Marble kitchens are some of the most beautiful kitchens. They ooze style and sophistication and look amazing paired with darker colours too for a really striking space. We know marble can get expensive though and it is porous so can be slightly high maintenance, however, there are some fabulous marble-effect designs that you can use instead.
We have rounded up our favourite marble kitchen ideas that you can lust over, and make sure you head to our kitchen ideas gallery for more inspo.
1. Create a focal point with a marble sink
This beautiful marble double Belfast sink is the star of the show in this marble kitchen. Its grey veining adds a decorative aspect and as the worktop has a very subtle pattern together with the splashback, it ensures the sink stands out. The brass rail, tap and copper accessories give the scheme a warm glow against the black units.
2. Add marble to a contemporary kitchen
This sleek glossy modern kitchen is a great example of how to team classic marble with a contemporary look. The colours in the worktop and splashback are subtle and we love how it carries on through to the island top. The grey pendants tie in beautifully with the marble’s delicate veining and the nearly-white floorboards lift the whole look.
3. Pick a budget-friendly marble worktop
Need to lighten up your kitchen? Ikea’s marble effect worktop is a great value way to add a stylish update to your kitchen. It will brighten up a small dark kitchen together with these pale wood units – a great example of how marble works with any scheme! Team with smart chrome accessories and earthenware crockery and you have a new look in no time.
4. Add a marble freestanding to your kitchen
For those of you who love freestanding kitchens over fitted, this lovely sideboard with a marble top is a great way to incorporate it. You could also invest in a few marble accessories like chopping boards, pestle and mortar and storage jars. As we’ve said above, you don’t need to invest in the real thing to add marble to your scheme, there’s plenty of marble-effect accessories around to cheat with!
5. Mix marble with darker colours
This fabulous marble kitchen shows you how to make two colours work together successfully. To prevent the look from becoming too heavy visually, white marble has been applied to the worktops leaving the green carrara slab to enhance the splashback and body of the island. A mixture of chrome and brass accessories have been used which adds a metallic element to the scheme.
6. Add texture with a marble island
Modern kitchens lend themselves well to marble elements, and this open plan kitchen/dining area is no exception. The kitchen island, together with the textured floor bring a great tactile quality to the room. To make it work from a visual point of view keep the colors similar, the white chairs and table all match with the rest of the scheme and the pendants being clear glass add an extra design feature.
7. Pick your marble wisely
The beauty of marble is that each piece is individual, and you can choose which pieces you want for your kitchen when you are having it made. Here, the veining is very prominent and spaced out, which creates a more unusual look overall and is less busy. We love how crushed velvet bar stools add texture to an otherwise plain scheme and the legs match the marble veining!
8. Inject a touch of marble in your worktops
One section of marble like a worktop is often all you need to add it into your kitchen scheme. The rest of this kitchen is plain with beautiful cabinetry and tongue and groove paneling. The rise and fall pendant gives you key lighting for the worktop and adds a spot of texture with its ribbed shade. The worktop has a ‘busy’ marble pattern which works really well against the plain painted units.
9. Decorate with a marble wallpaper
If you’re not sure if you want to invest in marble - it is pricey let’s face it, then consider a cheaper more temporary option. This cleverly designed kitchen wallpaper features an illustrative floral design on a marble style background. It adds a lovely decorative feel that perfectly complements the rest of the kitchen and works really well with the plain coral units. And, if you fancy the real thing you can add it at a later date.
10. Go with marble effect if you are on a budget
You don’t need to spend thousands on marble, if you are doing a kitchen on a budget, you can get marble-effect worktops and panels that can be added to an island. You won’t get the individual characteristic veining, but you will get the same feel as it’s made from ceramic. Let it be the focal point of your kitchen by keeping your tableware plain and the rest of the kitchen clutter free.
11. Create a seamless marble shelf
We love the cohesiveness of this kitchen, the matching marble island top, base unit worktop and splashback. And not forgetting the genius idea of incorporating a shelf to match! All offset by the dark units and those deep pink bar stools. The metallic handles give a luxe feel and you can bring that out further by buying brass accessories and bold pendants like these above the island.
12. Create an uber modern look with sliding marble doors
Love clever kitchen cabinet ideas? Then this is for you! These marble doors slide across and we think this is a fab idea for those who want a minimalist feel but with a decorative element. Most doors are plain and quite frankly, a bit dull so this is a winner in our eyes!
To prevent this style from looking too sterile use a mid-toned wood for the shelving and brass fixtures and fittings - incidentally, brass is fast overtaking chrome and copper so get ahead and be part of the new trend!
13. Moody dark marble is a look too
This stunning black kitchen is for those who love dark glamour – it’s sophisticated and dramatic. The marble is the decorative aspect in this kitchen and it looks fabulous! Balance is key to make a scheme like this work, or you’ll be living with a kitchen that’s very dark.
The wooden open plan shelf and worktop on the island is the balance - and it works perfectly. Source other wooden pieces to tie this in - bowls, chopping boards and other rustic pieces will work well.
14. Lay a marble floor
How striking is this kitchen? Laying a marble floor is a great alternative to having it on your island or worktops. In fact, if you are prone to updating your units every few years then this is a good design option.
To make this work you need to keep the rest of your kitchen plain, it will visually look too cluttered. The dark grey units pick up the darkest veining in the marble floor and the white worktops mimic those paler tones. Add in some texture with pendants and upholstered bar stools.
15. Remember marble works in traditional kitchens too
We often associate marble with clean lined contemporary style kitchens but it can work in traditional kitchens too. This barn conversion shows you how to get it right! The only marble is the island and the worktop on an antique unit on the right. It adds a luxurious quality to the rest of the kitchen but doesn’t distract from it.
