My poor kitchen was supposed to get new countertops this year, but then we decided to spend the money on the new sunroom instead. You will no doubt be be shocked and appalled to hear that I’m living with humble laminate. Now the kitchen upgrade will have to wait a little longer, but I haven’t stopped dreaming…
One of my fantasies involves gorgeous Carrara marble counters like the ones shown in this beautiful kitchen from Southern Accents (above). Or the beautiful marble in a reader’s house in Encino that I showed you recently.
Here’s a kitchen that was featured on Cote de Texas, from a house for sale in Illinois:
When I showed these photos to my husband, though, he made a face. “No way are we having any of that marble in our kitchen,” he said.
Because it’s expensive? Because people complain about stains and cracks? Because it’s high maintenance?
“No,” Dave says. “I just think it looks kinda snobby. And I don’t want to eat in a snobby kitchen.”
The words “hoity-toity” were also thrown around, which is probably proof that we really aren’t sophisticated enough to live a Carrara kind of lifestyle anyway. Heck, I had to look it up three times just to figure out how to spell it. Ha.
So I guess I’ll give up that dream and look for something a little less fancy dancy–you know, like us. 
What do you have on your countertops?
{ 152 comments… read them below or add one }
Good morning my dear Julia!
How are you doing this morning? It’s sunny here and I’m feeling happy for that!
This is so interesting! I also want to change mine, but I’m selling this house… so, what’s the point, right? But carrara is my 1st choice too! It’s just gorgeous, huh?
By the way, I’d love you to drop by my blog today. I think you’ll recognize that amazingly pretty house!
Have a blessed day!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
I love all those words your husband used…hard to argue like that…
He cracks me up. When we were first married, I kept a notebook where I’d write down things he’d say that made me laugh. He’s just a very down to earth, no-nonsense kind of guy who tells it like it is, and my head is always in the clouds, dreaming away…
I surely can relate, Julia, as my hubby is also the ‘down to earth’ one. When we first moved into our house in the 1970′s, the kitchen counters were a hideous laminate material. He agreed that we could replace them, a job which he did himself, with white Mexican tiles. After all these years they are still on the counters and will probably not be changed for anything else. I would like to paint out our oak cabinets for white to match the tiles but haven’t as yet worked up the nerve.
We’re doing some kitchen “freshening” and I am going to replace my laminate countertops…with new laminate! I just couldn’t justify the expense of granite (honestly, we can afford it, I’d just rather put that money to better use!) and I’ve decided I don’t just love it. I love the look of soapstone, but I’m not interested in the maintenance (you have OIL that stuff!!!) so I found a Wilsonart laminate called “oiled soapstone!” I can’t wait for it to get installed! Good luck with your project…and finding contentment!
Leslie-
I’m with you on that! It’s a ton of maintenance and unless you live in a subdivision or area where it adds value to your home (which we don’t-we’d be the only house our size in the area with granite or marble), it’s not worth it. We had cracking white ceramic tile countertops with horribly stained white grout lines that were impossible to clean so I got the Formica 180FX in Antique Mascarello and I get soooo many compliments. Most people think it’s real, esepcially with the specialized edge profile I chose. Congrats on your new countertops! I’ve seen that Wilsonart and it they look nice! And here’s to not oiling or re-sealing!
Pamela
I’m with you on the soapstone maintenance — what we did for our bathroom vanity remodel 2 yrs ago was to use “Black Absolute” granite in a honed, distressed finish. I think the stone guys called our finish “leather” or “sueded”. That way, you get the flat, matte look of soapstone, but the ease (and unfortunately, cost) of granite. Just a thought!
You don’t HAVE to oil soapstone. It will be a lighter gray and the veining will be less obvious but the stone itself will be fine. Soapstone is probably the most durable surface you can have in your kitchen; it’s what chemistry lab tables are made of!
(Of course you probably knew that, just pointing it out for other people who might not…)
I’m loving the idea of a laminate designed to look like soapstone, though… I’m going to look into that!
Carrara is gorgeous! I love how it gets more gorgeous as the years go by, ie bakeries in France with 100+ year old counters that just look smooth and honed. Honed is key, no polished marble please! It actually isn’t that expensive when you consider it will last over a hundred years….
You can tell your hubs that I’d say the stoves in those pics, looks like a $15,000 Wolf in the first, and possibly a $35,000 La Cornue in the second, are what make those kitchens snobby…just sayin….
I’ll tell him that and see if it flies. Ha.
Our countertops are corian and for the most part I’m happy with them. My only complaint is that they’re dark and you can’t always see when something’s spilled on them.
My countertops are black, so I know what you mean!
I was just going to post that we have Corian and I love it! My only issue is that sometimes I think we didn’t pick the right color, but I like it nonetheless. Several would have been great, so I’m needlessly second guessing our choice. It was tough because there were so many great choices between the Stauron and the Corian. Plus Lowe’s was having a deal so with got the integrated sink too.
We have Carrara marble for all of the window sills in the house. Honestly, this must have been the schnazziest 1950′s ranch in the area when it was built. Between the marble and the uber-pink bathroom the original owners were oh so stylish! If we build the addition we keep discussing (someday), I expect to have an argument with my husband regarding having Carrara marble for the sills in the new addition.
In 2003, we bought the home my husband grew up in. The first thing I did was replace the 1973 white with gold vein laminate with Corian. We love it! Haven’t thought twice about it. Looked into granite and frankly, didn’t like all of the black that were so popular.
We also have Carrara marble for all of the window sills. And are blessed with easy white tiled bathrooms. So…last summer when it was time to redo the downstairs bath, I went with a carrara. My 9 year old daughter said, “Mom, it is like a surprise. You walk in the front door and the house is nice. Then you walk in the bathroom and Surprise! It is so beautiful and I like the way it is always cold.” She really is my child
I am also quite fanatical about it. As I overheard my 12 year old daughter tell a friend. ” Be very careful in here. This is expensive marble and we cannot mess it up. After you wash your hands, be sure and dry up all the water off the marble. Water will ruin it and my mom will freak out!” Hmmm.
So nice to hear someone with such great taste also be realistic when it comes to decorating! Thanks.
The first photo is the inspiration for our new kitchen. We’re not snobby or hoity-toity…lol. We just love that look. Will I regret marble with kids…we’ll see…but I loooove it! BTW, we’re doing a butcher block island where the kids will eat most of the time.
So much for carrara in our kitchen…honed not in stock around here…don’t want polished…bummer!
So Erin, How do the counters look after a year with the kids? I am thinking about marble for my counter tops.
I, too, love the look of that gorgeous, white marble. My space is a lot more practical than that, though.
When we downsized to this old 1800′s farmhouse, I left a recently remodeled kitchen with Corian countertops and double sinks. It was fabulous! I designed it myself and it was built at the custom cabinet shop where I worked at the time.
Alas… the economy changed, and I no longer work at a cabinet shop. My country kitchen is much more unfitted. The only traditional cabinets are a sink cabinet with a laminate countertop (the horror… teehee!) and a wall cabinet that holds my vintage diner china. The cabinet by the stove is the remnants of a dry sink we found during the remodel of our former house topped with a slab of gorgeous white marble that was probably a dresser top in a former life. If you collect enough stuff, eventually stuff starts to fit together.
