Marble is a fantastic choice for kitchen counters, whether you have a traditional choice or something a little more modern. There’s no denying it however, contemporary kitchens look fantastic and are seriously on trend right now. Marble is the ideal combination, to give you a hint of opulence and timelessness in your contemporary design. Pair this with sleek appliances, silver handles to your cabinets, and keep everything as modern as possible, and you’ll have a fantastic décor you will want to keep for many years to come.

Obviously marble is a natural stone, and one which is available in countless different shades. You might be feeling overwhelmed at the choice, but here are ten of the most beautiful marble shades to throw into your contemporary kitchen plans.

1. Bianco – This is a plain white marble slab, which looks fantastically white. This can be paired with countless other colours, and it has that timeless opulence going on, which marble is so famous for.

2. Arabescato Vagli – Again, this is a white marble shade, which gives you that famous appearance, but to tone down the harshness of the colour, there are dark grey veins running across it.

3. Botticino Classico – When paired with cream cabinets, or white cabinets, this particular shade of marble is delicious! The base tone is beige, and there are veins of darker beige and white running through it.

4. Belgian Black – From the name you will have guessed that this is a black marble shade, but it is plain black, jet black, and that looks fantastic with white or cream!

5. Rojo Alicante – If you want something totally different, this is the one for you! The red base colour is accented by black and white veins which run across it in varying thicknesses.

6. Rosso Verona – Pair this orange marble base colour with cream or white and you have one of the most beautiful combinations for a small kitchen, really reflecting the light for extra space. The pattern over the top is a mixture of darker orange and red, almost in swirls.

7. Verde – A large kitchen will really benefit from this mid-green swirl pattern of marble. Again, you can pair this with black or you can go for white to create a lighter mixture.

8. Rosso Levanto – This is a very busy pattern that looks wonderful with a white or cream cabinet. The black and brown base colour is accented by white and brown veins which look almost like scribbles.

9. Crema Valencia – Again, we have a beige/brown combination, which looks opulent with lighter coloured cabinets. The veins which run across it are in a darker orange shade, and run together to form a ‘cracking’ pattern.

10. Marrone Imperial – Finally we have a very different kind of shade, but one which is extremely popular. This particular base colour is somewhere between gold and brown, and the top veining is in a ‘web’ pattern, of a lighter gold shade.

Remember to check out your preferred shade, or shades, in person. Visiting a showroom will give you a real view of the shade you’re thinking of choosing, remembering that certain lights can change the actual appearance. Check this out before you buy, and remember to shop around!

Marble is a fantastic choice, and one which is sure to look fantastic.