Designing a Home | Ongoing white marble kitchen dilemma
This is the post where I apologize for being the worst blogger ever, and beg for your help in making up my mind on certain house decisions. There are so. so. many. But I will start with a few. Thank you in advance.
Kitchen
By now you probably are aware of my love affair with white. Not many people here in Winnipeg get it, and many are worried that I'll tire of it. Nope. Nada. My admiration of a white kitchen started years ago - before we even bought our townhome in BC - and it has never faltered. So white on white on white it shall be! You may remember this post on marble because of my serious marble obsession, and my sadness over the reality that it just might not be the best material to use if we plan on not staying in this house for a long time. So now I'm committed to quartz counters. But, here is my dilemma: do I do solid white counters with a delicious marble backplash, or do I do the new Caesarstone Calacatta Nuvo (marble-looking) counters with a simple white subway tile backsplash?
I am SO torn and every day I change my mind. I would say I am 50/50 right now and I need some tipping in one direction.
Here are my thoughts so far on the options:
White Counters/ Marble Backsplash
Pros - Backsplash will make a nice statement and add some visual interest to the kitchen. This option also let's me bring in some natural stone into the kitchen design. The marble backsplash is the main appeal to this combo.
Cons - Not excited or in love with white counters although I do like them.
Marble-looking Counters/White Backsplash
Pros - More excited about this countertop option. It's a new product that looks so much more like marble than anything else out there on the market within our budget, and I spend most of my time in the kitchen looking at and using the counters, so it would be really nice to have pretty counters. Also, I like the fact that since there is some veining, any little crumb or drop on the counter during a party won't be screaming "I'm a dirty counter- clean me!" so hiding small messes is also a plus.
Cons - Still not sure if we can get this new product in time for our build. Also not sure if it will be too creamy against the whites that we've chose for the cabinets.
Okay kids, this is where I need your help! Please try and convince me one way on another!
Kitchen
By now you probably are aware of my love affair with white. Not many people here in Winnipeg get it, and many are worried that I'll tire of it. Nope. Nada. My admiration of a white kitchen started years ago - before we even bought our townhome in BC - and it has never faltered. So white on white on white it shall be! You may remember this post on marble because of my serious marble obsession, and my sadness over the reality that it just might not be the best material to use if we plan on not staying in this house for a long time. So now I'm committed to quartz counters. But, here is my dilemma: do I do solid white counters with a delicious marble backplash, or do I do the new Caesarstone Calacatta Nuvo (marble-looking) counters with a simple white subway tile backsplash?
I am SO torn and every day I change my mind. I would say I am 50/50 right now and I need some tipping in one direction.
Here are my thoughts so far on the options:
White Counters/ Marble Backsplash
Pros - Backsplash will make a nice statement and add some visual interest to the kitchen. This option also let's me bring in some natural stone into the kitchen design. The marble backsplash is the main appeal to this combo.
Cons - Not excited or in love with white counters although I do like them.
Marble-looking Counters/White Backsplash
Pros - More excited about this countertop option. It's a new product that looks so much more like marble than anything else out there on the market within our budget, and I spend most of my time in the kitchen looking at and using the counters, so it would be really nice to have pretty counters. Also, I like the fact that since there is some veining, any little crumb or drop on the counter during a party won't be screaming "I'm a dirty counter- clean me!" so hiding small messes is also a plus.
Cons - Still not sure if we can get this new product in time for our build. Also not sure if it will be too creamy against the whites that we've chose for the cabinets.
Okay kids, this is where I need your help! Please try and convince me one way on another!
I love your style! Mines exactly the same! My hubby and I are building a house and I'm currently trying to decide on counter and backsplash as well. I think I'm leaning toward solid white quartz counter with marble tile backsplash. Mostly because unless I can actually see the exact slab that will be used, I would worry I wouldn't like the pattern or colour combo of the marble look quartz. I've heard the real thing doesn't always look like the sample. And I really want a bright white counter to match my white cabinets!
ReplyDeleteBuilding is so exciting! Good luck with yours!
Thanks Karen! Where are you building and who are you building with? It's definitley very exciting - I just can't wait for it to be over! Sounds like we have very similar taste :)
DeleteWe're building in Oak Bluff West with Artista Homes. We'll be meeting with the interior decorator soon so I'm trying to make some early decisions. Im finding the toughest choices are the wood flooring, counters and shower tile.
DeleteThat is amazing! Absolutely love Artista so I'm sure your home will be stunning! Are you blogging about your build?
DeleteNo I'm not a blogger. Wouldn't know where to start! But I love following others including yours! :)
DeleteI vote the latter. Solid white counters would be as bad as solid white floors. At least for someone who loves to cook. And has three kids. I love the marble backsplash, but if I had to choose one or the other, I'd go with the marble looking counter. Of course, this is coming from someone who chose a marble looking counter and STILL can't commit to a backsplash. :0)
ReplyDeleteAre you thinking something like this for the latter: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e0/f0/9c/e0f09c25143932981ae420307ad6a887.jpg ?
ReplyDeleteEither way, I LOVE the idea of the marble looking counters and subway tile backsplash.
Why not have both? If you're going to have an island, put the marble look counters there and white quartz on the perimeter counters with the marble backsplash. Then you don't have to choose!
ReplyDeleteI definitely already considered it but the "faux" look marble quartz and the real marble for the backsplash just don't work that well together in my opinion. I put a few samples together and it just clashed - so hard to get the right matching whites/grey tones within it!
DeleteAs a white kitchen enthusiast who has never tired of white and still longs for marble, I say go for the dream! Marble-esque counters that are not high maintenance? Sounds like a dream to me. Is still look at my perfectly lovely granite and think, "you're alright, but you're not marble."
ReplyDeleteWow, I totally just found this post by looking at the google images of the new Calacatta Nuvo product, I am literally having the exact same dilemma with white counters and marble backsplash vs calacatta nuvo and subway tiles, hoping to read the comments for help!
ReplyDeleteAlaina
Glad I wasn't the only one completely torn between these two great options! I ended up going in a slightly different direction. I am doing white quartz on the perimeter with a marble backsplash.... and then I gave in to the marble! I just couldn't say no... nothing really does it for like marble, so I will take on the task of babying it :)
DeleteDo you have a picture you could send me? I'm having the same issue. I have 3x6 calcatta backsplash and want to do a solid white perimeter with a real marble on my island. Help!
DeleteIt's not done yet but when it is I will post pics! (in January)
Deletepure white (corian) countertops drove me bonkers as you see EVERY SINGLE CRUMB or streak. it's impossible for normal people (who actually cook in their kitchens) to keep all white looking good. JMO.
ReplyDeletei too am trying to find the right balance between the calacatta nuvo and a backsplash. someone on houzz pointed out stoneimpression's nicolo tile to me. i'm still contemplating how it will all come together with my taupe cabinets.
best of luck.
This is beautiful! I've been looking around for kitchen marble slab just like this. I just didn't really know how I wanted them done. This gave me some great ideas! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete