Selecting Kitchen Counters: Granite or Marble

This afternoon, while talking about marble vs granite with my wise, 85-year old mother,

she said, "You are almost 60 years old. Get what you want."

Do I have a clue?
 

My kitchen has a similar U-shaped layout. I like the tone-on-tone, lighter look.

Traditional Kitchen by Mill Valley Interior Designer EJ Interior Design, Eugenia Jesberg

Above, Calacata white marble was chosen for the counters.

When I visit the stone yard, I'll take two sample cabinets--one will be BM's "Simply White" and the other will be SW's "Creamy." I'm trying to go in with a plan this time around and focus on lighter counter tops.

 

 

And these are my inspiration photos:

 

 

 

 

I've researched Madre Perla and Bianco Macaubus. Here's a photo of the latter:

Traditional Kitchen by Plymouth Tile Stone And Countertop Stone Source

This kitchen is gorgeous, but the bold lines won't work in my much-smaller space. The same issue might happen with White Diamond granite, also referred to as Bianco Antico.

Traditional Kitchen by Rehoboth Beach Home Builders Echelon Custom Homes

Love the view and the kitchen.

"What do you want?" my mother asked.

"Marble," I whispered.

She didn't ask why I was whispering. She knew.

 

Here, we can see a lovely 2m carrera white marble counter with mitered edges.

Traditional Kitchen by Birmingham Design-build Caden Design Group


But is it the stuff of dreams? What happens when you've pulled a hot baking pan out of the oven, and the heat seeps through your mitts?

 source

 

I've had granite counters and they're bulletproof. Every morning my husband opens a dozen (or more) Splenda packets and leaves them on a coffee-splattered counter, adding puddles of cream and CoffeeMate. His big hands have trouble opening the lid on a tiny coffee grinder, and grounds are spilled. But I'd much rather have a man who makes coffee...and give him bulletproof counters. It's just...honey, if you're reading this, and you're prolly not, there's a trash can beside the sink. That is all.

According to my research, even lighter granite can have issues. We've all heard horror stories

about marble. To make matters confusing, stones are often mislabeled; you may think you are

buying X, but you're getting Z.  "The Lowdown on Super White" is fascinating over at Gardenweb's Kitchen Forum.

Again, my mother offered advice: "Don't you use chopping blocks and trivets?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Well, then. Do you want dark counters that don't show dirt? Or do you want to see the dirt--and clean it?"

"I want to see it."

"Go for it, Gollum!" she said.

But does Gollum want Carrara or Calacatta? And what's the difference?

 

Carrara vs. Calacatta Marble: What is the Difference?

Calacatta counter with an edge:
 

Kitchen by Cincinnati Kitchen And Bath Formica Group

Carrara counters:

Traditional Kitchen by San Francisco Interior Designer Fiorella Design

Does it come down to "perfection vs patina?"

 

Using White Marble: Hot Debate Over a Classic Beauty

Our present bathroom has quartz counters, and while this man-made product is more expensive than granite, it will be around long after I'm gone. The "Corian-esque" stuff is truly bulletproof--and toothpaste proof. Caesarstone has just launched a series of marble-like products. But I'm still drawn to granite and marble.

That said, this kitchen by Michael S. Smith is one of my all-time favorites. They opted for a white Caesarstone counter on the island (the perimeter counters are topped with soapstone). I love
this pure white, virtually indestructible slab. (The cabinets were painted BM's "China White.")

Michael S. Smith: Elle Decor

It all comes down to a few things. The stones in the stone yard. The number of slabs. The price.

And fairy dust.

From a cook's perspective, would you prefer something that's scratch-and-stain  proof, a mix,
or the aesthetics of natural stone?



 

Top photo credit via Houzz: Traditional Kitchen by Benicia Design-build Callow Design and Construction.
Inspiration kitchen photos from Houzz and Canadian House and Home.

 

Creating a White Kitchen

 

 

"So we're getting another white kitchen?" Will asked me today, when we were playing with hardware at Rattlebridge Farm.  He was referring to kitchens in previous homes--a stucco Georgian and a "four square" ex-funeral parlor. One was all white, and the other was cream with black and green accents.

 

"Are you okay with that?" I asked.

 

"I'm going to trust you on this one," he said. "You're the cook!"

 

This might be a mistake to trust me with design.

Before we remodeled the kitchen, I elected to keep the original cabinets to keep the cost down, and because the cabinets were perfectly all right. No, the doors weren't inset. But I couldn't justify the expense. As it happened, we ran into a bit of a layout problem because A) the vent was aligned between the beams, but the range wasn't aligned (my contractor noticed this), and B) I wanted two ovens.

I know. Why all this fuss for a bit of a skewed arrangement and especially for two ovens?

My mom cooked memorable family meals with a single oven and no dishwasher. But my present home has two ovens, and they get daily use. I could foresee many arguments with Bandwidth.
Adding to the dilemma, the footprint was tight.

After a bit of shuffling, we revised the layout. 

