Carrara Marble Peninsula w/ Silver Quartzite Perimeter Counter?

13 years ago

We're redoing our kitchen and putting in a large Carrara marble peninsula. We'd like to use a different material for the back perimeter countertops (a comparatively smaller space). We're thinking about doing a silver quartzite and I'm hoping to get some reactions.

I've seen a lot of photos of Carrara islands paired with other counter surfaces, but usually it's a black (e.g., soapstone, Absolute Black granite, Pietro Cardozo). Would a softer grey like silver quartzite work too or would it not be enough of a contrast and end up looking strange?

Silver quartzite is a natural stone (not the same as manmade quartz) that is light grey in color, somewhat like concrete. It has some movement, but is fairly consistent in tone for a natural stone. Here's an image (not the actual piece we would be getting): http://pictures.hgstones.com/images/Silver%20quartzite%20hg553.jpg

Right now our second choice option is a darker grey Ceasarstone that is closer in tone to the soapstone look.

For what it's worth, the cabinets are white and the appliances are stainless. We haven't yet decided on a backsplash.

And if anyone has photos of Carrara paired with a non-dark surface, I would love to see them. Thanks!

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Comments (9)

sparklekitty
13 years ago
It looks like the same concept as pietra - a lighter gray versus the darker soapstone. I think it would like nice with the marble - but you would just have to see them together to see which marble slab would work best for what you are looking for. I have pietra perimeter counters and a supreme white quartzite island, which has gray and white coloring like the marble (with a different look than marble, to me) and I love it :) The two counters compliment each other, but are softer than the darker soapstone (which I love as well.) I had never seen the silver quartzite and it probably would have given the pietra a run for its money :) good luck

Here is a link to my kitchen nearly done, though not the marble, again I think it is the same idea color wise that you are going with.

Here is a link that might be useful: My gray counters - pietra with supreme white quartzite
Adrienne Gray
13 years ago
Wow, do I have to tell you how gorgeous that slab is?? I'll have 3 please!

For what it's worth, we are installing Alabama White marble (similar to carrara) on our island and backsplash, and have been looking at the Caesarstone Pebble (a medium grey) for our perimeters. The darker grey was just too dark - BUT our particular marble slab is whiter than the carrara I've seen, so we didn't have to go so dark to get the contrast to avoid looking like we were trying to do a faux match.