Okay, Friend… TWO things.
1. Hurray for humble laminate.
2. We also use the expressions “hoity toity” and “fancy dancy.”
That is all. =)
p.s. good luck in your search for something less… well, you know – fancy dancy. =)
Love the fact that your hubby cares enough about decorating and design (as my husband does) to make a difference! We’re getting VERY close (as in a few months, I think) to building a scaled-down version of our dream house (can’t quite pony-up the full cash for our real dream house — aack!) and just yesterday I was scouring the Internet for images and surfaces. I’m still stuck on either Corian or silestone/quartz for the main counters, but I really want to have our island be all or part stainless steel. I love the look, the usefulness, the cleanliness of SS. My husband thinks a huge island that’s all SS will look too cold, and he may be right about that, so I’m considering an island with a raised edge that sort of “hides” the sink and surrounding counter from the main living area. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, right? Anyway, those are my counter ideas. I just can’t bring myself to like granite, since everyone and their proverbial dog does it. By the time we sell our dream house, I think granite is going to scream “that was so 2000s!”
We have laminate too. We were able to plan for a lot of counter space in our 2007 kitchen remodel, and the trade off was in the type of counter top material. Our honed Basalt Slate (Formica) is pretty awesome. It’s got a mottled appearance, which camouflages the dust a bit, and it’s very hard-wearing, yet soft (resilient?).
We’re big fans of GardenWeb, where marble, granite and soapstone counter tops dominate. If we had to change the counter tops for some reason, I think we’d look at soapstone and a solid surface like Caesarstone. Marble is a distinctive look, and needs a certain level of sophistication in appliances, cabinets & finishes, etc. For us, laminate is perfect: hard-wearing, affordable and appropriate for the neighborhood.
My main reason for being anti-marble?? It doesn’t play well with red wine. And frankly, I cherish the red wine in my life way more than I cherish fancy white countertops. ha.
I live with laminate too, and it doesn’t bother me. Well it does but I’m ignoring that. When my kitchen grows up it’ll get butcher block counters, at least 2″ thick.
I wish I could have a snobby kitchen!
We have sad laminate counters in a nice shade of “dingy cream.” And heaven forbid a drop of coffee or red wine comes near it! I have gone through many magic erasures.
I think you spent your money wisely on your sunroom. Kitchen counters will be nice but you can’t get as cozy on them as you will in your sunroom.
Nasty old white textured yucky laminate! But, hoping for some sort of granite with a possible cement island thrown in. We’ve been saying that for a few years now so who knows when that will happen…if ever!
I don’t like marble that much either! I do like expensive things though, so it can’t be because it’s too snobby lol. I think it’s because the grey colors in it, it’s boring! I’d much rather have cute tiles or thick wood. I do like those small tiles in that kitchen though!
Count me as another one who is replacing laminate with laminate! I’ve been blogging about it the last few weeks. I really wanted Silestone but at a price of $7000 JUST for the counter, I said never mind. And granite was even more and I don’t even like it!
I am so done with granite…and the marble we seem to see EVERYWHERE ,but agree that a honed look is much more timeless.
We put in granite…cause a friend had a shop. It cleans well,Is tolerant of all stains… but it is just kinda ‘meh’ to me. I do have a counter with butcher block…now THAT I like the look of much more. I have seen some stunning mahogany counters.
I did walk through a kitchen shop recently, and was amazed at the look of some laminates…I had to touch them to see if they were real or not!
I, too, am living with laminate. Our kitchen has about an acre of counterspace and at the time we built the house it was going to be $14,000 to put in the granite we wanted at the time. I just couldn’t justify the expense.
When the time comes, I would LOVE to do marble, but I imagine I will end up doing a silestone or zodiaq instead–have had good experiences with those.
Corian has a product that looks just like the marble. I used it in my recent kitchen remodel. I will be posting pictures tonight or tomorrow but I love the product. I ordered it from home depot and installed it was $62 (I think liniar foot). It is called rain cloud. Xoxo
I am remodeling master bath
Im wanting a marble tile with the grey dots but do not want to pay the carrara marble tile prices for a floor
what product will give me the look without the price?
Pamela, I just built a new home, and used American Olean porcelain tile “Catarina” 12 x 12 on floor and up shower, then used bianco venatino pencil with bianco venatino 3×6 subway ,topped w another b v pencil and “Catarina” tile around top to finish off….my countertop is
Honed bianco venatino , and tub deck is the “Catarina” porcelain….overall a good mixture of porcelain and the real deal marble for a cost effective price…used basket weave mosaic b v marble on shower floor….. Very pleased with look and pricing…hope it helps !
They are so pretty. My single, childless, rich alter ego would LOVE to live in a kitchen with counters like that.
I went to a local furniture maker and had custom oak butcher block counters made. I think it was cheaper than any other option. Now I am seeing all kinds of wood with beautiful edges. If your husband is handy and anything happens to the counter you can sand,stain,refinish-try that with marble.
I have to admit I LOVE Carrara & would’ve chosen it if it were as low-maintenance as granite. I chose a white granite that I am very happy with instead. But, I still swoon over kitchens like that one with all that gorgeous marble.
P.S. Julia, I never realized your husband’s name is Dave. We are Julie & Dave over here.
What?! Snobby? No way..those kitchens look clean and simple in the most beautiful way. Very welcoming and makes u want to lay down a sleeping bag so u never really have to leave!! I think there’s nothing better than a white kitchen, your husband would be surprised.
Can you talk to him for me?
My husband also hates marble. And granite.
We replaced our countertops this year with Lagan butcherblock from Ikea. It only cost less than 200 dollars to do our whole kitchen, and I LOVE the way it turned out!! We just left the wood unfinished and have been oiling it with Linseed oil. The wood has a nice warm glow to it, and our kitchen feels so inviting and, well, warm. Of course butcher block takes some maintenance, but I think it’s beautiful, and is well worth the time it takes to maintain it. And if it gets scratched or burned, you can always sand it, and oil it. Pretty nice.
Beth, I’ve been looking at butcherblock from IKEA as well. Did you install it yourself? Tell me about the maintenance required beyond just the oiling? I want light, airy, natural, classic, and inexpensive, and butcherblock seems to fit the bill.
I have to side with Jane on this one… I’m a big fan of Carrara~ it’s beautiful and timeless. Now those cooktops & appliances… Wolf, La Cornue, Sub-zero —> definitely say snobby more than a natural stone – unless of course, your one serious chef. But even then… really, are they THAT necessary?
We went with granite in our kitchen simply because of its durability and resale value. We replaced laminate, and though laminates today are better than the laminate we replaced, I got tired of fixing where the veneer would lift and trying to get stains out. Plus, you can cut and burn it laminate… unlike granite. Our kitchen is a workplace and we’re hard on it – we just needed that durability. Stone (whether granite or marble) will always retain its value.
In the end…you have to do what works for you… whether it’s your budget or what you can life with or without!
Concrete! You can make it look like just about anything and what’s more down to earth than concrete? I love mine – they are indestructable AND beautiful! Karin
I have laminate also–it was all we could afford when we built our house. I actually like the color of it–if there was a way to get the shine back it would look better. If I could change it now it would be soapstone with a farm sink!! It’s nice to keep dreaming!!
