Top Ideabooks

How to Remodel Your Kitchen Your Guide to 10 Popular Kitchen Styles Stash It All: Know the 3 Zones of Kitchen Storage 7 Tricky Questions to Ask When Planning Your New Kitchen

Appears in

Latest From Houzz

Kitchen Counters: Elegant, Timeless Marble

Ever classic and with unrivaled beauty, marble countertops bespeak quiet luxury in the kitchen — with a few caveats

Michelle JeresekSep 24, 2012

Whether marble countertops conjure images of luxe elegance or handsome timeworn French kitchens, this classic surface occupies a design territory all its own. With a soft feel, a warmth that's inimitable and unmistakable, a durability that keeps it in place for decades and a wide range of color choices, marble countertops might be the right choice for your kitchen.

Melissa Miranda Interior Design

The basics: Marble is a natural stone composed of calcium carbonate; it's in the same stone family as limestone and travertine. Color variations occur in marble due to mineral impurities in the stone. Slabs, rather than tiles, are typically used for countertops, where the dramatic veining can be displayed.

Cost: $70 to $100 per square foot, installed.

Artistic Tile

Advantages: This is a classic and timeless choice for a kitchen. It can perform for decades while maintaining its elegance. For those whose heart is set on a white, natural stone counter, few other options are available with the breadth of choices that marble offers. You can also opt for marble's drama in any of its myriad other colors. Experienced bakers know that marble's naturally cool temperature makes for great pastry making.

Disadvantages: This surface will either keep you busy or cause you to embrace its timeless patina. It's softer and more porous than granite, meaning it scratches and stains easily. Acidic foods cause surface etching (though the appearance of the etching can be lessened with a honed finish).

Kristy B

Sustainability: While mining stone disrupts local ecosystems and depletes finite, nonrenewable resources, ecofriendly marble can be had with salvaged slabs. Also, you can choose marble that's mined in your region to reduce transportation-related energy.

Cablik Enterprises

Maintenance: There are more don'ts than dos when it comes to maintenance, where use of even mild detergents can dull your marble's finish. Routine care is best limited to a soft cloth and warm water or cleaners made specifically for marble. You'll want to seal your marble every year or two with an impregnating water-based sealer made for marble.

Special considerations: Opt for a honed surface to help hide any etching from acidic foods. And if you want to use your marble for working pastry or other foods, seek out nontoxic sealants.

More:
Using White Marble: Hot Debate Over a Classic Beauty
Carrara vs. Calacatta Marble: What Is the Difference?

Comments (35)

See 32 more comments

PRO

Final Seal Pros

We offer 100% stain proof and Etch proof solutions for the greater boston area

Kevin R

Interesting Article! Marble countertops are timeless with their elegance and classic beauty. They add style and luxurious look to your kitchen.

Alexander William

Nice Article Michelle Jeresek! If you want to craft an elegant, upmarket look in your home, marble countertops are an ideal choice. Marble Countertops bringing a new level of elegance and style to your kitchen and bathroom. It is a type of metamorphic rock that is known for its classic beauty. Apex Kitchen and Bath LLC are one of the top choices for marble countertop in Robbinsville, NJ. They provide affordable and quality expert design services for kitchen, bathroom, bar tops, and fireplaces. Apex Kitchen and Bath LLC offer the best service to their customers through high-quality products which will make your space a better place.