Royal tombs in Ancient Egypt. Greco-Roman architecture. Structures like Westminister Abbey and the Taj Mahal.
These seemingly unrelated 2020 tourist locations all are unique, but they have one thing in common: they use marble as a core part of their construction.
If you’re interested in bringing a bit of this classic beauty to your home, marble countertops are a great choice. The material is as beautiful as the structures it’s been used for since the early days of human history, which makes it the perfect option for any home.
Read on to learn some of the advantages of marble countertops and how you can choose the perfect slab for your kitchen!
Why Marble Countertops?
Because marble has been used for such a long time, the material has come to be associated with high-class beauty. It’s smooth, cool, and shines in both natural and artificial light.
It also has rich organic patterns that go well with any decor scheme. For antique-style kitchens, you can pair a classic black-and-white swirled marble with heavy oak cabinets and rich, deeply-colored walls. Contemporary kitchens can use sleek marble that’s mostly black or white to create minimalist decor schemes with stainless steel cabinets and solid tile flooring.
Basically, the possibilities are limitless!
They Come in Multiple Styles
This versatility is only made greater when you consider that there are a wide variety of marble styles.
If you prefer classic marble that looks like what would be used in the Roman Colosseum, Calacatta Black might be the right choice. This Italian stone is incredibly balanced due to its white background and stark black veining. Combine this aesthetic with the fact that there are some gray undertones near the veins and you have the perfect classic marble variety.
If you have a minimalist aesthetic, Black Marquina or Absolute White marble will work wonders in your kitchen. These styles are made up primarily of one hue.
Black marble looks awesome in a mostly-white room with stainless steel accents, while if you have black cabinets or tile flooring, you may prefer white countertops. It’s all about contrast!
You also can choose your marble based on whether you want a warm or cool vibe in your kitchen. If you use blue or green in the rest of your decor, you may like our Sydney Blue varieties. On the flip side, yellow and orange kitchens may be accented well by Dolce Vita marble.
Make sure that you use lighting appropriately! Creamier marble looks best with soft lighting (or, even better, natural light from windows or skylights). Marble with cool gray undertones or blueish accents goes well with fluorescent lighting that shines on the surface more directly.
They’re Affordable
You may have heard in the past that marble countertops are too expensive to use in the home, but this is far from the truth. In fact, since it occurs naturally, marble generally costs less than synthetic stone varieties.
Of course, the exact marble countertop cost depends on how thick and wide you want your slab to be. However, a marble slab will often cost less than its granite or quartz counterparts!
They’re Durable
You likely have heard that marble isn’t as durable as quartz or granite, and this is absolutely true. It stains more easily and is more likely to crack if you bang on it. This makes it less ideal for chopping vegetables and trying to open well-corked bottles of wine.
However, this isn’t to say that marble isn’t a durable surface. In fact, the National Association of Home Builders has reported that marble can last 100 years if it’s sealed appropriately!
The main durability feature that marble has a leg up on over other materials is heat resistance. If you cook a lot and want to place pots and pans directly on your countertops, marble is the right stone for you. It won’t burn or soften too much when extreme heat is applied. In fact, it’s fireproof- but we don’t recommend testing this out for yourself.
They’re Versatile
Another unique aspect of marble countertops is that they have many applications that other materials do not. While the porous nature of marble makes it harder to maintain than synthetic quartz, the porousness gives it many additional advantages that other materials don’t have.
One of the biggest pros of marble is that it remains naturally cool. This makes it perfect for storing fruits and vegetables on. It also allows you to roll dough, pastries, and even ice cream while keeping them cool. Since other materials get too hot to do this on warmer days, marble is the right choice for those that enjoy cooking.Â
They Last a Long Time
We aren’t going to lie: marble is one of the more difficult surface types to maintain. Its porousness means that it’s more likely to absorb spilled liquids and stains than other materials are. Luckily, this can be prevented by applying a stain-proof sealant every couple of years. This isn’t difficult, but it’s time-consuming and is something that you wouldn’t need to do with other materials.
There’s a positive side to this, though: frequent maintenance gives you the opportunity to check up on your countertops and make sure that there are no cracks, dents, or major stains that need repair.
Maintenance also makes the countertops more durable so that they can last for 10+ years. The money that you spend on sealant is nothing compared to the cost of replacement every couple of years!
How to Choose the Perfect Countertop
Choosing a kitchen countertop is always a challenge. This is especially the case with materials as versatile as marble.
That’s why it’s important to be informed about the selection process. Knowing what to do can help you to make more informed decisions about your decor and the way that your countertops interact with the rest of your space!
Consider Your Specific Needs
To choose the perfect countertop, you’ll need to consider what you want to get out of it. If you want something that won’t scratch at all, marble-look quartz or granite may be the better option for you. However, if having an authentic material is more important and you (correctly) believe that scratches add character, marble is a great choice.
Regardless, marble is perfect for those who need countertops in areas that they don’t use for chopping veggies. Most kitchens have multiple counters, so you can easily get a more durable stone for places that you chop. You can then get marble for the countertops closest to your oven so that you have a quick surface to move pots and pans to after taking them off the burner.
This countertop can be used for multiple purposes- dough kneading, working with raw meat, and many more. In no way will your space go to waste!
Look Into Your Options
The next thing you need to do is look into the many options that are available to you. Browsing Pinterest and Google Images aren’t bad ideas, but it’s even better when you can look at the countertop slabs that are actually available to you.
On our website, you can look at dozens of different marble varieties that are ready to be installed ASAP. You can also check out the edging options for your favorite slabs. Whether you prefer beveled, eased, or pencil edges, there’s definitely something that can be worked into your aesthetic.
Take a look at the decor in your kitchen and determine whether you have more organic shapes or geometric ones. You can make your choice based on these findings!
You also can browse and compare photos in our gallery and see what those with similar kitchen layouts to you have done. This will help you to make more informed decisions by giving you an idea of what the final product may look like.
Talk to a Professional
If you find that you need help deciding on a countertop, our specialists are always happy to help. The same applies if you want to talk about the cost or the installation process after making your decision.
Make a list of questions that you have and reach out. This will help the process go more quickly and efficiently.
Get Started
While there are many materials that you can choose from for kitchen and bathroom countertops, none have stood the test of time in the same way as marble.
Now that you know all about marble countertops, it’s time to begin the selection and installation process. Contact us with any remaining questions that you may have about this beautiful and durable material. We’re happy to help you select the perfect marble slab for all your household needs, so we look forward to hearing from you soon!
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