We’ve had carrara marble now since August and LOVE IT! We also have a butcher block island. I personally don’t like “pretentious” AT ALL and our kitchen was ’80′s dated, but now it looks like it was there from the beginning…timeless, classic – we LOVE it and would do it all over again and we personally have not found it to be that high maintenance at all!
I like that marble – I think it looks French. I also think it could look quite friendly. There’s a restaurant in Toronto I like that uses these countertops and the decor is very stylish, warm and friendly. Conducive to a good food environment!
Boo! Those two kitchens are gorgeous; how could anyone not love them?
Well Sister Girlfriend Julia -I have laminate…old laminate. I have hoity toity, snobby taste, but live in a retirees budgeted world! Truthfully, if I had the money, I don’t know what I’d have. Those picturs of the all white kitchens are my dream kitchens, and I have white cupboards now…painted white! Also, I’m finding that we are semi messy and maybe an all black kitchen would be wiser LOL! I would like an update on my counter tops, and they have wondeful new laminates out there, so I will probably be laminated forever!
I think your sunroom was a very wise choice, and I am just a tiny bit, ok a lot, envious! I’m praying about that!
We just replaced our counter with poured concrete and I’m IN LOVE!!! All the labor was done by us, including the acid staining and sealing. The total cost for our 10x9x10 kitchen was about $700 so I got to splurge on a fancy tile backplash.
Julia!!
My good friend had her kitchen redone last year, and she insisted they install marble counter tops because it was her dream! (and she ignored all the advice from friends and family about how they would never last….)
But, they purchased all the cabinets from IKEA so the kitchen is warm, down-to-earth, approachable, and a sophisticated! (I will try to email you a picture or tw0)
Your blog has taught me to live in a place I love!
if that means marble counter tops for you…….then marble counter tops it should be!
I’m behind you on this one! ?
bug hug
Heather
While the popularity of colors will vary, granite is here to stay. Since it is a material that will last essentially forever, selecting the color is a very important step. Any material used badly will soon look dated and be out of fashion. Soapstone counter tops, on the other hand, have been used for hundreds of years and are still classic.
You could just sell all of your upper kitchen cabinets to pay for that carrara marble. Seems like that’s what they sacrificed in order to have it.
I agree with the other commenter that the snobbiest thing about those kitchens is the appliances.
I did an internship in the design department at Wilsonart back in ’98. It was interesting and I learned alot about what it takes to make paper look like stone but oh my did it give me a headache smelling all of that laminate and chemicals all day!
In my kitchen I have granite with alot of movement. I love it. My island is 5′x11′ (a continent really) and it looks like one big fabulous slab of rock with all kinds of variation to it.
Ooops. I inadvertently clicked “submit” before I completed my thoughts. Regarding the marble, it looks lovely when it is installed, but it is a lot of work to keep looking new. It has never been appropriate for complete counter tops. If you like the look, you can certainly use is as a portion of a top (as part of an island combined with an antique butcher block) or as a backsplash material. When used on the backsplash, you can enjoy the color and pattern without the problems that marble counter tops possess. Water spots, acids like lemon juice and vinegar, as well as many other commonly used food items will play havoc with the polish. The shine certainly plays into the “snob” factor.
If we had to put in countertops now, I’d be looking at quartz, I think, or Corian/Silestone maybe. We have granite (they were here when we bought the house) and they’re fine, but they aren’t what I’d pick.
I, too, would love a butcher block countertop! My brother works for John Boos and there are so many amazing options.
I had granite installed in my home 4 years ago when we built it. It has been sealed only once since then (I did it myself) and it still looks as good as the day it was put in. I don’t know why people think it is a ton of work, because it is not. The sealing takes about one-half hour every other year. I say if you can afford it, go with the natural stones (granite, marble, soapstone). There is nothing like it to add richness to your home!
I’ve heard quartz is a great alternative to Marble and Granite. I’m not sure how the cost compares. My ideal countertop is soapstone. But I doubt I’ll ever be able to afford that, so I also love concrete. My friend has some gorgeous concrete countertops in her kitchen.
I agree somewhat with your husband about the marble — especially if you have a lot of counterspace, too much marble can look quite highfalutin (another fun word!)…. But I do love Carrara marble, so my husband and I reached a compromise on this same situation — we bought our old, broken down beach house 10 years ago, and the kitchen was dreadful… But the house needed so much work overall, that we decided we would temporarily spruce up the kitchen on a tight budget and deal with it on a larger scale later… At the time, I really wanted Carrara marble countertops, but knew I had to wait until other more important and immediate work was completed — such as plumbing and electrical! So we had a local furniture/cabinet maker make us thin maple counters — they literally cost $300! My husband installed, stained and varnished them. I then got a smallish slab of Carrara marble that I put on the counter and use as a board for cutting, baking, spopt to put down hot pans, etc… While we thought the wood counters were temporary, everyone who sees them loves them, as well as the marble slab, and the counters have held up incredibly well for a family of 5 that uses the kitchen ALL the time, so for now, even though we could easily redo the kitchen with marble, we won’t…. So, you may think about using a less expensive countertop material, and putting a piece of marble as an accent piece — either installed or as a cutting board type slab like we did…. Good luck!
We have Corian in “Anthracite”–a dark charcoal gray w/speckles that works well w/our black appliances.
When we demolished the 1960s kitchen in our 1840s house, we knew that we would put in a very traditional kitchen … but I still had to have a few contemporary touches to keep the kitchen current. Our shaker cherry cabinets (from Crown Point … love them!!) are topped with Corian counters in Earth (one of their newer designs that is directional and looks a lot like soapstone) and I couldn’t be happier. Most folks who come into the kitchen run their hands over the counters and ask, “what is this?” They sometimes don’t believe me when I tell them that it’s Corian. For light counters, have you seen the new Martha Stewart line of Corian? There are a couple of colors that I’m lusting over … perhaps when I redo the laundry room.
Don’t get me started on countertops: we have a beautiful granite, which is too dark, too glossy, and too un-patterned. The result: open a packet of breakfast cereal, it looks messy. Make a sandwich, it looks terrible. Bake a cake and you might as well write “I’m a slob” on it in pink lipstick.
Please promise me, you’ll choose something beige-y, patterned, and dull when you finally replace your countertops!
The marble looks lovely, but with so many white surfaces, I think your husband has a point.
My thoughts exactly, not to mention the fingerprints (or paw-prints with my cat)! Grrr!
We had a kitchen fire last spring. In the fix, I got flat cut porcelain tiles on the counters with almost no seams, then tumbled marble as a back splash. Wooden boards for the fascia painted the same as the walls. I had a pro tiler come in, and they were actually his choice, based on what he saw of our lifestyle. He did offer choices, but this man had excellent color sense. We went with his favorites in the end…including on the all new tile in the LR/DR areas. (Sandy FL precludes wasting money on carpet!) In the year since, I still love it. It looks like a marble finish, the seam grout is colored to match, and it doesn’t stain!
