BIANCO GIOIA & STATUARY WHITE

There are several more slab choices from the Carrara region and the following two are readily available. The first is Bianco Gioia, a white background with the veining of a Carrara. This is a great choice for bathrooms, it's a softer look than the more dramatic Calacatta and in a honed finish can be stunning when blended with glass and touches of metal. The metals you choose as liners or deco pieces should match the fixtures and hardware throughout the bathroom or kitchens. One of my favorite places to shop for metal is Landmark Metal Tile, their website is moving and will be back up soon at http://www.landmarkmetaltile.com/. The metal is an overlay on light weight material so it will not rust and can be used in the shower. They have about 20 colors to choose from in several different finishes. Their tiles range in size from 1" to large decos for back splashes and lots of trims to choose from.

If your bathroom renovation is on the second floor you should hire a structural engineer to find out how much weight you can add before you slab an entire shower. A cubic foot of marble weights 144 lbs, two shower walls could add 1000 lbs, add in the floor materials, counter top and tub surround, that's a ton of material, literally.

Another slab choice is Statuary White or Statuario, this is the quarry that gave birth to so many beautiful white statues of the past. When they find a block with very little veining it is put aside for the sculptors.

This slab guarantees that your island will be a focal point and complements any stainless appliances. The surrounding counter tops can be Statuario, Lagos Azul, Basaltina, Soapstone, Black Granite, Benjamin Gray or Brazilian Gray Slate. What I love about all the choices is that you can piece together something special and unique just for your kitchen. To all my old retail clients I always recommended that they choose the slab first, all the other colors and materials will flow from your slabs. You can always paint cabinets or change out the floor or back splash, but you'll probably move before you change your counter tops due to the expense and difficulty. So please, love, love, love your slabs because you'll be living with it for years to come!

Have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday with other choices for surrounding counter tops, floors and back splashes.

Most of the slab photos come from Sevak at Modul Marble in Los Angeles.