You should really search for and read the many, many threads on marble counters on this forum. I can't recall any of us marble owners regretting our choice but you have to be someone who would be comfortable with the so-called aging or "patina" of marble (and it sounds like you are). For what it's worth, I am a pretty heavy duty cook as well and have 4 boys in the house - a messy DH and 3 active but clueless-in-the-kitchen boys (12, 9 and 6) - I have honed calacatta oro and it looks as beautiful today as it did when it first arrived - yes, some etching but anyone other than me would be hard pressed to find any of it :-)

Don't let anyone talk you out of what you vision for your kitchen - when you spend as much time in it as we do, you'd better have no regrets and go with what you want!!

"I think I like the idea of the patina the marble will develop, especially if I get honed."

This statement tells me that you're making an informed decision and that you'll be happy with your choice. You can seal marble to eliminate staining, but at some point in the lifetime of your counter, most likely you'll have some etching. As long as you're ok with the idea of patina, you're going to be fine. It's the people who don't research marble and can't handle the idea of marble not being eternally pristine that regret their choice.

Personally, I knew that I'm sloppy and wouldn't be happy with etching. So I chose a white granite instead. It's not as pretty as marble, but it was a better fit for me.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Crazy - no, just some one who loves the classics!

My Calacatta Classic just went in (perimeter and island) and we've been living on it for just over a week - not long. We kept it polished because we really wanted the veining to stand out. The other thing is if it's properly sealed the polish also will act as a "mantle" to not allow the stains in as easily. We also decided the patina was actually going to be a good thing. I just went down from my office to make lunch and lo and behold, a drop of something on the island, sat there long enough to become hard and crusty and it came right off - no etching. I was gone during dinner last night, so who knows what DH and DS cooked up there. We haven't lived with it for very long, so I don't have much history. However, after seeing it my kitchen, I have not one regret, even when it eventually etches somewhere. (DH will have a little harder time with that tho...)

I absolutely love Mindimoo's kitchen. You should see it. It is gorgeous! I say go for it! It sounds like it would be beautiful in your kitchen. Someone also sealed their marble with something (I can't recall what but do a search in the box below on marble staining) and they had (to use their words, "NO STAINS". Best of luck and show us pictures when you are done!

I have honed marble on my island (soapstone on perimeter). I have had it for about eight months now. I have LOTS of patina. Lots. Specifically where DD (who wasn't too D on that day) decided to make herself some lemonade by squirting the entire bottle of lemon juice all over it. And ther stuff too . Rings, etc. I can see it if I look at it. I try not to look at it. I was going to have it re-honed, but the refinisher never showed up and I just haven't bothered. I'm thinking I will just live with it - it would just happen again. We live on it and the kids eat every meal there. I'm hoping it will get to a point where it looks well loved and lived in rather than "etched". And I do love it, etches and all. From what you're saying, you will probably love it too.

I agree with the kind of encouragement you're getting here -- it's very specific to what you would like and can live with in your kitchen. You need to be sure of yourself and what really matters to you.

Marble is so classically beautiful, and when there are big chunks of slabs stretched across counters and islands, it can take your breath away day after day.

I know it can, because I've had it in my kitchen for about eight months now. Like you're doing, I sought out feedback from marble owners so I would truly know what to expect from the stone (and there's A LOT of misinformation out there at the retail level). For me, the trade-off with etching (and it will etch) was an easy choice, as I've dreamed of marble counters for years and years. I busted our budget to have it and would do it again in a heartbeat. I have several etch marks on my counters and island (we eat at the island every day), but I only notice them when the light is just right. They weren't sealed adequately when installed, so I got a couple of boners right off the bat, but then I bought 511 Porous Plus and sealed them myself (ten minutes, max) and sealed it again a month later just to be sure. No stains at all. Once I even let my coffee pot brew two whole cups without the pot underneath (what was I thinking???), and it all wiped up without a trace. I don't care about the etch marks. What I do care about is my dream come true. I still walk into my kitchen in the morning and say, "Well, hell-lo, Gorgeous!"

Please let us know what you decide.

I have similar kitchen design. My perimeters are AB honed granite with white cabs. My 5 x 7 island and baking centers are carrera. I have 9 boys and 1 girl still at home and they all cook. I have not used it yet but well aware of the pitfalls and am just fine with all the possibilities.
It is beautiful, simple classic.

We're about to look at marble slabs today. Here's a newbie question: is sealing normally part of what the fabricator is suppposed to do, or is it our responsibility from the start. And, 511 Porous Plus sealer gets good reviews here. Is that the best for marble?

I knew I could count on this forum for expert advice. Thank you so much!

Well, yesterday DH and I went to a stone center and placed a hold on two absolutely drop-dead gorgeous slabs (Carrera and Lavenda - which is white with extremely bold black veining throughout - Italy here I come). We are waiting for the quote to decide which to install. I am so happy I finally decided, and can't wait to see them live (which won't be for another month).

I'm going to make sure they seal the heck out of it (fabricator very good per GC), and just bring on the etching!

One other quick question: is it better to have it polished rather than honed for staining?

