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Aug 20, 2023

4 Marble Myths You Shouldn't Believe, According To An Interior Designer

Why this expert loves marble despite its bad reputation. Hallie Milstein is an Editorial Fellow for Southern Living covering food and culture. She has been published in Modern Luxury magazines, Our

Why this expert loves marble despite its bad reputation.

Hallie Milstein is an Editorial Fellow for Southern Living covering food and culture. She has been published in Modern Luxury magazines, Our State Magazine, and Hudson Valley Magazine.

Laurey Glenn

Marble can often get a bad rap. Rumor has it that when used around the house, this natural stone might not hold up so well—prone to etching and stains. Plus, it’s expensive to boot. So, even though marble is undeniably beautiful, homeowners also tend to avoid it. Instead, alternatives including quartzite, granite, and man-made options like quartz have risen to popularity. Interior designer Laura Hodges, however, is loyal to her love of marble.

Laura Hodges is the owner and principal interior designer for Laura Hodges Studio in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area. She is the designer for the 2023 Southern Living Idea House.

“I tend to gravitate towards natural stone,” says Hodges on her preference for marble. “I just love how it looks and feels. I love the natural veining and the unexpected variation that you find. It's not something that can be replicated because every piece is different, and I love that.”

And it’s not just talk either; Hodge’s own kitchen countertops are marble, too. When brought on to design the 2023 Southern Living Idea House, Hodges also turned to her beloved marble in several rooms. Most of the countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms are marble, as well as a skirting board and decorative trim in the primary bathroom, and hints of Imperial Danby marble or Carrara marble in the smaller bathrooms. In the powder room, Hodges also included a gray and white checkered marble floor made from medium-to-dark gray Bardiglio marble and Carrara marble that’s white with light gray in it.

“Those two together work really well because they're both variations of gray,” she says. “It's not as high contrast as you would normally see with just a straight black and white.”

When you introduce natural elements like marble into your home however, you have to accept that these materials will have naturally occurring flaws. Because they’re not man-made to be impenetrable and pristine, perfectly imperfect natural stones will take some wear and tear and change over time.

Still, Hodges prefers this quality of natural stone to man-made stone like quartz, which she says “doesn’t quite capture the natural feel of real stone.” In fact, she chalks the inconsistencies of natural stones like marble up to actually add character. Not everyone will see it this way though. While Hodges looks at patina and etching and sees charm, others might see a grating defect. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, after all.

If you’re not sure if marble is right for you, we recommend considering some popular so-called faults of the stone. Marble has built up a stigma for several reasons, but perhaps our expert can flip your perspective on whether or not these callouts are actually something to fret over. Here’s four marble myths that may not be as they seem, according to Hodges.

For aficionados of a “Made In America” stamp of approval, don't write off marble just yet. There’s a common misconception that marble has to be sourced from across seas, but this isn’t always the case. For example, much of the marble Hodges uses in the Idea House is from the northeast U.S. All of the Imperial Danby marble that she uses is from Vermont. Compared to man-made stones or materials sourced from farther away, this marble carries significantly lower environmental transportation costs.

Yes, over time marble will have patina. The word ‘patina’ alone may send some folks running for the hills. However, Hodges says that patina isn’t something to fear, but rather a thing to be embraced.

“Patina is a very nice sophisticated way of saying used over time,” explains Hodges. “If you were to go to Italy or France, or even just a French restaurant, you would see the marble in those spaces on dining tables or countertops. Those pieces of stone have existed for forever. And to me, they still look beautiful, no matter how much they're used.”

This evidence of use, she says, is what makes the stone so beautiful. Each etch and sign of wear is like a time capsule of all the hard work it’s put into your home.

“And, I think to a lot of people it just sort of is part of life. We're not all perfect and pristine all the time, so I don't expect my countertops to be either,” Hodges adds. “I always try to embrace the patina. It's going to look like it's been used and that’s okay.”

Part of that patina is etching. It’s a part of having marble surfaces that Hodges says you’re either okay with or you’re not. Whether marble—etching and all—is right for you, she says, depends on what your expectations are. This especially applies to marble in the kitchen.

“You have to know what you're getting into and don't assume that it's going to maintain its gorgeous, pristine, and polished perfection,” she says realistically. “You're going to spill something on it and you're going to leave a glass out for too long, or something's gonna happen. Then, you're probably going to get a little bit about etching.”

If that only adds to the appeal for you… fantastic! If not, there’s another solution, says Hodges. A honed finish is more resistant to etching than polished marble is, she explains.

Marble is a very porous stone, and because of this, it has gained a reputation as a magnet for stains, especially for acidic liquids. Your marble countertop however, isn’t like your best white top that’s also unforgiving to stains—the countertop can withstand much more.

If you are concerned about staining, marble can be sealed to protect it. In this case, Hodges would recommend getting kitchen marble sealed once a year, or refinished if need be. Marble in the bathroom, however, faces far fewer threats of stains from food. It’s therefore much safer and has little need for sealing.

“There’s this misconception that marble stains very easily but it doesn't,” says Hodges, who has marble in her own kitchen and can speak from experience. “We make spaghetti and don't necessarily take the greatest care in making sure that it doesn't touch the countertops, but we don't have any stains.”