Marble
Just the name conjures up images of the world’s most renowned sculptors, leaving their indelible imprints on grand staircases and sleek home libraries. Marble exudes an exquisite touch that defines the innate beauty of an art museum, as well as the refined stylistic charm of an old school public accessible building. For all the eye candy marble presents to us, there is one undeniable fact about the stone.
It costs a lot of money
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When it comes to a kitchen countertop, marble stands at least near, if not at the top of the list of the most preferred material. As managers that oversee a wide variety of residential properties up and down the West Coast, Utopia Management has plenty of experience managing properties that include the addition of a marble kitchen countertop.
Take it from the property management pros in San Jose, marble kitchen countertops deliver several benefits for homeowners. However, it is not just the high cost of marble that gives it a few blemishes when it comes to deciding on a material for a kitchen countertop that you want to install in your home.
Why You Should Consider Adding a Kitchen Countertop
What came first, the chicken or the egg, is an appropriate question to ask when considering the installation of a kitchen countertop. Long before you decide on a material, you should learn about the three reasons why an island in your kitchen makes sense for adding to your home.
Size and Shape Flexibility
When installed by home improvement specialists, a kitchen countertop can range in size and shape to match the design of your kitchen. You can add a countertop to complement the space you already have for prepping and cooking meals, or go all out and make a countertop the central area of the kitchen where you work your culinary magic.
Customization
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Size and shape are not the only two things that give you design flexibility. You can add a kitchen countertop that is constructed with one of many material options. There is also the option to include built-in appliances that give you the convenience of a second area of the kitchen where you cook and store food.
Aesthetic Appeal
When you walk into a room, something in the room immediately attracts your eyes to it. When it comes to a kitchen countertop, the size, shape, and appearance of it is the magnet that attracts your eyes. Deciding on marble for a kitchen countertop enhances the aesthetic appeal of a kitchen even more.
Marble Kitchen Countertops: Pros vs. Cons
Marble represents the ultimate double-edged sword when it comes to choosing a material for a new kitchen countertop.
Pro: Stunning Beauty
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Marble countertops make a bold design statement in any room. For a kitchen that is often considered an afterthought when designing the interior of a home, marble transcends the ordinary and reaches the sky of astonishing beauty.
Pro: Eco-Friendly Material
Marble comes from all parts of the world in a wide variety of micro-ecosystems. Making marble the material you want to use for a kitchen marble countertop does not disrupt the delicate environmental balance found in nature.
Pro: Highly Durable
With the proper amount of care, marble can last for decades to come. Although low traffic areas are ideal for marble, the material also withstands the rigors of high-traffic areas such as a kitchen. Marble absorbs strong impacts like a champ, as well as handles prolonged exposure to humid conditions.
Pro: Boost in Property Value
You might have heard about curb appeal, which is what your home looks like to everyone that passes by it. Internal curb appeal follows the same principle, and with marble, the sleek stone can increase the value of your home. Realtors make marble one of the central themes when showing a home during an open house.
Con: As Expensive as It Gets
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Living in luxury costs money, even it is just the appearance of living in luxury. Although marble is plentiful, the highest quality version of it has more demand than it has supply. This means to add a kitchen countertop constructed with the finest marble, you can expect to pay a high price. How much you pay depends on how much marble is used to build your new kitchen countertop.
Con: Requires a Professional to Install
Even if you consider yourself the next coming of Bob Villa, adding a new marble kitchen countertop should be completed by an insured and licensed home improvement contractor. Not only is marble incredibly heavy, but the material also requires the expert handling of an experienced home improvement contractor.
Con: Stains Easily
Marble is durable, but it also stains easily. If you plan on using a marble kitchen countertop as an extra area to serve meals, you have to consider this con when purchasing a new countertop. However, you can use one of many simple ways to remove the stains that diminish the sleek appearance of marble.
The Bottom Line
If you have room in your home improvement budget, adding a marble kitchen countertop gives you more pros than cons. The astonishing beauty of the stone is reason enough to spend a little more money to increase the value of your home.
