I really love marble as a benchtop product and have shared my thoughts on my own benchtop in this blogpost. But it’s fair to say that marble or natural stone is not for everyone. Its porous and soft nature means it can be prone to staining, etching and chipping. Thankfully for those people who feel that they would ‘lose sleep at night’ with these risks, there are some great man-made alternatives. There are too many on the market for me to list but I have my favourites. These are 8 Alternative Options to Marble Benchtops that I like to use.
1. Caesarstone Frosty Carrina
This option has been around for a while but I still keep coming back to it. I have used it in my own bathrooms and laundry and have found it very durable. It has a soft, subtle veining and warmer base colour as opposed to some of the cooler options available.
Photo by Suzi Appel
2.Caesarstone Noble Grey
With its light grey base and blueish veining, this is a favourite option for clients who want to mimic Carrara marble. In this project the island bench colour was selected to highlight the colours in the veining.
Photo by Suzi Appel
3. Stone Ambassador Lagos Grey
Similar to the Noble Grey, Lagos Grey has a slightly whiter base colour and more subtle veining. It is a great choice in this classic Hamptons style kitchen.
Photo by Suzi Appel
4. Stone Ambassador Enchanted White
In a recently completed project, the client chose Enchanted White for their bathroom and laundry benchtops. The heavier veining provides interest and sits perfectly against the traditional polished chrome tapware.
5. Neolith Blanco Carrara
Another great Carrara replica, this Neolith option is a porcelain sheet product. Its resistance to heat (near a BBQ) and UV allows it to be specified as a benchtop and splashback in this Al Fresco space.
Photo by Suzi Appel
The blue/grey base tones and veining were the basis for the blue colour selected for this laundry cabinetry.
6. WK Bianco Classic Six+
This client was wanting a suitable splashback option where the veining featured strongly but the base colour a warmer grey to highlight the cabinetry colour. Also a porcelain slab material, this option ticked all the boxes.
Photo by Suzi Appel
7. Dekton Opera
For a more contemporary kitchen renovation, this client loved the look of dramatic veining and also wanted to continue the look for their splashback. A mix of porcelain, glass and quartz, this Dekton option has a slight textured finish and cream base which provides some warmth against the cooler cabinetry colour.
8. Neolith Estatuario
A self confessed messy cook, this client wanted a robust product that still looked elegant in their contemporary kitchen. With a creamy base colour and cool grey veining, this Neolith porcelain slab was perfect.
We used this product throughout the home including the bathrooms and custom shelving benchtop.
Photos by Lisa Atkinson
With advancements in technology, there are so many alternative options to marble benchtops to choose from. Before committing to a material, I would suggest seeing it in a large size slab in the showroom to get a good sense of the veining pattern and base colour.
If you are renovating or building and feeling overwhelmed by the (many!) benchtop options available, I can help you find the perfect option. Please feel free to get in touch.