I like it but then again I live in Florida.

Ummm.....my marble counters are FREEZING (always), no matter what my thermostat is set at. And any stone counter I ever had has been the same.

I have marble on my perimeter counters and specifically chose a wood top for my island because we sit there all the time for meals etc. I had learned my lesson from past experiences with stone. It’s way too cold and uncomfortable for me to eat at or lean on.

Right not my thermostat is 68. I just compared my marble to the walnut counters. It’s not even close. The marble is freezing and the wood is super comfortable.

I live in MA and just finished my second kitchen in Granite, are you saying physically cold? I’ve honestly never noticed...it feels like the same temp as the room to me.

Nidnay, it's absolutely not possible that your marble counters maintain a colder temperature than the walnut counters, unless they are refrigerated. When you did the comparison, did you take an actual temperature reading of the two counters? The wood feels more comfortable than the stone, but they are absolutely the same temperature.

If you have an IR thermometer, shoot them, They will be exactly the same. Science. It’s the thermal conductivity that creates the differing perceptions.

https://www.harborfreight.com/121-infrared-laser-thermometer-63985.html 

I'm in Alberta with a marble island and it's never bothered me. And I rub the marble (my husband says indecently) several times a day : ) . It's our second Christmas season in the new house with the marble and holiday baking is such a joy.

But then in the winter we keep the thermostat at a reasonable level, not to high, and tend to wear long-sleeve shirts or t-shirts and sweaters/sweatshirts in the house anyway. If anyone in my house is wearing just a t-shirt between November and March, then the thermostat is set too high lol.

That's why they have countertop warmers.

I've always viewed the thermal properties of stone to be a functional thing for the kitchen. Especially in pastry work, that ability to sort of "suck up" heat is a valuable advantage.

But my kitchen doesn't have a "viewing area" so I've never considered elbow comfort.

I usually choose to sit at the table to eat, because it is cold on my arms. Doesn’t seem to bother my husband or kids, though.

Hate them. And I hate glass and steel for the same reasons. I'm a tough guy, but I hate having that freezing cold surface when I'm trying to relax.

Whoa................elbows/arms off the table/counter please ? . If you must? Don a sweater for heavens sake. ..........jeesh.

Really, why are anyone's forearms all over a counter top OR a table? You're reading the news? A placemat 'neath the arm that isn't turning the pages....: ) ?

I honestly have never noticed.

I had the same thought as Jan - too many childhood etiquette classes that included "keep your elbows off the table" for this to be a problem for me.

Marble and wood are the same temperature. The difference is in the conductivity of the materials. If you put something 10 degrees on both, alhtough both will reach the same room temperature, but the item on the marble will reach room temp four times faster.

Edited for clarity. I did not mean to say put something 10 degrees warmer on both.

Why does it matter? If the coffee maker starts to complain, then you have an issue.

Non issue for me! You can hang MEAT in here all summer, and I wear cashmere and socks all winter. Nothing is "warm" ........except my elephant wash ( FORCEFUL ) shower which is enough to scald lol

So many more inportant things to think about in kitchen design than this. Why is time being spent on this question that has no answer since it’s all individual perception. Put 5 people in a room and they individually will feel the ambient air as too warm, too cold or just right. Same with the OP’s question. Can we go back to actual kitchen design questions please.

Or just don't respond to posts that don't interest you.

Nah, I’ll keep responding.

Can we add option 5? I dislike island seating and only have a small seating area at my new kitchen island because my girls talked me into it for the grandkids. So its really a non issue for me. I don’t get the love for counter height island seating. My table is 4 ft away, so we sit there. Much more comfortable IMHO.

M Miller..if you don’t like the post, ignore it. The OP has been an kitchen designer on our board for years. If she thinks it’s legitimate then I’m sure it Is. Besides that it’s fun.

ILoveRed, I am with you on disliking island seating. I totally don't get the appeal.

We have a granite island now and did in previous house. Never had an issue with it being cold but we also sleep with the ceiling fan on high and the sliding glass door open a bit when temps are in the 30’s.

Same here Vin. referring to ceiling fan. Even put one in my master bathroom. DH says “welcome to the igloo” referring to the master bedroom. I would crack the slider if i didn’t think a snake might slither in!

Science aside, the solution is easy, adopt some cats and 'train" them to pre-warm the counters for you. You'll have warm counters, but you'll probably come back here to complain about cat hair in your oatmeal!

;-)

M Miller, here's the reason I ask. I've been a kitchen designer for 36 years. I was just really curious as to the statistics of this and to hear people's responses about it. I have a few clients a year say 'it's too cold'. Personally, I don't get it, because I'm a furnace and anything cold is awesome to me.

Some stones and granite have a very warm character based upon their color and pattern.

The thing that bugs me about my granite is that it sucks the heat out of my coffee. Haven’t tested that on the quartz vanity.

No, it’s beautiful in warm climates and cold.