He sounds just like my husband! No laminate here, we are using an old door! our kitchen looks like a construction site and will look that way for some time. one good thing has come from it though, we have both decided that we want wood counter tops!
Ooo… I love Carrarra! So classic and depending on what you mix it with can be ultra formal or a yummy, relaxed casual look. Yes, really, it can look casual! I have it mixed with honed black granite in my mountain home and it’s timeless. I always guide my clients to using more timeless materials in their homes so they don’t get caught in the ‘trendy trend’ gap and Carrarra is at the top of my list!
I would have killed for marble but in the end realized it didn’t suit my lifestyle or budget! My original choice for my counters was a quartzite called “Madre Perla” but when I found out it as $5000 a slab, that was that (I needed 2, in order to be able to do my window sill of all things!).
So, I settled for Ceasarstone’s “Jerusalem Sand” which looks sort of like limestone. It has the calm look I wanted and the surface has just enough movement and mottling to hide the crumbs and such when I aren’t quick enough to wipe up. It wasn’t cheap but it also wasn’t the price of marble. It’s easy to care for, looks fantastic and is appropriate for the feel of my Craftsman home. I’m very happy with my choice.
I love the look of marble, but it wouldn’t fit my house. I am dreaming of a kitchen reno with granite countertops. I am so sick of our laminate (and our cabinets and our linoleum floors)! I see so many beautiful kitchens that make me drool, but I try to remember that mine would never look like that. Who would keep it that clean?! Not me….
Laminate, all the way…. and you know what? I LOVE it. It is the honey colored wood pattern, so it has the nice country look of butcher block with my cream cabinets, but I can put hot pans, spill brightly colored things and let them dry on the counter, but not stain, and I even get lazy some times and chop my veggies on it! It’s wonderful! the only thing I would ever replace it with would be solid surface like Silestone. But for now, I am very happy with it.
Funny post, Julia. I love those “tell it straight” guys!
I don’t know how big your kitchen is, but you might look into remnants of whatever you decide on. I was able to do a pretty big expanse of bathroom counter with a remnant. It’s a win win for the counter top place because the original customer already paid for the entire slab, and now they sell the unused part to you for a discount. If you know who you want to use and what colors you are leaning towards, you could even have them measure and then keep an eye out for matching pieces big enough for your kitchen. Good luck!
We renovated our 1955 kitchen and paired blue boomerang laminate with white seamless IKEA cabinetry. The backsplash is in blue multi-shade penny rounds. It’s almost done and it looks fabulously modern and retro!
LOL! That second pic is awesome! I think the marble doesn’t see like it would wear well in a real life kitchen. It seems magazine worthy only.
This rental has laminate with a wood frame and I hate it. The last rental had Carrara marble and while pretty was a pain to not ruin. They even had it by the sink, which makes no sense to me. But my last rental was… well, it was a saga.
When we buy I want to put in soapstone.
We have granite, so I hope they are not on their way out! We just bought our house brand new in October and were able to pick them out. I love them! That being said, I looove carrera. I think it is beautiful. If I had my uber dream kitchen, I’d definitely have part of it be carrera, maybe just the island or maybe a baking station. When you get around to doing yours, couldn’t you just do a baking station with carrera? So beautiful!
That’s my house in Encino at the link – and I was terrified of white marble, and craved soapstone – but didn’t want the maintenance. So Caesarstone makes a honed counter that looked like unoiled soapstone, but you can clean with softscrub! I used marble in the backsplash – and it wipes right up! The bathrooms are all Calcatta marble -so a still have to be careful. I do kitchen design for a living, and advocate some pretty tough finishes for most people – but didn’t always listen to my own advice. I have some ‘need a black kitchen’ kind of days – but I order takeout and tell my husband “It’s for lookin’, not for cookin’ ”
Julia – that’s for the new mention, as always – a HUGE blast to be blogged!
We just finished a new house (with kitchen, of course) a year ago. We have black laminate on the island (looks a lot like soapstone without the maintenance) and put stainless steel on the countertops by the cooktop and sink. The whole family likes to cook, so we needed pretty tough finishes. I LOVE the stainless – very easy to clean and disinfect and looks good.
As someone who just ripped out some of the world’s yuckiest pink laminate, I’m totally with you on that. And carrara is truly one of the most beautiful surfaces there is.
On countertops I think — similar to your post last year about whether stainless appliances would soon look dated — that all these granite countertops everyone is obsessed with (not saying that’s you!)
will look dated soon too. I’m all about the true classics like wood and marble. We just put in butcher block, honestly because it was the cheapest non-laminate option, but we actually love it! You can see how it looks *almost* finished here.
xoxo,
tanja
I’m sorry you can’t have your beautiful white marble countertops, but there is hope.
I, too, wanted exactly those countertops but when I went shopping for countertops, I saw gorgeous almost-white granite and was lucky enough to get it.
It’s got some grain in it but it looks more like a wet, white sandy beach. I urge you to go to a granite center and look at their slabs. Another recommendation I have is that when you find the slab or slabs you like, and you’re sure, buy them quickly. I didn’t know enough to do this and thought more would be in the next shipment.
No, the next shipment was somewhat different. About 6 weeks later and after many visits, I found the slabs I wanted and I loooove sitting in my kitchen and looking at my countertops.
Oh Julia, that first image makes me swoon! I love me a gorgeous white kitchen WITH marble countertops! I need to talk to your man. I need to use these words to describe marble countertops: they are “timeless”, they are “classic” and they add “value” ! Men love that word!
We have crema marble with brown veining, not carrera marble, and I have to tell you four years later, I am still so much in love with them. Here’s the *shocker*: at the slab yard, they were “less expensive than granite”. True! When properly sealed, there are no stains (at least none on ours to date). A few tiny chips around the sink, but no worries, it adds to the “patina” !
But if given the choice, I’d choose laminate over tile countertops any day of the week. Just keep dreaming and saving, you’ll have those countertops of your dreams soon, as long as we all keep workin on hubby.
xo
Kate
You forgot my husband’s favorite… “hot-sy tot-sy”
I wanted Cararra Marble in my kitchen because I think it looks timeless, not hoitey-toitey or snooty. I don’t have a grand, large kitchen which could be mistaken for snooty, anyway.
However, I had several different stone dealers flat-out tell me they would NOT put Cararra Marble in a kitchen. I finally went with a Kashmir White granite. It feel it’s a good alternate choice. It feels more rustic than Cararra Marble, but it has the white and gray colors I like.
I can tell you, though, that I think Kashmir White granite is just as porous as marble. I know the stone dealer said the slab was sealed, but I had issues with grease stains shortly after it was installed. I removed those easily with a DuPont product and applied several coats of their Bulletproof sealer, which seems to have fixed the issue. My point is that I don’t think it’s any less work than keeping Carrara Marble pristine. If you really like the look of the marble, go for the marble. There are lots of advanced sealers and products out there to help you deal with the porosity of the stone.
We also have Ikea butcher block, Numerar style which is thicker then the other, but still very affordable. My DH redid our entire kitchen using Ikea Stat cabinets and this counter top. I love, love, love it. It is about 4 years old now and ages very well. I season it every couple of months. We had an extra bit he made a cutting board from, but I don’t mind cutting on the counter in a pinch….it adds character!! Easy to install. Easiest cut with a table saw.
