Marble Countertops

Marble counter tops give a royal and regal feel to almost any kitchen or bathroom. The material is timeless in design and looks incredible when properly paired with the appropriate cabinetry and motif. Marble historically was only seen in majestic palaces and the mansions of the ultra wealthy. As the material was found in more quarries worldwide and lower cost producing countries became involved in the trade, marble countertops became more and more accessible to the mass market. There are specific thoughts to bear in mind when you are considering marble for the kitchen or bathroom for your home. First, marble is slightly less dense than granite. This means that it is more susceptible to breaking and chipping. It is strongly recommended that longer pieces be fabricated with reinforced fiber and underneath structures. This is a task of the fabricator and is dependent on their evaluation of the strength of the material relative to the length and underlying support structure. Additionally, marble is more porous than granite and this means that it should be properly sealed at your fabricator's location before being installed in your kitchen. Careful consideration should be made to consistently re-seal your countertops once a year. Marble countertops can and will stain as a result of wine, acids, oils, and preventative measures are really important.

From a design perspective, there are several considerations when selecting marble. First, marble is a classic material that works well with cottage style design, traditional white cabinetry, farm house sinks, and even modern cabinetry with earth tones. It works well with organic colored cabinets and pastels across the color palette. However, there are medium and dark stained cabinets that will not work well with marble countertops. Specifically, any cabinetry which has strong random graining should be avoided. That means mahogany, oak, and possibly birch woods should be avoided if they are stained cabinets. If they are painted in solid colors, the design problems will not be an issue. The reason is that marble has natural gray or pink veining running throughout. These natural variations can create too much of a distraction if the cabinet's present similar variations.

Additionally, most consumers think of marble countertops as being a white surface with gray veins. It is important to note that most of the marble found in the United States market can come from one of four sources: Brazil, China, Western Europe, or the Tennessee / Kentucky region. Brazilian and Western European marble will generally have grey veins. Chinese marble will have pink and even red tones with respect to its vein colors. American marble will typically have grey and pink veins. As a result, it is very important that if a large area such as a kitchen is being fabricated that the same batch from the same country of origin be used.

Finally, it is important to note that accent door hardware used with marble should be key to more muted designs. Typically, the best door hardware for use with marble countertops will be satin nickel or stainless steel hardware. Loud colors for knobs will only take away from the beautiful and simple message which this material is known for. Remember that marble was considered by kings and queens in their castles and royalty would never distract from this beauty with red or blue door knobs!

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