Carrara Marble Worktop: Is it the Best Ever Stone for Kitchens?
Whether it’s a kitchen upgrade or new construction, a quality countertop is essential in either case. The countertop is the focal point of your kitchen, rendering it grace and character. However, finding the right countertop is quite a mission, keeping you on the toes throughout. Factoring in your needs, wants and budget to set out on an endless journey through online and regular outlets – all this cost you time and efforts.
The variety you get at any decent outlet is simply overwhelming – glass, ceramic, granite, laminate, quartz worktops, wood and so on. However, an increasing number of homeowners, interior designers and architects are unruffled by the variety. For them, the choice is obvious, Carrara marble worktop.
Why Carrara countertop is gaining ground may arrest your attention. But before addressing your curiosity, let’s learn what Carrara marble is all about.
What is Carrara Marble?
Carrara marble is a natural stone featuring inimitable blue-grey or white colour with a fine grain. It is quarried in Carrara, a bustling city in the province of Tuscany, Italy and hence, gets its name. The stone has been a staple in building decor for across centuries. In fact, it has graced some of the magnificent structures in ancient Rome, including The Pantheon, Trajan’s Column, Temple of Proserpina and more. Additionally, several sculptors like Michelangelo, Giovanni and Nicola Pisano showed a predilection for Carrara marble, preferring it for some of their finest artworks.
Advantages of Carrara worktops:
Carrara worktop, for many, is the best stone for kitchens. They have their reasons to believe so. Let’s run you through a few of them, one at a time.
Eye appealing:
Everyone yearns for a great looking kitchen and Bianco Carrara marble worktops are just a means to an end. Carrara marble is arguably the most eye-appealing of all natural stones, thanks to the luxurious, flawless white background featuring evenly spaced veining with a bluish-grey shade. After quarrying, the raw stone is treated in two different ways for two different aesthetic outcomes. One way is to hone it, which leads to a smooth matte finish resembling satin while the other is to polish it to achieve a shiny gloss finish. Regardless of what finish you opt for, rest assured of a dazzling, high-end kitchen perfect for connoisseurs.
Versatile:
Carrara countertops are sympathetic to all conceivable decor options. No matter what decor you have in mind – contemporary, classical, mid-century modern, transitional, Scandinavian or country – Carrara marble worktops keep you covered. They complement the light and dark cabinetry alike to create elegant surroundings for all sizes and types of kitchens. With matte and gloss finishes readily available, creating the desired look for your kitchen is easy. Additionally, the versatility extends beyond the worktops with Carrara marble tiles being extensively used for flooring and walls in kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, patios and other exterior structures.
Functional:
Carrara marble countertops blend form and function, which speaks of their consistent demand across the world. Like all metamorphic rocks, Carrara marble is relatively hard, though not as hard as granite worktops. The sturdiness translates to a good performance and long service life – the two key requirements of residential and hospitality kitchen worktops. Thanks to the veining, the unsightly scratches and stains from wine spills and exposure to citrus fruits are largely disguised. Heat resistance is yet another redeeming feature of Carrara marble London, making it the preferred countertop material for bakers and chefs requiring a cool surface to work on.
Easily available:
Carrara marble is exported to the UK and other parts of the world in large blocks, which are then cut into slabs. Compared to other natural stones, it is relatively soft and can be sliced into different sizes and shapes easily. So, rest assured of getting Carrara marble countertops in custom shapes, sizes and edge profiles to meet your unique requirements. As this natural stone is one of the leading choices for home decor, you can easily get it at a nearby outlet.
Cost-effective:
With Carrara marble worktop, cost-effectiveness comes by default. Despite the mesmerizing looks and impressive character, the natural stone is quite affordable, priced around £300 per square metre. However, the price is subjected to several factors like brand, type, thickness, number of veins and more. Usually, custom sizes and edge profiles involve an additional cost. Preferring a generic Carrara marble over a branded one is a false economy. With a label, you get quality, warranty and customer support while generic suppliers may not extend such courtesies.
Variety:
Carrara marble countertops come in a variety of options, spoiling you for choices. Here’re a few options that you can consider for your kitchen, irrespective of your needs, tastes and budget.
