Marble Bathroom Ideas
Here we are going to look at some marble bathroom ideas. Our aim here is to help you find the style of bathroom you want whilst remaining within your budget. Any investment in your bathroom is an important decision as it is one of the most important rooms in your home. It is often used as a haven where you can find a moment of stillness and tranquillity, whilst unwinding with a relaxing bath or stress busting shower. The right décor can significantly enhance the amount of pleasure from your bathroom and of all the materials to choose there is none better than the timeless marble
Steeped in history this versatile material can add a sense of grandeur and magnificence with a history spanning back to the times of 'The Roman Empire'. Not only does a marble bathroom bring elegance and a natural calming effect, it also benefits from being available in a range of different colours. This means there is a marble perfect for every design scheme.
Whether you decide to have a small marble feature, a marble features wall or pull out the stops with a completely marble bathroom. below we will give you a full guide on how to get the very best out of a marble bathroom ensuring you create a space which is luxurious, relaxing and durable.
Which Marble Should You Use For Your Bathroom?
The marble you choose will depend upon the colour scheme you want for your bathroom. Below we will explore the best marbles available for a variety of different colour schemes. This guide will cover white marble bathroom design ideas all the way through to the more exotic marble bathroom ideas.
Choosing A White Marble Bathroom
If your are seeking to create a luxurious white bathroom, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to luxury white marble. For most people the famous white Italian marble of the Carrara mountains is what first comes to mind when you mention white marble. But there are other choices, equally beautiful available to be used when creating an opulent bathroom for your residence. In this section on choosing the perfect white marble for your bathroom we will start with the Italian marbles and then explore some of the other options available from other parts of the world.
The White Italian Marbles
Arabescato Corchia: Is a white marble which is heavily brecciated with rounded veining patterns in a blue-grey pattern flowing over a pure white background. Any bathroom using Arabescato Corchia marble tiles or cladding will benefit from a beautiful harmony. This is due to the stone's contrast of darker blue-grey veining over the white background whilst emitting an air of luxury which is synonymous with Italian marble.
Arabescato Vagli: Is another white marble which comes from the Carrara region of Italy. The key difference between these Arabescato marble tiles and Arabescato Corchia is the veining pattern. The veining of Arabescato Vagli is straighter and the colouration is a darker grey with some hints of blue. Arabescato Vagli Extra is often used for bathrooms, the 'Extra' means the white background is clearer and the veining is more pronounced. Those seeking a cooler effect for their bathroom often prefer Arabescato Vagli over Arabescato Corchia due to the less heavy veining pattern.
Carrara Marble: Easily the world’s most famous marble, Carrara will enhance the luxury of any bathroom interior design scheme. This stone which varies from white to cool grey synchronises perfectly with a variety of wood cabinets(finished in their natural colour or painted) and is equally at home when used for as a marble countertop for a vanity unit or as feature wall for a walk-in shower. The versatility and natural beauty of Carrara marble is the reason this majestic stone so revered by Michelangelo has remained a coveted material for home decor since the days of the Roman Empire.
Calacatta Marble: Another iconic marble from the Apuan Alps. This white marble has a very white background with broad grey veining flowing across the surface. This stone can be found in marble bathrooms of luxury residences around the world including New York, London and Paris. Calacatta marble tiles are frequently used for both flooring and walls in bathrooms. Calacatta is also frequently seen book matched on shower walls or behind bath tubs. No matter how Calacatta marble is used if you are looking for a white bathroom with the highest quality finishing there are not many materials better than Calacatta marble.
Calacatta Oro: Also knows as Calacatta Gold (the anglicised name for the material) this white marble shares many characteristics with Calacatta marble, notably the very white background and broad grey veining patterns flowing across the surface. The key difference with Calacatta Gold is these broad grey contain brown and gold colouring. The presence of this gold is where the name Calacatta Gold comes from. Like Calacatta this marble is often used in interior design for luxury marble bathrooms and can often be seen deployed using the book-matching technique either with marble flooring or as feature wall. Like Calacatta marble, Calacatta Gold marble tiles and slabs come with a high price tag due to being an exotic stone. For this reason Calacatta Oro is most often seen used for the master bathroom in luxury residences which require decor of the highest distinction.
Statuarietto: This is another beautiful stone extracted from the Carrara mountains. This marble has a pure white background and small light dark grey veins across the surface. You can often see this material deployed as marble tiles and as a marble countertop on the bathrooms vanity unit. This white marble shares many of the same properties as Carrara marble with the main difference being the background of this stone is closer to white and the veining is darker and more delicate. Statuarietto is great for any traditional or contemporary bathroom which wants to create a lighter look to make the room feel as large as possible.
Statuario: This pure white Italian marble with beautiful grey veining is one of the most prized interior design materials in the world. This white marble,has long been used in luxury bathroom design. The use of this book-matched Statuario marble flooring is a great way to use this stone if you want to have a transitional bathroom, as this Italian marble is truly timeless and is at home in any design era. All bathroom designs which make use of Statuario marble exude luxury, regardless whether this stone is deployed for the flooring, marble countertops or the whole bathroom.
Other White Marbles For Luxury Bathroom Designs
Aside from the Italian materials there are some other white marbles which will bring just as much class to any bathroom design. Both Calacatta Colorado and Thassos Marble have history's arguably as illustrious as the Italian stone's previously mentioned. And also give no quarter when it comes to their inherent beauty.
