A guide to marble worktops in kitchens

Cool to the touch, completely unique and never predictable, marble has been used in houses for centuries and yet has somehow escaped becoming old-fashioned. Marble is always cool – figuratively as well as literally. It’s not, however, a kitchen worktop for the faint-hearted.

Marble can mark so easily – lemon juice can etch it, red wine or spices like turmeric can stain it and a heavily used worktop will never look precisely as it did on the day it was installed. In our experience, this tends to divide opinion instantly. For some, it is reason enough to choose quartz / mineral worktops; for others, the gradual patina of marble is precisely the point.

At Humphrey Munson, we have used marble in kitchens of very different characters – from a Grade II listed Georgian hunting lodge to a London townhouse, a contemporary family kitchen in Fryerning and a classical orangery extension in Hampshire. The common theme with each of these projects was the clients all wanted something special, something unique – something no one else could ever replicate.

So how do we go about even choosing the right marble for a kitchen? Well, the success of marble in a kitchen space depends on the particular slabs available (and in what size and depth) but a lot is also about the house, the cabinetry, the light, the edge detail and the way the room will actually be lived in.

Is marble a good choice for a kitchen?

Yes, provided you understand what you are choosing and you go into this with your eyes open. Marble is a natural stone and unlike quartz or porcelain, it is extremely porous. Acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, vinegar and wine can etch the surface; oils and strongly coloured foods may stain if left unattended. It can scratch and, with time, it will develop a patina. We once had a client’s mother-in-law leave a tea bag on the marble next to the sink – the tannins in the tea were absorbed into the worktops and left an unsightly brown smudge.

We always advise clients who want a day 1 kitchen on day 365 to choose a worktop like quartz / mineral so that they can be more easily maintained. That may sound rather discouraging and perhaps even a bit negative but we have to be honest about the realities of maintenance and upkeep as it really isn’t for everyone. Marble should never be sold as a maintenance-free surface but equally nor should its natural characteristics be treated as defects.

Some of the most beautiful marble kitchens are those that have been used for years. The surface softens, small marks cease to announce themselves and the worktop begins to belong to the room – this is especially the case with more dramatic marble choices. And, it’s much the same principle as an old timber floor or a piece of antique furniture: perfection is not necessarily what gives a material character.

The great pleasure of natural stone is its unpredictability. Veining, movement, colour and markings have been formed over millions of years, and even slabs cut from the same block can be markedly different.

This is why it’s so important that clients choose their slabs carefully – ideally in person viewing is always recommended as no two slabs are the same. You cannot get samples of the stone in the same way that you can with quartz / mineral worktops as every slab is unique.

In terms of how to choose what marble for what project, so many factors go into this – not least the room itself. A large, architectural space may benefit from a dramatic stone whereas a room already rich in detail may suit a quieter marble. As with most things in interiors, context is everything as in personal preference.

We thought it might be useful to share some practical case study examples of projects where we have used marble in kitchens.

Calacatta Viola at the Fryerning Project

At the Fryerning Project, there was little point in being timid. The kitchen was designed as a room for entertaining by the brilliant Edwards McCoy and the Calacatta Viola marble needed to hold its own against cabinetry painted in Mr Banks, a deep, almost-black HM colour.

Calacatta Viola is one of the more expressive marbles with burgundy, plum and violet veining moving across a creamy white ground, sometimes in great sweeping sections and elsewhere in smaller, more fragmented markings.

At Fryerning, the pale background of the marble provides a striking contrast with the dark cabinetry, while its deeper veining prevents the effect from becoming stark. The stone continues from the worktops onto the splashback area behind the sink run, where its pattern can be properly appreciated at eye level. This is a good example of choosing marble for the relationship it creates with everything around it.

The stone is undoubtedly a feature but it does not feel added just for effect. It belongs to the wider palette of dark cabinetry, antique brass and carefully considered lighting. A quieter worktop would have changed the character of the room entirely.

Strongly figured marble can sometimes make people nervous as there is a natural temptation to think that it might be too much. Yet, in a room of sufficient scale and confidence, it can have an extraordinary ability to bring the whole scheme together.

Calacatta Viola Estremoz in Hampshire

The Hampshire Project uses marble rather differently. The kitchen sits within a newly created classical orangery extension to a Georgian country house, with far-reaching views across the glorious Hampshire countryside.

The challenge was to create a room with all the comforts of modern life, including air conditioning and underfloor heating, without losing the sense that it belonged to the house. The clients fell in love with the idea of marble, accepted the reality and never gave up the search… it took what felt like an age, but when you know you know!

Louisa Eggleston, creative director @ HM

Calacatta Viola Estremoz was chosen for the kitchen, its expressive veining tempered by a softer, more architectural character that works particularly well within the orangery-style extension. Here, the marble is part of a wider conversation between natural materials. It sits alongside painted cabinetry and unlacquered polished brass which will also change subtly with time.

The edge details were considered with equal care. On the perimeter worktops, a half bullnose and full bullnose detail gives the marble a softer, more traditional character.

The island has an ogee and full bullnose edge, introducing a more decorative, classical profile and giving the piece greater presence at the centre of the room. These small distinctions make an enormous difference. For your future reference a square edge can make marble feel crisp and contemporary, a bullnose softens it, an ogee introduces shadow, depth and a classical feeling. The same slab of stone can look entirely different according to the way its edge is cut.

