A Comprehensive Guide to the Versatility and Beauty of White Marble

An Introduction

Whatever the type white marble has always been appreciated and used for interiors. It is adaptable to both modern styles, such as minimal or industrial, and to classic styles, such as rustic chic, traditional or country.

White marble is versatile and refined, and, precisely because of its characteristics, it can fit in any room of the house: from the kitchen (with consideration) to the bathroom passing through the bedroom. Elegant and precious, marble has always been a symbol of class, beauty and luxury. Just think of the works by Michelangelo Buonarroti that the artist created with marble to understand the scope and importance of this material. Let's get to know marble and its characteristics closely.

Marble is a rock that is formed through the metamorphosis of sedimentary rocks, such as limestone or dolomite, which causes the complete recrystallization of calcium carbonate, the prevailing material. The result is a mosaic of calcite or dolomite (mineral) crystals. The combined action of temperature and pressure also intervenes in its formation, making it possible to have a marble free from impurities. In particular, white marble is the result of the metamorphization of limestone free from impurities. The special brightness of the marble occurs thanks to the low refractive index of the calcite, which allows the light to "penetrate" the surface of the stone before being reflected. Its name already describes it well, as the word marble derives from the Greek and means "shining stone".

Types of White Marble

Marble has characteristics, both from an aesthetic and mechanical point of view, such as to make it one of the most widely used materials in interiors and architecture. There are different types of marble. The main types are : classical marbles, crystalline limestone, cryptocrystalline and serpentine. White marble is used in a wide variety of industries as well as in construction. Marble powder, for example, is a component of dyes and paints, toothpastes and plastics. Works of art but also slabs, coatings, infrastructures, stairs and much more are made of marble. Marble remains the most popular material ever.

 The marble can be worked in the form of flat slabs of variable thickness. The most widely commercialised thickness are 20 and 30mm. A slab with a thickness greater than thirty centimeters is defined as "solid". The slabs and blocks are processed in cutting centres.

A parameter for the classification of marble is the territory that hosts the quarry. This determines two predominant typologies: lowland and mountain quarries.

In the lowland quarries, all the work is carried out at a lower altitude than the level in the countryside, implying the disadvantage of the humidity of the construction sites.

The mountain quarries are open quarries at hilly or mountainous altitudes. A typical example is example is the quarries in Massa Carrara, where the famous white Carrara marble is extracted.

White marble without veins

 It must be said that marble without veins may not have the same charm as a classic veiny marble. On the other hand, marble without veins is often highly appreciated for minimalistic and modern interiors. In fact, modern furnishings are defined as such precisely because of their essentiality and sobriety, elements that are certainly glimpsed in a white marble without veins.

 There are different types of white marble without veins, such as Sivec, Thassos and Bianco Candido.

Carrara marble

Carrara marble is amongst the most precious and the most loved one by interior designers.  The most famous one has subtle veins on a white background and goes by the name of Bianco Carrara C (grade), to differentiate it from Carrara CD which, on the other hand, has a greyer background colour. In reality there are other varieties of Carrara whites, but we will focus on these 2 for now.

If budget allows it, you can opt for different types of Carrara marble. Statuario has a pure white background with fat and defined silver veins.  Calacalla has a milky background and grey veins that might have nuances of gold (rust) or other colours. There are many different types of Calacatta, most of which from the same region, including  Calacatta Gold, Calacatta Borghini and many more.   

For those who love shades of grey, the ideal would be to opt for the Bardiglio variety, either  Nuvolato or Imperiale.

White crystalline marble

The crystalline white marble is characterized compared to other types of marble, such as the classic, for some peculiar factors. First of all it is a pure marble, that is composed of large crystals and without fossils. This type of marble is widely used in its white version, even if there is no lack of other shades and different colors. In turn, crystalline marble is divided into other sub-categories:

Saccharoid: lends crystals due to precipitation

Alabaster: of stalactite origin and with a compact and shiny appearance