Marble
Ok, so it is finally time for that huge renovation you have been putting off for months! The kitchen cabinets have been ordered and are expected to arrive within the next 30 days! Now it is time to look for a countertop. Your contractor has sent you out to shop for your counters and you know for a fact you want a natural stone. You LOVE the look of marble. You want a beautiful white countertop with grey veining… but is it realistic? Yes! You can absolutely put marble in your kitchen, but you must first take a few things into consideration. I get so frustrated when I hear my clients say that they were told to stay away from marble if they express any desire of having it in their kitchen. Just think of all the gorgeous marble stone seen in beautiful vintage homes, on stair cases or in gorgeous columns in Italy (just to name a few). I have been in the stone industry for quite some time, so I have learned a great deal about natural stone along the way and I tend to geek out, talking about marble/granites/quartzites & soap stones! Before I get into why I think people should not completely disregard marble as an option, let’s first talk about the facts: It is true, marble is a very fragile material. Marble is an extremely porous and soft stone. So what does that mean? It means it can scratch very easy (so don’t throw your keys or drag those heavy cast iron pots across it) and can also stain. Etching can also occur on a marble. Etching is basically when any acidic liquid makes contact to the stone (lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, tomatoes, etc) and leaves a haze-like appearance. It sort of looks like water spots. So Diana… why in the world would I want marble in my kitchen? The KEY is making sure you stay on top of maintaining your stone. It is extremely important that your fabricator seals the stone upon installation and that you, the homeowner, continues to have it maintained/sealed every 6-8 months. And if you are going to invest in a gorgeous Italian stone, don’t cut costs on the sealer! My suggestion is to go with an impregnating sealer (one that soaks into the stone). There are many awesome sealers on the market and I will be posting a blog on that topic very soon! There is a ton of information just on sealers alone! It all boils down to this… and this is what I tell my clients… don’t eliminate it as an option from the beginning. My suggestion would be to evaluate how your family uses the space and whether or not you are ok with the maintenance. If you are a large family with little kids, then maybe it’s not the best option… but if you are a young couple with no children, or the kids are out of the home or you just don’t mind the upkeep, then I say go for it! No quartz can compare the the beauty and character of a marble! I have absolutely loved my marble countertops and it has held up just fine!
