What is Arabescato Marble?

Arabescato Marble Slabs characteristics & Kitchen Countertops Applications


What are the types of Arabescato Marble? Is Arabescato Used for Countertops?

Arabescato Marble is exclusively quarried from the Carrara region in Italy, is a highly sought-after type of white marble well known for its rarity and elegance. Arabescato marble is characterized by a soft white background color with distinctive, bold gray veining that creates a stunning visual effect, some slab batches feature round clouds like veins shapes and some other slab batches show more straight linear and busy veining. The quarry location of extraction makes the difference.

Arabescato Vagli Marble slab 2cm (3/4inch) thick polished

Its unique combination of a beautiful white base and striking, disperse gray veins has established Arabescato marble as a popular choice for creating rare pieces in interior design. From kitchen countertops to wall & floor panels, splashbacks, bathroom surfaces and dining table, Arabescato Marble adds a touch of sophistication and luxury to all types of spaces. Similar to Calacatta Marble, Arabescato is often used in stunning bookmatched applications, allowing for the creation of diverse and captivating patterns and shapes. Quarries like Corchia and Vagli are prominent sources of Arabescato, while lesser-known quarries such as Faniello, Cervaiole, and Arni also produce high-quality options, albeit with their unique characteristics.

Arabescato Vagli Marble Slab close up

What is Arabescato Corchia marble?

It is the most sought-after quality between interior designers and the reason is simple: this marble is very white with a dramatic rounded shaped (bees nest type) very dark veining. Arabescato corchia marble Slabs may bring some yellow marks. We would like to point out that yellow marks are very common in the white marbles from the carrara region and part of the beauty of the stone, this doesn’t have to be seen as a defect but as part of the beauty of the nature of this stunning white italian marble.

Arabescato Corchia Marble Slab 2cm (3/4inch) thick

What is Arabescato Corchia marble used for?

Blocks are mainly cut into 20mm (3/4”) thick Arabescato corchia marble slabs and polished finish, average size is pretty big around 3m x 1.6m. it’s mainly used for interior decoration as kitchen countertop or island and bathrooms due to its stunning visual aesthetics characteristics when used in interior design. There is some minor production of Arabescato corchia marble tiles in 10mm thickness, price is convenient as unshaped blocks are used as they can be used creating waste without cutting it into slabs. Tiles Formats are fixed, mainly in 600 x 600mm or 600 x 300mm or 300 x 300mm (12” x 12” – 24” x 24”). Usually as per standard a slight bevel is done all around the tiles.

Arabescato Marble bathroom made from cut to size first grade 2cm (3/4inch) thick slabs

What’s Arabescato Corchia Marble price?

Arabescato Corchia marble Price is generally higher than its brother Arabescato Vagli which we are going to talk about below. Price depends on slabs’ natural defects, how white is the background color, dimensions of the slab, and thickness. However, the cost range goes between a minimum of euro 360 x square meter up to 900, or $60 up to $150 per square foot. This price consider the material only, if you want a more complete price for a finished cut to size product like a dining table or kitchen countertop you should contact your local fabricator


What is Arabescato Vagli Marble?

Arabescato Vagli marble the less sought than Arabescato corchia quality but still an amazing choice between interior designers and the reason is simple this marble shows a very white base color (less than corchia) with busy thin veining across the surface of the slab, vein color tends to be greyish and not as black/dark gray as corchia. Arabescato Vagli marble Slabs are more compact than corchia quality with slightly less natural defects like tears and open veins, it is more common to see Arabescato Vagli slabs not resined treated at all because the block are usually very healthy. it may bring some yellow marks and rusty red veins, but it is still an amazing material.

Arabescato Vagli Marble slab 2cm (3/4inch) polished

What is Arabescato Vagli Marble used for?

Arabescato Vagli marble Blocks are mainly cut into 20mm thick slabs and polished finish, average size is big as the quarry levels are pretty high, the average slab has a size of around 3-2.9m x 1.6-1.8m. it’s mainly used for interior design applications such as kitchen countertops, island and bathrooms walls & floors.Arabescato Vagli can also be cut into thin tiles 10mm (3/8”) thickness, price is very convenient as the production is carried out by unshaped blocks which are used for this type of production only as they couldn’t be shaped into slabs, the various sizes are fixed mainly in 600 x 600mm or 600 x 300mm or 300 x 300mm.

Kitchen countertops and island in Arabescato Vagli Marble slab 2cm (3/4inch) polished

What is Arabescato Marble price?