On the stove wall, we planned a new hood, upper cabinets, and lowers, including two pull out spice drawers. The wall oven and microwave will be relocated and we'll have cabinets and a counter. The island will be extended so we can add counter stools.

The rest of the cabinets will stay, but they'll get new hardware.

The new cabinets arrived last week. I snapped a few grainy pictures with my iPhone. I've been
busy writing, and I've let things slide. However, home things always recharge my writing
batteries and vice versa, so I'm ready to plow ahead, even though a few things are up in the air.

 

The top cabinet will have slots for my baking pans.

The appliances have been ordered. Now it's time to choose a cabinet color, which means I must also consider trim, wall color, knobs and pulls, material for counters (granite or marble), and back- splashes (subway tile or beadboard or a combination). I'd planned to use SW's "Creamy" on the cabinets, since I've used it everywhere else.

But the kitchen receives warm afternoon light, and "Creamy," which is a warm white, looks very  creamy.

It would be a design gaffe to use a cool white, especially since I ran a warm white through the rest of the downstairs. What to do.  When Will and I were building our present home, I visited Gardenweb's Kitchen forum (and many others) to educate ourselves about layout, appliances, hardware, paint colors, and everything else.

Hand's down, Benjamin Moore's "Simply White" seems to be the new favorite for a neutral, yet warm white. Many homeowners say that it has one drop of black. Others say it's crisp and reads white, yet it's not cold.

I spent some time at Rattlebridge, studying samples. And I'm seriously considering "Simply White" vs "Creamy" for the cabinets.

I found a few photos at Houzz.


Here, the cabinets have been painted BM's "Simply White." The lovely wall color is Farrow and Ball's "Stoney Ground."

Traditional Kitchen by Minneapolis Kitchen And Bath Casa Verde Design

I found many examples of SW's "Creamy" on the cabinets. Here's one. It "reads" white. It would look very pretty with a warm granite. However, I'd planned to use a lighter granite, possible with black or gray movement or even (gulp) marble. I have not ruled out Absolute Black, which I used in another kitchen, and that stone was bulletproof. (I'll report soon about my adventures in the stone yard.)

SW "Creamy"

Traditional Kitchen by Minneapolis Interior Designer Interiors By Holly

I was so confused, so I assembled a white kitchen dream book.

SW"s Eider White. Wall color is Sherwin Williams Anew Gray SW7030

Traditional Kitchen by Greenville Interior Designer Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home

Behr Premium Plus Ultra, Ultra Pure White UL260-14.

Traditional Kitchen by Sherman Oaks General Contractor OTM Designs & Remodeling Inc

BM "Cloud White" on the cabs. Backsplash is Walker Zanger, Grammercy Park--color "Heirloom White" (2x6). Carrera marble on the counters.

Traditional Kitchen by Minneapolis Interior Designer RLH Studio


A few years ago, BM's "Cloud White" was a popular choice for white cabinets.
Maria Killam explains why it's no longer the "go-to" color.
 

I always smile when I see a "Something's Gotta Give" inspired kitchen, known on the Kitchen Forum as the OTK--One True Kitchen. Here, the cabinets are BM's Decorator's White, and black granite (Cambrian Black with an antique finish) was used on the counters, rather than soapstone. Details include the pro range, black hardware, and a 3 x 6 subway tile backsplash. BM's In this photograph, BM's "Woodlawn Blue" brightened the walls.

Traditional Kitchen by Portland Interior Designer Garrison Hullinger Interior Design Inc.

Yet I love the peace of an all-white kitchen. Details: 1 1/4" "Aubrey" knobs (Restoration Hardware). Cabinets are BM "Pure White " and walls are "Edgecomb Grey"; subway tiles are classic white.

Traditional Kitchen by Flemington Architect Pickell Architecture

Traditional Kitchen by Flemington Architect Pickell Architecture

A white and black kitchen with cool undertones.

Kitchen by Burke Design-build Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, Inc.

This black-and-white kitchen feels warmer. It's another spin on the "Something's Gotta Give" look. BM "Cloud White" on the cabs. Absolute Black granite counters (they look honed). Subway tile is Ann Sacks' Cappricio White Gloss. Love the wall color,   B. Moore OC-140, "Morning Dew."

Traditional Kitchen by Seattle Architect Paul Moon Design

The hardware is from Restoration Hardware.

Traditional Kitchen by Seattle Architect Paul Moon Design


A previous kitchen was white-and-black, and it certainly had its pluses and minuses. Our present
kitchen cabinets have a maple-like finish.

 

Quite a change!

 

 

What's your favorite white paint? 

 

A Metamorphosis Monday post at Between Naps on the Porch.

 

 

All Creatures Great and Small

 

Many of my blog posts center around food and design, but

I seldom talk about the work and worry goes into our farm. 

Today I'd like to show you the happy side of farming.

The pure delight of fresh, grass-scented air, a wind-rumpled pond, the nicker of a horse, a donkey's warm breath as he searches for apples, or seeing two ducks become best friends.

 

 

I'll just let the pictures do the talking.

 

Hope you enjoyed the mini-tour. Thank for visiting.