COTE DE TEXAS: White Marble For the Kitchen, Yes or No?

White Marble For the Kitchen, Yes or No?


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A quarry in Carrara Italy – the quarry is so vast the trucks look like ants.

My nephew and niece are in the process of buying an older house and asked me to join them on an outing to pick out some kitchen appliances and countertops.   My niece is heavily involved on Pinterest, the hottest thing in internet interior design – so she’s up on all the trends.  Their kitchen is rather plain, with simple white cabinets and white Corian.   Thankfully it has beautiful white subway tiles for the backsplash.  The floor is tiled, but that will be changed to dark hardwoods.   Together they bought a new stainless dishwasher to replace the white faced one that is currently there, and a new range.  The space for the range is small, just 30”, and originally they wanted a fancy chef’s one like Wolf.   But, we found one that actually has two ovens (one is small) and was very price friendly – so they grabbed that, forgetting all about the Wolf range. 
The problem came with the countertop choice.   My niece wanted white marble, but was trying to talk herself into granite.  We looked at the lighter granites and the faux stones like Silestone, but when you want white marble, well….nothing else will do.   We went to a stone yard (Colours of the Rainbow, if you live in Houston) and they had the most gorgeous slabs of Calacatta Ora and I was immediately salivating.   When I had wanted white marble, it took six months for me to find a pretty slab, and here, we struck gold on the first stop.  My niece however had her heart set on Carrara marble and her eye took her to those slabs.  As you probably know, Carrara marble today is no longer the marble it once was.  It’s more gray without the heavily defined veining that is so beautiful.  I tried to explain to her that her kitchen was plain and a gorgeous piece of marble would really give it some substance.  She felt it was just too much,  too beautiful, too dressy, and would look out of place.   Who’s right?   And then there was the price.  The Calacatta was around $54, while the Carrara was someone in the $12 range.   Needless to say, the Carrara slab won out. 
 
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Close-up view of the Carrara quarry.
Still, the discussion of the marble was not over when the question came up – is white marble really practical in a kitchen?   Yes, that age old question.  Doesn’t white marble stain?   I’ve had my marble countertops for almost three years now and I have to say, I don’t have any stains at all.  But, what I do have are a few smudges.   You can’t really see them unless you look sideways in the sunlight – and then you might notice that there are – for lack of a better word – smudges.  These spots look like clear water dried on the marble.   I know that I all I need to do is get the marble cleaned and resealed again, but truthfully, these few marks don’t bother me at all.   But, if you are a fanatic about pristine surfaces, white marble might not be for you.  The amazing thing about Colours of the Rainbow is that they actually guarantee their marble for 15 years.   Any stains will be removed, free, and if they can’t be removed, the slab will be replaced.   Amazing.  I don’t have that guarantee, as I didn’t buy my slabs there, unfortunately.
 
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A huge piece of Statuary marble before fabrication.  

When I was debating whether to get marble for my kitchen – and how practical it was -  I contacted interior designer and blogger Erika Powell from Urban Grace HERE.   Erika designs beautiful kitchens in the Florida panhandle using mostly white marble countertops.   The first thing she said was to be sure to get honed marble only.   The notorious problems with white marble comes with the polished slabs – certain juices and foods will etch through the polish.    Honed is the only way to go if you want to use white marble in your kitchen.  Period.   Marble is a soft stone, softer than granite and is is absorbent, which can cause the staining.  Today, there are so many products like cleaners, impregnators and sealers on the market that are vastly improved over what was available years ago.  These products are engineered to overcome the softness and absorbency factor of marble.  
One last thing that Erika said finally convinced me to go with the white marble.   She directed me to a web site where the writer conducted numerous tests on white marble.  It’s a fabulous primer on what stains and what doesn’t.   Watching this video gave me the confidence to go ahead with my plans.  To watch this video, go HERE
 
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No, I have no idea who that man is!  But just look at the human scale of the Carrara quarry.  Amazing!
I’ve been so happy with my white marble.  I absolutely love the way it looks and feels – it’s smooth and cool to the touch, something that is especially nice in hot Houston.   No other countertop would have made me as happy as my slabs of Calacatta marble.    When I was debating the pros and cons, I kept thinking about Italy and all the white marble that has been on that country’s floors and countertops for centuries.  How bad could it be, I thought?   While the marble is not as pristine as a granite, I can live with the patina it's developed.  With proper care and periodical resealing, I expect my countertops to look fabulous until the day we sell our house.    In the end, you have to decide whether you love the marble so much, nothing else will do.  My niece realized that she felt this way and nothing, no granite or Corian or Silestone was going to change her mind.  
 
There are several popular white marbles available on the market now.  Here is a breakdown of those -
compliments of Things That Inspire:
Carrara  - white and gray marble, though today, Carrara has a very gray background and indistinct veining. 
Statuary – a ‘sister’ marble to Carrara that has a brighter white background and vivid gray veining.  
Calacatta – gray and subtle gold veining, with crisp white background
Calacatta Oro (or Calacatta Gold) – large flakes, subtle goldish or rusty brown veins
Calacatta Gold Extra – whites, grays, light gold ribbon veining
 
 
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My Calacatta marble has areas of veining – but I do wish it had more.   I opted to use the marble as a backsplash too – the more the better. 
 
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This gorgeous island with white marble, white cabinets, and gray subway tiles is paired with dark wood hardwoods, a look I particularly like.
 
 
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Another kitchen with dark hardwoods and white marble.  This slab looks polished to me.  While polished marble is so gorgeous, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are particularly neat and diligent.   Juices will etch through the polish. Remember, honed marble is recommended, not polished.
 
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I love white marble on islands when paired with honed, black granite.   I also love the absence of cabinets over the sink allowing wide casement windows instead.  What a cute kitchen!
 
 
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White marble mixed with a limestone floor.   Be careful when pairing these two products that the limestone isn’t too creamy.   Look for whitish limestone when using white marble.  Pretty heavy wood beams add texture and weight to the kitchen.
 
 
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This was a reader’s kitchen from a few months ago – it is a total redo.  She paired Carrara marble with black granite and white subway tiles.  Notice  how she encased her refrigerator in cabinetry so that it looks built in.   That’s a great trick to minimize the awkwardness of oversized refrigerators when true built in ones are too expensive.
 
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Black cabinetry on the island mixed with gorgeous white marble.  This marble does look polished, though.  The owner actually just contacted me and said the marble is honed.  She's a blogger - Porchlight Interiors - see more of her house here:  http://porchlightinteriors.blogspot.com/


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Honed Carrara – notice the difference between this and the marble in the kitchen above.  Carrara has a gray background with indistinct gray veining and it is a more subtle look.  It is much, much cheaper than the highly veined Calacatta Ora. 

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All white kitchen – cabinets, walls, and countertops.   Gorgeous marble – could be Statuary, older Carrara or Calacatta – it’s hard to be sure.
 
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What a great idea – behind the range -  instead of tiles,  install a large piece of marble.  This really shows off the distinctive veining.  Another beautiful element is the absence of overhead cabinets, allowing casement windows to take their place.   The dark hardwoods ground the room and provide a nice contrast to all the white.

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This looks like Calacatta Ora marble.  Beautiful, beautiful window and double farm sink.   The marble backsplash really shows off its distinctive veining.  I’d be smiling too if this was my kitchen!


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The same kitchen as above, looking from a different direction.  The entire area behind the range is one slab of the Calacatta Ora marble.  Stunning.   I love the mix of the contemporary bar stools with the classic cabinetry.   This is truly a beautiful kitchen, just perfect!


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I showed this kitchen previously – I love the silver collection and the pewter collection used in this kitchen.  Notice the pendant lights that look like pewter.    The cabinets are a mix of light gray and stark white.   Gorgeous.  
 
 
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This kitchen has a marble island and what looks like a custom table made out of the same slab.  Shiny white subway tile is used as a backsplash.  Notice the gray tone of the stone on the floor – much better than using a creamy toned limestone.   The floor looks like Carrara marble which is why it blends so well.


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Something to consider when using marble is the edge.  I prefer the straight edge like this .  Also,  I love when using the three widths of marble on the edge.  It makes the marble look so thick, but of course, it’s all an optical illusion.  Some people prefer the simply one thickness edge. 

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Another good idea – have your fabricator make a farm sink for you.   It’s it beautiful?
 
 
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From France – white limestone walls provide a rustic backdrop to contemporary cabinetry.   The marble is used as the backsplash and on one piece of cabinetry.  Other countertops here are stainless.

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Architect Steve Giannetti of Velvet and Linen blog designed this kitchen.  Notice how the marble is on the backsplash only.   When I saw this kitchen today, it looked familiar…
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Last week’s Readers Kitchen looks similar to Giannetti’s design in several ways.   I think this is a great example of how you can find a picture of a room you like and copy several elements, yet still change it up enough so that you own room looks original.   I have NO idea if the owner used this kitchen as an inspiration, but I would guess that she might have.      The range on the back wall becomes the focal point, yet the reader used the less expensive map instead of the marble slab as a backsplash.   Since there are no windows – and since the reader wanted to preserve privacy – she used Giannetti’s glass cabinets as a way to let in much needed light.   Pendant lights hang over both islands and both kitchens used the same chairs.  Using pictures to determine what you like and what you want is still a great way to formulate a design or remodeling.   Remember, the reader couldn’t find a slab of Calacatta marble so she used this beautiful Statuary marble instead.   The shelves are marble, also.

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This kitchen used a mixture of elements – the white marble, stainless, pecky cypress wood and slate.  The rustic wood keeps the kitchen from being too contemporary by adding natural texture.  Notice she used a triple width straight edge.

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Another range with a background of Calacatta marble.   Here, the marble was taken all the way up right under the cabinets for a seamless look.  I also love how the bottom cabinets are a soft gray – I am hoping my niece will paint her cabinets a soft gray to create interest against the white walls. 

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A beautiful Californian eat-in kitchen.  This marble is very subtle – it probably is Carrara.   Notice how the owners used a slab behind the range but did not pull the backsplash marble all the up to the bottom of the cabinets as did the kitchen before.   They saved money by doing this, but, it looks bad, IMO.   Had they used the marble up the walls, it would have been stunning. 


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In Betty Lou Phillips own kitchen she used white Carrara marble cut into subway tiles.  She then mixed the marble subway tiles with a black granite.  I love how the granite is shaped behind the sink, providing a focal point.   Notice too how the white marble tiles were used up to the ceiling.  WOW.  Gorgeous!!    The tiles are cheaper than the slabs so this is a more feasible way to stretch the marble look.   Notice, too, how the shelves are made of marble.  They look so beautiful. 

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Houstonian interior designer Sally Wheat put Carrara, or it could be Statuary, marble on the island in this kitchen.  She  mixed the marble with countertops made of concrete.    I love the gray cabinets and the two lanterns over the table. 

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In this showhouse, Houstonian Maria Tracy used white marble on the island which was custom built to look like an antique shop cabinet.  The tiles on the backsplash can be either antique or reproductions, similar concrete tiles can be found at Chateau Domingue.  I must say this slab looks polished – I hope the owners are careful.   Remember, honed white marble is the most practical way to use the product.  The highly polished marble will etch and not hold up as well as the honed stone.


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In this Seattle home, interior designer Jane Wood used an antique shop cabinet for the island.   Like the kitchen before, it was topped with white marble, but this slab is honed.  I love the glass that was put in the doors of the cabinet.

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This gorgeous slab of marble is used behind the range AND on the range, something I have never seen before.   But, it’s a beautiful custom application of the marble.    Notice the marble molding at the very top of the hood, too!


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In an English country manor house, the kitchen was created out of a spare room.  Statuary marble was used to create the sink cabinet.  So stunning.

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This bar has a Carrara sink and Carrara subway tiles.   This is a very elegant look as opposed to the more plain farmsink, but it is a perfect way to dress up a bar.

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In this small kitchen Jane Wood chose to put the white marble on top of a garden table which is used as both an island and a bar. 

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Another bar using honed marble with highly defined veining. This showhouse was designed by Tami Owens, Houston HERE. 

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Steve Giannetti used a marble slab in this master bathroom and then tiled the walls in the Carrara subway size.   Next, he used tiny mosaic sized marble to create a mat underneath the bathtub!!!   I love Steven’s kitchens and bathrooms.

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OMG!!!  This shower is just too pretty for words.  It looks like they used two slabs to cover the shower walls.  The large antique mirror is an usual choice, but I love it!!!   So European.  Dark brown hardwoods look pretty in bathrooms when used with the white marble. 
My niece is planning to use hardwoods in her bathroom, along with subway tiles on the walls.   The sink’s countertop will be the left over Carrara from the kitchen.   I am hoping they choose the Carrara subway tile for the walls.  What a difference it will make.

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White marble is used on the sink counters and around the tub.  In the mirror, you can see that the shower is lined with marble subway tile.  Another oversized antique mirror is a surprise.  The floor is an unstained wood – in keeping with the Belgian like décor of the house.  Jane Moore.

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Renea Abbott of Shabby Slips of Houston used what looks like three marble slabs for this shower.  I love how the slab becomes the half wall dividing the shower from the tub.   The floor looks like tiny Carrara tiles.  Again the heavy wood beams add texture and weight to this room. 

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No telling how many slabs were used in this bathroom!  The arches are defined by the white marble, and the walls are covered in slabs.  This marble is incredible.   So European!

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In Shabby Chic’s Rachel Ashwell’s own bathroom, she used slabs of marble on the walls.  This picture really gives you a good idea of what Carrara marble looks like today:  very gray background, with little to no distinct veining.   If I ever remodeled my bathroom, I would install a towel warmer.   Again, this bathroom looks very European to me. 


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And, I would use sinks like these if I ever remodeled.  Betty Lou Phillips own guest bath has walls of Carrara subway tiles and small tiles of the same on the floor.  Whimsical bathmats were created out of tile.



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Instead of subway tiles, a slab was used behind the sinks on the walls.   Gorgeous sinks.  Notice the molding is marble too.   Such a rich, elegant bathroom – why wasn’t a correct sized bench used?   Details, details.



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Calacatta marble – with its distinctive veining and crisp white background.  My favorite marble.

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Calacatta Ora – you can see the goldish veining.  Sometimes the gold actually looks rusty orange.  Still, a beautiful marble. 

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Carrara C – which stands for Carrara China.  Lately slabs from Carrara are being shipped to China for fabricating.    It’s much cheaper for the Chinese to do the fabricating but the weakened global economy has wrecked havoc on the centuries old Italian marble business.    Fabricating shop after shop in Italy are being closed due to this  situation.     Here you can see though, the way Carrara has changed over the years – the background is gray and the veining is indistinct. 

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And a Statuary slab with white background and rich, thick veining.
 
Picking marble vs. granite or whatever surface you want in your kitchen is truly a matter of personal preference.   I just happen to prefer the white Calacatta marble for the kitchen.  Who knows what my favorite will be in ten years?  Maybe it will always be this.   I’m excited to see how my niece’s kitchen changes with the addition of the Carrara marble, the dark hardwoods, the stainless appliances, the white subway backsplash and the new bin hardware.   Now, I don’t know that she will pick out bin pulls, but I have a feeling those are the ones she will like.   I think the choice she makes in hardware will probably be harder than the choice of marble.   She’s set her mind on it and with her 15 year guarantee, she really has nothing to be concerned with.  Even without that guarantee, the marble will remain stain free as long as she takes care of it and has it cleaned and resealed periodically.  
 