There is much to be said for allowing natural materials to age together. Marble develops a patina, unlacquered brass darkens and the Portobello oak changes in tone. This is kitchen with life, it’s ever changing and ever evolving.

Carrara marble at the Georgian Hunting Lodge

Carrara marble was used throughout the kitchen and pantry at the Georgian Hunting Lodge. The house is Grade II listed and the choice feels entirely appropriate to its character. Carrara is generally quieter than a stone such as Calacatta Viola. Its soft grey veining and pale background have a restraint that works particularly well in classical interiors, where the architecture and cabinetry are intended to take precedence.

Again, the edge detail is important. Here, the marble was finished with an ogee edge, giving the worktops a more traditional character. It is a relatively small element in the context of an entire kitchen, but one that demonstrates how differently the same material can behave according to the way it is designed and fabricated.

PETER HUMPHREY, DESIGN Director @ HM

The owners also understood what it meant to choose marble. They knew that it would mark and change with use and selected it with that knowledge. This is, in our view, the only sensible way to approach the material. Marble is a poor choice when bought in the hope that it will behave like quartz. It is a wonderful choice when selected for precisely the qualities that make it natural.

Calacatta Borghini in Belgravia

For the Belgravia Townhouse project, Calacatta Borghini marble was sourced from Italy for the kitchen worktops. The room combines Greenwich black oak with painted cabinetry, dark bronze waxed hardware and the quiet formality of a Georgian London townhouse. The marble brings light to the composition, but has enough movement and character to sit comfortably alongside the depth of the timber.

Calacatta Borghini is prized for its warm, creamy ground and distinctive veining, which can include grey, gold and softer, warmer tones. This makes it particularly successful in interiors where the palette is layered rather than simply monochromatic. In Belgravia, the stone prevents the darker elements of the kitchen from feeling heavy. It creates contrast, but a gentler and more interesting contrast than a perfectly uniform white surface could provide.

This is something natural stone does particularly well – Its colour is never entirely flat and its pattern is never perfectly regular. As the light changes throughout the day, so does the movement of the stone.

Louisa Eggleston, Creative Director @ HM

In a city house, where the quality and direction of natural light can vary considerably from one room to another, this can be especially beautiful.

FAQ – Choosing marble for a kitchen

There is no such thing as the best marble for a kitchen. The right stone is the one that belongs in the room.

Before making a decision, you must always look at everything in the round – so by that we mean all together. So, we consider the architecture, the natural light, the cabinetry colour, the timber and metal finishes, the scale of the cabinetry, the length of the worktop runs and whether the stone will continue vertically as a splashback.

We also consider the person who will live with it. How heavily is the kitchen used? Is it a room for entertaining? Are there young children? Does the owner love the character of old houses and natural materials, or will every small mark cause concern?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but these discussions must be had.

Where possible, we always recommend clients see the actual slabs. This is particularly important with strongly figured stones, where the selection and positioning of the veining become part of the design process.

These are some of the FAQs we get from clients that we are sharing here to help you make an informed choice for your own project…

1. Honed or polished?

The finish has a considerable effect on both the appearance of marble and the way it ages. Polished marble has a reflective surface that intensifies the colour and veining. It can look magnificent but any etching tends to be so much more visible because the acid dulls the polished surface. Scratches are also immediately obvious.

Honed marble is softer and more matt. It has a quieter appearance and can be more forgiving in a heavily used kitchen. As with the choice of stone itself, the answer depends on the architecture of the room and the way the kitchen will be used.

2. Does marble stain?

It can. Marble is porous and can absorb liquids if spills are left on the surface. Wine, coffee, oils and strongly coloured foods may all leave marks. Anyone whose first priority is stain resistance may be happier with quartz/mineral worktops.

This does not make marble impractical. It simply means that it should be chosen with open eyes.

3. What is etching?

Many marks described as stains or scratches are actually etches. Marble contains calcium carbonate, which reacts with acid. Lemon juice, vinegar and wine can therefore leave a dull area on the surface. On polished marble, this can be particularly visible because the affected section loses some of its shine. A honed finish can be more forgiving.

Over time, however, something interesting tends to happen. The first mark is always the most noticeable. As a marble surface is used and develops a more general patina, individual marks begin to recede into the whole. This is one of the reasons old marble can be so beautiful.

4. Is marble heat resistant?

Yes! Marble is naturally heat resistant, one of the reasons it has been used in kitchens for centuries. That said, we would still recommend using a trivet for very hot pans. Sudden changes in temperature are best avoided with any natural stone, and if you do have a sealant applied these may react differently to heat. Good marble care is generally a matter of sensible habits rather than constant vigilance.

5. HOW DO YOU CLEAN MARBLE?

Marble does not need to be treated with fear. Spills should be wiped up as quickly as possible, particularly anything acidic or strongly coloured. A pH-neutral cleaner intended for natural stone should be used, and harsh or abrasive products avoided. Chopping boards are preferable to cutting directly on the surface for obvious reasons!

Our view on marble…

After more than 30 years of designing kitchens, our view is quite simple. Marble can be one of the most beautiful materials in a house, provided it is chosen with a proper understanding of how it will behave.

We would not recommend it to somebody who wants a worktop to remain completely unchanged. There are excellent alternatives for that. For those who love natural materials, marble has an extraordinary quality that cannot be rivalled.