Today’s open floor plans make your kitchen one of the most visible rooms in your home.
It’s considered the beating heart of the home because any gathering of friends and family naturally tends to gravitate there. A great kitchen is filled with chatter and laughter as much as with the smell of cooking food.
Because we spend so much time there, it makes sense that we would want that space to be comfortable, functional, and attractive. And the countertops play a prime role in creating a warm, inviting room.
Fantasy Brown marble has carved out a place for itself as a good option for kitchens that give a classic air and aren’t seen everywhere yet. Decorators love their versatile look and functional characteristics.
Americans pour nearly $400 billion into remodeling homes every year with bathroom and kitchen renovations the most popular project types. If you are looking to upgrade outdated or worn-out countertops and improve the look of your rooms, make sure to take a look at Fantasy Brown marble.
Let’s take a look at the stone, why it’s so popular, and what makes it a good choice in your home.
Is Fantasy Brown Marble Actually Marble?
Given that marble is in the name, you would think this would not be such a hotly debated topic. But there is quite a long debate about what type of stone it should be classified as.
The confusion for some comes about because certain strains of marble and quartzite are difficult to tell apart with the naked eye thanks to similar colors and patterns. Granite tends to be easier to distinguish at first glance. So why do some claim Fantasy Brown should be classified as marble, while others call it granite or quartzite?
What happens is a marketing game.
Granite and natural stone are the most desired countertops but as consumers become more aware of the difference among different types of stone, decorators and designers begin interchanging terms in order to associate Fantasy Brown with quartzite’s hardness and granite’s easy maintenance.
But what makes marble marble is how the rock is formed. Like all marbles, Fantasy Brown marble undergoes a metamorphic process when exposed to high pressure and temperatures that create the marble. But this Indian stone endures yet another natural process – dolomitization – that gives it a much harder composition than the white marble most people are familiar with. It also has higher levels of quartz in its composition which contributes to its hardness.
What you end up with is a marble that mimics the properties of other types of natural stone.
Warm and Dramatic Appearance
From a decorative standpoint, one knock against marbles is that they feel cold and stark to many people. White marbles with veins of black and gray are beautiful but seen as too formal and traditional for today’s modern kitchens.
Fantasy Brown marble has gained popularity thanks to its warmer shades that work well with warm and cool tones in a decorating palette. The vein coloring tends to be gray and white diagonal lines with a faint mix of other colors. Some stone lots will sell light and dark options that can run from cool silvers on the light end to chocolate brown on the dark end.
The level of variation with Fantasy Brown marble means you should definitely look at full slabs when selecting the pieces that will make up your countertops. Individual slabs can vary quite a bit in terms of how light or dark they are and how gray or brown their coloration.
Demands on Durability
We spend anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour every day in food preparation and cleanup. Few of us want to be worrying about damaging our countertops while we are chopping tomatoes or rolling out dough.
While stone is hard and strong, it isn’t indestructible. Heat, impact, and acids can be especially hard on marbles.
Like granite, marble is resistant to heat and requires sealing to ensure liquids do not seep in. However, it isn’t nearly as hard as granite, which means it is more susceptible to chips and scratches. Acidic liquids such as orange juice or tomato sauce can etch into the stone as well.
This is where Fantasy Brown shines over other marbles. It is harder, more durable, and more scratch-resistant compared to White Carrara, for example. But it is still marble and requires more care in use than granite or quartzite.
If you really want marble but use your kitchen a lot, consider adding a honed or leathered surface treatment to your Fantasy Brown. These can hide etching and scratches better than a polished surface.
Care and Maintenance
All natural stone requires maintenance to keep it looking beautiful. This generally means annual sealing of the stone to ensure a solid surface and prompt clean up of any spills.
Marble’s composition makes it naturally prone to stains even when sealed, so stains should be cleaned up quickly. With Fantasy Brown’s coloration, staining will be hidden better than with white marble.
For daily cleaning, non-abrasive dish soap and warm water are all that are needed. Rinse well and dry completely as leaving water on the countertop can cause etching. If you have a stain from coffee, wine, or food, you could try any of the various poultice recipes to get it out before resealing the marble.
Chips and scratches are inevitable with marble. Depending on the size and location, chips might be repairable. Etching and scratches could be sanded out, but both these are projects best left to professionals.
Good Choice for a Kitchen or Bathroom
Does Fantasy Brown marble make a good selection for a kitchen or bathroom? As we have discussed, marble countertops are not the most durable option, but they are among the most beautiful.
To decide if it is a good choice for your home, think about how often you cook, how careful you are in the kitchen, and whether slight scratches might bother you. The hardness of Fantasy Brown marble makes it a nice choice for the kitchen countertop if you’re sold on marble. With proper sealing and care, it will look great for years.
It might be the bathroom is a better location for you to take advantage of this beautiful stone. While there are still some acids to worry about such as mouthwash or aftershave, there are fewer risks to the stone. Because the bathroom tends to have fewer and smaller countertops than the kitchen, this is also a great place to use Fantasy Brown if the cost of marble is a concern.
Coordinate with Styles
Fantasy Brown’s popularity might have taken off thanks to it being a hard marble, but its versatility with color and style make it an option likely to stick around awhile.
With lots of neutral colors, this marble can work warm or cool color palettes equally well. It pairs nicely with dark brown cabinets or classic white painted ones. Pull out the peaches in the colors for a warmer look or the blues for a cooler style.
Marble is thought of as fairly traditional and certainly an ogee edge can reinforce that impression. However, it can take on a contemporary look with the choice of a square edge profile.
Installation and Cost for Fantasy Brown
Installing a Fantasy Brown marble countertop starts with transferring a template to the slab you have chosen, then cutting it to fit. The slab is finished around the edges and given a polished or textured finish. It is then set into place atop your countertops and secured.
Slabs can be tough to handle due to their weight and the cuts for openings. Check that you are using a reputable installer to handle the job for you.
Marble countertops have never been a cheap countertop option, but their classic look makes them worth the cost. Pricing for Fantasy Brown can run to $65 per square foot for the marble, and prices do fluctuate. When you talk to a supplier, make sure you pin down whether the price you’re quoted is just for the marble or if it includes installation.
Get Your New Countertop
Whether you are building a new kitchen or remodeling your existing one, don’t overlook Fantasy Brown Marble as a choice for the countertops. It’s versatile coloring and style work with many different kitchen designs, and with proper care, it should be a gorgeous focal point for years to come.
Have you decided to get new countertops, but a bit lost as to where to start? Our team of experts can answer your questions and help you pick your new countertop material. Contact us today to begin the process for your next project.