While looking for pictures of kitchens, I came across an article I wrote for the blog on design elements in kitchens.  If you are in the middle of planning a kitchen redo or planning a new house, you might want to read this story HERE if you never have before.  It shows many different kitchen styles and what elements to use to achieve that look.
 
 
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Since we’ve been looking at different barn doors, all of a sudden I am seeing them everywhere!  This reader took a tour of Bunny Williams country house and sent me her pictures to see.  Visit her web site  to see all the pictures from that day.  But here, at the famous former barn turned family room, you can the see what probably are the original barn doors!

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These barn doors are somewhat different than the others, but here they hide the TV in a Belgian inspired home.

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And in Houston, these barn doors again hide the TV.  These also look original.

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And finally, a blogger, Vreeland Road, wrote me to share her story about all her favorite Texan designers.   The story is interesting and I really loved it because we share a love of many designers!!!     To read the article, go  HERE.    ENJOY!!!


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SSSH:   I have several wonderful giveaways coming up in the next few weeks!!!  Wonderful ones!!!

261 comments :

  1. What an informative post and so much eye candy! Thank you.

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

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  2. Just reading through your blog Jonie and noticed you featured my kitchen on one of the images, Thank you.
    We have just had this featured in an Australian magazine and i have had so many enquiries about the marble. We used the calacutta and it has been honed, it does look quite shiny in the photo. I have to say that i absolutely love it and would definitely use it again. It's an age old stone used throughout Europe for centuries and that really appeals to me.
    Hayley xx

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  3. Oh this had my heart racing! I am a marble fanatic, I literally LOVED and anticiipated going to the various marble yards we had to visit just to see the different marbles...crazy huh? It is SO beautiful. I am a big fan of all white marble but Calacutta Gold has my heart all the way.....we searched an searched and finally found the most devine lot! I am soooo exciteda about putting it in my kitchen and I am not mixing, nope..going all the way and doing bricks out of it for the backsplash. I am so excited. This was a fabulously done post, I enjoyed and savored each and every image, your kitchen is gorgeous!

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  4. So many looks to consider. I am not yet ready for a kitchen redo but I am terrified of marble counters. I actually cook in my kitchen. It is a hardworking room and may need Corian counters and marble backsplash, otherwise I predict a stain in the first 5 minutes.

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  5. All those images are just crazy gorgeous!!!!!!!

    Jennifer

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  6. JONI! Wow...I feel I have a PHd in Marble now! We had a carrerra marble table top for years (the old carrera)honed...It did get some stains, or smudges as you say...but just aded to the patina in my opine!

    Some great kitchens you posted...it was nice to see some that weren't cookie cutter...I particularly like the marble behind the ranges...and as tiles!

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  7. I LOVE the look of Carrera in our Master Bath, but those barley detectable spots from shaving cream and contact solution still irritate me.

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  8. What an education on white marble! Thanks so much! xoxo

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  9. I think your niece just needs to go with what her heart is telling her. Personally I'm not a fan of all the white and why bother with something that might stain we went with soapstone something tried and true. No staining, stands the test of time and only gets better looking with time. So as you can see I'm not the best judge of all white since I like a touch of black.

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  10. So much marble! I really feel your love for marble.
    I chose white quartz, going with a more modern look.
    My counters will be in next week and I cannot wait to send you my before and after.
    pve

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  11. Gosh I loved this post Joni. I bookmarked it too, so much great info along with serious eye candy.

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  12. Joni are you on Pintrest? I admit I've become mega-obsessed this summer. You can follow me at: http://pinterest.com/epdemw/

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  13. Hi Joni, I love my marble! We didn't want the whole kitchen in marble, so went with soapstone on the counters but used the Calacatta polished and gorgeous, I might add, on our small island. Yes, it has a couple of "imperfections" it has achieved over time. But they make it more beautiful to me! If your niece and nephew are young and considering children, I especially love the marble! Mine has seen pounds of cookie dough being rolled out ... my girls think they are on some sort of cooking show! It has taken a beating and has really risen to the task and still looks magnificent.

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  14. Good eye on the Steve Gianetti look-alike kitchen.

    She absolutely used Steve's design as her inspiration, in fact she contacted him for ordering information for those chairs.

    One thing that (still) bothers me though about that kitchen (yes, even days later) she had that beautiful mural over the sink that was so carefully planned out, and then they put those shelves over it. The horror.

    I'm still reeling.

    I love so many of these kitchens. I'll be pinning away onto my "Kitchens to Aaaah over" Pinboard. Are you pinning? Find me:
    www.pinterest.com/thedesignjunkie

    xo

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  15. Hi Joni! I done white marble in several of my renovation projects and just LOVE it! Clients tell me they learn to love the "patina." We always go with a honed finish on natural stone.

    In my newest project, I am thinking of doing something different. Well, not sooo different, but thinking of doing butcher block, maple or walnut tops. Whats are your thoughts or those from other readers?

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  16. When you see so many beautiful examples of the real thing, how can anyone choose the faux? I especially like the french kitchen with the limestone walls.
    Kathi

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  17. Hi Joni,
    Wonderful post with so much marble eye candy. I have had my marble for almost 2 years and yes it does have a few "smudges" as you call them but have had no problems with staining. I do feel that the patina adds to the warmth of the kitchen.
    Thank you for the comparison of my kitchen to the Gianetti's, I take it as a high complement as I love their work. I did not see their kitchen until mine was almost complete, so similarities are coincidental. However the stools were completely sourced from that kitchen and Brooke was so nice to share her source with me.
    Susie

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  18. Joni I adore beautifully veined carrerra marble, a classic forever! As always it is a very personal choice!

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

    I hope you will join my amazing Giveaway from the Jose Esteves Collection at Interieurs!

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  19. I have Carrara on my entry floor and on my bathroom counter and I love it. For some reason I am afraid of it in teh kitchen,only because I really use my kitchen now, worry free!! I love the look though and would love to be able to use it in my kitchen. I guess I am too practical and worried about staining. I love all the above examples and you have given us some great food for thought!!
    Kathysue

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  20. Joni, When is your book coming out , seriously? I completely devour your posts . You are such a great teacher/designer. You are a devoted blogger to do so much research , photos included. Thank you for sharing your love of design! I appreciate you so much:)

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  21. Thank you for this post , I am planning my new kitchen in our new dream home as we speak , I have lots of great photos to inspire me , so many choices , you'll love this , my daughters get their own bathrooms in the new house , which is amazing , and my 10 year old asked right away if she can have marble for her bathroom counter , how funny is that , a little girl with great taste....if I could afford it , I would have marble in a second for my kitchen

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  22. Joni - another knock out post. Thank you so much !!

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  23. Joni,
    For those of us who are bored with granite, I love your advice--if you are a person who does not tolerate imperfections well, then maybe marble is not for you.
    I loved the look, but did not want to risk marble everywhere for a cooked-in kitchen, so I put marble on the island, with soapstone on the heavily used perimeter and around the range. So far, so good. Rolling out pastry on the island is now a dream and the look seemed perfect for my situation.
    This post is a great education and nspiration for the many ways to use marble!

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  24. When I redid my city kitchen a couple years ago, I used Calacatta for the counters and the area above the Wolf stove. The kitchen gets heavy use, and there has never been any problem whatsoever with stains, etc. -- with one small exception. The Wolf oven throws up fumes and grease on its way to the hood, and some of it tends to find its way to the marble slab behind the stove. If you can live with this, and clean it when it needs to be done, I'd say go ahead. Otherwise, use tile, stainless steel, etc.

    BTW, I put all black granite in my country kitchen about a decade ago. Now I'm thinking hard about replacing the granite with Calacatta. (Granite needs maintenance, too. People sometimes forget that.)

