4 Men 1 Lady

a lifestyle blog about the persuit of bringing beauty to a house full of men.

Marble look-alikes.

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I L-O-V-E the look of marble countertops…
Image via Pink Wallpaper.
However, they’ve been known for being fussy (easily stain, etch, chip).
Could there be something similar without the high maintenance aspect?
My search led me to various types of white granite quartzites which are often mistaken for marble.
Check them out.



White Quartzite.
Image via Granite Gurus.



White Pearl Quartzite.
Image via Garden Web.
Quartzite Super White.
Image via Remodelista.



Kashmir White Granite.
Image via.

I want to know what YOU think. 
Thumbs up, down, sideways?

Comments

    • These example are quarzites NOT quartz just to clarify. Quartz is made made and quarzite is natural like marble but much harder in most cases.

  3. Love the alternatives as well! But really, despite the similarities, marble is still different. I would suggest you go for marble on your island or backsplash still…:-)

  4. I love marble too but when I read how high maintenance they are I’d like to figure something else out. That quartz would work for me! It’s a great substitute.

  6. love the white quartsite! but am i the only one that doesn’t like all the “movement” in granite? my granite has so much movement i sometimes feel crooked in my kitchen!

  7. I have black granite and if I could do it all over again (not reno, but pointing at the samples at the builder’s office) i would definitely go with the white granite or quartz that looks like marble. so pretty. i have marble in my bathroom and it just chipped the other day by a wayward (tiny) lever. dammit

  9. Coming from a designer…..Quartz is BY FAR the best way to go when it comes to countertops. They are extremely durable. The biggest thing is you do not have to seal it. With marble or granite countertops, you need to seal them once a year. With quartz you get the look but not all of the fuss. Please know, that with all of this comes a HEFTY price tag though! I cant wait to see them, if that is what you decide on!!

  10. An enthsiastic 2 thumbs up for the ‘look’. True – marble can be high maintenance, but if you don’t mind, then it’s WORTH IT!!! The granite is also quite beautiful. I have several customers who chose granite (in various colors) and LOVE it! Me? It’s MARBLE!!!

  12. I was in the same boat… I love marble but am the most accident prone person around. Not a good combo.
    We went with White River granite and love it. I love all of your options too!

  14. Love them! My husband really wants white marble counter tops, but I decorate cakes and it’s too risky with the staining. In the bathroom maybe, but not the kitchen. I think those that you showed are great alternatives. We almost with with the Kashmir white, but changed our minds. Didn’t realize it could look that grey.

  16. I have real white marble counters in my kitchen and they are just fine. I figured if the French & Italians can use it for centuries… it’s good enough for me!! PS I have 3 sons & hubby that is messier than the 3 boys combined!! Good luck 🙂

  17. A few more things about my real marble counters, I have had them for 3 years, I got them when my last baby was born – he is now three, we are real people NOT clean freaks. We all cook, kids too.

    I have never ‘re-sealed’ them, we have a few random stains from peanut butter and the odd kool-aid accident BUT you would not know they are there unless I pointed them out to you, they are not noticeable.

    The one thing I love is that they get a beautiful patina/honed quality unlike super polished granite or quartz that always looks crazy shiny.

    Lastly, I picked all of my pieces from remnants so I only paid about $35/linear foot INCLUDING edge polishing, sink hole & installation. It worked out to $700 for 20 linear feet of counters.

    Have a great day!!

  19. quartz and granite quartzite are different beasts. quartz is a man made product where the quartz is extracted from the granite and mixed with polymer. while quartz countertops tend to be more maintenence free and less prone to chipping (like marble and sometime granite) they are not natural and asthetically not nearly as beautiful with their constancy and lack of natural veining.

    the granite quartzite is absolutely beautiful and while much more durable than marble, it can be extremely pricey.

    the kashmir white granite is beautiful and by far your most durable choice (not to mention a decent price). with kids in the mix, i think this is your best bet.

    sorry for all the information. i worked at a countertop fabrication shoppe for quite sometime and learned more than i really wanted to know about stone in that time. hope this is helpful.

  20. love, LOVE real marble, but i really like the alternatives too. i think quartz gives a slightly more modern feel, but marble is more classic. love the look of all the options you posted here!

  22. OMG! LOVE LOVE LOVE all of them! I’m all about durability, but looks are important too. SO, if you can get a product that achieves the look you want and is more durable than the “original” inspiration… I’m all for it!!!

  23. I learned a ton just reading the comments so it seems superfluous to add my two cents. Thanks to all you folks who have already done your homework. I am going to do the marble in my bathrooms and take a chance with the kitchen. I like the idea of pricing out remnants so that I don’t have so much invested. Great questions and great comments!

  27. Quartz is the way to go! I specify it for my clients all the time. Quartz prices are comparable to granite, but of course as the finishes get more fancy, the more it’ll cost. It’s non porous, so bacterias can’t soak in and it’s very durable!

  28. I’ve been looking into silestone that looks like marble, much more durable but also PRICEY.I have Corian now, and it is so easy care, but I’d love to try stone. These comments are very informative!

  29. We have the Kashmir White granite in our kitchen and LOVE it! We wanted the look of marble too but didn’t like how high maintenance it is! We couldn’t be happier with our choice to go with the Kashmir white. And it goes great with white cabinets and stainless appliances!!

  31. I love both! But I’m all about getting the bang for your buck. So if you find something that is affordable and easy to maintain, well then i think you are on to something.