I find marble, granite and such too cold and hard looking for my style, but agree it looks amazing in the right kitchen. Just too formal for me!
Julia,
We remodeled our very outdated kitchen 2.5 years ago and put in carrara and I would do it again in a heartbeat. And, I have to tell you, it was actually less expensive than any granite we were even remotely considering. We have dark brown cabinets and I love how the carrara looks against it. It does scratch and get marked-up, but that, as I have come to realize, is part of the beauty of it. There’s just a timelessness about carrara that I love. I’m just a couple hours from you in C’bus, so come on over it you want to see carrara in a kitchen where it gets daily abuse from my husband who cooks a lot!
Marla
I think they are beautiful…but…well, here’s my story. LOVE: I purchased a small, French, antique table with an old marble top. REALITY: It has a stain the size of salad plate. I am trying to bleach it little by little. So far, the stain is winning, and I just put something on top of it to hid it.
We are still wrapping up a mini kitchen redo. LOVE: I love marble and honed, black granite. I had pages and pages of pics of kitchens I loved in each surface. REALITY: I have 3 boys, which actually translates to around 5.25 kids. I wanted a certain look, but I also want to have no worries with my countertops. I worry about my sons’ grades, girls, driving, broken bones, work stress, college tuition, etc. I do not want to worry about my countertops…they are supposed to make me smile. We went with a neutral, not-so-busy granite, and I have not regretted it. Everytime I work on that stain on the marble side table, spill spaghetti sauce, find a dried dollup of ketchup, grape jelly or juice, or find a greasy spatula one of the boys has left, I smile and congratulate myself for making the right choice for us at this station of life.
Your home is lovely and warm. I think you made the right choice. I have plain old laminateBeige too and yellow formica cabnets that are chipped and peeled. we are hopefully going to dothe kitchen this year .(fingers crossed) I would love quartz myself but I think in the end I would rather spend the money on the cabnets for now….Have you seen a Country farmhouse? Trista’s kitchen is so pretty and she has Ikea countertops that are just gorgeous. They are butcher block I think.
Julia – I am patiently waiting with my trusty laminate for a new kitchen – ugh. But “other things” always come first and should the kids go without food, clothes, and tennis lessons just so that I can have a new kitchen? Life as a mom – ONE DAY I’ll get my kitchen!
-Trish
Carrara is not snobby! It just requires a bit of maintenance. I personally prefer statuary because it has fewer veins in it. The Carrara that you can get these days is really “veiny” because the quarries have been “over dug” in the last years … and I think too many grey veins looks cheap. I’m doing a house right now with dark mahogany countertops that are going to be awesome. But I also love slate, bluestone, and poured concrete!
I loooove the look of carrera marble, but my lil’ ol’ kitchen doesn’t even have countertops (just a pull-out enamel workstation and the sink drainboards!)–so it’s a non-issue for me.
Stick with the laminate–I’d rather spend more time in the sunroom than the kitchen anyway!
We have Silestone countertops, and I would definitely choose them again- they are beautiful. (Ours are Brazilian Brown) My sister-in-law was building a new house and did tons of research and chose Silestone, so when we were replacing our countertops I didn’t even think twice about my decision.She had done all the research for me and has great decorating/design sense. Highly recommend! (She loves her Silestone countertops too)
Those kitchens are downright gorgeous! Lots of lovely home inspiration to file away for the future. That’s too bad your hubby isn’t on board with those beautiful marble countertops. I have to say I am really drawn to black countertops, mostly because of my obsession with Ina Garten and her kitchen. I too love a white kitchen. I’m hoping you and your husband work out an agreeable compromise. Can’t wait to see them!
Laminate original to the 1950′s home we currently own. Later on down the road.. like miles and miles away… we will do a kitchen upgrade and put in new counter tops….probably laminate again as I do not see the need for installing anything higher in cost. I have had laminate in my kitchens since 1981, my mom had laminate for 40+ years, it has done us well. Anyway, right now there is no budget for remodeling so I live with my harvest gold and cream swirled 1950′s countertops….
Hi There,
I have to chip in my 2 cents. I absolutely LOVE THE WAY CARRARA MARBLE LOOKS. Why it is absolutely GORGEOUS, until you start using it. THANK HEAVENS I did not put it in my kitchen, but started with the Master Bath. I did get the polished finish, I don’t have experience with the honed. I have sealed it 3 times, and it shows every single mark. From toothpaste spots, to what ever. I actually now put towels around the sink every morning, before I get ready. Everyone who has seen it can not believe it’s used in kitchens. You can feel the spots too, they are never smooth again. I am a neat freak, so I can’t imagine what it would look like with people using it ~ who don’t wipe down the counter top after every single use, like myself. And it doesn’t even matter if you wipe it down immediately, that’s how fast any stain will catch.
SAVE YOURSELF THE AGONY AND GO WITH SOMETHING ELSE.
Sorry to put a damper in your well intended plans for that “snooty” kitchen remodel….. LOL!
Take my advice and go with a white granite, or silestone, or even concrete, anything
but carrara marble.
Oh No! I’m so sorry you’re hating your marble so much. Have you tried honing the surface yourself with a half a lemon? It’ll help the etches to blend in. It’s not that marble is a mistake, but polished marble is a mistake for people who like things pristine. Honing makes all the difference. Of course if you don’t like the soft matte texture of honed, then marble is the wrong choice.
Julia, I laughed at your husband’s description of the kitchen. Mine never even looked at any of the materials we used in ours. He pretended to look at the samples I brought home, but couldn’t really care less. He pretty much only blanched at the prices. We only have soapstone counters, because of furious eye-batting and our ability to DIY.
I am in love with the laminates that look like marble/granite/soapstone! They are ingenious: inexpensive, low maintenance, easy to install, not cold. I also really like the seamless look of Corian, especially if you get the Corian sink, too. Even thought it does look a bit “institutional,” the idea of never re-caulking again sounds amazing!
We currently have black granite and I would sell my soul to get rid of it. HATE IT! It always looks dirty–even shows fingerprints!, and I can’t stand having a dirty kitchen. At least other “patterned” granites hide the crumbs (and prints) a little bit.
We use snooty van snootin in our house. I have carrara in my kitchen right now. I drink lots! of red wine, have two kids, and I’m not a perfect housekeeper. From a designer’s point of view, the timeless classic nature of carrara is what we find appealing. If the stone is sealed and you use a pumice treatment every couple of years, carrara is really not that difficult. I love the patina that comes with it. It is not for those who need it to stay pristine. If the budget allows, it is a nice choice. I’ll give you some trade secret alternatives. I’m installing Eco White Diamond in a client’s kitchen next Wed. It is gorgeous and like the name says eco friendly. Silestone, has a color called Biano River that looks an awful lot like carrara. There are no downsides to either of these products.
I think it is sort of refreshing to know you have laminate (like we do!). I agree though, I always dream of updating. Our dream is to have the wood butcher block style countertops to go with the old feel of our house. I actually used pictures from the “Father of the Bride” house that you wrote about to sell the idea to my husband
Marble does have a fancy feel to it, but I do like things that are a bit more casual and cozy feeling for a kitchen.
