Finishing Features
There are several ways to make a marble bathroom:
- Use natural stone. It is beautiful, durable, suitable for wet rooms, but expensive. Almost all the material on the Russian market is imported, we do not mine it – at most they only cut it into slabs and sell them. For walls and floors, 1-2 cm slabs are recommended, for the countertop, take a thicker cut – 3-4 cm.
- Replace with porcelain stoneware. Durable large-format sheets are an excellent replacement for natural material. Due to the minimum number of joints, the wall or floor will look almost like a single whole.
- Lay marble tiles. In the bathroom, this is a simple option – imitation marble in any format looks interesting. The only downside is the size. If natural slabs or porcelain tiles can be large, then large tiles are 40*40 or 20*80 cm.
The photo shows dark blue color in the bathroom interior
Whatever shape you choose for your marble interior in the bathroom, keep in mind: the color of different parts can differ dramatically. This is especially true for natural marble. In the case of marble tiles, to ensure that the shade matches exactly, choose packages from the same batch.
What can be finished?
Marble-like tiles in the bathroom are often used for finishing walls. Moreover, one color or a combination of several can be used: the same pattern will unite them into a single whole.
Considering that vertical surfaces are the main background, the walls in a marble bathroom should be in harmony with the plumbing – from the bathtub to the faucets.
The photo shows marble on the walls and floor
A bathroom with a marble floor is a classic, equally well suited for classic and modern interiors. Luxurious cladding is timeless and out of fashion: having covered the floor with marble tiles, you can be sure that you will not have to change it in the near future.
Marble countertops are another option for using stone in the bathroom. If it is made of natural stone, rest assured: your furniture is unique! After all, each cut has an individual pattern of veins.
Advantages of a marble countertop:
- Water resistance. Unlike wood, MDF, chipboard, stone is absolutely not afraid of water and will not swell when exposed to it.
- Antibacterial. Bacteria do not multiply on the surface – an absolute plus for the bathroom.
- Rich color range. From white or beige to dark – almost black.
Also available for sale ready-made shower trays made of so-called cast (artificial) marble. They are easy to install, but there are two nuances: the standard shape and size do not suit everyone. To build a custom-made shower tray, they usually use marble tiles with an anti-slip coating — the same ones that are laid on the floor.
What colors are there?
A popular marble for bathrooms is white. The natural rock has both light and dark veins of different lengths — manufacturers try to achieve the same effect in imitation. It looks expensive and gives the room a touch of luxury. Glossy is considered an ideal option for small bathrooms.
A black marble bathroom is an exquisite alternative for spacious rooms. Although the color cannot be called practical: in the shower, for example, traces of water drops will be visible on the dark one.
You can move away from standard solutions by using gray marble tiles in the bathroom: they are used less often than the first two and look more original. There are both light Gainsboro-colored slabs and dark ones, almost coal-colored.
The photo shows a shower in dark stone
In addition to monochrome shades, there are various colored ones:
- Green. The color is obtained due to the admixture of silicates. Shades from barely green to emerald.
- Beige. A light warm tone is a great replacement for cold white.
- Blue. Most often white with blue veins.
- Brown. A noble shade of agate with a complex network of veins looks very noble.
- Red. Marble is not used as the main material in the bathroom; it is usually used for accents (countertops, shower trays).
In addition to color, texture should be taken into account:
- Glossy. Reflects light, visually increases space. Impractical in dark colors.
- Matte. Has a pleasant rough surface, does not reflect light.
- Non-slip. They are used as a floor covering – you will definitely not slip, even if you get up with wet feet after a shower.
What does marble tile go with?
Marble tile in the bathroom is good in itself, but you can’t get by with just stone: that’s why you should learn how to combine it with other materials wisely.
To make the bathroom interior more comfortable, add warm texture in it: wood. You can use natural wood (in the form of slats on the ceiling, furniture, mirror frames) or imitation texture (tabletop covered with a film with a pattern, wood-like tiles). The proportions can be any, a harmonious option is 50:50, or 70:30 – with more marble.
The photo shows a combination with wood
Modern interiors allow stylistic oxymorons: when noble marble tiles and brutal concrete coexist in one bathroom. The latter will add a touch of industrialism to the style, “modernize” the design.
Decorating walls with marble tiles or stone from floor to ceiling has long been out of fashion. Today, it has become popular to dilute the texture with a single-color paint. By the way, if you choose the right shade, the wall panel will sparkle with new colors: it will become more noticeable, stand out.
If the paint does not suit, but it is necessary to thin out the design of the bathroom under the marble – take a closer look at the mosaic. It is used to decorate small surfaces: a wall along the width of the sink, a bathtub screen, a countertop. In bathrooms with marble floors, mosaics are used on vertical partitions.
The photo shows gold elements in the bathroom
As for metals, the usual chrome against the background of marble is sometimes inappropriate: in classic bathrooms, bronze or gold faucets are installed, and in modern ones – black or white.
How does it look in the interior?
If the idea of u200bu200busing stone in the bathroom seems tempting, choose one from the following styles:
- Classic. For finishing, choose beige or white shade of marble, apply it simultaneously on the floor and walls.
- Empire. And other luxurious styles, like Baroque. Light marble texture is combined with dark shades, gold or bronze, antique lamps.
- Modern. If in the first two interiors it is acceptable to complement the already luxurious stone with rich decor (for example, milling on the countertop), then here it is not worth doing. The bright texture itself stands out in the bathroom. Color – white, gray, black.
- Minimalism. Choose a neutral texture with low-contrast veins. You can decorate all surfaces except the ceiling.
- Scandinavian. Here, marble is used for details: sink, shower tray, accent wall.
Perhaps, nothing more versatile and beautiful than marble for finishing has yet been invented. The secret to proper use is the right shade, suitable texture, dosage.