Thanks! And special thanks to acountryfarm for those beautiful pix. Your kitchen is fabulous.

Renee

Renee

For those of you with marble and or soapstone, is it possible for you to post pictures? Are they in the FKB? Thanks to those that have already posted pictures, it is so helpful.

Just a quick note about another alternative. Quartize. It is real stone and is harder than granite. Here is one that came in second for my counter top. It sure was pretty!

I can only speak to what my fabricator did which was seal with PP511 prior to fabrication, once after and once at install - I'm now coming up on six months and will seal it myself this weekend (and, honestly, I did it with them at install and it took literally 5-10 mins!). However, I do not know if that is the "norm" for fabricators, although I would hope that it is!

As for the honing versus polished for staining - it's my understanding that the difference in finish won't matter with staining but it will matter with etching - etches on a honed finish will be much, much more difficult to detect than on a polished finish.

You can see my marble in the FKB (although I'm not sure it'll come up under a category search yet). I've got 5cm (2 inch) calacatta oro (gold) - Here's a link

Here is a link that might be useful: mnhockeymom's kitchen

Thanks, mchockeymom - your kitchen looks beautiful!

mustbnuts: do you mean Quartzite? That is just beautiful - how did you decide between the two???

Sorry, yes. I did mean Quartzite. I almost went with that one as it was slightly cheaper than my granite. However in the end, I chose my granite. I chose a wild movement granite with lots of colors in it. I thought it would provide more interest in the end for me. However, I still love the Quartzite. I still wish I had marble. I just love marble, but couldn't afford it for my budget remodel.

I'm sort of a lurker here - we're working on the new kitchen plans right now, so I'm just reading about your kitchens. I did a kitchen 5+ years ago with the help of this forum. So here's my two cents on marble countertops.

I have always wanted a period kitchen with marble counters.I was talked out of it last time for re-sale issues. This time I'm going for it. I don't like shiny, so I will probably start with it honed. At the beginning of April, we went to Venice and Milan for a week. That trip sealed my marble decision. All you have to do is walk through the churches, up and down the stairs, the sidewalks,touch the railings, the counters in the cafes- all marble, and all white marble. The stuff is, frankly, bulletproof. And more beautiful with all the age and "love" on it than anything I've ever seen. More than 500 years can't be all wrong!

Maryhbrock - Thanks so much for your comments. That is EXACTLY what I needed to hear. The gal at the stone yard said to me, "what wear? just walk around all of Italy and you'll see how timeless and fabulous it gets with the patina." And truly, that is what I want. Something that will reflect how loved and used the kitchen will be.

You made my night out here in Portland, Oregon! I can't thank you enough for sharing.

Renee

soupgoddess--
Thanks for the compliments.
Life is to short to not "go for it", I am sure you will be happy with it.
Please don't forget to share pics when you get it installed I can't wait to see it.
I am waving hello from Eugene.

Kimberly

Soupgoddess- keep me posted. I'm too far out on the plans to go to look at slabs, but I'd love to see what you pick. I'm actually starting with the counters and the floors and working around those decisions. Now I just have to stick to my decisions. When my husband and I bought our first car together 18 years ago, I wanted deep navy. But I got cherry red. Next time I got a new car 14 years later, I wanted navy. Walked away with soft metallic gold. This time, I GOT my navy Suburban. And I love it! I keep reminding myself of the car story every time I look at countertops in magazines. Marble - Marble -- marble - marble

Mary

The home we lived in last summer had a wonderfully put-together kitchen with beautiful polished marble on all countertops and (slab) backsplash. I loved working in it. That said, the etching on the polish really got to me- I noticed every new etch because, after all, it wasn't our kitchen.

The shiny wasn't my thing. The honed looks so much more warm and organic. As you know, we have soapstone, so that's my bias.

If you want marble, get marble.

I love white marble in the kitchen. I've read every thread about marble on this forum to convince myself that it would be ok but I have one big problem. The marble in my bathroom, polished crema marfil, is so terribly etched and it doesn't look like a nice, lived in patina; it looks like I never clean it and it drives me crazy (I've even considered rubbing the whole thing down with lemon juice). Is honed that much different? Does anyone have a picture of a honed carrara marble counter that is patina'd? I don't think you can really get an idea from churches and stairwells or even bakery counters because they're used differently and they're not in your kitchen. I would really love to see a picture of a well patina'd countertop so I can get a better feel for how it will look. Does anyone have one?

For what it's worth, Crema Marfil is not a fair comparison to Carrara or Calacatta - their mineral composition is completely different and are very different stones - I consulted with an expert when choosing amongst various marble-types and I was specifically told to avoid Crema Marfil in the kitchen - SO, don't look at your bathroom and think that's what your kitchen will look like! Your kitchen will hold up MUCH better.

OMG! I sound like such a whiner in that last post. Thanks for the info nmhockeymom (by the way, I called your cabinet maker and the guy I talked to sort of balked at the idea of shipping to Phila area...so sad). Maybe I should just get a sample of honed carrara and go at it. Still love to see a pic of a well used counter though.