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jett254_gw

Honed marble in kitchen...so conflicted!

jett254
9 years ago

I really really want to do honed marble in our new kitchen. I've looked at everything else and I keep coming back to it. I've tested multiple white quartzites with the glass test and staining tests and discovered they are just marble anyways. I really want a cool tone color palette (white with grays) so a lot of stones don't meet that criteria. I haven't liked the man-made stones.

We are doing white inset cabinets.

My choices have been narrowed down to honed marble or soapstone - two totally different looks, both of which I think "fit" my 1927 home in terms of style. I definitely envisioned light colored counters so the soapstone doesn't meet this vision. But I cook a ton and have two young boys who would have seating options at the island. I'm scared to do honed marble. I *think* I would be ok with the worn look, but how do I know?!?

I looked at two friends' kitchens with soapstone and two with honed marble (all have kids, all use their kitchens) and they all looked beautiful to me. I'd love to do the island in something more durable but I don't think anything would work since my kitchen table is different and I think 3 looks in the kitchen would compete. So if I had marble, I wouldn't have a different, more durable surface to use when, let's say, using acidic things. Any thoughts, pictures, suggestions??? I need to decide this week and I'm stressing out!!!

Comments (10)

  • BirchPoint
    9 years ago

    I could have written this post VERBATIM! Where I am today: honed jet mist granite with carrara slab backsplash. The pricing is coming out very favorable in light of the fact that I was considering laying out $11,000 - $15,000 (possibly even more) for soapstone or quartzite. I am hoping the slab carrara backsplash will give me the marble I crave, and the jet mist the practicality and organic-ness I also desire. I came on GW tonight to try and post a picture of my jet mist slab and ask for feedback on how it would look with carrara slab backsplash when I saw your post and had to respond. I am going to put up my own post as well in hopes for some feedback.

    I am also doing slab carrara in my master bathroom to also get my marble fix. My sample piece has etched with the lotions and face soap I use, but that bathroom does not get much natural light and I don't think the etching will bother me there.

    As for the kitchen, as much as I love the marble, I don't want to hover whenever someone else works in my kitchen. My children are grown now and are very active cooks --- I would stress with them more now than when they were young and I was always in control. We use A LOT of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, curry, cumin, and tumeric --- I just don't want to worry about it. Granted, the backsplash isn't completely worry free but it is a little less abused.

    Good luck on your decision and I'm with you on the stressing out!

  • jett254
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Ugh, I so sick of being indecisive on my kitchen counters. I feel like I'm driving everyone around me nuts. I keep reading and reading about honed marble, deciding I'm fine with it and good if my counters have a worn, well-loved look and then changing my mind and getting scared. I've read so many people saying that they have it and it is fine. Does anyone have any pictures of honed marble counters to post if they thing theirs looks "terrible" so I can have a sense of what that means exactly???

  • BirchPoint
    9 years ago

    Have you read this thread?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Living with Marble

  • romy718
    9 years ago

    What about your friends with marble? How long have they had their counters & do they have etching? I went thru the same struggle. I did get Danby marble. No regrets, although we are empty nesters & haven't had our kitchen long enough to get much etching. The little bit I have, I can't even see unless I search for it.

  • jett254
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    My friends - one had their kitchen installed 9 months ago, 4 kids, not babying the marble and it looks great. One installed 6 years ago, also 4 kids, also cooks a lot and looks great but her island is butcher block so I feel like she has another durable surface to use in the kitchen instead of always working on the marble....if that makes senjse? Minimal etching on both. But I read so many people telling you not to do it, it is so hard to go against the norm! I have two kids, love to cook and don't want to hate using my kitchen or regret my counters!

  • romy718
    9 years ago

    Get yourself a large butcherblock cutting board to work on. Marble lasts forever & you can have it periodically rehoned. I think of it as home maintenance, like having your carpets cleaned.
    Here I go again... I love these Range Kleen Silverwave Counter Mats. I just ordered 4 more. Tomorrow I'm going to make meatloaf, stuffed peppers & lasagna & they will be out in force. They are lightweight, heat resistant & padded. Easy to grab & put away.

  • cani
    9 years ago

    I'm in the same boat as you and posted about it "Marble Counters". I have to make a decision as well and luckily got a few more days reprieve from the cabinet maker. They were going to start demo tomorrow and now I have until next week.

    I thought I would be careful and it would be ok to have marble, but last night I was making chili and I noticed the mess there was. I had opened the bean cans and the lids were laying on the counter until I had a chance to rinse them and throw them away. There was a bit of a mess from the cans themselves etc. I looked at it and thought there is no way I could do this on marble.

    I also searched on google "gardenweb marble" and posts from a few years ago came up and I read through those. A lot of people had chipping which I hadn't even thought of. Then again, a lot of people have it and love it.

    I hear you on driving everybody nuts. My DH doesn't even want to hear about it any more - just pick something, anything. My friend calls me indecisive. And I'm no closer to picking something than I was three weeks ago. I think I am going to just do a marble backsplash but that still leaves me with trying to find a countertop material.

  • cani
    9 years ago

    Birchpoint, I love that slab. I wan't familiar with it as I have not looked at granite at all so I looked it up and saw that it comes in a lighter gray. Maybe I'll refocus on finding that in a light gray color.

  • amykath
    9 years ago

    This post helped me greatly in deciding on marble. I highly recommend reading it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: About living with marble

  • Debbie Klausing
    last year

    I know this is an old thread, but I definitely could’ve written all of the above. I feel like I can’t even talk about it to anybody, except for my nice fabricator. Decisions, decisions.
    The older I get, the worse I am. My friend said, “Let’s face it. Anything you chose will likely outlast you.” So maybe I should just get the dang Danby and get my fix! I’m 72!
    I would’ve even be doing any of this if my beautiful 40” range could be repaired or replaced!