Marble countertops are timeless, refined and luxurious. But budget-friendly? Not really. That is until you employ this genius design trick.

The strategy: Fake the thickness of any countertop so it looks a hefty three inches tall, but is, in fact, just 3/4 of an inch. The look of a thick, substantial stone top is well sought after but it can often be cost-prohibitive. This is an elegant solution to achieve a chic look while on a budget. We’re not talking penny savings here – we’re talking cutting the cost of your countertop in half ! Depending on the size of the surface, you could potentially save up to 40-50% on material costs.

The execution: Once you have your marble slab selected, your contractor will begin with measurements. If the space calls for a 24-inch countertop, your contractor will add a couple extra inches of width to achieve the subjected “trick-of-the-trade.” Your contractor will template your countertop to have a “mitered” edge (or mitered book-matched edge). A mitered edge adds more stone to the underside of a countertop slab creating a distinguished look through the illusion of a thicker slab.