This post has been a long time coming. So many of you have asked me if I love the marble, after living with it for awhile.
It’s complicated, okay. Real things always are.
And let me say that EVERYBODY warned me against marble. I didn’t think the counter top guy was gonna sell it to me. He gave me every horror story. He repeatedly asked me if I was sure I wanted marble. So, I took to the internets and did some research. It was SO confusing. I found a host of entirely conflicting views. Honed? Polished? Straight edge? Beveled edge? Calcutta Gold? Carrera? Water spots? Wine spots? I gave up. The research was exhausting.
I decided that I LOVED the look of marble so much that I wasn’t gonna listen to the naysayers.
Here’s what I did. I went to several local counter top shops (as in Knoxville—not Bean Station) and looked at all the marble that was currently in stock. It took several trips before I settled on the one I wanted. I bought all my countertops from Smoky Mountain Tops, in Knoxville. I was sure, going into it, that I wanted Carrera. I attribute that to all the Cottage Living magazines I had scoured for years and years AND all my friends with marble had Carrera. I fell in love with two big slabs of Calcutta Gold. I loved the gold-ish veining and decided that I would use two slabs as far as they would go in my house. I had all the edges beveled and all the finishes were polished. To offset the cost of the marble, I bought all remnants for my other countertops. I got amazing deals on remnant granite and it balanced out the cost of the marble. Big counter top companies will usually have a huge yard of remnants so make sure and ask to see them.
I knew I wanted mostly marble in the kitchen and marble for the island.
I have all marble in the kitchen, excluding one piece that has a walnut top.
I also have marble in my master bath and on the dressing vanity in the girl’s room. We used EVERY single inch of that marble.
Every single day that I walk into my kitchen, I LOVE seeing this marble. I don’t tire of it. The Wisteria helps, no doubt.
Every. single. time. I love it.
So, here are my very personal thoughts on living with marble.
1. Marble is BEAUTIFUL!
I would say that hardly any other surface is as stunning as a big slab of marble. It is stately and feminine, all at the same time. It’s the perfect surface, in my humble estimation. And even more awesome with two cutie little girls playing on top of it.
2. Marble is a Beautiful Natural Stone
Marble is like you. It goes through good times and hard times. It wears its feelings on its sleeve. It scars and sometimes doesn’t heal. This character trait of marble makes me love it even more. I can mark the memories in my kitchen by the staining pattern in my marble. I love the texture and feel of it. I love how it’s always cold to the touch. I love rolling out pastry dough right on it. I love laying over on it when I’m tired. I love it, in all its imperfections. I wouldn’t change a thing, except maybe I’d have it covering every surface in my house.
I honestly don’t think it matters whether it’s honed or polished. Mine is polished and already has the same ‘patina’ as my friends who have honed marble. Marble is marble and it will look flawless for exactly 3 seconds after it’s installed. It’s soft and porous and it WILL most certainly never be perfect.
3. Marble is a Beautiful Natural Stone that Stains Like Crazy
Almost everything that has ever touched my marble has stained it. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but it’s almost true. It’s FULL of water stains. And last year, when we made homemade salsa, there’s a huge patterned stain (looks just like a water stain) from where the tomatoes were all sitting. I don’t think I would personally call it a downside but some of you would HATE having marble, for this reason. You can try to be as johnny-on-the-spot with wiping up water stains (I tried it for less than 24 hours) but IT WILL STAIN. Over and over again. Mostly water spots.
Here are some pics of my imperfect marble.
(the salsa-making stains)
(the various and sundry water stains)
(an etched in stain, probably from some kind of acid)
So, how do you know if marble is for you?
In general, if you love beauty over function, are laid back in personality, and have a strong aesthetic sensibility, you will likely LOVE having marble, like I do.
Here’s a link to how I clean my marble, for those of you who are bound to ask.
I personally would advocate taking a Myers-Briggs personality test before being able to purchase marble. The following are my very unscientific observations.
I would say that you are allowed to have marble if you’re an:
— ISFP (artist)
ESFPs have a very well-developed appreciation for aesthetic beauty, and an excellent sense of space and function. If they have the means, they’re likely to have to have many beautiful possessions, and an artfully furnished home. In general, they take great pleasure in objects of aesthetic beauty. They’re likely to have a strong appreciation for the finer things in life, such as good food and good wine.
but you can’t have marble is you’re:
ISTJs usually have a great sense of space and function, and artistic appreciation. Their homes are likely to be tastefully furnished and immaculately maintained. They are acutely aware of their senses, and want to be in surroundings which fit their need for structure, order, and beauty.
ESFJs at their best are warm, sympathetic, helpful, cooperative, tactful, down-to-earth, practical, thorough, consistent, organized, enthusiastic, and energetic. They enjoy tradition and security, and will seek stable lives that are rich in contact with friends and family.
I’m on the fence about whether these should have marble:
I don’t think I even covered all the types, but I’m weary. Tell me what you think! What type of personality are you? Should you have marble? OR not?
I’m half inspirer/half performer. Marble is perfect for me! or ENFP/ESFP