Everything You Need to Know About Imperial White Marble
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen, create a spa-like primary bath, or install a laundry room so nice you’ll actually enjoy fluffing and folding, Imperial White marble can provide the basis for a calming vibe in your design.
Before you take the leap, here is what you should know about this versatile marble.
Imperial White Is Hard Marble
When you start comparing natural stone countertop options like marble, granite, and quartzite, you’ll find that marble tends to be the softest. While all of these stone types are incredibly strong and durable, marble ranks at about 3-5 on the Mohs hardness scale, compared to granite’s 6-7 rating. Quartzite is the hardest, with a solid 7 rating.
With that being said, some marble varieties, known as dolomites, are at the top end of the 3-5 range, and Imperial White falls into this category. The reason marble ranks lower than granite is because it’s more porous, but a dolomite marble is denser in composition, thanks to a considerable quantity of the mineral dolomite.
This makes “hard marble” varieties like Imperial White more resistant to potential harm like scratching, etching, and staining.
Like any natural stone, you’ll have to perform proper cleaning and maintenance to keep it looking fresh and beautiful. This includes wiping it with a soft, damp cloth or using gentle dish soap or specialized stone cleaner for tougher messes. You’ll also need to reseal regularly to protect against staining and other harm.
It’s Not from Italy
Many of the most spectacular and sought-after varieties of white marble, such as Carrara, Calacatta, and Statuario, are quarried in Italy. However, the elegant Imperial White comes from Turkey. The appearance is very similar to popular Italian marbles, particularly soft, creamy Carrara, with some notable differences.
The Appearance Is Soft and Subtle
Imperial White marble has a lovely, dreamy appearance that will surely add Zen-like appeal to your kitchen, bathrooms, or other home upgrades.
It features a soft white background with pale gray markings, but while Carrara is characterized by soft, delicate veining, the patterns on Imperial White marble are insubstantial by comparison. The surface has a cloud-like appearance that most closely resembles drifting fog, occasionally dusted with more notable wisps of veining.
The Turkish marble in this farmhouse kitchen offers a good likeness, with pale shadows of light gray swirling across the frosty, white surface.
By comparison, the markings on the Carrara marble island in this Georgian revival kitchen are much more clearly defined, with distinctive strokes of gray running across the surface like falling raindrops.
Although both feature softer, wispier patterns than, say, the hard lines of Calacatta or Statuario varieties, you can see there are clear differences. If you’re looking for ultimate tranquility in white and gray marble, you can’t go wrong with Imperial White.
It’s Incredibly Versatile
Because of its neutral coloration and soft, nebulous patterns, Imperial White marble will pair with almost any other design elements, from painted or wooden cabinetry to bold colors or patterns of backsplash tile.
This gives you virtually unlimited latitude to explore traditional or modern styles that suit your home, as well as your personal preferences.
All-White or Contrasting Kitchens
Naturally, this marble variety is stunning in an all-white kitchen, where the gray variations will help to add depth and create visual interest. Although this traditional New York kitchen features similar Vermont Danby marble, you can still get the basic idea.
When set against bright, white cabinets, the softer white and gray of the marble adds movement and dimension to a tonal design.
It also provides a brilliant contrast to darker elements, like the black island base in this transitional black-and-white kitchen. Again, this particular sample features Danby marble, but it’s easy to see how striking the combination is. For a softer look, gray cabinets would be a better fit.
Rustic Kitchens
You might not think a cool, white-and-gray palette would pair well with warm wood tones, but this modern neutral actually looks gorgeous with natural wood cabinets, as in this rustic kitchen.
Calacatta stands in for Imperial White marble in this setting, but you can see that the countertops blend beautifully with the rich, tawny color of the cabinets and complement, rather than compete with, the grain patterns in the wood.
Backsplashes and Hardware
One nice thing about the subtlety of Imperial White marble is that you can pair it with some truly bold backsplash colors and patterns, like the seafoam green subway tile in this transitional kitchen.
Or for example, in the midcentury-vibe wallpaper in this contemporary kitchen.
Also check out this Scandinavian-style pattern in this organic, contemporary kitchen space.
As for hardware, you could easily opt for chrome, stainless steel, or brushed nickel faucets, lighting fixtures, and door/drawer pulls for perfect cohesion, or you could lean in on a modern look, like gold, that brings some warmth to the cooler countertop tones.
Bringing Imperial White Marble to Your Home
When you choose the dreamy, peaceful ambiance of Imperial White marble for your living spaces, you’ll have no trouble pairing it with other design elements.
If you’re ready to start perusing slabs to get your home improvement project underway, get in touch with the friendly and experienced team at Academy Marble & Granite today.
