that we can use in interior design and renovation projects, giving us an expensive appearance while not sacrificing durability.
Some of the most popular onyx stones in 2023 are the yellow onyx, white onyx, blue onyx, green onyx, pink onyx, and black onyx. We can use them as kitchen furniture and fixture, up to being non-structural wall panels. Surprisingly, onyx also makes a great door handle.
