Maybe get soapstone for the counters instead of trying to match the old marble? Soapstone has a great cottage-y, old time feel to it, which should look great. You could also get a soapstone-look quartz, like Silestone Charcoal Soapstone.

Soapstone:

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Silestone Charcoal Soapstone:

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Marble will chip, etch, and scratch. With a good sealer it won't stain. This describes many surfaces in an old house (better than some!) We had marble in our last house and loved it, but when we left it had lots of fine scratches. Could easily have had it polished but didn't feel like it.

Suggest you not use marble for the island, but only because it will take away from your treasured pine chest. Consider either wood or a quartz that will correlate with the marble. Look at Caesarstone Lagos Blue. It is not blue...it is a gorgeous soft brown that may be a perfect partner for your marble.

I would use marble if you can find a similar enough slab. Use the same edge as on your baking cabinet. Let it patina. Etch it, stain it, ding it. Doesn't the beat up old one look wonderful? Why would the new one look bad when it gets a bunch of wear? Any kitchen that can house a cabinet like the one pictured will be perfectly at home with worn marble. Crispy new counters will look silly.

Take the risk!

(Cararra isn't an expensive stone anyway. If the abuse doesn't look as good as you'd hoped, it's not a huge financial hit to replace it.)

butcherblock?

Agree wood or soapstone. Definitely not fake quartz

Yeah, I was going to suggest a gray or green soapstone. There's also quartz that looks like gray soapstone with a bit of white veining. Any of those would fit the vibe while letting the older piece shine.

Never caesarstone. It’s killing stone cutters with silicosis.

You love the old marble and it's patina why not go marble and add your own patina. I love being in italy and seeing modern kitchens with wonderful marble slabs for counters that have already added patina so warm feeling .

I suggest a quartz product like Cambria, Silestone, Caesarstone or one of the others. Quartz is highly durable and you can choose a color with an “aged” look that compliments your antique marble top instead of competing with it.

Definitely not quartz with that exquisite marble. I would look at soapstone or a similar marble.

Soapstone or butcher block for sure.

There is a natural stone called quartzite which is as hard and durable as granite. Rather than the speckles of granite many of them have similar veining to marble. You should look at color options otherwise I would go with soapstone to achieve the look. Maybe go with a lighter colored base for the island if you use the darker soapstone to lighten up the kitchen a bit.

No quartz near that beautiful marble! And i say this as someone who put quartz in 20 years ago.

I worked forty years selling all kinds of countertops and there are some amazing quartz colors that look very old and are even available in a honed finish. Im not recommending a match, just a compliment.

i have a marble island w/grown men, and it's a mess. (and the marble was factory treated. it hasn't stained, but it does etch)

I have it paired w/the Silestone Eternal Serena suede finish quartz.

might be better w/kids

they also have a marble look alike

quartz-Calacatta Laza

or, go w/a quartzite

Shadow Storm (always test for etching w/lemon juice) some list this as a marble or dolomite

White Python, Python white, Labrador Python

Macaubas white quartzite. this is stronger than granite

or, the porcelain slabs are looking really good now

You describe the ideal situation in which to use marble (antique stove, historical home) so I think you already have the personality that will appreciate marble’s charm and imperfections. Go for it!

I would not use marble. it will be almost impossible to match the 180 year old marble top that

you have. Soapstone comes in some variations of darkness. if you have soapstone and like it you could use that. i would also look at quartzite that looks like soapstone. You could also do butcher block on the island top . As i have gotten older , i prioritize ease of care. . You are fortunate to have such a beautiful antique.

Just for clarification...exactly, what is fake quartz? Is it something like Wilsonart which can imitate the look of quartz?

Some marbles such as Vermont Danby are harder/more durable. As others mentioned, quartzite has a marble look and is durable. You might also consider a stainless steel or copper surface.

Don't try to get something that approximates marble. Either get real marble (Carrara or Danby) or something that contrasts with it. Soapstone would be great, or honed black granite (Jet MIst or Absolute Black). Nothing shiny. Butcher block is a great look, but could also get beat up by kids.

Thank you so much everyone, this is incredibly helpful!

Leave the antique marble top unless it is damaged in the future, then figure it out then. So glad you are using antiques instead of new/cheap. I have an antique cabinet for baking center that is lower then the std counter top and better for stirring batter and other kitchen tasks. It is a trend that went away and is coming back - to add a baking counter at a lower level than counters. In eat-in kitchens, people used the table as a prep area.

I'd educate yourself on the wide range of lighter colored soapstones - light greys - that won't look too heavy in your space. Or opt for wood. Both will complement well your old marble and other antiques.

Our last home was 170 year olds and we used 100+ year old salvaged marble on our counters. Though I love patina on antiques, it was just too stressful for me to be carefree with patina on a large surface that gets used intensively every single day. I decided I'd not go with marble for our new kitchen, however, once you have had antique counters, quartz looks like crap.

Marble is porous and can stain easily, especially from acidic substances like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomato sauce, which are common in kitchens. Etching (dull spots caused by acid) is also a significant concern. I am a huge marble fan myself and gonna have it everywhere when the kids are a little older. I 've already checked A Plus Marble , they seem to have a great choice of marble.