While the look of marble may be timeless, marble countertops in the kitchen can be challenging to keep clean and free of stains and scratches, especially if you want entire marble worktops. In fact, despite how stunning they looked at first, many people with only marble worktops in their houses sometimes complain about the difficult maintenance after only a few years.

You can avoid some stains and scratches by using honed marble instead of polished: the matte finish hides the daily wear and tear your counters experience. 

However, you can still choose marble for your home without worrying about too much upkeep by using it as an accent. Here are a few ideas to keep the beauty of marble in your kitchen with less stress.

Marble Backsplash

First, you could use marble as a backsplash or accent piece on a wall instead of a countertop. A marble backsplash will last far longer and preserve all of its original beauty because it is a vertical surface, which is less susceptible to spills and wear and tear than a horizontal worktop. Remember to apply an impregnating sealer to help keep grout and marble looking new and to protect them from grease splatters.

Soapstone Island with Marble Perimeter

Another striking technique is contrasting the kitchen island with the perimeter: use soapstone on your island and marble on the perimeter. Many times, the island cabinets are painted in a contrasting color, so some homeowners pick marble for the perimeter and a large, dark soapstone island countertop for contrast. Because many families use the kitchen island more than the perimeter, the soapstone will take most of the wear and tear. In addition, because it’s non-absorbent, you won’t worry about spills, and any scratches can be buffed out easily.

Marble with Contrasting Wood Details

We’ve also seen some designers mix marble countertops with wood details around the kitchen to bring a rustic, casual element to a very traditional material. Sometimes this looks like a marble island with a live-edge wood bar, or you can use marble for half the island and differentiate the eating area with the contrasting wood piece without making it a different height.

Wood and marble combined require more upkeep but create a cozy room for friends and family to gather.

Test the Look

Try adding marble and soapstone pieces to your kitchen as a test run if you want to experiment with mixing the two materials but aren’t ready to commit fully. For example, if your kitchen or bathroom has soapstone countertops, try adding a marble mirror or cutting board to see how striking these materials look together.

At Garden State Soapstone, we love combining the look of marble and soapstone, and we recommend it highly to anyone looking to add a timeless statement design to their homes. These two materials complement one another and give your room the luxury of marble with the warmth of soapstone that appeals to all homeowners. 

Do you have any original design concepts? Schedule a walk through our showroom to see the different natural materials you can use in your home. With high-quality soapstone, marble, slate, and wood, we have the options you need to complete your vision.