How much do you really know about the famous Calacatta stone?

Like any other natural stone, every piece of authentic Calacatta originates from the quarries in the Apuan Mountains in Carrara, Italy! Some have difficulties understanding why no two pieces are identical but today we are going to explain exactly how and why Calacatta is one of the most popular and demanded natural stones in the world!

The Apuan Mountain range is vast, with hundreds of different quarries all chiseling from the same mountain it is nearly impossible to find two identical pieces of stone. The natural variation of Calacatta is comes from this mountain range, some having more white and "clean" looking areas with less gray veining ad others with large thick gray veining and hints of gold!

This mountain range produces different types of Calacatta and different types of marble depending on the location of the quarry. Apuan is the home for a handful of different marbles such as Calacatta especially, Bianco Carrara, Goiai, Staturaio and Venatino. Calacatta is a worldwide famous stone and some quarries date back to the Roman Empire days. 

A common error for people to make is spotting the differences between Carrara and Calacatta. As you can see in this side by side the differences are noticeable! However for someone picking our their materials for their dream home it can be tricky and trying to explain the differences can be ever harder for contractors and designers! After a while of using the two stones it is a no brainer how they are different and trying to explain the differences can be challenging when they are clear to you but unclear to a customer. 

Carrara vs. Calacatta

On the left is Carrara, as you can see the white background is almost "muddy" looking, now it is beautiful but it does not have clean white look compared to Calacatta. The veining in Carrara is not as distinct in Calacatta and looks more blurred. In Calacatta the veining is clear now, not every stones look like this but this is an idea of the natural stones. Calacatta's white is usually more crisp giving a more "clean look" as designers like to say. The veining in Calcatta is also more noticeable, some stones will have less veining and some will have more. There is also Calacatta Gold that has little gold veining it the stones which is something to think about.  

Since Carrara is easier to obtain, this stone is usually more afforable than Calacatta. Calacatta is more rare and since it is a natural stone trying to find a specific look is challenging and costly. 

The Different Types of Calacatta

Calacatta comes in various different forms and deciding which one to pick can be difficult! 

Calacatta Borghini

Here is Calacatta Borghini!

As you can see this particular Calacatta has thick heavy gray veining with hints of the gold undertones. Customers usually use this in small areas because of the thick veining like counter tops for vanities or backslashes. This material is normally in the forms of slabs. 

Calacatta Oro

Calacatta Oro is different from the other pictures you have seen.

Calacatta Oro has more warm tones and a natural look. This particular marble is perfect for anyone that does not like that "clean" white look and would like more color in their marble. As you can see there are more gold veining in this marble, perfect for a more Tuscan style look. 

Calacatta Gold 

Similar to Calcatta Oro, this is Calacatta Gold!

Being able to differentiate the two is challenging for sure! But here is a couple of different ways to tell. Calacatta Gold's white has usually more yellow hues than the crisp white. The gold veining is also more subtle than Calacatta Oro, some lots of Calacatta Gold have more gray veining than others it truly depends on where it is cut from the mountain. Here the gold veining is more precise and follows the gray veins where as Calacatta Oro's gold veining is more loose and spread out.

Calacatta Michaelangelo 

Calacatta Michaelangelo got it's name from of course, the legendary artist and sculptor. This type of Calacatta is known for it's fine veining with hints of blue and gray and it's clean white background. 

Calacatta Extra

Here the differences between the other marbles more clear. Calacatta Extra lives up to it's name, hint: the large veining! In Calacatta Extra the veining is much more random compared to the others and much more larger and bold. this marble is just as gorgeous as the other marble but some people are scared to use it because of it's bold veining. With the proper installation and placement, this marble can be just as stunning!

***Please note that these pictures are only samples of certain Calacatta marble, these are natural stones nad materials will vary***

If you have anymore questions on how to select the perfect Calacatta for your client or yourself please feel free to email us at info@lmphome.com or you can send us a direct message on Instgram @lmp_homeinc