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  25. Loved this post! So much information, I just wish I'd chosen marble over the granite when we did our kitchen about 5 years ago. So beautiful, regardless of which one you choose. Loved it!

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  26. Wonderful post. Beautiful photos. I love white marble, I wish I had it, instead of falling into the granite trap.

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  27. Great post!
    I have black granite on my counter tops and was thinking of a lighter color for the island which has not been built yet. This gives me some great insight as to what that may look like and I think it would be beautiful if I went with the marble on the island but I can't decide for sure still. haha Decisions..decisions.

    I went with the black granite because I had lighter colored counter tops before the reno and I hated that they stained easily. Kids spilling drinks of all sorts and such on them made them a real pain. I do love the black granite so I'm very happy with them and paired with white cabinets and a light gray paint for the walls looks pretty darn good to me.

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  28. I am with your niece...if you know what you what, you know what you want! Marble is just beautiful and timeless. Great post!

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  29. GREAT post. I have had honed and polished white marble in my last two kitchens and neither stained (with 3 kids and lots of red wine:) But both have etched. As tomato or fruit juices run off a cutting board...you will have some etching but that is life. It doe not bother me and the etching shows up less on the honed marble. Although ALL of the bathrooms (even the kids) in our house have white marble countertops and they are polished and so far (3 years) so good...no stains or etching.

    I really ought to have you over for brunch someday Joni. We live so close. Although, i would be nervous because my house is not magazine beautiful but it is family of 5...lived in...work in progress... beautiful:)

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  30. i say white white white
    and calcutta is my absolute fave.
    xx

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  31. Enjoyed this Joni. Our home, if all goes according to plan, will be sold next year. I am storing away ideas for our next, much smaller home.

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  32. Beautiful kitchens. I love any kind of white marble, calacutta is my fave. I specify natural stones every day, but I have always had a hard time convincing the northern Houston crowd to go with marble. I did it in a bathroom I just completed, posted on my blog now. I was so glad we were able to go with the white marble, but it's a harder sell in the kitchen. I'll send them all a link to this post!

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  33. wow--Joni, you never disappoint! I love this post - I'm drooling! I have soapstone countertops. Now I wish I had marble countertops or I wish I had at least mixed in some marble as some of your
    readers have posted. thanks for all these wonderful photos and information!

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  34. Great post!! Loved looking at all the gorgeous pictures!

    I do have to say though....the one kitchen that looked bad to you because the owners didn't take the marble all the way up to the cabinets was a tad bit hurtful. We are currently building a house and doing the same thing in our kitchen with our marble. The reason for us wasn't to save money, but because we have brackets under our cabinets & our Houston kitchen designer (Kirk Craig) suggested we do it that way. I completely trust his opinion since he's by far one of the best around!
    Just thought I'd throw that out there. Some people have reasons for certain"bad" designs. :)

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  35. What a wonderful post! So much information and gorgeous photos.

    We just remodeled our kitchen and chose a beautiful natural stone called Mother of Pearl Quartzite. It is not white. It is gray with white and black and a tiny pit of taupe veining. We had it honed. It looks like marble, but is supposed to have some of the tougher qualities of granite. We love it. And it appears to be very forgiving (we had it for a number of months now) and carefree.

    Thanks for this post. I really enjoyed it.

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  36. I forgot to mention.. We also used slabs of the quartzite for the backsplashes and behind the Wolf range. It is a beautiful look to use all stone in these areas.

    We have a carrara marble countertop in our master bath of our farmhouse. It has been quite touchy and does etch--which made me choose something else for the countertops in our city kitchen.

    In our farmhouse kitchen we have soapstone, which I ilove. In our guesthouse kitchen, we have zinc countertops. I do NOT recommend zinc for an everyday kitchen. It scratches and etches--which is ok for a rustic look kitchen in a log house, which ours is.

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  37. I honored to have my kitchen (the 4th kitchen photo) included in this post!! The countertops are actually Soapstone (not black granite.) The island marble is honed Biano Venatino which has bold veining.
    I have adored the marble and after 2.5 years have never had a single thing stain it (and it is heavily used;). It does "etch", but I have found that Bar Keepers Friends works great on getting those out. My marble was sealed at installation, and I haven't (nor will I) re-sealed it since.

    I think marble gets a really bad rap. From my experience it is an easy keeper. I think it unfortunate that so many people are talked out of it by uninformed sales people. I totally agree with you Joni, if you need any proof of its durablity look to Italy and France who have used it for hundreds of years.

    joan

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  38. Joni,
    Wonderful examples, always wanted marble countertops too afraid to go for it. Maybe honed is the answer. On another subject many of these kitchens have beautiful white (or almost white walls) Do you have any favorite whites that don't look too stark? We are considering painting our yellow walls a white with a ting of grey or blue but its a very hard decision. Any ideas? Thanks

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  39. We are currently putting carrera in our kitchen and were all set to put in honed, but fell in love with the glint of the polished at the stone warehouse. We talked to the owner about our concerns, and he said that to get honed marble finish is created by acid, so if our polished stone doesn't look good in a few years to just rub vinegar over the finish and that will create the honed look?!? He said you can go from polished to honed, but never the other way!

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  40. I LOVE marble. My mother had a few pieces (such as a dresser & an entry table) with marble tops that she inherited from her grandparents that I swooned over growing up.

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  41. Such an informative article on white marble--just in time for me. I'm this close to ripping out the granite in my kitchen. The problem is my cabinets are too creamy, so I'm vacillating between black soapstone or cararra. Since Bonnie was here, I want to re-do everything!

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  42. joni, you've outdone yourself! super post!

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  43. This is absolutely the best post ever!! I could look at these beautiful pictures all day long. There is nothing more perfect than a white kitchen or bathroom with white marble counter tops, and all the little touches make them even better, like the silver collections displayed so nicely, glass doors on the cabinets, crown moulding, farmhouse sinks, and hardwood floors. Nicely done Joni, thank you for the inspiration today!

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  44. Really ironic you posted this. My husband and I are about to remodel my parents 1910 hotel in south Texas. I've planned to do the white marble, grey cabinets thing (French influence) but he is totally fighting me. He is a chef by trade and keeps saying how over time the marble will become ruined with the all the messes of cooking. It also doesn't help that his home contractor brother (in Houston) is telling him to go with granite instead of marble. I read him your blog and he just keeps shaking his head. One way or another I'm getting marble in our kitchen!! Just have to satisfy him somehow. Men can be pains!

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  45. This was terrific! Thanks so much Joni! I would love a little story about built-in vs not fridges. I'm not sure what exactly the difference is. I'm in the market for a new fridge, so I'd love a story on the topic!

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  46. Well, I hope that you will keep this comment even though it is a bit controversial (and yes, I am an avid fan of your blog!).

    It is important to keep in mind the human toll that marble mining costs. It is an extremely deadly profession, certainly in countries such as India and China where the mines are largely unregulated. Accidents happen, families are left with nothing. Those that survive frequently die from a young age due to the havoc that the marble dust creates in their lungs.

    Just food for thought. Even if someone COULD afford to pave a kitchen counter with diamonds, they probably would hesitate to do so because of the current awareness of the dangers in that industry. The same is true for marble in many areas of the world.

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  47. What a great source of information. Of course the images are gorgeous, but I will file this away for reference for when I EVER get to build my little, tiny absolutely fabulously and perfectly designed house - if I ever sell the beautiful beast!!!! Thank you so much!! xo

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  48. Great post! I am about to embark on a fairly major remodel and our kitchen is one of the areas we are re-doing. I've done a series of posts in the last week or so on our decision process for the countertops. I was set on limestone and marble but after testing out the limestone I got very afraid to even use marble---we've got two small kids and I just cannot deal with the upkeep. I've found an incredible quartzite out of South America that is due in in the next couple of weeks. It has a marble like appearance but performs more like granite. I am hoping for me it is the perfect choice. Such a personal decision, isn't it? Your kitchen is beautiful. always love seeing it.