Thassos Marble: Thassos is an iconic Greek marble known for being the purest white marble in the world. This Grecian marble has a pure white background with varying degrees of pale, delicate grey veining(this is dependent upon the grade of the marble). The diamond like quality of Thassos reflects the light beautifully allowing it to bounce off objects and illuminate key points in the room. It’s stunning brightness and clean finish provokes a calm and peaceful aura to any bathroom in which it is deployed. Design ideas for luxury bathrooms with Thassos include making use of marble tiles and cladding with a vanity unit in a dark material such as Nero Portoro. This contrast of the black and white of the two marbles can create a spectacular feature for your marble bathroom. Thassos marble is the premium choice of interior design material if you are looking to combine a feeling or purity, tranquility and the pinnacle of luxury.
Calacatta Colorado: Also commonly referred to as Calacatta Lincoln due to its use for 'The Lincoln Memorial'1. This marble is extracted from a unique gallery quarry in the Appalachian Mountains close to Aspen, Colorado. The background of this marble is a warm white colour and has light veining which can be grey, gold, brown or beige in colour. If you are looking for a white marble which has a warm feel, perhaps for the bathroom in your family home Calacatta Colorado is the material we recommend. A particularly beautiful effect you can create with Calacatta Colorado, is to use it as a marble floor combined with natural wood vanity units finished with a Calacatta Colorado marble top. This marble also looks great with white baths and wall mounted sinks2.
Black Marble Bathrooms
A black marble bathroom is a bold choice which will bring an imposing feel to your bathroom. The challenge with black is to balance the black with lighter hues to prevent the room from being overly dark. With a black marble bathroom the best way to achieve this is by using white for some or all of the following aspects of your bathroom design: bathtubs, shower trays and sinks. If you want to achieve this balancing act in a more spectacular way you can use a luxury white marble as a feature wall. Not only will the feature wall balance the room it will also be framed beautifully by the black marble surrounding it. Below we explore what we believe to be the best black marbles to use for your bathroom.
Nero Marquina: This is a popular marble which is quarried in the Basque Region of Northern Spain. It has a deep black tone with white veining. This white veining varies from batch to batch and can be very light or very heavy. Nero Marquina combines brilliantly with anything white, including white marble. This is where you can make use of features walls (perhaps for your walk in shower) to create a real work of art to be the centre piece of your bathroom.
Nero Portoro: A marble bathroom which features Nero Portoro in any capacity exudes opulence. This deep black marble with beautiful gold veining with hints of white make it one of the world's most exclusive marbles. Quarried in La Spezia, Italy this stone combines excellently with the more well-known White Italian marble's and is often used as a feature piece to complement white marble bathrooms. Using Nero Portoro marble tiles is another great way of integrating this luxury marble into your bathroom design scheme.
Noir St. Laurent: This luxurious French marble is often seen used in the world's most exclusive private residences and hotels. It can be seen in applications such as as en suite bathrooms and marble floors. This warm black marble has chocolate brown patches caressed by very fine gold and white veining. This palette makes this type of marble ideal to use in the family home, either for a master bathroom or smaller en suite bathrooms. Noir St. Laurent also combines wonderfully with white marble and this can be seen in action in the image at the top of this blog post.
Ways You Can Customise Your Marble Bathroom
Marble in the bathroom is an increasingly popular choice for homeowners. Below we will detail some great ideas of how you can customise bathrooms in this luxury material so you can get the exact marble effect you are trying to create.
Marble Wall Tiles Or Book Matched Marble Cladding
Marble tiles cladding your walls are a great way to use marble in your bathroom. Marble tiles work especially well when you combine them with wall length mirrors, with a boldly coloured frame. For coherence in the look of your bathroom it is best to match the colour of your mirror frame with the colour used for your shower handles and taps3. Chrome, brass and gold are all great colours to use.
If you really want to make a statement with your bathroom marble, you can go for large marble slabs cladded to your wall making use of book matching. This will be where both slabs will be like large marble tile which are mirror reflections of each other. The result as you can see below is a beautiful pattern which will really bring a wow factor your bathroom.
Luxury Marble Flooring
Using a marble floor for your bathroom will create a luxurious flow which anchors your interior design. As mentioned before the use of marble tiles on your flooring is a great way to unite the traditional and contemporary in a transitional bathroom. You can also use marble tiles if you want to create a subtle marble look. This can be done by combining your marble floor with small marble details throughout your bathroom. Some ideas to achieve this include the use of a wall mounted marble countertop or window ledge in the same material as you use for your floor. As a marble is such a practical material for a bathroom, you will almost always use marble for your flooring if you choose to have a marble bathroom. The way in which your use of this material will vary is the way in which you combine it with other parts of your bathrooms design such as your walls, countertops, fixtures and fittings.
The All Out Marble Look
If you’re are aiming for an all-out marble look for your bathroom, the best option is to use large marble tiles for both the floors and walls (cladding is also an option for feature walls). The reason for this is to minimise joints in the bathroom and create a smooth flow which makes the marble looks at though it is all one piece. White marble is normally the go to colour for all out marble bathrooms with a stand alone bathtub or walls being used as the bathrooms feature point. Using a different colour is normally the best option when it comes to the room's feature point (book matching in the same colour for a feature wall is also a great design choice).
Using Marble In The Bathroom If You Are On A Budget
Marble is a luxurious materials which comes with a higher price tag than lesser materials. If you do not have the budget to have as much marble as you want in your bathroom, you can still benefit from the luxury marble brings to a bathroom. The way in which you can do this is to carefully choose which features of your bathroom will use marble. this will allow you to enhance your bathrooms luxury at a fraction of the cost of an all out marble bathroom. In most cases the best ways to achieve this is to use marble for a feature wall or as a countertop.
Explore tiles for your bathroom project by clicking on the links below:
Stone Tiles
Marble Tiles
Travertine Tiles
