Marble is a mindset, not a countertop.

I think you should go for Marble. You can refer here for making a choice http://www.centura.ca/

Have you considered engineered quartz, such as Silestone?

If you're a perfectionist and would mind some wear or stains then don't get marble anywhere in your house.

Marble is very soft and stains very easily. We highly recommend quartz surfaces - especially for kitchens. Granite is also another great option. Best of luck!

I put quartzite in the kitchen in my first home and LOVE it! Had the veiny look like marble, but more durable, similar to granite/quartz and a very hard stone. Engineered quartz is pretty tough stuff, but we preferred the look of the natural stone.

Remodeled our kitchen 5 years ago and went with quartz. Didn’t even consider granite because of the upkeep. LOVE my counters and are now remodeling baths with quartz. Many great patterns available.

I am a fabricator. Marble is only a little harder than jello and about as absorbent as a sponge. It also etches. Not recommended for a kitchen.

Re: "Didn’t even consider granite because of the upkeep" - Most stone called "granite" used for countertops requires little more than usual cleaning and sealing once a year or less and many stones never need sealing. Sealing requires clearing the counters which typically takes longer than the actual sealing process. Either "granite" or engineered stone ("quartz") will give a user many years of service with little possibility of damage.

There are soft quartzites and hard quartzites. Taj Mahal is a hard quarzite. We used it on bathroom contertops (honed) and as a fireplace surround and had no problems but did seal it like granite. I like natural stone but find Caesarstone/'quartz' countertops the most durable for work surfaces & then use wood and natural stone in accent areas to warm up the room. You might want to check other houzz discussions on quartzite. [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/kitchen-counter-quartzite-v-soft-quartzite-dsvw-vd~1346812[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/kitchen-counter-quartzite-v-soft-quartzite-dsvw-vd~1346812) threads on Houzz. [particularly Imagine surfaces' comments in this link[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/kitchen-counter-quartzite-v-soft-quartzite-dsvw-vd~1346812)

I wouldn't suggest marble for a countertop. It's simply not durable and will stain, especially near a cooktop. With the popularity in the marble look right now, there are some quartz products out there that look very similar to it. I would steer you down this road if you are set on a marble look. I also wouldn't rule out granite. The upkeep really is low and you might find a great slab that you love!

Be very careful with the quartzite, softer quartzite can stain and etch as well. Have you looked at quartz as an option?

Ivan- We used Sea Pearl... considered Taj Mahal but loved the blue/greens in the Sea Pearl. We also sealed it similar to granite.

I have marble. I was expecting the upkeep with etching but was not anticipating the many nicks and mini-chunks that have from people putting pots down at the wrong angle. It is incredibly unforgiving. Looks beautiful but certainly not a surface that many should use.

Hi Ivan!
We love both Marble and Quartzite, but if you have any hesitation and want a surface that is less susceptible to stains, etching and durability, then I would strongly suggest just going for Quartzite! It's a beautiful marble-look stone option and requires much less maintenance.
To give you an idea: on the Mohs scale of hardness of 1 to 10 (10 being the hardest), Quartzite measures in at 7, with Granite behind in between 6 and 6.5. Marble is in between 3 and 5. (Have you considered Granite? )

Some nice marble-look Quartzites that we sell can be found here.

Also wrote up a quick blog for those Curious Over Quartzite.

Good luck with your choice! Either will be beautiful and add great value to your home.

Victoria Stone Gallery

Nebula Quartzite · More Info

White Macaubas Quartzite · More Info

Mont Blanc Quartzite · More Info

We put Monte Blanc Quartzite in our kitchen last year. I hate it! I loved the look of it but now it etches just by dropping a drip of water on it. If you put a glass down, be prepared for a ring that won't come out. Yes, it has been sealed. It was sold to us as Quartzite but I can't help thinking that it's really marble. We have tried getting the marks out to no avail. Have been told we might need to have a professional do it. Funny, because we had the quartzite installers go back over it with an electrical polisher and reseal it because there was a ring after the first day. I would steer clear of Monte Blanc.