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  49. Joni, I am always completely amazed with the thoroughness of your blog posts, and the beauty. As you know, I'm a huge fan of yours. I believe you could take a pile of rubbish and make it look beautiful. Love you...
    Marsha in Houston

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  50. I definitely love white marble in kitchens...I would be worried about wood floors in kitchens and bathrooms though. It's a good look but moisture from so many sources causes problems...I know this from personal experience and that of several friends.

    This was such a comprehensive post, Joni. Going to book mark another of yours!

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  51. I LOVE my white marble countertops in my kitchen & did a ton of research before getting them (2 years worth!). I actually found that it is just the opposite with the etching & staining.... it happens more often with honed marble than with the polished. I came across this information from several expert sources online & found that the designers in our area also backed this up. Therefore, I got the polished Carrera & sealed it with Dupont Maximum BulletProof Sealer. Check out the info on this online. You seal it once & it lasts 3-5 years. Our marble still looks as good as the day it was installed! And I have 2 boys & a husband!
    Leigh

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  52. Joni I contacted you when I was deciding about Calacutta Gold after having granite. I am so happy I got the marble and love to look at. Mine does have lots of "smudges". Any idea what it cost to clean and reseal it?
    Thanks for the great post!

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  53. Another great post Joni. Have you thought about a post on Pinterest? You've referenced it twice recently; I've taken a look at it, but frankly would love to hear from others about it. I currently use Evernote for design files.

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  54. Can you hear me crying? ;-))) I'm so humbled and grateful you mentioned my blog. Its like the blogger equivalent to being mentioned in the NYTimes - for me for sure!!!! You are a GOOD EGG JONI GIRL! A kind and generous soul. Thank you, thank you, thank you! And I know right now my Mother in heaven is thanking you too! She was very proud to be a Vreeland. xoxo

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  55. I wanted white marble for my kitchen, but alas, it wasn't in the budget. I did settle for white silestone which I used for countertop, bar and backsplash. Have to say, while not quite as wonderful as your photos, I am happy with the results.

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  56. Wow! I just saved almost all of these pictures as reference for future client projects. What a great collection of images! And the reference for the care and feeding of marble is great....bookmarked.

    My experience with marble in the kitchen is that it does not stain, like you have said. It does, even if honed, etch. I have multiple areas where there are etch marks from acidic substances have spilled. Another issue is the "bruising". If something hits the marble too hard, it gets a white mark, whiter than the marble, called a bruise. They cannot be repaired. And then of course we have lots of chips around the sink areas. But, the marble is so beautiful, these things do not bother me. The etching could be fixed. In fact, in my powder room, white comet can smooth out most of the etch marks. Oh....I also have areas where oils have made the marble darker and a bit more translucent. I understand there are poultices that can help draw out the oils. Can you tell we are very hard on our kitchen?

    Thanks for anther great post Joni!

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  57. Great post - full of beautiful kitchens. I do love browsing kitchens. I loved that you showed the differences in all the different marbles. I'd love to have it in my own kitchen. I'd like to have carrera subway tile. They sell it at Lowe's but it does seem so gray.

    Just another fabulous post...thanks so much for all of it. I never tire of white scrumptious kitchens.

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  58. Joni,
    Another great post!! We love our calcutta marble in our pantry - It is also honed - so far no stains - it is as beautiful as ever. I love the contrast of the shiny subway tiles with the honed marble. I also have honed marble in my master bath and love it. Marble is so wonderful and so timeless.
    Love the photos!
    xx-Gina

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  59. I posed the same question to my readers earlier this year for a client and received a mixed review. Some loved it and others didn't. I think if homeowners are going to worry about every little smudge, this isn't the surface for you. I also agree w Erika's advice.

    Going to post this one my FB for my readers!

    Many thanks and hope all is well.

    xo,
    cristin

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  60. Joni, thank you for this post. time and time again clients reel back in horror at the thought of marble in the kitchen.

    I am so lucky to have a stone man who was trained by Italians. They all say the ONLY way to do marble in the kitchen or bath is a honed finish.

    And use the right sealer, Enrich&Seal (this used to be called Sealers Choice from Aquamix). My guy is not shy about the sealer, he nearly pours it on, lets it soak in. Does this several times until it won't absorb any more.

    Plus the best thing about a honed finish -- it can be re-honed an re-sealed, which cannot be done with a polished finish.

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  61. Joni, What an extensive, informative post. I too am redoing my kitchen and have searched for four months for the best marble. First, I thought I wanted Carrara because I am old enough to remember what it used to look like. When I saw what is available now, I changed my mind and finally decided on Calacatta Oro. Finding the one that would take my breath away took lots of searching. I found it today. Yes, today. Finally! Maybe I should have gone to Houston. I cannot believe the prices there. That must be before fabrication, because here in SW Florida the price is nearly three times what you are paying.

    Of course, I plan on having it honed and anything that happens beyond that, in my opinion, represents the patina of age. After all, it has been in the Vatican for centuries and still looks beautiful. Good enough for me.

    Thanks again for all your exhaustive research.
    Best...Victoria

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  62. eye candy galore and sooo informative! thank you for all your research! its been a debate around here.

    ashley

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  63. Joni-
    GREAT post, and I went to the website with the demonstrations of trying to stain the marble. This will sell more white marbles, of all kinds, for many years.
    I have to tell you that I have POLISHED Carrara and POLISHED Calacatta Gold. My beach kitchen is on your blog! It's the remodel at Rosemary Beach by Jenny Johnston. I will confess that we have taken the polish off with drops of lemon and lime juice and a spilled alcoholic drink will cause a problem with the polish but NOT with staining. We don't have a single stain. The slab was so pretty that I blew off the polished v. honed problem. The imperfections do not bother me.
    I have polished Calacatta Gold in a powder room at home that gets more used than a gas station bathroom. It's time to reseal it but it's been 4 years since we put it in, and it looks GREAT.
    This is my take....smaller spaces can handle the polished marble and may even lend to the look you're after (especially if you love the slab). Our little powder bath is like a jewel box. BUT a gigantic kitchen island probably needs the honed marble to not feel cold and too shiny. In Florida our house is small, and the polished marble works GREAT. We also have our zinc table to balance the marble. AND we did hexagon tiles in Carrara marble for the backsplash which brought it back down.
    Soooo, I would say, "small space---don't be afraid to shine!"
    Leigh B.

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  64. Incredible post - delicious eye candy. I wish I could have a new kitchen. I have always preferred lots of white in kitchens and love white marble. Thanks for the tutorial - I am with you on the Calacatta. Love your kitchen re-do. A kitchen does not have to be huge to be elegant.
    xo Terri

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  65. White marble in the kitchen? YES, PLEASE!!!

    Judy

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  66. Hi Joni, wow! Where do I start? Firstly, thank you for your in depth discussion on the use of marble as a kitchen countertop. I went through all the same arguments for and against before I finally decided "I love white marble, if it begins to show signs of use and age, I will live with it. The French use it, the Italians use it and it always looks classic and great". But here in Australia all marble is expensive, even carrara marble. It cost me around $300 a square metre, so $12 sounds like a real bargain! And after nearly 2 years of use it is only looking better. It is polished, by the way, we couldn't get honed as we are in Tasmania, not mainland Australia. And there are areas of "etching" from acids, especially lemon juice. But again, you have to look for these marks and it is a sign I love to cook and that the benches get used. Polished marble scratches easier, too. But it does not stain as we used a good sealant. I posted images of my kitchen on my blog last year but I did not show my marble very well, oh well, next time. Thanks again for being so thorough. I am sure you will help other people with taking the marble plunge. In fact, I think this particular post will become as iconic as your kitchen 101 post! I referred to that oh so many times when I was planning my kitchen. Have a wonderful weekend, Tammy

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  67. Wow - what a post!

