Truth be told, I was never meant to get the kitchen of my dreams. The renovation plans for our kitchen were FOR SURE an upgrade from our original cute galley style set up. We spent countless hours on the design process and plans and it surely would’ve resulted in a space that I could have LOVED and deeply appreciated. But it would still be smaller than I had hoped for with a less than ideal layout. As you learn more about our wild renovation turned rebuild journey, you’ll come to find that so many of our greatest hurdles became our greatest blessings (often a universal truth!) In the case of our kitchen, not only did unforeseen circumstances cause our kitchen layout to change and tick (nearly) every box off of my dream kitchen checklist- but a delay in our construction timing affected the product pricing of countertop materials drastically. Unbelievably so, that when it was finally time to order materials- Quartz prices had risen so much that it was nearly the same price as Carrara Marble, the natural material of my dreams. It was a dream come true. (Of course I had to account for the budget overage somewhere else- but we all know that a renovation budget is really just a shell game of surpluses and deficits that you pray all even out in the end.)
I had always admired the raw authenticity of Carrara Marble. The difference using this fabled stone as the countertop material in our small open concept home versus. a factory made alternative is anything but subtle. Because the kitchen is visible from the living room and dining room, the Carrara Marble countertops give the entire living space and refined and elevated look. Carrara Marble exudes an old world charm and sophistication that is hard to replicate. The soft white background, delicate grey veining, and natural variation within each slab all lend it to being a timeless choice for centuries. It is also a highly versatile material that can suits nearly any design style. I especially love the way the bright background of the natural stone reflects the morning light around the room. It’s the stuff that dreams are made of.
