So maybe you are thinking about tiling a wall surface but not to sure about all the grout lines or all of the tile work.  Well I may have a solution that can add quite the design element to your next project.  It is called thin slate and yes it is real stone and it can actually bend, yes that's right, bend.  I believe it is actually bonded to a thin subsurface that helps give it its strength and flexibility.  You would need to check with your local granite/stone yard to see if they carry it or can get it.  I think it is fairly diy friendly but I would suggest taking your time with it.  There may not necessarily be a huge cost difference when compared to tile but definitely has the advantage when compared to installation time.  Not to mention the fact that you are using less stone than you would with full thickness tiles, making it a green product.  I believe there also a couple of other stones available, again depending on where you are as to what is readily available.  Give it some thought for your next project.