Let it get a patina in the kitchen. Even out the patina with lemon juice or whatever you're cooking. Basically, let time and use hone it, and help it out a little where it needs it.

Or freak out because you got the wrong stuff! :)

Seriously, to enjoy it, you have to be able to appreciate how it wears. It wears beautifully to many, but some people don't care for the look. If you try to keep it perfect, you will fail. If you let it be itself, you will love it.

But you do have to try to keep it nice and shiny in the bathrooms. For a while at least.

I have 10 year old polished marble kitchen counters that show far less etches than my neighbor's 1 year old honed. Our ktchens both are north facing and on the darker natural light side of things. Etches happen and show equally if not even more on some honed marble. I also can, but do not often do it, polish out small etches with tin oxide where as my neighbor was told she could not use tin oxide to hide etches for it would make shiny spots on her honed marble. Relax it will be ok if you could live with honed you can live with polished. I have 95 year old wood floors with lots of marks, scratches and etched spots that I really still love. I think marble acts alot like wood and if you are the type who only likes brand new polished wood sans flaws than any marble, honed or otherwise is not for you. If you do not mind life's marks polished will work out just fine.

Thanks ladies! I feel so much better!

@dressupfiles (instagram handle)

Here is a link that might be useful: www.dressupfiles.com

Calacatta marble makes me swoon. But I had give up on Tha option for fear of upkeep, as I, too, am a messy, exuberant cook. I love old wood floors, and it dawns on me that whenever I see a marble top, I don't see the etch marks or stains, I see the beauty of the stone. Thanks fori and roarah for reminding me of that.

The marble sales guy I spoke with said to get polished. He said it wears better over time... his personal opinion. :) Don't panic, it'll be gorgeous!