You say Carrera, I say Carrara
Or the other way around – it doesn’t really seem to matter. I think it’s a safe bet that most of the beautiful white and gray marble adorning so many of our favorite kitchens and bathrooms doesn’t come from Carrara in Italy any more, because if it did, how could there be anything there but a giant hole by now? (Hmmm, though, a quick web search reveals that they do quarry 1 million tons a year in Northern Tuscany – I think that’s probably quite a lot – and check this link for just one list of all the different marbles “also known as” Carrara.) So that’s one million tons, plus all the look-a-likes. That’s got to be, technically, a whole heck of a lot of the gorgeous white stuff. And here are just a few rooms where it plays a starring role: (Click on the pictures for links)
via locationworks
Designer Erin Martin via Bilblog
via homeportfolio
via Rambling Renovators
From the Daily Mail
via Country Living
Mlinaric Henry and Zervudachi via Desire to Inspire
via mi casa es su casa
Artichoke ltd
Joseph Dirand Architecture
Artichoke ltd
Whew, is that enough yet? Country or city, large or small, contemporary or traditional, this stone is absolutely everywhere. (And please don’t shoot me if I have some Calacatta in that second picture – I’m having some color rendering issues with this screen). Don’t get me wrong, I love this stone, and I know it’s been used for furniture since at least Roman times, it’s absolutely a classic. But is it beginning to suffer from over exposure? Especially the white marble with white subway tiles thing – is it a trend we should leave in the aughts? And if we do, what must have counter material will replace it?
Hi Cheryl – for quartz do you mean Ceasar Stone, Zodiac, etc., rather than natural quartzite? There are some lovely and really practical ones, aren’t there. But there’s something unique about the way homeowners will absolutely fall in love with a piece of natural stone. I’ve definitely worked with people who found all the decisions stressful, until we went out to the stone yards and they fell head over heels for the perfect piece of stone. Easy to pull everything together after that!
I love carrara and all of its look alikes as well…we are using arabescato carrara quite a bit lately in baths…but I also love calcutta gold…wayyyy more exp than any carrara but really hard to beat. As for what might replace it….well, not sure anything can..tend to agree with paul…but I would say at leat 70 percent of our projects are quartz now. And there are some truly beautiful quartz colors ( and some truly horrid ones as well). I am always in search of the latest and greatest countertop material!!
Hi Paul – I looked up the Ara Pacis, and I see the similarity, although I don’t think anybody’s likely to be preparing dinner on it any time soon. I think Carrara is like Beethoven – if we could somehow put it all away in a cupboard so that it couldn’t be heard (or seen in the case of Carrara) by anyone for 10 years, think how amazing and fresh it sound/appear when we took it out again. But would living without Beethoven/Carrara for 10 years be worth it? Though I’m sure designers will find fresh ways to use Carrara – not so much Beethoven.
The Dirand island is so Roman I can barely stand it. If it were carved relief it would be the Ara Pacis. I’m not kidding. Carrera marble and its kin are my hands-down favorite surface and there can never be too much of it. Well, almost. Give me aged-in and patina-d white marble instead of plastic or granite any day.
Hi Ann – yes, that’s a beautiful kitchen, isn’t it. Lovely combination of materials.
I love the Carrera Island from Joseph Dirand. The stone flooring is a perfect choice for the black cabinetry and white marble.