    I agonized over the marble decision, wrote a post about it, thought about it some more, visited many many stone yards, and finally decided to go with white marble for my kitchen. I simply do not like granite, did not want soapstone, and did not want caesarstone in the kitchen.

    A reader told me about an 'insider resource' in Atlanta that sells Greek marble. It is harder than Italian marble - probably more akin to Vermont marble from a composition and looks perspective. It is less absorbent than granite, so it does not stain (it etches, as all marble etches, which is mitigated by honing it for the kitchen). I didn't want the big dramatic veins of Italian marble - I wanted something subtle - and the Greek marble I chose is very subtle, white with taupe ripples (rather than veins). I am very pleased! I have a solid slab backsplash on the scullery sink wall, and a cut out marble backsplash on the range wall. We all agree that the range wall needs 'something' - it looks somewhat unfinished - the original plan was roman shades, but the windows are inswing which is thwarting our plan for nice roman shades in the Galbraith & Paul fabric that is on the windows on the other side of the kitchen. We have discussed something on the range hood - maybe some pewter plates - design is never ending, isn't it?

    In the rest of the house, we did marble countertops in the master bathroom and on the island in the master closet. We did Nambibian white from Walker Zanger in the bathroom (polished), and Thassos 2 cm on the island in the closet. Very pretty! The kids bathrooms have the same marble that we used in the kitchen, but polished - we had some extra left over, enough for their vanities.

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  68. Oh so many beautiful designs ... love them all! We just remodeled our kitchen but this is not our forever home so I didn't go with marble. However, in my next kitchen it will be a MUST!

    Thank you for your amazing posts. I always walk away with great ideas to introduce in my home.

    Have a wonderful weekend ~
    Jo

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  69. I used white marble (regular old carrara) on my island, honed of course, and I couldn't really imagine spending extra to get s fancier white marble with grey veins. The thing is, we see it when we are standing close, and it's quaint, looks good with the zinc counters. Thanks for the pretty post, and I really love the barn door hiding the TV AT EYE LEVEL!

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  70. I love my honed Calacatta marble counters. It took us 3 months to find the right slabs. One local stone dealer had very nice white leathered Carrara slabs.(According to the dealer, the leathering process diminishes the gray undertone in Carrara. In the end we went with Calacatta because we loved the more dramatic veining. Although, you see marble counters a lot in magazines here in the Midwest marble is not commonly used in kitchens. Actually, fabricators and stone dealers tried to discourage us from using it. However, we had no fears. In our previous home we had beautiful polished (white) Carrara marble flooring and it held up just fine despite 2 dogs, 5 cats and frequent visitors.

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  71. Loved this post and much needed marble lesson! Joni, you give us so much valuable information and splendid pictures! This post is bookmarked and I'll refer to it time and again.

    Thanks!

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  72. Love this post but wonder why you don't give people credit for the pictures of their kitchens.

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  73. Question: You said...
    Also, I love when using the three widths of marble on the edge. It makes the marble look so thick, but of course, it’s all an optical illusion. Some people prefer the simply one thickness edge.

    I think I'm missing something... I don't understand how it can look that thick but it's not? Thanks for any explanation! LOVE your blog and this post. (And my white marble on the island, even with 3 kids.)

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  74. Hello,

    Love this post. Such beautiful white kitchens and love the Carrera marble. I wish I could have chosen Carerra but I was nervous with three little ones and stains. We did our kitchen makeover and we chose white supreme granite. We were trying to get a similar look. Some places have more veins. For the kitchen island we chose black honed granite.
    Thank you for sharing.
    Claudia

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  75. love this post, but it was so slow..why is your blog so slow? I look at plenty of blogs and your blog is the only on elike this.

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  76. We chose Calacatta kitchen counters as well Joni...and I absolutely love them. They are my dream counters! I cook a ton and we do have some 'smudges/etching' (lemon juice!), but as you said, we really don't see them unless the light hits just right, and I know down the road we can just hone them out. That's the key I think...go with *honed* not polished.
    We chose Carrera for the master bath, as we went with a cooler vibe in there (you're so right, it's not the same anymore)...and we love it as well, the best of both worlds.
    I know your niece will be so happy with her new counters. She's very fortunate to have you helping her along with it all.
    xo J~

    (btw- if you'd like somewhat of a a peak at mine, they're under 'kitchen' on my blog)

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  77. Amazing kitchens! I am having marble in my next kitchen, without a doubt. Why is it every house in Houston seems to have dark wood cabinets and granite (including mine)? I'm so over that look, but Houston is way behind the kitchen design curve. None of my neighbours can fathom a white kitchen with white marble. I just don't get it!

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  78. would it be wrong to "pin" every single image in a post?! no, i didn't think so. gorgeous, Joni!! Love this even though it set me back 20 minutes this morning b/c I couldn't peel my eyes away. i dream about having white marble in my kitchen, and then have nightmares about spattering spaghetti sauce, red wine rings on the bottom of wine glasses, piping hot cookie sheets set directly on top, dribbles of butternut squash soup...you get the idea. I need to admire from afar.
    fondly,
    an avid + messy cook & foodie in heartland :)

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  79. I have to a agree with the other readers that the images featuring the Carrara and Calcutta Marble are truly beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing them. -Brenda-
    P.S: Scrolling the many comments I notice Soapstone and/or Quartz compounds are also favourites but am surprised there is little mention of 'Concrete' as its use actually dates back to the Roman Empire. (Reference: Kitchen and Residential Design Blog (Paul Anater), sidelink tilted 'countertop'. Post: April 18/2011 KK&BB&Costentio....etc. follow link below Richard Holschuh (Artisan 'Concrete Detail').

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  80. Oh, you had me at "veining!!!" ;-) These kitchens and baths are beautiful inspirations, as usual -- I stalled out on my master bath renovation about a year ago and switched gears; after redoing the wall of cabinetry and installing Emperador marble countertops, I just couldn't decide about the floor and shower tile. Now the full slab shower walls and -- who would have thought? -- dark wood floors are tickling my fancy.

    You have to look at the granite I put in my kitchen, Joni, even though you'll probably hate it. I admire and appreciate your clean, soothing aesthetic, but I'm more of a more-is-more when it comes to color. Anyway, I have never seen any stone anywhere with veining as dramatic as my CD Volcano granite from South America: http://cheekycognoscenti.blogspot.com/2011/01/cd-volcano-kitchen-granite-installation.html. Those countertops make my heart sing every time I go in my kitchen.
    Also, no judging -- I'm not done with that room yet either and I'm well aware that the chair fabric in the background is atrocious and has to go. :-)

    Thanks again for the visual goodies!

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  81. This is a great overview of marble. I pesonally just got new honed Turquish carrara marble (3 months ago) and they look amazing, much better than the regular carrara that I could see more for a bathroom than a kitchen. With a proper impregnator they do not stain and they are much cheaper than the Calacatta which I love but I could have never afforded in Canada. We pay a lot more for everything.
    Apparently some people use a type of sandpaper to remove etch marks or light scratches. Do you know if that is possible?

    I will have to send you pictures.

    Great blog by the way.

    Caro

    Caro

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  82. Joni, this is such a great post. I love your kitchen the other ones you shared with us. And the answer is yes, I love white marble and would use it in a New York minute. If I ever get the chance to redo my kitchen, I'm calling YOU. These are just wonderful ideas and so informative. THANKS!

