Costa Esmeralda granite is a stunning stone that is quite unique in its color. It is quarried in the south of Italy and is produced in limited quantities. It is also occasionally known by the name Costa smerlada.
It is a predominantly green stone that captures the imagination. Imagine mint choc chip ice cream with golden sauce in a granite form.
The green comes in three different shades in one stone with varying levels of saturation dependent upon the quarry and the slab.
costa esmeralda granite is equally as popular in the bathroom as it is the kitchen
The most predominant green Is usually a very light green that could almost be called white in some areas. This is offset by a much darker green that gives the stone its overall green appearance from afar. Inbetween these two shades lies a more “middle ground” green which is still reasonably pale – but you can tell it is certainly green.
A light color of cabinets works the best with costa esmeralda
The effect these three shades of green combined is amazing enough, and is certainly emerald like in its beauty. This stone would be one of the most attractive out there if it stopped at these 3 colours. But it just gets better.
Golden veins run through the variations of green meandering their way through the stone like rivers. Very occasionally you will see patches of this gold in spots – but more often than not they are long golden veins of a truly stunning mineral.
This is about as dark as cabinets can get without them starting to compete for dominance with the dark emerald color of the granite
The level of variation within different slabs of costa esmeralda granite is very high. There can be a huge difference between slabs even within the same quarry. All aspects of this stone can vary. The amount of dark green, medium green, and light green is the main variance. Some slabs can be very light, and others can be super dark. To add to the complexity the golden veins also vary in size and amount.
This all combines to make a unique stone – which is great if you can get a slab that matches what you have pictured in your mind.
As there is a limited supply it may take a little bit of shopping around to get exactly what you want. Online is your best bet to get a good r
ange of options. And as always – look at the slab you are purchasing before you commit to the sale.
This light green kitchen with costa esmeralda countertops won an award – you can clearly see why!
How Much Does Costa Esmeralda Granite Cost?
Due to its particularly low production levels, and its stunning beauty – demand for this stone slightly outstrips supply. And as such it is reasonably expensive stone.
For a 3cm thick slab of cost Esmeralda granite you can expect to pay around $40 per square foot, a 2cm thick slab will cost you around $30 per square foot.
Another stunning example of how well this stone works with white cabinets
Unlike more neutral colored stones – the distinctive green of costa Esmeralda granite countertops can be a little bit tricky to incorporate into a room’s décor.
It certainly works well with light colored rooms. Neutral paint on the walls is almost essential as a rule of thumb. White and light natural wood stained cabinets work particularly well. This allows the distinctive green of this granite to be the focal point – and not be competing for attention (like it would be with dark cabinets).
beautiful!
In some situations it is possible to make costa Esmeralda work with dark cabinets – however you do need to be a bit of a design guru to pull it off (I certainly couldn’t!) The dark cabinet colors which are very strong will conflict with the also strong color of the granite. In our opinion there are better choices out there – especially considering the price of this stone.
Yet another cost esmeralda granite countertop with white cabinets!
Do you have Costa Esmeralda in your home? What do you think about dark cabinets with it? Let us know in the comments below!