Carrara marble. In the kitchen and all the bathrooms. Where we live in N. VA, carrara is considered a medium grade for countertops. And I love, love, love it. Our style is definitely not snobby or hoity-toity. I don’t have a formal living room or formal dining room b/c that’s not how we live. When we were building, the countertops were the most reasonable thing cost-wise that we put in the house! And a year later, still no stains or cracks. Although I don’t think it would bother me just b/c I love the look of old marble too!! I’ve yet to seal it … all the counters (and the carrara tiles I used on the master bath floor and powder room) still look amazing. Obviously go with something else if your hubby already has issues with it.
)
Hi Julia- I’m a realtor and I love to stop by your blog, it’s delightful! I can recall going into a sweet little cape cod a few years ago. It was definitely not a “snobby” house, but it had the most beautiful worn,used, loved carrara counters. They felt like a warm hug in that kitchen and have wanted them in my own home ever since. Personally, I think they are much more classic and timeless than busy granite.
That sounds like something my husband would say too! We have plain old laminate as well…thank goodness it is neutralish–white with some little teeny flecks of color. I’d love to have silestone, but not in this house!
I enjoy your website very much and read it first thing in the morning. If you cook, the kitchen must be functional. If my cooking hero, Ina Garten, doesn’t have marble in her kitchen, there must be a good reason. I have Caesarstone in my kitchen and I put a hot pan on the surface without problems. I’ve also pounded chicken on it. When you see photos of kitchens with white marble, Sub-zero fridge, and Viking stoves, they are in it for the names and probably aren’t into cooking. Sub-zeros break down frequently and if you want a restaurant quality stove, then Blue Star is the choice.
No I do not think granite is on its’ way out. I have seen that kitchen picture before and I just love it. That is a dream kitchen for sure.
We are with you…just good, old laminate kitchen counters in our home. Although one of our RV’s had Corian and our latest RV has solid surface counters. No plans for now to update. The next purchase will probably be a new stove probably in stainless steel to match our newer refrigerator.
I do not like marble countertops at all and I would highly recommend you don’t put them in your house. A friend of mine has some in her kitchen and anything stains them, even just water. Yes they look nice, but they are high maintenance.
My family has laminate countertops in our whole house and it looks nice. They are brand new and so easy to clean. Plus laminate never stains.
What great kitchen pictures! The white marble is beautiful.
Your husband’s comment makes me laugh! love it! =)
We have tiled countertops & I absolutely hate them. We plan to replace them this year & considered granite but the cheap-skate (read:frugal) in me will probably go for some good ole laminate!
I wouldn’t give up on the marble- of course it looks snobby in most of the magazine photos- they are magazine photos! I think carrara marble can look really casual and down to earth with the right cabinets and hardware etc.
I am sorry that you are not getting your counter tops but it is so refreshing to hear about real live people who can’t have it all right this minute. Houses have to be put together over time. It is a slow process and it hard to be patient in this instant gratification world we live in.
Thanks for the fun posts as always,
This kitchen is beautiful. I myself have never been a big fan of marble but it looks very nice here. I hate to say but I’m kind of into tiled counters now…done in the right way of course. A little subway tile or something
I have vintage 1950′s oatmeal colored tile in my kitchen/painted white cabinets and I kinda have started loving it. I’m on the west coast and we don’t have much laminate used here. I can’t imagine having it as I set down hot pots and the like on my counters.
I’ve always liked marble but a friend who has a marble coffee table (for years) made me realize it would truly not be doable. Even water leaves a mark you can’t get off. She has to take it to a pro to be honed/refinished every so often and I don’t dare set *anything* on it without a coaster. Plus I love red wine and cook with it too. It would be ruined in an instant.
Thank you everyone that has posted! Julia, you must have been in our neck of the woods and heard our discussion on counter tops. We have a 1870 Victorian that has to have a face lift in the kitchen and I am at my wits end trying to figure out what to do for countertops that will keep with the style of the house. Same with appliances.. so we go with stainless?
Julia, I love marble! I dream of buying a old, historic cottage badly in need of a kitchen redo…and creating a cottage kitchen with marble countertops. Maybe if you work on hubby, he’ll see the light.
We tiled our kitchen ourselves with 12 inch GORGEOUS tile. With doing the work ourselves and waiting for sales, we saved a LOT!! And I LOVE my kitchen!!
I even showed it off here- http://zookeepingblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/homebodys-at-it-again.html
I really, really wanted marble but hard water here means vinegar is one of my main cleaning products. I went with tile – you get the look and there are new grout products that don’t stain or mildew. I couldn’t be happier.
We remodeled our kitchen last year. We live in a 1936 cape cod that I just love, but the kitchen needed a lot of help. I really wanted carrara marble counters,but since I have kids and a husband that wouldn’t be careful with them, I opted for carrara marble subway tiles as a backsplash instead. For the counters, I chose honed absolute black granite. We love it. It looks a lot like soapstone, but with no maintenance. We too are casual people and honing the granite gives it a relaxed, warmer feeling.
What do I have on my kitchen countertops?
Ugly, (should have been replaced last year, at least!) laminate. At least you got a Sunroom out of the deal – I didn’t get anything. But my son got his first year of college!
That should make me feel better, right?
Granite. But my dream kitchen has maple butcher block countertops with white cabinets and a black and white tile floor.
I liked the idea of a solid surface when we had to re-do the kitchen immediately upon moving in, so we went with Corian. My hubby didn’t like the big flecks in some of the counters so we went with a small grain since it is his kitchen mostly.
I did not want laminate because the laminate at our house was awful (pink and gray swirls on white–1950′s ranch), due to the stains and burn marks. However, laminate has come a long way since my dad installed it in his house.
Now we went to a party in a very hoity-toity area, where the homes and furnishing are high end. The hostess is an excellent cook so my husband and I were surprised that her countertops were not something like granite or marble. Instead, she had red laminate that had what looked like a towel bar on the edge of the laminate, all round the counter. You know what? It looked fabulous!
Hi Julia,
I have carrara marble in my bathrooms, using it for countertops. That I really like. I have had a few kitchens over the years and have turned away from granite, which I have been finding very cold, with no life to it. When I cook, I need to be able to put hot pots anywhere, so for the last kitchen I redid, caesarstone was used. About the same price as granite, able to withstand high temps, it has so many color choices, and needs no sealing. One lesson learned, stay away from dark colours, everything shows!
We downsized a year ago. My farmhouse kitchen had maple counter tops. I loved them but they do require constant upkeep. Our very cute cozy new place had very plain laminate when we bought it. At the time I thought oh we’ll upgrade that. My friend and real estate agent said to me You probably should wait on that you just might change your mind. I have to say everyone that comes in to my kitchen says Wow, I like your counters haha. After we painted and did other things in the kitchen I decided I like them too. I have to say I’ve never liked granite to me it overwhelms the room and that’s all I stare at. Also it reminds me to tombstones. I can’t believe the attractive new laminates they make. I just can’t be bothered keeping up with the Jones.