The quartzite is gorgeous though... I'm tempted to look into it!
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It's what I decided to buy and now I'm stuck with it. I was so careful with my decision, and tried to research and weigh my decisions and I just screwed up again. My granite is Brazilian Black or the St. Gabriel Black like at Lowes. We had already decided on soapstone and then thought that it might not be right for out home. Cost was also a factor. This granite reads very black with silver and gray flecks. I chose one slab that was very consistant. I was told that I would just need one. After he started to fabricate, my granite contractor went back and got the only other slab that "matched". I has some bigger gray flecks that stand out and look like dirt at times. There's also a green chunk in a very high profile place. There is also an area that looks like a darker black rainbow shape that catches your eye. I know that granite is natural and has things like that at times, but this is not the kind where you want movement or odd colored or odd shaped things that stand out. Also, I feel like I always have to wipe it...though I'm starting to get over that a little now. The color in my kitchen just doesn't have the intensity that it did at the granite yard. The other thing that I didn't count on was with the darkness of the granite, I need to use my undercounter lights more to see. When I do, the light not only light up what I'm doing, they reflect off of the granite and shine into my eyes. It's like a black mirror. I'd love to have a non shiny finish now. I'm working to make it better now with a nice backsplash. I know, I know...I should be grateful, but it's just not what I hoped it would be. The only time I like it is when direct sunlight from my skylight hits it. Then it's all that it was at the granite yard. We're going to work on different lighting to help bring out it's best. I really wish that I felt like you guys do about your choice. The good news is that I didn't get all new cabinets AND a countertop so my mistake is ONLY a 2,200 one...How long does granite last again????
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Thanks Lily Spider :) My inspiration photos all have marble counters lol!!! butI think I'm back on track again - I love classic and I wanted real stone so I think thats why I went the black granite route (though I guess this seems strange after considering marble!)… I've always liked honed black granite and I need to be somewhat practical re the kids - one of the reasons for the kitchen reno (besides the fact that we moved here a year ago and the current kitchen is awful) is to provide space for the kids to be able to 'eat in kitchen' at the peninsula during the younger years while they are still messy (i.e. dropping food everywhere) and to provide a place for them to color/hang out etc while I'm cooking…I don't want to be on top of them the whole time which is why I ruled out the stones that etched/stained/scratched - I think the black granite is a good compromise for me and usability for them and will work in well with the other components of the kitchen…thanks for getting me back on track Lily Spider (my husband almost had a heart attack when I said I was second guessing lol)
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Hi, my island cabinet is a light gray where I am using London Sky by Zodiaq as the counter top and the perimeter cabinets are white. I want to put a medium gray quartz counter top (maybe Ceaserstone's pebble or Uliano by Vicostone) on the perimeter but I wonder if that would be too many shades of gray? I would want to paint the walls gray also! We are having our light wood oak floors made a warm medium shade. Could someone help me with this? My kitchen designer is getting impatient! Thanks!
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sfmomoxo
13 years ago
I think it will look simply amazing. The quartzite looks so elegant!!! I love it.
adry0105
13 years ago
OMG! I could have started this same forum!! So glad I found you! I too just ordered the supreme white for my island (2 slabs - 144 inches long) and I cannot find a perimeter I am happy with! The supreme white is the prettiest thing I have ever seen! Someone suggested Kensho silestone (or caesarstone?) but it is not the right shade and the concrete color is too dark because my perimeter is large. I do not care for the pietra because it has too much movement next to the supreme white. My designer convinced me not to go with concrete as it is too porous even when sealed. My cabinets are white also - not stark white, but a tad off (carnation). I really do not want to do supreme white everywhere and I am also considering white silestone. One of my designers doesn't like that either because the whites are never the same, but another designer at the firm likes it. Let me know what you find!! Help! Also, I posted about smartouch faucets but no one answered (you can touch them anywhere on the spout and it goes on) - did you look at them? What style are your cabinets?
adry0105
13 years ago
Did you come to a decision? My designer found a white that may match and I expect the sample to arrive next week - it is a white by silestone, I believe. Probably going with that, second choice is caesarstone concrete.
muskokascp
13 years ago
Sounds very similar to my plans as well - white cabinets too and I am using Caesarstone concrete on the island and likely carrera or calcutta on the perimeter. I wanted the Caesarstone on the island because that is going to be the workhorse portion of the kitchen with the prep sink/DW and seating(general teen hang out spot, homework etc) I shudder to think what my kids et al would do with the marble if it was installed on the island. Now, if I can find a white granite that I love as much as the marble I will change that out and use that on the perimeter....but we don't have a huge selection where I am and I am not holding my breath to ever come across Princess white granite. Sadly.

I like the silver quartzite and as sparklekitty said, take your marble sample and see if they work together. I think they will but it will depend on the actual slabs you pick.
writersblock (9b/10a)
13 years ago
You know, I'm going to cast a disagreeing vote here: to me it's one thing to have a different material for a separate piece, like an island, and a totally different thing to suddenly switch materials for a connected peninsula.

Not saying it can't work, but that transition is going to be tricky.
misplacedtxgal
13 years ago
I would agree with Writersblock. I would have loved Butcher block on my peninsula, but couldn't figure out a way for the transition to look right. If you have I'm sure others would love to hear about it!
adry0105
13 years ago
After losing MUCH sleep, I may have it!My cabinets are called carnation white - not stark white - a tad off. My island will be supreme white granite/quartzite. You have to hunt an be patient to find slabs that are VERY similar to carrara, and not darker. The slabs I have on hold could be taken for carrara marble, very close. I am still considering the caesarstone cement for the perimeter, but I have found a white silestone called yukon that may work. The backsplash will tie in the different whites as it has white marble, carrara marble, and a touch of beige botticino. The backsplash is $150/ft but I am going to hunt for a similar less expensive option on that. All the other white quartzs are either too white (there are new ones that are stark white) or too many speckles. Check out yukon. There are no good greys that are not too dark.

Carrara Marble Peninsula w/ Silver Quartzite Perimeter Counter?

Comments (9)

sparklekitty

Adrienne Gray

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