    XO,

    Sheila

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  83. Such an awesome post, Joni. Marble is definitely my fav for kitchen counters. I think I live the marble that had sort of the brownish veining as opposed to the gray...but the gray seems more common. Either is beautiful!

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  84. I'll add Vermont Marble to your list of marbles worth considering. We just installed honed Vermont Imperial Danby marble on our kitchen perimeter countertops, and I absolutely love it. I did NOT want the grayish Italian marble, I wanted the hardest, least permeable marble I could find (Vermont marble is supposedly harder & less permeable than Italian), and Imperial Danby fit the bill. It is a soft white with very subtle goldish brown and evergreen veining. There are other Vermont marbles such as Eureka and Montclair that have more defined veining, which I did not want. I think my marble looks fab with my new alabaster-painted cabinets and my basic white subway tiles, and paired with a walnut island countertop. You can see pics of the Imperial Danby here (click on pic to see slab view):
    http://www.vermontmarbleandgranite.com/marble/imperial_danby.htm

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  85. A Grandfather Clock gives you an elegant conversation piece and year-round pleasure.

    Treat yourself to an Antique Grandfathers Clock, with elegance that keeps your home feeling warm
    and inviting year round.

    Magically you'll enjoy the appearance of a piece that's sure to stay close to your heart for a
    lifetime.

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  86. I too absolutely love the look of marble, but I have to mention my own bad experience as a bit of a warning among all the love. We had Carrara tiles put in our master and hall bath last year. The floor of the hall bath began to show cracks in a few months and by years end had three major cracks wall to wall across 13 tiles. The contractor had to demo and redo the floors at cost to everyone. The store the tiles were bought from had closed. I have heard about cheap Carrara imitations and we may very well have been duped, had bad installation or just plain bad luck. Marble can be remarkably soft and porous. Oh how beautiful, but be cautious where you buy. Make certain you are the type that years later can see memories and love in scuffs and scratches.

    www.domestickdiva.com

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  87. I saw marble counter tops in a pastry shop in Paris, that must have been 100 years old, and they were stunningly imperfect. But it is definitely a "look." It wouldn't do, probably, for someone who can't live with that, because no matter what sealers you use, marble will eventually change, wear and stain. To me, however, there is nothing like the look of old Carrara, I would have it in a second. Thank you for the wonderful post!

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  88. joni, just making my way through this post. saw it up earlier but did not have the time I wanted to devote to it. wonderful work. my calcutta gold vanity top should be installed friday for my master bath re-do. I had an old french dresser converted to hold two sinks. the marble will go over that. I think I will be really happy. When I was looking, no other marble looked as beautiful to me as the calcutta gold. (I am in an early
    1940s brick cape cod in the south and I have never been able to bring myself to bring granite into this home. my kitchen countertops are cherry wood and I love those, too, but I think when I save my pennies, I'll go calcutta gold in there, too!) thank you for this post, donna

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  89. I built my kitchen with white cabinets, white subway tile backsplash, and Carrara marble perimeter countertops. My island is white with a walnut wood top. I have polished marble, so there is a bit of etching. I am usually a freak about anything having imperfections, but I simply love the look of marble, so I get over it. Plus we built a Craftsman bungalow, and the Carrara is period appropriate.

    I'm so glad you included photos of marble slabs on the walls behind the stoves -- stunning, indeed!

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  90. Joni, what a great post! Thank you so much for sharing this info. We are building a home out on our family vineyard, so I visited Colours of the Rainbow last week. We found gorgeous countertops there. Can you recommend a Houston fabricator?

    Thanks so much!

    Jennifer

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  91. Marble is a stunning natural stone material, which is becoming a widely popular kitchen material. White marble is favored over colored marble because of its clarity and clean look. They bring a uncluttered and fresh atmosphere to the kitchen. Thanks a lot.

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  92. Makes me want to become a socialist so I can get one too (not really) but I want one of those breath taking kitchens.

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  93. I want to take this opportunity to say that I really love this blog. It has been a good resource of information for me in my research




    carrara marble

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  94. I have been looking for a rare blog because I am tired of accessing almost the same topic discussed in a website. This blog is actually hitting what I want to expect. I am very glad that you are now providing the information where I am hunting for many days of surfing the net.


    Crema Marfil

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  95. This is my first post and I just had to say thanks so much for this wonderful site! I am building a house and the design decisions thus far have been OVERWHELMING, so I've been learning everything on the fly. Much of my education has come from your blog, and this post especially (it was required reading for my husband to learn about carrara marble!)

    I would love to know if you could give me any more info you might have about the fourth kitchen down, the one with the dog bed in front of the island. I love the look of white cabinets with carrara and black honed granite, but it can look so stark sometimes. This kitchen you have posted has elements of warmth that balance it perfectly and just do it for me....it's "the one"!!!

    Please keep these wonderful posts coming, as you have quite the following out here in cyberland. If ever I relocate to Houston, I'm looking you up!

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  96. 'Betty Lou Phillips own kitchen'

    Pressed metal cornice in dark ... gutsy style. Would need to see it in situ, to appreciate.

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  97. Marble flooring has been one amongst the most common stone flooring materials available nowadays. Marble tiles are most commonly utilized in the residential and industrial use. this website supply the best marble tile with the total assistance to select the proper marble tiles.
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  98. Many people are turning to more organic materials to upgrade their home interiors with. Marble tiles are one of the most organic types of tiling that can be found on the market. Having carrara marble in the house is no longer a status symbol for the rich and elite of society. Any income level can make improvements to their home by adding a new floor.

    ReplyDelete
  99. So much marble, although you may not have it ruined I feel it isn't a good choice for families.

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  100. Thanks for all of the beautiful marble you have showcased. I started a search for marble after falling in love with a 12x12 tile of calcatta gold. I knew that I wanted it immediately. The problem came when I got the pricing...it was going to be close to 4200$ for a bathroom countertop...yikes for me. I finally found a carrara venatino that was beautiful. It was very white with beautiful veining and not as expensive as statuary either. I hope if any of you are looking for marble that you will not give up your search. There are beautiful options that are half the cost of the calcatta and if you can afford calcatta...good for you!

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  101. cool blog piece on the marble quarries.

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  102. I like all those photos. Great jobs! Thanks for sharing useful info Marble for kitchen.

    Cork tiles for kitchen

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  103. Marble hard maintain and can be costly. I would also do price research try this link http://www.construction-bids.com/marble-countertops.php they have local pricing.

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  104. From marble to bathroom and kitchen. It looks wonderful how a mined stone was transformed into beautiful walls, floors and pieces of furniture.

    ReplyDelete
  105. I lately came across your weblog and have been learning along. I believed I would leave my 1st comment. I do not know what to say except that I've loved reading. Fine blog. I will keep visiting this weblog incredibly normally.
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  106. Marvelous, now we have known how marble are mined and turned into furniture that we use in our houses.

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  109. This is a great collection of kitchen designs! The one with the marble slab counter and stainless steel chairs stood out for me. It looked really cozy. I imagined myself hanging out there with my mom, preparing food while we create good conversation. ;)

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  110. Stainless steel hardware and appliances really enhance the beauty of a certain area. Whether you place it in the kitchen, the bathroom, or in the bedroom. It adds a classic touch to any place.

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  112. Yes!! I would like to prefer white color for my kitchen marbles.I personally feel that the marbles look really neat and clean. And I am interested to know much about it.Pls keep posting!!
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  117. Great, Informative Post, like this one must be maintained so I'll put this one on my bookmark list of White Marble For the Kitchen.

    Thanks for this wonderful post and hoping to post more of this. Have Great Day.

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  118. I'm not done with that room yet either and I'm well aware that the chair fabric in the background is atrocious and has to go. :-)
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  119. Wow, that was a marvelous marble renovation, elegant and easy to obtain.