· Bianco Carrara Venato: One of the popular Carrara marble varieties, Bianco Carrara Venato Marble is known for its timeless appeal and versatility. It’s opaque and features a luxurious white background and well-spaced grey veining for an exceptional look. The marble lends itself well to all indoors and outdoors applications, such as walling, flooring, cladding and so on, across all conceivable decor options. It is available in multiple slab measurements – from 2800 x 1500mm to 3050 x 1950mm – with a thickness of 20mm to 60mm.
· Calacatta Carrara Bianco: The Calacatta Carrara Bianco Marble is a top choice for settings where unique veining and consistent patterns are appreciated. Among Italian marbles out there, Calacatta is the whitest of them all with way more dramatic and bold veining. Available in a flurry of options like Vagli and Lasa, it is a high-end, rare natural stone used to add spark and sparkle to posh homes, hotels, resorts, spas and other settings. Undoubtedly, it’ll be a welcome addition to your dream kitchen provided you are ready to spend anything around £350 for a square meter slab.
· Carrara C: An integral part of the Carrara marble family, Carrara C Marble impresses with its lavish feel and classic looks. The marble is characterised by off-white backdrop carrying a unique pattern of grey veins that help you create the desired look in your kitchen, bathroom, fireplace, stairs, swimming pools and other areas. Much like other marbles, it brings in a sophisticated, easy-to-work-on and durable countertop surface but at an affordable price. It’s accessible in standard dimensions, ranging from 2400 x 1200mm to 3000 x 1950mm, with a thickness of 20mm, 30mm, 40mm and 60mm.
· Carrara C Extra: Bianco Carrara C Extra has struck a chord with home and office owners across the UK for its majestic looks and longevity. On the perfect white background runs bluish-grey veins, presenting a stunning pattern that cannot be replicated by other versions of marble. Also, Carrara C Extra is versatile enough to be used in kitchen islands, kitchen countertops and bathroom panels, together with patios, gardens and balconies. The best of all, you need not go overboard with your expenses to own it.
· Bianco Carrara Extra Honed: This is a fancy name for marble but a self-explanatory one. Bianco Carrara Extra marble honed features a honed finish that may last for years to come, provided you take good care of it. This is definitely the most heat and freeze-resistant marble around, making it perfect for homes, bakeries and hospitality settings where temperature moderation is a priority. The marble also delivers on durability, compatibility across decors and low liquid absorption. Bianco Carrara Extra honed can be availed in a variety of colours, patterns and sizes to suit your exact needs.
· Carrara Bella: If you seek a beautiful and lasting yet low-cost marble, Carrara Bella Marble is the way to go. The marble distinguishes itself from the rest in the family with subtle grey and gold veins crisscrossing the white background rhythmically. The standard elements of marble, such as elegance, strength and durability, are always possible with Carrara Bella. The finish options are as wide as they get with inclusions like Polished, Honed, Flamed, Riven, Satinato, Sawn, Bush Hammered, Anticato and so on. Slab sizes vary from small (2400 x 1200mm) to large (3000 x 1900mm) with 20 to 30mm thickness.
· Bianco Carrara Gioia: This Italian marble comes directly from Massa, Carrara. Bianco Carrara Gioia can be a welcome addition to any external or internal area of your home, office, hotel or any other premises. What sets this marble apart is an exclusive pattern of grey veining that runs deep into the white backdrop, creating a stunning, extravagant look. Gioia is readily available in multiple finishes and textures, such as polished, honed, flamed, sawn and more, allowing you to experiment with the design or style. Alongside worktops, the marble is apt for flooring and wall cladding across decors and settings.
· Bianco Carrara Extra: When it comes to natural elegance, Bianco Carrara Extra outdoes all marble varieties currently available in the market. The surface is exceptionally smooth with profound veining and an extra white background. Whether the decor is minimalistic or extravagant, this marble is harmonious to it all and more. Your Bianco Carrara Extra options are vast enough to include Bianco Carrara C and Bianco Carrara CD.
· Bianco Carrara Extra 1st: A marble for those with refined taste, Bianco Carrara Extra 1st Marble carries the purest white background found in any natural stone ever mined. It can grace any external or internal space without straining your budget. It is just ideal for kitchen islands and countertops splash-backs, along with fireplaces, bathroom panelling, patios and other exterior structures. Contrary to other marbles, it is easy to maintain and upkeep.
Published by Jesus Alberto Mouzo on June 10, 2019