    Always look forward to your posts 🙂

  32. Thumbs up for sure! We have honed Carrara Marble in our bath, but it does stain and in a kitchen that is a no-go. I had no idea you could find granite that looked so similar to marble. Love them and your updates!

  33. Beautiful!! I had Quartz (Zodiac) in my last house and absolutely loved it. In this one we have granite and while I like the look of it, I did prefer the quartz in terms of maintenance (was none really) and I liked the sheen of it better than what I have now. I’m in love with what white quartzite first pic!!

  37. Well, it looks like you buy marble it you want the look, feel, and patina of real stone. It’s something that feels like it has a history.

    Granite if you want less maint.

    And Silestone if you want super low maint.

    I would pick any of these esp. if you tend to like something for a long time.

    If you tend to want to change your look often, go for a high definition laminate. That is unless you have an endless budget for countertops. 🙂

  39. I too have honed carrera marble in my kitchen and have had absolutely no regrets. In fact, the more it wears the softer and dreamier it looks. We’re red wine drinkers and have spilled, but if you wipe it up before it sets, it doesn’t stain. The only potential danger is citrus juice. Just cut your lemons on a board with a channel to catch the juice. The only time I have had a stain was when the red pollen from a lily dropped on the counter. I just used an old timey marble polisher and it came right out. Do it–you’ll not regret it!

  40. We did Crema marble in our bathroom and it is my biggest regret. Love the look but it’s etched by soap bubbles, contact lens solution, spilled foundation, droplets of windex etc. I can’t wait to rip it out someday…and yes we’re careful but who can be THAT careful?
    My mom did marble floors in her kitchen and hates it too – spilled OJ, stove splatters – especially tomato sauces – a glass of wine will stain it.

  42. Hi Michelle and Jake. Don’t remember how I came across your blog, but here I am – it’s Little Jen from BYU-H.

    I have to comment on this post bc I have a diff view from everyone else! I do NOT like the look of the white quartz. Also, I’ve had granite counters in the last two homes we’ve lived in, and I do NOT like them. They are so harsh and unforgiving (have you ever knelt on them to reach something up high at the top or your cabinet?). Plus, there’s the upkeep (I swear they are more high maintenance than I am, especially if you want to keep them looking shiny and not dull!)

    My all-time favorite counters were the fake-granite Formica ones. Yes, I know you are all in shock. There was no maintenance. Nothing chipped or broke on them. They were easily cleaned with the swipe of a Lysol wipe, and if I had to kneel on them to reach something up high, my knees weren’t bruised the next day.

    Ah, yes . . . those were the days!

    Were I to build again, I’d choose (gasp!) Formica counters in my kitchen!

    Love your blog. Your projects turn out great!

  43. Real Marble has the same issues as any REAL stone. They can all stain & lose their finish. However, they can also be re-polished/re-sealed.

    Man-made stones like silestone, corian, some quartz products, etc. do not have the staining issues and keep their finish/polish.

    Go look at some slabs, choose what you love and you won’t be sorry!

  45. Hi,
    I wanted marble too for my new countertops. but then I found quartz with white/grey veining. It’s hardier & can hold upto a real working kitchen.

  48. I love marble. I wanted to do it originally (no fabricator comfortable working with it in my area) and ended up going with quartz – white quartz. as far as the marble, which I grew up with, I’ve heard the best way to handle it is to make your peace with it – take the stains and flaws as they come – see them as character.

  49. Love the look of marble too. I was just having this debate with myself. Please share what you decide. And why you chose what you did.

  50. A little late to the game here but I looked at all the alternatives prior to going with marble for my kitchen island (roughly 5′ x 8′). None of them had the same overall look and feel of the marble for me.

    We’ve been in our house for almost a year and it’s certainly been a learning curve with the island and we don’t cook a lot. I chipped it with a wine bottle, my husband etched it by setting a pan lid with steam condensation on it, etc etc.

    I had the best marble restoration company in my area here last week to rehone it for me. The owner was full of good information regarding cleaning and maintenance and honestly, if I have to pay $100 a year for rehoning it’s still well worth it for me. I love it!

  51. Great post! I just came across this but would love to know what you chose. Thank you to all the previous commentors for their take on things, so helpful and educational!

  52. We have kashmir granite in our kitchen. We love the color and although it’s real purty, the areas by the sink and range are showing all sorts of wear. We did seal it really well, but the oils from cooking have really darkened the stone. Any time you leave something wet on the counter, it leaves wet patches–the water marks disappear when they dry, but it can look unsightly. Our island looks great however, so I’d recommend only using it for oil free-water less areas if you want to keep it’s gorgeous pristine look. Oh, and the edges by the undermount sink have chipped which really surprised us given that it’s granite.

  53. And for another opinion…I have granite in my 8 yr old home and LOVE it. We got varying opinions on sealing. It was sealed prior to move-in and we’ve done nothing since and it’s fine. No chips, no stains, no being super careful. It gets cold-no more sitting on the counters and we have to use trivets or food cools off before it gets to the table. Sure beats the Formica in our old kitchen which was EXACTLY like yours! Pick what YOU love after you feel you are sufficiently educated, you won’t be sorry. You always make great design decisions!

It is nice to meet you!

Hey there! I’m Michelle; I’m an Passionate DIY’er and in constant pursuit of how to bring beauty to my house full of men (3 boys + 1 hubby). Stick around and see what I’ve got up my hard-working sleaves!

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