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  124. great article, very informative. the pictures are awesome. Thanks
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  125. Hi Joni, this blog/article on white Marble is fabulous! Thank you, for putting together the information and for posting this article on white Marble! My husband and I are going with Carrara in our new build! I am super excited!

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  128. I have crema marfil slab marble in my current house on the kitchen countertops and despite it looking glorious on the first day ad in pictures, it has been a nightmare.
    I am VERY quick to wipe up, but any minute splash, be it lemon juice, vinegar, etc., it all leaves spots!
    Basically that means having the counters resealed every six months to keep it looking good.
    I swore never again. I am thinking of Caesarstone (sp?) to avoid this in my new house.

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  129. The majority of the modern kitchens have open plan living and in almost every house, lifestyle is focused around this room. Modern kitchens have sleek countertops and cabinetry and latest appliances offering minimum clutter. Such kitchens make the users comfortable when they walk into the room. Always go for the design that suits you and your family.

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  131. I think White marble for kitchen can give nice impact and look great. We can see the photos of kitchen which has awesome designing kitchens. kitchenware online

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  132. I must say that you have a classy taste in choosing marble. That is looking so beautiful with the white marble in the kitchen.
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  134. It looks amazing! I was searching for marble bathroom tiles and found your post on Pinterest--thank goodness.

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  135. Some of the foremost stunning room countertops are created with Marble slabs. The classic color combos and delightful veining build the stone extremely asked for. historically, marble has been wide utilized in loos and on piece of furniture tiptop thanks to its delicate nature and inventive qualities. Since the Greek and Roman eras, marble has been called one amongst the best selections for sculpture and decoration with its comparatively soft nature that's fairly proof against shattering.

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  136. Awesome post Joni! Very good demonstrations with the different applications of the different marble from Carrara, Italy. (All of these come out of the city of Carrara - Calacatta, Statuario, Arabescato,and of course Carrara). One thing that I will tell you, along with the other readers, is that while the purest and whitest White Carrara is becoming less in Italy, it is FAR from being used up. I go to visit the quarries a couple times a year. And I can tell you that the high quality White Carrara is still plentiful. Here are the problems with the trade of Carrara marble:

    1. First off everyone and their brother likes to use the term "Carrara", or worse they use the term "Carrera" as it is being called many times (like some cheap knock off!!). The original Carrara is of course from Carrara, Tuscany, Italy. In fact the myth of the "C" in White Carrara C being Chinese is just that - A MYTH!! White Carrara C is the HIGHEST color quality in Italy. There is C, then CD, then CDE being the lowest color quality. But somewhere along the lines a rumor has spread that the "C" means China, when all along this was the best possible color quality in the Italian market! (You can also check out my blog about White Carrara: http://pietraamerica.tumblr.com/). Now also because white marble is actually the highest sought out color globally, many quarries are popping up around different parts of the world - Turkey, China, parts of Africa, etc. But in many instances the marble from these quarries are called 'Carrara/Carrera", either by the quarry owners or by the buyers that are importing the marble. Some is lower quality with cracks, and some just simply has off white coloring (another words, lower quality quality). There is no such regulations or trademarks to name marble. So ten different kinds of marble can be called the exact same thing. It would be like everyone that sells athletic shoes calling themselves Nike, Neykie, or Nykey!! Sadly enough this would be the equivalent of what has happened with White Carrara over the years. Note: All of the marble pictures in your post is what it is supposed to be. I look at this marble all day every day, and I can tell you that this is the real deal. But you can look around in different showrooms, and in many instances you'll see these "knock offs" everywhere.

    2. So now that I've explained the scenario with different marble being called Carrara, I'll explain more about what is being sold. Different markets in the world are demanding higher quality. For example in New York, much of Canada, and of course in Europe the demand is first quality - White Carrara C, Statuario Extra, etc. In other parts of the world where white Italian marble is in less demand (like here in the southern part of the U.S.) a lot of the "knock offs" and lower quality Carrara is what you'll find the most of. This is not only because of the low demand as I have stated, but also because in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, etc. the most important aspect is PRICE many times more than quality. So to be competitive of course suppliers must have the best prices more so than quality. There are of course suppliers that I've found to have first quality - Hill Top Granite and Keystone Tile here in Houston have good quality from what I've seen. And no I don't have any affiliation with them! In fact they are my competition! But I always give credit where credit is due. :-)

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  137. Interesting piece of information, let me tell you, your blog gives the best and the most interesting information. Once again hats off to you! Thanks a million once again, Regards, Stain Remover for Granite.

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  138. what do you think of using quartzite instead of marble?

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  139. Very nice! Thanks for all the information. I'm building a new home and have room for a kitchen island up to 11 feet in length. What are the chances I could find a slab of marble that length?

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  141. Pretty cool post. It’s really very nice and useful post.Thanks for sharing this with us!it’s my first visit.

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  142. Yeah, it was amazing picture, be creative with marble material

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  143. Awesome pictures.. Truly amazing.. We are the proud makers of White marble and tiles.

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  145. Your post is one of the best that I read on the subject. There are over 27 quarries in the Carrara region of Calacatta and Carrara alone and it sometimes can get confusing for the public. We are the only company in the united states that distributes exclusively Calacatta and Carrara. Please feel free to look at our site - http://www.calacattamarble.com

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  146. wow very nice white kitchen marble..... white kitchen marble is perfect for kitchen... thank you for sharing this blog....
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  147. Hi, nice post. Thanks for the information. Designs are fabulous. Granite is durable and stylish but the price is the issue. For anyone who have the budget kitchen countertops Houston will outfit you Kitchen designs. Thanks

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  149. Having a marble splashbacks would be great and awesome! But it is much more expensive than having a glass splashbacks mount on your kitchen!

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  152. I really like the look of kitchens with marble or granite countertops. They also are just so easy to clean and care for. I want to get marble counters for my kitchen so they can match with the rest of house. I really like the style on here and may look into getting something similar to these.

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  153. I really love these white granite counter tops. They look so clean and would go with any style. I have been wanting to redo my kitchen cabinets for a while now, but didn't know what I wanted to do. After looking at these pictures on this post I think this is what I want. http://www.granbrazil.com

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  155. Beautiful kitchens. Despite the variety of colors available, white marble is generally the first choice for use as kitchen countertops. The reason marble remains in heavy demand for countertops is its elegant good looks. Great post. :)
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  158. Of course! with white marble you will get elegant white kitchen cabinets

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  160. I am 5 months into a calacatta marble kitchen. I love it. Sure I have etches but it seems to me that the next week they are gone or in different light not there at all. The marble is like a living breathing organism -- I will sit at my counter and the next day notice a marble facet or color change I never noticed before - the marble has layers that emerge. I would not hesitate at all to do it again. Ive made other mistakes in the kitchen reno that I wish others would have warned me ( a super flat modern sink does not drain the gook correctly to the drain - Im forever sweeping my sink with my hand) and wish that I would have had a cabinet caddy designed for my toaster oven/toaster to hide it). But the marble, two thumbs up I love it every day.

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  169. I love the color of your cabinets and the white trim. Can you share the cab color and trim color? I am using Calacutta in bathroom and having a hard time picking from all the whites.

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  176. Great blog.I Like the Marble Flooring, Love flooring color and shininess of marble.White marble is best for kitchen counter-tops, floors, this colorful stone gives rooms a luxury look.

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  177. White Marble Slabs gives exotic look to the interiors as well as exteriors. Marble is a beautiful stone. I have marble counter top in my kitchen. It’s still white, and looks clean.

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  183. It's so cool to see where these countertops come from! I love the designs in the stone, it's so pretty! We are redoing our kitchen, and this would be perfect in our new kitchen! Countertops are one of the first things you notice in a kitchen, and I would be proud to show off a counter like this.

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