Arabescato Vagli marble slab Price is slightly lower than its brother Arabescato corchia. Price varies based on slabs’ natural defects like tears, yellow marks presence and the level of white color in the slab base, dimensions of the slab, thickness. Slab cost can start at Euro 320 up to 820 per square meter or $60 up to $150 per square foot. For finished product price such as kitchen countertops, island and bathroom walls & floors you should get in touch with your local fabricator.


Why Arabescato is a great alternative to Carrara and Calacatta marble?

Why should you choose Arabescato as great alternative to Carrara & Calacatta Marble?


What is Arabescato marble?

Originating from Italy and quarried in the Carrara area, Arabescato is a rare and highly sought after marble with average availability of slabs or tiles.

Arabescato-Carrara-Marble-Polished
Stunning slab of Arabescato marble Polished finish 20mm thick (3/4”’)

What makes Arabescato marble so unique is its soft white background coloring with bold  dusty grey veining across the slabs that often gives the impression of jagged white islands floating on a deep grey lake. The combination of these two aesthetic factors is the primary reason this particular marble is one of the most popular selections for statement piece kitchen countertops, wall & floor panels, splashbacks and bathrooms

Arabescato Marble Bathroom with bookmatch wall
Arabescato Marble Bathroom with bookmatch wall made by 20mm thick slabs (3/4”) honed finish

As with Calacatta, Arabescato is commonly used for stunning bookmatched applications as its veining allows the creation of different and unique patterns and shapes. 

The two most well known quarries that produce Arabescato are Corchia and Vagli, however, there are some lesser known quarries such as Faniello, Cervaiole, Arni which also produce excellent high-end Arabescato quality choices, even if they are less renown. Later, we will touch on how the characteristic Arabescato veining can be identified based on the quarry from which the material is extracted.

*If you are a private client, contractor, architect, or designer, we can deliver to you wherever you are. All you need to do is find a stone fabricator or manufacturer in your area where we can deliver our product.


Differences between Arabescato with Carrara and Calacatta marble

If you are looking for a marble with exceptional vein patterns and colouring but also with a decent price tag, then Arabescato is an excellent option. It is is considered a compromise between Carrara and Calacatta as it not only has a strong white background color with dark veins which is highly sought after by clients, but it doesn’t come with as high a cost as Calacatta; this means it is a perfect choice in terms of quality and price. 

Arabescato Corchia quality marble slab
Stunning Arabescato Corchia marble slab 20mm thick (3/4”) polished finish
Arabescato Corchia marble close up
Arabescato Corchia marble slab close up

On the lower end of the price scale, Carrara marble can be identified by its oftentimes more greyish background colouring with more subtle or no veins, whereas Arabescato is much whiter and shows mostly dark grey veins across the slabs. Both are very compact.

Carrara bianco C grade marble slab
Carrara white C grade marble slab 20mm thick (3/4”)

The primary difference between Arabescato and Calacatta is that the former has busier veins and fills in most parts of the slabs, whereas Calacatta has stronger, light grey veins that are slightly larger but with less pattern traffic across the slabs.

Calacatta Extra marble slab
Calacatta marble extra quality polished finish, 20mm (3/4”) thick

One interesting thing about this particular marble variety is that it is highly compact and very strong, in fact Arabescato slabs generally don’t bring as many problems as Calacatta for this particular reason. Calacatta commonly shows more natural imperfections such as natural cracks or tears (which get resin treated), instead Arabescato blocks are usually more intact. 

Arabescato-Vagli-marble-Kitchen-island-top
Kitchen island and cupboard in Arabescato Vagli marble made by 20mm thick (3/4”) slabs polished finish

However, keep in mind that this doesn’t mean that Arabescato blocks and slabs are not resin treated, 95% of all blocks and slabs undergo the same resin and net treatment as Calacatta as a matter of safety and assurance of the marble’s structural integrity. During the block cutting process it’s often unknown what problems there may be inside, purchasers who buy blocks with the intention of cutting slabs for individual or bulk sale don’t want to risk losing money on their investment, so the resin treatment is considered insurance against this.

*If you are a private client, contractor, architect, or designer, we can deliver to you wherever you are. All you need to do is find a stone fabricator or manufacturer in your area where we can deliver our product.


Pricing

Pricing for Arabescato is per square meter and is firstly determined by the quarry following block extraction, and secondly by the manufacturer after processing the block and resin treating the slabs. While the price per square meter can vary quite a lot depending on size, colour and veining, it’s still classified as a marble more suited to a lower budget than Calacatta and so you can expect mid-range prices. The typical Arabescato price range is generally between €120 – €290 per square meter slab.

Arabescato Vagli marble slab
Stunning Arabescato Vagli marble slab 20mm thick (3/4”) polished finish