At Cheap Workstop, the UK's leading quartz fabrication company, we craft premium quartz countertops with exceptional craftsmanship for homes and businesses. Our skilled team delivers durable, stylish surfaces tailored to your specifications. Trust us to enhance your space with innovative designs and lasting value.
If the kitchen is your favorite place to be, you've got to be practical, but you also want the kitchen to be exciting! To make your dream kitchen a reality, you need a good level of thought and research to even get started.
One of the best things you can invest in is a high-quality worktop or work surface. Marble worktops are still a firm favorite with homeowners because of their elegance, durability, and luxurious feel.
Here’s the complete guide to marble worktops—and all things you should keep in mind to ensure you choose the right marble worktop for your dream kitchen.
Marble is a metamorphic rock, a rock that is made up almost entirely of recrystallized calcite, or dolomite. For thousands of years it has been appreciated and used in cathedrals, sculptures and luxurious homes, and it continues to be a desirable stone in today’s interior design market, particularly in kitchens and baths as a worktop surface. But, the one thing to remember about marble, is that it is porous stone.
When we say that marble is porous, we mean it has tiny microscopic pores that allow air and liquid to pass through.
Because these pores can potentially allow something to stain or damage your marble worktop surface if the spills do not get cleaned up in a timely manner. Surprisingly, something as simple as a spill of wine, coffee, or acidic juice can permanently alter the surface of your marble worktop.
Although this can add to the overall natural character of marble, one must also consider the risks. Luckily, there are ways to deal with the porosity of marble by:
Choosing a high-quality sealant or protective finish.
Choosing certain limited varieties of marble that have a lesser porosity.
Choosing an alternative material.
If you want the beauty of stone without worrying about it, quartz is an equally stunning option. Unlike marble, quartz is plastic based and non-porous making it exceptionally stain resistant and staying safe from spills. It's also very hard and durable - perfect for the busy kitchen where practical choices are as important as the aesthetic choices.
Deciding on a marble worktop for your kitchen is a big decision, of which one important factor to consider is the finish you would like. Polished Finish – Shiny and reflective surfaces of marble worktop finishes bring instant elegance and a hint of luxury to your kitchen. The benefit of polished finishes is that they have a seal and can resist spills and stains better than a honed finish. The downside is that they highlight scratches more.
Honed (Matte) Finish – Smooth and understated, honed marble provides a gorgeous, matte feel that disguises any scratches or imperfections efficiently. The honed finish of the Carrara Marble Collection is a classic example, bringing a timeless look to your kitchen.
Marble isn’t just for kitchen worktops – it’s a versatile material that can be used in a number of spaces in a home. You have lovely bathroom vanities, marble flooring and everything from decorative accents to furniture pieces. Marble comes in so many colors, patterns and finishes (polished versus matte) that it can add timeless elegance and beauty in any home.
Marble has been valued for its beauty and strength for thousands of years. The Greeks were early adopters of marble, exploring the stone around the 3rd century BC for use in buildings and sculptures in places like Paros and Naxos.
Anatolia, or modern-day Turkey, emerges as a key marble-producing area, both in ancient times and, later, during the Roman and Ottoman Empires where the region was known for trade and building marble structures. Italy also established a major marble legacy as a source of marble used in churches and major structures from the first AD millennium on.
Marble is at our disposal more than ever through the use of advanced cutting technology and modern tools; it allows us to take ancient stone and create timeless, durable, and attractive structures and decor items.
Yes, marble worktops are an excellent option for bringing timeless elegance into your kitchen. They are durable, stylish, naturally heat resistant, and can be finished to make a very luxurious space that can last a lifetime if maintained properly.
Since marble is porous you will be capable of staining the stone if spills are left unattended. The common culprits are citrus juices, oils, curry and red wine. To avoid this problem you should clean up spills immediately and reseal the stone every 6 - 12 months for further protection.
Naturally, marble is a strong and resilient stone. Polished finishes may mark and show scratches more readily but excessive heat can damage the finish. It is ideal to seal the stone once a year which will prevent liquid from being absorbed through the stone and help the longevity of the stone. Always use trivets for hot pans.
The costs varying depend on how rare the stone is, the quality of the stone and how far it’s had to be transported. Quality marble can be more difficult than standard marble to quarry and work with so it is understandably more expensive. However, it will retain a well usable surface as marble is so durable and an investment worth making in the long term as it will enhance beauty for years to come.
Marble comes in a huge assortment of colors including but not limited to white, black, grey, and some really dynamic colors like green, cream, purple, and pink. You can also find marble-effect options that come in quartz, for example, to replicate the look.
Marble worktops make a stylish statement in any kitchen or bathroom. With their beautiful, natural stone finish, marble, with its natural sheen, adds a practical, stylish, and elegant element to your home. Marble worktops are also timeless and elegant additions to commercial spaces and are considered a luxury.
There is a vast range of colours, patterns and shades of white, black, and everywhere in between. You also have the options of exotic greens, browns, etc to pick the perfect marble to fit the design you want.
Marble is a natural stone, and comes in an incredible variation of colours; each colour has its own unique character. Once you understand what you're looking for, choosing the correct colour for your kitchen worktop can be easy! The colour you choose can change your space dramatically! Below are some considerations, which we hope help you in your choice.
When choosing a colour for your marble, think about the overall design of your kitchen. The worktop should fit in with your cabinets, flooring and other elements. Also, consider how much light will come into the room since some colours can brighten your space, and others can create a warmer, more enveloping feel. Many marble ranges show some detail in their colour variations in perhaps the best way to find the perfect match for the design you imagined.
Marble has been revered for thousands of years for its natural beauty and versatility. Known for its formal finish and beautiful textures and tones, marble is still widely used in kitchens, bathrooms, and other interiors. With an endless array of colours and beautiful veining, marble can add an instant sophistication to any space.
When selecting a marble finish you generally have two options. Polished or matte.
Polished finish: Offers a glossy, reflective surface, providing a clean luxurious and sophisticated look, but can accentuate scratches or marks more.
Matte finish: A softer, less shiny look; better at hiding imperfections, and more practical for higher traffic areas while maintaining elegance and charm.
Carrara marble is a versatile and durable surface, which is why it is perfect to use as a kitchen or bathroom worktop. If fitted by an expert, it can last for decades but requires maintenance to help it last long enough to meet your budget!
Heat Resistance: Carrara marble is naturally resistant to high temperatures, meaning you can place warm pans directly onto the surface. Nonetheless, as with any surface, we recommend a wooden board or heat-resistant mat to protect its beautiful finish.
Cool Surface: Carrara marble is naturally cool to touch, which makes it an excellent surface to bake on because it keeps ingredients from sticking to it and overall keeps the temperature you desire.
Water Resistance: Carrara marble is resistant to water, therefore can be used in not just a kitchen or bathroom, but even a spa-like retreat where water could be present in use in the space.
Easy Maintenance: After sealing (which is needed with all natural stone), with a regular clean this stone will remain looking great and performing well for decades without needing to be replaced.
Carrara marble is remarkably versatile; it can blend in with traditional and modern interior styles very effectively. It looks incredible paired with either light or dark cabinetry, creating a classic and timeless feel to any kitchen. It can be provided in polished or honed finishes and can provide a feeling of depth and sophistication to a design. Carrara marble is used not only for worktops; It is widely used for flooring, bathroom surfaces, feature walls, and even luxury spa interiors—showcasing its unmatched versatility and timeless elegance in premium design.
In the UK, Carrara marble is commonly imported and carefully crafted from large stone blocks into refined slabs. Being a softer natural stone compared to many others, it can be cut, honed or shaped to your specific design requirements. This may include creating special edge profiles, bespoke cut-outs for sinks or appliances, and much more. Carrara marble can give you the flexibility you desire when customising your kitchen or bathroom design.
