Marble is pretty porous - worse than most granite, but depending on the specific type, maybe not as bad as you think. However, honed marble - not such a good choice for a kitchen counter. Honed stones are incredibly porous due to the fact that the honing opens up all the little "pores" in the stone. If you're really good about wiping up spills and messes right away, polished marble might work. Wouldn't be my top recommendation, though, especially with young kids. I personally LOVE carrera marble, but I know I'd never be able to maintain it in my kitchen! :)

There are some really nice variegated granites out there that have "swirls" and veining, rather than the more consistent speckled look that most granite has. They look a lot like marble but will have much better stain resistance for your lifestyle. check out this website : http://www.marble.com/stones/page,1.html
The descriptions of the stones state whether they're marble or granite - there are some nice veined granites that look a lot like marble.

as for the bathroom - I'd definitely not recommend polished marble for the floors. Very little traction when wet - big hazard, especially for kids. Honed isn't so bad. I did a big master bath last year (I'm an architect) where we did honed travertine on the floors and polished on the walls. It turned out really well. It's a less costly alternative to marble, but if you look into it, make sure you look at filled vs. unfilled. otherwise you'd get some gross stuff growing in the little holes of the unfilled!

One more thing I'd mention, with some stones there's a pretty big color variation between honed and polished, so definitely get a sample of each if you decide to go that route.

Good luck!

jenny - Honed marble is a wonderful surface for what you have in mind as long as you embrace that it WILL take on a patina with time. I am looking forward to the patina on my marble. Sealing will take care of most staining issues as I am sure you have read on the forum here in the many marble threads. I would not recommend polished marble in the kitchen EVER because of etching that WILL happen from acids (ie vinegar, lemon juice) in the kitchen environment and a honed marble surface "hides" etching to a degree. Sealers will help - but not entirely prevent etching. Again, there are many other threads here that discuss this. Search the forum for "marble" to find them.

I would advise against marble in a child's bath. But that's me, as I would not want the maintenance.

HTH and good luck!
MaryT

OK, so my honed Carrara marble counters and island have been in for just short of a month. I cook next to them, prep on them, and my husband and I eat every meal on them. Ask me if I love them. Please - ask me if I love them.

YES! YES! YES!

Now, ask me if I'd do all again, if I could. Please - ask me.

YES! YES! YES!

If you think you'd really love to have marble in your kitchen, please do a search and read every post on this forum about the stone so that you'll know what to expect. Then, if you've decided it's the stone you love the best and you choose it for your kitchen, allow yourself one week after install to fret and worry about it and knock yourself out over each and every particle that comes in contact with it. Then, let it all go. Just let it all go and enjoy your stone. It won't disappoint you, I swear.

I have the same questions as you do as I am on the verge of having to commit to a countertop decision for my project; my designer is pushing for statuary marble. It's the perfect look for my decor but my island will have the sink, will be next to patio doors so a lot of glaring daylight on it, showing the patina, and I'm really not sure I can live with that.

I've had bullet proof granite for 10 years in 3 different kitchens; I'm very tired of the look but I need a predictable "not having to think about it" island countertop.

I 'm leaning towards using the marble in the masterbath, since I would not have to look at the patina often, but the kitchen island will be a major landing pad and greeting place most of the time, red wine will be splashed on it, carrot peels will lie on it, I really can't see myself fretting over things like that and I know I will.

so for the Op's question:

"My island will include cleanup, some prep, and also have seating for 4 that breakfast and snacks will be eaten. Should that affect my decision at all? "

I think yes it should.

oofasis, LOL! Thanks for posting! I would LOVE to have your attitude on the honed (and sealed, of course) carrara, however, I feel like mitchdesj...I just don't know if I can 'let myself go' and just do it.

mitchdesj, I am leaning towards doing the same as you, with honed carrara in the master bath and the half-bath, so I can still have it. Of course, then I'll probably love it so much, I'll kick myself for not putting it on the island, LOL!

I'm sorry I didn't clarify in my original post, but for my kids bath I was refering to the vanity top (the floor will be tile). I'm debating between the honed carrara and just plain ole white cultured marble (there won't be much of a price diference).

Meredith, That business about honing marble opening the "pores" is not true. Sealed, honed marble reac ts to stains exactly the same as sealed polished marble. It is just that honed marble makes etching much less apparent.

And with a sealer, the honed marble isn't going to have open pores or stain. The only issue is how you will feel about the etching and patina it will develop with lots of use. I have marble on my perimeter -- next to the cleanup sink and the cooktop. I love it and I can't imagine not having it now.

FWIW, I have two kids, 5 & 6, and we have a honed carrara island where they eat every meal. I also have a prep sink on the island. I don't sweat it. DS put a marker to it and the stain came out within 2 days. It's sealed, of course. Oh, and the other day, he spilled a huge glass of orange juice on it. No etching, no anything. We obviously cleaned it up rght away. I love everything about it the marble and would use it again in a heartbeat.

Okite makes a Quartz product that looks very close to Carrera Marble and would be a much better choice for an active kitchen.

I have carrara marble on my perimeter. I always liked the look but was afraid of the maintenance. I have soapstone on my island. I obviously don't like the perfect shiny look of granite. I like a more "lived in" old-world look. I have only had my countertops for a week (so what do I know). I am fine with a patina but the first few scratches and stains are always hard for me. Yesterday I just shut my eyes and let my in-laws abuse the heck out of that marble. I didn't hover around them and scold them over every spill etc (like I wanted to). Last night I wiped it up and looked it over...perfect-after a full day of Thanksgiving abuse. I don't think the stuff is as delicate as some people say- as long as you don't want perfection (as in shiny no scratches no stains). When I was looking at soapstone I got tons of samples and lived with them in my kitchen for months. I really got to understand the stone and knew it was right for me. I didnÂt do that with the marble but I recommend you try living with some samples if you have the time.

I had the same satisfying results yesterday as Fightingoverfinishes. Our honed Carrara counters have been in for under a month now and the Thanksgiving holiday really put the marble and my sealing efforts to the test. I deliberately did not fuss/fret or baby the stone all during prep and clean-up. I'd decided in advance that I had to accept the qualities of the stone in action; I cannot live happily in a kitchen that requires me to watch what everyone is doing or rush to wipe, swipe, cover or protect it.

And ta da! The marble survived. Did I go over it with a fine tooth comb looking for etches? Not a chance. That's what I did the first couple of weeks it was in. Now I just want to enjoy it.

Test a big chunk if you can get one. Seal it well and then seal it again the next day. Then play with it as the other posters have advised. Sealing it well will protect it from stains; nothing will prevent etching. I have a couple of etches already. When that happened I thought I was gonna keel over. But honest to goodness, if I didn't point them out to you, I guarantee you couldn't find them. (Etches are kind of like a shadow or clouding within the stone, but they're not ready detectable.)

Only you know what you'll ultimately be happy with in your kitchen. Don't feel pressured by anyone - just make a well-informed decision.

Just a ditto post to previous two posts. My marble bake center had a real work out both the day before and TGiving day. I did the same as they (no hovering, no running to wipe up spills, etc). Last night when I cleaned up I am happy to report that while there may be some etching (I purposely didn't get down and closely inspect) it it not obvious and there is NO staining whatsoever.

I know patina will come over time and as I said above I am actually looking forward to it so I can relax about it even more. I have sealed to slow this down because without sealing, marble is porous naturally and will quickly soak up water or anything else it comes in contact with.

I have an antique piece that not only has a few staines, but is also etched and I don't even notice the imperfections on it. It is so lovely and really to me just a part of it and it's history.

MaryT

Thanks for all the good points. I'm so glad to hear that your marble is holding up well.

Here's my problem...I would have to order the honed carrara sight unseen. I've seen a big slab of the polished, so I kinda know what it will look like. BUT it's not like touching it and seeing it in person. It's hard to make that leap of faith, ya know?

jennymama - Do you mean you have never seen a honed marble surface? Or that you are not able to pick out the marble slab that you would be getting?

If you mean you have never seen what a honed surface looks like ... well, it looks just like a polished surface only is not shiny. It feels silky and smooth and in all other ways exactly like it would look polished.

If you mean you would be getting a slab sight unseen ... well I would have some trouble with that cause they are all different to a degree. If this is the case, you could get a photo of the slab at least before ordering. I think I would have to at least see a photo.

MaryT

ossb, yes to both your questions! I have never seen the honed carrara (the actual slab is about 7 hours away!) in person, but I am expecting a picture of it soon.

I have seen a slab of the polished marble, and I have a 12x12" square if it in my possession right now.

It is hard for me to buy from only a picture, without being able to 'run my hands over it'.

But, I am sooooo tempted!!! The granite I currently have picked out for my island is called Winter Moon, and it kinda resembles Carrara...just more of a grey background rather than the whiteness.

jennymama - Oh I understand your dilemna! I bought my range with only seeing a pic so I understand how you are feeling. It's a leap of faith.

I guess I would ask you to ask yourself if you LOVE marble. I think it is important to love your counter choices as you will "running your hands over" them every day. Why are you so tempted by the marble? If you love marble you already know what it "feels" like and can imagine it by seeing a pic of the slab. Does that make sense?

Your granite sounds lovely! I've not seen that kind. Whatever you choose to do will be wonderful.

HTH!
MaryT

From the NY Times 'Home and Garden' section today - 'Because honed marble is more porous than polished marble, it is more easily soiled. However, because it will withstand harsher cleaning materials, it is easier to maintain.'

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE5D81338F93BA35751C1A96E948260

- I guess my earlier reply didn't take into consideration what your general attitude about the 'lived in-ness' of your house is like. :) I'm sure you'll consider the pros/cons carfully....and regardless of your material choices, you'll still end up with a new kitchen in the end!

Here is a link that might be useful: NY times article