What’s So Marvellous About Marble?

Finding the right stone for your home can feel convoluted. With aspects such as appearance and function to consider, and with many stones sharing similar features, how can you be certain that you’ve made the right choice? Looking in more detail at marble and what makes it special, we can identify why it might be the perfect stone for you.

Formation

Marble is a naturally formed metamorphic rock. It derives from a sedimentary form that manifests as limestone or dolomite. When subjected to severe pressure and heat, the stone gradually recrystallises to form natural marble. The characteristic patterns and veining are down to mineral impurities, making the solid white variety the purest form, and the one preferred by artists and sculptors. For the home, many of us lean towards colours and distinctive patterning to create aesthetic depth.

Shaping

Marble is a softer stone than granite and quartz, making it easier to form and cut. So with the wealth of edging options that we offer, from bullnose to bevel to ogee, marble presents no challenge. If your kitchen design aims to be something unique and eye-catching, an unusually shaped kitchen island can be more simply produced using marble. Or if the angles of your kitchen are a bit less conventional, the workability of this stone makes this a practical worktop choice.

Strength

Despite its relative softness, by choosing marble you would not be compromising on durability. Bear in mind that some of history’s most ancient buildings and sculptures have been formed from marble. It’s an extremely strong material. It is naturally resistant to heat, cracking and scratching so the kitchen is an ideal environment. The sealing process for worktops aids its heat and water resistance. So you can use this stone confidently in hot and wet areas for many years to come.

Temperature

For the bakers out there, this really makes a difference. The natural temperature of marble is cool and it will always remain below room temperature. So it’s an ideal surface for working with dough, pastry or chocolate. You don’t have to be working on a croque-en-bouche to see the difference that this surface will make to your cooking. Everyday baking or food prep activity will also benefit from the cooler, cleaner surface that marble offers.

Light

Whether you choose a white or coloured variety for your kitchen worktops, you will find that this stone possesses a luminescence within its crystallisation. Where all polished stone worktops have reflective properties, marble beats them all in its brightness. For kitchens already rich in natural light, the surface will add a more layered aesthetic. For darker and smaller kitchens, the bright reflectivity of this stone will make the space feel larger and brighter. You can never have too much light in such a social space as a kitchen, so marble always has something to add to the environment.

Variety

With such a huge variety of minerals and sediments found around the globe, the range of marble that exists out there is vast. The presence of magnesium or silica results in green varieties, where clay, iron oxides and silt combinations produce a variety of hues and veining. So from pinks and yellows to blues and browns, your design concept can be fully complemented by this stone. In addition, the large variety of stone on offer means that there is a style to suit any budget. This makes marble one of the most accessible natural stones for a home design.

If you choose marble for your home you can be confident that you are making a lasting decision for the long term. Your surface will take all of the pressures of a busy kitchen whilst offering enhanced brightness, the coolness of temperature and ease of installation. With so much choice, our experts at Zenstone can help to guide you to your perfect marble partner.