Love the look of the carrara, but I think I might faint the first time my kids spilled red Koolaid on it (that is how classy we are: it’s not the red wine stains I worry about , but the cherry kids’ drinks)! I currently have black granite (all the rage when we built), w/ white cabinets. I would never again go with a dark counter… If hubby won’t be talked into the marble, at least stay light! (PS- I have the same top image stored in my photo file & love it. So classic and timeless!)
Have you thought about a counter top overlay? The cost is about 1/3 of the marble you are looking at. It is also stain resistant, heat resistant and stronger than granite. You have many options when it comes to overlays, best of all most products are green! You can have the look of Carrara Marble that is easy to maintain.
Have a Colorful day!
Jenney
Hi Julia, those white kitchens with their Carrera tops certainly look divine, but I’m not sure how practical they are. My husband just gave me the green light to redo our 41-years-young kitchen, and I am taking a good look at Caesarstone (quartz). It is no-maintenance, and comes in lots of different finishes. Thinking of pairing it with a glass mosaic tile backsplash and white cabinets. If I had room and could work it in design-wise, I’d consider a marble baker’s island. It’s a superior surface for working with dough.
Lol!!! Good one. I’ve got that *really* ugly beige colored tile with 1/4 inch brownish grout that looks disgusting no matter how much you clean it, it was here when we moved in we wanted to consider our options before we rushed into ripping it out. We’re finally about to replace it with Cararra marble and replace the ugly floor with herringbone walnut but I don’t know, Dave may have a point, I don’t think I could stand to be insulted by my countertops every morning while I eat my cereal!! haha, only a man could come up with something like that.
Hi there…I have cararra marble countertops and I love them in my kitchen. I had it honed down. It looks awesome. And my kitchen is not fancy at all. As a matter of fact – it is simple…and the marble is beautiful. I think if the overall design of the kitchen is simple and straightforward then the marble will fit right in. Good luck, hopefully you can convince your husband or you can do what I did and just go to the marble factory, select the slabs and tell him that is what you decided.
To funny! We have “snobby” Calacatta marble in our kitchen and I love it! It’s honed so the stains don’t show up to much. Lemon juice has really been the culprit, coffee, no problem…just citrus, so I try to be careful. Our house I feel is very bunglalow/craftsman style which balances out the fancyness of the marble. I kept it really chunky too. It just depends on what’s around it. We put Carrera in the masterbath and that’s been great too (it doesn’t like saline solution though). Soap stone was our other choice but there wasn’t any available at the time so that kind of made the decision for us in the end…and I’m so happy it worked out that way.
Get what you love…you won’t be sorry,
xo J~
Ha! I love this post — we have laminate countertops that look like granite. Our guests will be here for hours and then realize they’re not real.
There’s no way we could pull off marble in our house, but it’s sooo beautiful!
First let me say that I believe in getting what you love as long as it doesn’t literally break the bank or cause you to have to live on bread & water for the next several years. But there are a few other things to consider, such as your lifestyle. As beautiful as the marble countertops are, once the excitement of getting them wears off & you return to your regular (and probably hectic) daily routine will you have the time for the maintenance that some commenters say marble requires? Do you have a housekeeper or will you have to maintain the contertops yourself? I have old laminate with a half-dollar size piece missing where my son placed a hot skillet. I love the look of marble & would get honed marble (if affordable). Because I love the patina of antiques, I don’t think the stains and chips would bother me. However, I do have a question (for real & not just rhetorical). Aren’t some centuries-old building facades made of marble? How did this marble withstand the elements & still look good? Was this a different kind of marble than we are considering for use as countertops?
P.S.-I think your husband is the least of your obstacles. I think he can be
convinced!
I don’t think Carrara marble is snobby, but I do agree is it pricey and needs a lot of attention to keep the look. I recently asked my readers if they have Carrara marble in their kitchens and what they think now. One of my clients really wants it and I want her to be aware of the pitfalls. I found the response mixed. Here is the article:
http://simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/2011/02/yes-or-no-to-carrara-marble-countertops.html
I think a sunroom is a fabulous idea!
xo,
cristin
I love Carrara marble, but I agree with your husband that that kitchen does look a little “snobby”. I prefer it when it’s used with wood tones and such – not such a sterile look =)
Right now I have cream-colored laminate countertops, but I’ve been eying the soapstone laminate someone mentioned above!
Black granite, but I’d rather have much lighter. It shows everything, even dust in the corners.
I have white laminate and hope to soon put the metal edging around the front ledge that was popular in the 40′s or 50′s. A little bit of Comet, and they’re good to go!
And if I hear the words on House Hunters ONE MORE TIME, “Oh look, the kitchen has stainless steel appliances and granite contertops,” I’ll throw the TV into my white enamel sink with metal trim sink!
Leave off that last sink in my previous comment. =-)
Julia, we live in Holland and 2 years ago we moved to a new home and had a new kitchen put in, we chose Belgian hard bluestone, do I like it ,yes, is it some work, yes . The first week we lived here my sister-in-law set her daughters glass of orange juice on it and needless to say a ring. Well, when there were installing the coutertops the guys said more or less in time they look better and better its just a mind set. We use to olive oil to polish it up and make it look nice. Our old countertop was stainless steel and pretty carefree . I guess we both got over about “perfection” and worring about it. At least it looks like we cook and eat at home. As far as the laminate goes I almost picked that, it works , its sturdy and pretty carefree. P.S. Love the sun room! Love what your daughter said too! Julie in Holland
We recently remodeled our kitchen (actually, we aren’t done yet) and we replaced our PINK LAMINATE with butcher block stained in a dark-ish color. I LOVE it! And, we haven’t priced our house (or ourselves) out of the house and the neighborhood.
Our house is almost 100 years old and the kitchen had already been updated, but by someone who adored the color mauve-pink and honey oak and stencils (EEEEK)
We now have two color painted cabinets, butcher block counters and a farmhouse sink that I love even when it’s full of dirty dishes.
I love the marble, but I also know it would drive me crazy. I would be so afraid of damaging it, that I couldn’t enjoy it. I have Corian counters, but I would really like granite or slate. I need something that can take a beating.
Our countertops are “homemade” with spray paint, glitter spray, and envirotech lite! We’ve had a lot of compliments on it, but it stains. We’ll keep it until we too, save up to get new. It definitely beats the FAUX 1970′s white with marble swirl that we covered up. And it wasn’t hoity toity looking like the gorgeous pictures you posted-trust me! =)
We put in laminate when we bought our house about 15 years ago and I loved the color and loved the color with whole kitchen. But then it needed replacement and since we are selling in a couple of years we put in granite. However we have purchased our forever (and last) home and when we move there permanently I am going to replace that laminate with soapstone and Boos butcher block. At least that is what I’m going to do today. LOL.
The marble is lovely. Granite is lovely. I live in a ’78 split-level, so I need to get over myself. I chose corian in “salt and pepper” ‘cuz I was loving that smooth, seamless sink that came with it. Laminate is looking good these days, too. And my shameful secret? I miss my no-maintenance vinyl floor. I know! Gasp!
