Marble Information

Creating Your Ideal Kitchen With Marble

If you love spending time in the kitchen, it’s crucial to create a space that is both functional and visually appealing. Designing your ideal kitchen involves careful planning and research.

Choosing a high-quality work surface is one of the best decisions you can make for your kitchen layout. Pristine marble worktops are a popular choice among homeowners for their elegance and durability.

Here’s what you need to know about marble worktops and the key factors to consider when making your selection.

Marble Kitchen

Marble & Porous Stones

Marble is a metamorphic rock primarily made of recrystallized calcite or dolomite. Historically, it has been used to build cathedrals, statues, and homes. Today, marble remains a popular choice in interior design, particularly for kitchen worktops and bathrooms. However, it’s important to note that marble is a porous stone.

When we describe marble as ‘porous,’ we mean that it contains tiny pores through which air and liquids can pass.

Porous Stones

Microscopic Pores in Stones?

Indeed! The porous nature of marble is an important factor to consider when selecting worktops:

The wrong combination of stone and spills can damage your new kitchen worktop. While the porous quality of marble contributes to its beauty, it also presents risks. Solutions include opting for a robust, resistant finish or choosing types of marble that are less porous.

To avoid these risks, quartz is an excellent alternative since it is non-porous. This allows you to enjoy a beautiful worktop without concerns about spills. Quartz is highly resilient, so it’s worth considering if possible.

Microscopic Pores

Honed Matte or Shiny & Polished Finish?

Selecting a marble worktop for your kitchen is a significant decision, and one key choice is the type of finish you prefer:

Shiny, polished marble worktops offer a pristine shine, adding a touch of glamour and luxury to your kitchen. While polished finishes have an extra protective layer that makes them more resistant to stains and spills, they can also be more prone to showing scratches.

In contrast, honed matte finishes are better at hiding imperfections and scratches, providing a sleek and subtle look. The Carrara Marble range, for example, features honed matte finishes that enhance any kitchen’s aesthetic beautifully.

Honed Matte Finish

Other Uses of Marble for Your Home

Marble isn’t limited to kitchens; it’s also a fantastic choice for bathrooms, flooring, and decorative elements. Its diverse range of colors and patterns, combined with both matte and polished finishes, makes it versatile for numerous applications, adding a touch of otherworldly beauty to your home.

Other Uses of Marble

History of Marble

Marble has been admired for its beauty since ancient times. The Greeks were pioneers in developing techniques to extract and shape marble for construction. In Greece, marble quarries have been in operation since the 3rd century BC, especially in the regions of Paros and Naxos.

Anatolia was another key center for marble, utilizing it for both trade and construction. This region was instrumental in marble trade during the Roman and Ottoman empires. Italy also has a rich tradition of using marble, particularly in the construction of cathedrals during the first millennium AD.

Today, advanced cutting technology and tools have made marble more accessible, enabling the creation of beautiful and durable structures and designs that were previously unattainable.

History of Marble
Marble Worktops FAQ

Everything You Need to Know

Should I Install a Marble Kitchen Worktop?

Natural marble worktops are a superb choice for bringing elegance to your kitchen. They are durable, stylish, and heat-resistant, offering a lifetime of use when properly maintained.

Do Marble Worktops Stain Easily?

Marble is a porous stone, making it prone to staining if not properly cared for. Key threats include citric acids (from lemons, grapefruits, oranges, etc.), oils, curry sauce, and red wine. To prevent staining, clean up spills immediately and ensure the surface is well-sealed. Regular sealing, approximately once a year, helps maintain its durability.

Is a Marble Kitchen Worktop Resistant?

Marble worktops are highly resistant and durable, but spills and scratches can be a concern, especially with shiny polished surfaces. To maintain their durability, seal the worktop annually to prevent liquids from penetrating the stone. Additionally, avoid placing hot pots directly on the surface to protect it from extreme temperatures.

Are Marble Worktops Expensive?

The cost of a marble worktop can vary significantly based on quality and availability. Premium stone is rare and challenging to refine, which can make these worktops expensive. However, the investment is worthwhile due to the beautiful and durable finish marble provides.

What Colours are Available?

The cost of a marble worktop can vary widely depending on its quality and availability. Premium marble is rare and difficult to refine, which can make these worktops more expensive. However, the investment is often justified by the beautiful and durable finish that marble offers.

Marble Worktops Colors

Choosing the Right Colour for Your Home

Marble Worktops: The Perfect Statement for Your Home

Marble worktops bring a bold, elegant touch to your kitchen or bathroom. These stunning natural stones are both aesthetically pleasing and durable. They also add a luxurious appeal to commercial projects. We offer a diverse selection of colors and patterns, including classic whites, striking blacks, and distinctive greens and browns, to match your design preferences.

So What About the Colours?

Marble is a natural stone celebrated for its range of stunning colors. Selecting the right color for your kitchen worktop can be straightforward if you know what to look for. The color you choose can significantly impact your kitchen’s look and atmosphere. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect marble color for your home.

How to Choose the Right Colour

When selecting a marble color, consider the overall design of your kitchen. The worktop should complement your cabinets, flooring, and other elements. Also, take into account the amount of natural light in your kitchen, as the color can either enhance or reduce the brightness. Some collections provide detailed options to simplify your decision.

Marble Worktops Gallery

Gallery of Marble Worktop Colours

Black Marquina
Black Marquina
Carrara Noir Black
Carrara Noir Black
Sahara Noir Marble
Sahara Noir Marble
Urban Black
Urban Black
Alaska Gray Marble
Alaska Gray Marble
Fantasy Gray Marble
Fantasy Gray Marble
Thunder Gray Marble
Thunder Gray Marble
Thunder Gray Polished
Thunder Gray Polished
Calacatta Royal Marble
Calacatta Royal Marble
Calacatta White Marble
Calacatta White Marble
Frozen White Marble
Frozen White Marble
Statuario Royal Marble
Statuario Royal Marble
Calacatta Viola Marble
Calacatta Viola Marble
Calacatta Violato Marble
Calacatta Violato Marble
Brilliant Gold Marble
Brilliant Gold Marble
Soft Jade Marble
Soft Jade Marble

What is Marble, and Why Should You Consider It?

Marble has been a prized material since ancient times, celebrated for its beauty and durability. Its luxurious appearance makes it a popular choice for kitchens and bathrooms. The stone’s unique patterns and colors can enhance the elegance of any space.

Marble Example
Marble Finish Example

Polished vs. Matte Finish

When selecting a marble finish, you can choose between polished and matte. Polished finishes deliver a shiny, reflective surface that adds a touch of luxury but may highlight scratches more easily. Matte finishes provide a softer, more understated look that conceals imperfections better.

Carrara Marble

Functionality

Carrara marble is celebrated for its durability, making it an ideal choice for kitchen and bathroom worktops. Its strength ensures long-lasting performance, particularly when installed by a professional. Carrara marble can handle high heat, making it suitable for placing hot pans directly on the surface, though using a wooden board or heatproof mat is still recommended.

Versatility

Carrara marble is versatile, blending seamlessly with various decor styles, from classical to contemporary. It enhances both dark and light cabinetry, creating an elegant environment in any kitchen. Its glossy and matte finishes add sophistication, and it can be used for flooring in kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, and spas.

Availability

In the UK, Carrara marble is frequently imported, with large blocks being cut into slabs upon arrival. Compared to other stones, Carrara marble is relatively soft, which facilitates easy cutting and shaping into various sizes and profiles. Custom fabrication allows for tailored edge profiles and cut-outs to meet specific requirements.