Goodbye, Marble—This Moody Counter Trend Is Taking Over

Second, people’s interest in a more durable—yet still chic—alternative to marble has led to a wider range of options available. And, as the white kitchen trend started to feel a little hum-drum and homeowners started (*gasp!*) dabbling with colorful cabinets, it was only a matter of time before they started rethinking their countertops too.

“Today, as we’re spending more time at home than ever before, the deep color and exciting presentation of these natural materials adds another dimension, enlivening our spaces and transporting us,” Epstein says. So, basically, if cottagecore isn’t your vibe, but you want your space to truly feel like a getaway from the chaos of the outside world, a bold quartzite paired with inky-hued cabinets—or a long slab transformed into a head-turning dining room table—may be the way to go.

You can find quartzite in just about every color you can imagine, from ocean-inspired blues (like Azul Bochira) to Wizard-of-Oz-ian emeralds to Magic-Eye-esque combinations of orange, green and gray. And you don’t have to be limited to your kitchen or dining room. It could take the place of tile on your bathroom walls, or you could pull a Whitney Port and use a matching slab as your backsplash. You could even use it outside—Epstein has quartzite floors in her pergola.

“The performance of the materials has been flawless—even outdoors, the material looks as pristine as the day it was installed,” she says. “It’s a perfect material for adding color to high-use areas.”

If you’re going through the trouble of renovating your home, the last thing you want is an end result that looks…just like it did before. Maybe 2021 is the year you decide to go bold.