We have 60 year old laminate — in an 80+ year old house where the “modern” kitchen has to date back to 1960 or earlier. A major overhaul is needed! With four doorways in the room (and a fifth one closed off) there aren’t and won’t be much counterspace. We love granite and have put it in houses we fixed up to sell, but I’m finding it’s not that important to me now in my own dream kitchen (plus $$ are a consideration). Whenever the kitchen remodel kicks off (after living here 34 years with the yucky kitchen) there will likely be some butcher block counters and some ? — my ideals are stainless steel or terrazzo. I have an inordinate love for the latter and we’d get to feel good about it being green.
I don’t know that I think it looks snobby but I do think marble is rather ugly as countertops. I personally only like it as flooring or wall in bathrooms.
Hi Julie, I love the white on white kitchens. So clean! I wonder if they stay looking that way? Anyway, youasked about countertops. I have copper countertops and LOVE them. They are a perfect fit for us.
We have Corian and I love the look of it. I went with a color called “tumbleweed” from their designer line a few years ago. I think the rain cloud one mentioned above is from the same line. People think it is granite or soapstone. Looks great with white cabinets.
I like it better than granite which I had in another kitchen.
Hi there,
. So we didn’t put either in for the perfection or hoity toity aspect of the surfaces, but because we knew how phenomenally they would age and blend cozily!
Okay, so I have both soapstone and marble in two different kitchens (we are lucky enough to have a vacation house) and here is what is sort of funny about both. The most common compliment we get (it’s my favorite) is how “cozy” both houses are. One person said that they felt like they walked in and were ‘hugged’ by the house (don’t you love that?!). BUT, here’s the thing, we knew all about soapstone and we chose it for the same reason we would choose pine floors time and time again, that they look better and better as they are worn and age. We don’t worry about oiling our soapstone. As for the marble, my goodness it is beautiful – and we have spilled the wine (and the coffee and the juice). I love the look of antique/aged/well-used marble counters in the old kitchens of grand houses from Newport to the french countryside – stains and all! (and the occasional chips of my non-oiled soapstone are acceptable too
When I first remodeled my kitchen about 5 years ago I went with Corian. Well, the next thing you know, a chain of gas stations in the area got some kind of a good deal on the same pattern and put them in all of their coffee bar areas. I was so mad!!! So, 5 years later I just got granite and must admit I am very happy with it. I really wanted soapstone, but like others have said, it scratches. One person said that is is very durable, but actually you can scratches with just a kitchen knife. Now I know you can buff out those scratches, but I don’t want that kind of upkeep. Marble would, of course, be great, but let’s face it…I’m lazy, and I don’t want the upkeep of that either.
Our laminate counter tops are so old they look like a retro choice! lol I really think they are from the 60′s. I have had to make them work because the entire kitchen needs a redo and new counter tops would be a waste of good money. On a good note, I have had a lot of fun painting that room all kinds of funky colors because, it really doesn’t matter. As for Carrara Marble! I LOVE it as you do! As a matter of fact, I am getting a Carrara Marble coffee table off of Craigslist today. A whole lot cheaper than counter tops but it satisfies my need!
We are in the process of redoing our entire new digs (downsizing from a house to a townhouse), and when I mentioned cararra to my contractor, he immediately said, “No one really cooks in those magazine houses with the marble.”, as if he knew that for a fact. A friend of mine just put cararra in her HUGE kitchen, and she regrets it. She is a real cook and a neat freak, and she is having a hard time dealing with the stains. My European friends are proud of their stained marble countertops. It’s the sign they actually cook in their kitchens. As for me, I am going with a Silestone finish that looks as close to cararra as possible without being the real thing. I am such a wuss…..
I chose laminate when remodeling my kitchen, because I didn’t want to out-price my home for the neighborhood. Also, I grew up with laminate and I don’t have a problem with it. I get a little tired of seeing the same GRANITE GRANITE GRANITE everywhere- sometimes people don’t seem to care whether it looks good- they just want GRANITE. However, I did housesit once and the home had granite countertops, and they did feel quite luxurious. I’d have to find the absolute perfect melt-my-heart solid surface to justify spending 2-3x the cost of laminate.
That marble is beautiful, but I can see what your husband means! Haha. Plus, the maintenance… yikes. I can barely keep the tops of my cabinets from getting greasy dust bunnies.
I love snobby kitchens. Or a better description may be “sophisticated”. The marble kitchen reminds me a lot of Candice Olson from HGTV. She has a way of doing “snobby” oh so well.
Well, you’ve seen pictures of my kitchen, but I don’t remember if I told you what I did for countertops – I got Quartz, since it’s non-porous, easy to clean and you don’t have to seal it like granite. I LOVE my quartz countertop and would never get another kind of material (in fact, if I was moving and the house had granite I would totally change it to quartz – that’s how much I love the stuff)!!
LOL
Go hubs.
I adore marble, but I truly understand the sentiment.
A lot of people spell it like the car Porsche Carrera (I think this is an Americanism) – when in fact it is spelled Carrara after the region in Itlay (obviously). It has over the last decade been an incredibly exclusive product $50/$90SF. When in fact the high price has been more to do with marketing that the true cost. Today you can buy premium Carrara for $10/$20SF if you do a bit of online shopping – you can then get an incredibly classic look for a very down to earth/ with stone from the earth price.
I just returned from Portugal and saw them quarrying beautiful white marble. I was told that most of it is sold to Italy and then resold as Carrara marble. So why not just buy Portuguese marble. It will cost less, have less snob appeal, and probably no one will really know the difference.
I have a white cocker spaniel/with a purplish small markings inside the marble…It weighs 10 lbs…It’s a very old antiuqe..It was my Grand mothers..from the late 1800s-or early 1900s..I’m guessing it’s a door stop. It makes a great watch dog, I broke my toe on it trying to sneak out of the house in the 70s. If you would like to see pictures of it..Please respond to my e-mail. The piece is priced at $1175.00
LOL! I’m in the business and when it comes to discussion of cladding our kitchen or bathroom with marble, I get that exact same”snobby” comment from my hub all the time! It ain’t no “snobby” for him to buy seasonal tickets to games though. And you worry about spelling right? There are people out there who can’t spell “Italy” correctly, let alone carrara marble
Carrara Marble is a very classic, high quality marble often used in statuary. It can be white-white or grey white due to the grey and black veining. It blends nicely with muted colors that tend towards black and gray. Personally, the color is too cold for me. I prefer Crema Marfil. This is also an elegant white but with golden streaks. This blends nicely with wood tones and other warm colors.
One hugh value of marble is that is it always cold and makes an excellent surface for making pastries or chocolats. It is also possible to buy marble tiles that you install yourself. The cost is about 1/3 the cost of marble slabs and, when narrow grout lines are used, is very attractive. Perhaps you could ease your hubby into the idea of marble by putting it on an island or in just one section of the countertop where you do baking. Please visit my Facebook Page: Champagne Taste (on a beer bottle budget) for information about granite tiles and how to use them.
I am writing on this post a year later but wanted to comment that I am doing carrara marble in my new kitchen and here on the east coast the trend hasn’t hit and it is actually cheaper than granite, I was amazed at the price for my 80 sq ft. I am hearing though that it is very much the opposite over on the west coast.
Interesting!
Hi,
my name is luigi and I was born in carrara, my family sells marble since always.. and it’s funny to read people say that a kitchen made of a stone that others call marble… is snob
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