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From ancient Greeks to modern times, architects, sculptors, and interior designers have been fascinated with marble. Each slab is unique and gives any room a look of opulence and splendour. Marble also suggests a classic, minimalist look and goes well with a palette of white and subdued hues.
Marble comes in a wide range of colours, including yellow, orange, pink or red, but when we think of marble for interior design, usually we’re referring to white or cream coloured marble with grey veining. Since Edmonton is in love with the palette of black, white, and shades of grey, marble is a popular choice!
Marble Ideas for the Kitchen
Using marble in the kitchen is an immediate eye-catcher. It’s very clean-looking while adding character to your kitchen with its intricate veining. Colourful, healthy foods will look amazing against a stunning white canvas to create your delicious meals on. Many homeowners opt for marble countertops or islands in marble, but it can also be used as tile for a backsplash.
[av_one_half first]Pros for Using Marble in the Kitchen:
✓ Marble looks bright and clean.
✓ Marble is beautiful.[/av_one_half]
[av_one_half]Cons for Using Marble in the Kitchen:
✗ Light-coloured marble countertop material may stain.
✗ Marble develops a patina over time. [/av_one_half]
We’ve compiled some of the best, modern inspirations for use of marble in the home. Get ready to be inspired!
Top 5 Marble Kitchen Ideas
#1 Marble Subway Tiles, Arabesque Marble Tiles, and Marble Countertop in the Kitchen
This traditional-style kitchen design uses marble subway tiles on the walls, uniquely shaped marble tile backsplash over the oven, and a thick marble island countertop with beautiful grey veining. Subway tiles are trendy this year, and they suit this kitchen perfectly.
While that is a lot of marble, this kitchen incorporates more shades of colour by having pure white cupboards, black countertops, rich brown hardwood floors, and chrome fixtures. The overall look is bright, welcoming, and functional.
#2 Marble Island and Marble Backsplash
This kitchen makes one feel like marble isn’t just a home building material, but rather carefully chosen, polished, and displayed as pieces of natural art.
The backsplash is one large slab of marble, cut thin and polished to highlight the marble’s natural beauty. The island looks like one giant, rectangular rock, but really it is made from slabs that are a few inches thick that appear to seamlessly wrap around the island’s surface, which is called a “waterfall edge.”
#3 Marble Tile for the Kitchen Backsplash
This “industrial meets elegant” kitchen design uses marble carrara 2” by 8” tiles laid in a herringbone pattern that perfectly complements the high-gloss white cupboards and countertops, chrome fixtures and appliances. Warm oak hardwood flooring adds some colour and ties the room together.
#4 Rectangular Marble Tiles for the Kitchen Backsplash
Rectangular marble tiles make this kitchen backsplash wall look more like a piece of art than a functional workspace. Both the stone countertop and custom cupboards complement the uniqueness of the marble.
The overall look is modern, artistic, and functional.
Want to see how marble tiles are made?)
#5 Marble Tiles for Your Kitchen Backsplash, Counter, and Island
Marble, marble, everywhere! If you love marble, this kitchen may be the inspiration you’re looking for.
Calacatta gold marble tile is used on every surface, but the design is toned down with strategic additions of colour: baby blue ceilings and rich chocolate coloured chairs and flooring. Industrial pendant lighting, chrome fixtures, and the stainless steel oven modernize the classic, natural theme.
Marble Ideas for Your Bathroom
To many people, nothing is more beautiful than marble. What better way to wake up than to hop into your own personal marble shower? Or relax in your tub and step out onto a gorgeous marble floor?
[av_one_half first]Pros for Using Marble in the Bathroom:
✓ Marble can be cut into whatever tile shape you want.
✓ Marble in small doses like a sink or a backsplash can add a luxurious feel to the bathroom.[/av_one_half]
[av_one_half]Cons for Using Marble in the Bathroom:
✗ Marble can be damaged by highly acidic cleaning products.
✗ Unless sourced from a humid climate like Greece or Italy, it may not hold up well in a wet environment like a bathroom.
✗ Products like hair dyes and makeup can stain marble.[/av_one_half]
Marble is bright and invigorating, which is just what a bathroom needs. Have a look at these ideas for marble tile in the bathroom and tell us if you agree.
Top 5 Marble Bathroom Ideas
#1 Marble Tiles for the Bathroom Countertop
This bathroom looks clean, comfortable, and fun! There are a variety of shapes and colours are interesting to the eye, but the highlights of this room are the marble countertop and sinks.
Porcelain tiles that look like marble are used for the floor, which is a great idea since porcelain tiles are more durable and water resistant.
#2 Carrara Marble Slab for the Bathroom Walls, Marble Floors, and a Marble Bathtub Surround
Carrara marble slabs are darker than calacatta marble, giving this room a more relaxed feel. Carrara is also less expensive, which is ideal if covering just about everything in the bathroom with it! This pattern is striking and very interesting to look at while soaking in a bubble bath. Read more about the difference between: carrara and calacatta
[Tweet “Carrara marble is darker than calacatta, giving rooms a more relaxed feel. #yegdesign #customhome”]
It looks more like the inside of a mountain than a condo in Vancouver, which is where this home is located.
#3 Marble Bathtub Surround with Marble Tile Shower Floor
This bathroom is a stunner! The marble bathtub surround is light and airy, and since the shower walls are glass, you could still see that marvellous marble while you’re taking your quick morning rinse.
The flooring in the shower is a mosaic of 1/2″x1/2″ carrara marble tiles, which show a lovely range of shades and feel soft and pebbly on the feet. Tying everything together is the bathroom wall, which is covered in glass cobalt grey subway tiles.
[Tweet “Carrara marble shower floor feels soft and pebbly on the feet. #yeg #homebuild”]
#4 Marble Tile Walls
Each part of this bathroom is a statement piece on its own, and together, this bathroom is a masterpiece! The walls are 12” by 24” marble tiles that are laid in a brick pattern with very little grout showing, which makes it look like one big slab of stone.
The flooring is made from handmade glass tiles that took “three artisans hours and hours to lay, piece by piece.” Amazing!
#5 Marble Tiles for the Bathroom Walls and Shower
Carrara subway tiles adorn the walls and shower of this remarkable bathroom. Variation and uniqueness are some of marble’s best features and that is the theme here: The lighting is asymmetrical, the marble subway tiles vary in colour, and mirror subway tiles are interspersed randomly.
Wondering about the oddly shaped mirror? It was installed first with the marble tiles placed on top.
Marble Ideas for the Living Room
The living room is often the biggest room in the house and is used for entertaining, doing activities like yoga or playing games with your family and friends. Since they are intended for leisure, living rooms are designed with comfort in mind. They are also a focal point of your home, so it’s the perfect place to show off your style. If marble is what you love, a cool, smooth marble floor might be just what you need for your living room.
[av_one_half first]Pros for Using Marble in the Living Room:
✓ Living rooms are low-traffic areas, so a marble floor won’t show wear as quickly as it would if it were used in a kitchen, for example.
✓ Marble is a great surface to roll out a yoga mat on.
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[av_one_half]Cons for Using Marble for in the Living Room:
✗ Marble flooring in a large room like a living room can get expensive.
✗ Hard marble floors can be uncomfortable for children who like to play on the floor.
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Top 5 Marble Living Room Ideas
#1 Marble Tile Flooring in the Living Room
This open concept, contemporary living room looks comfortable and inviting. Large, comfortable couches that sit on a stylish area rug on top of marble tile floors create a haven where the homeowners can relax and enjoy the company of their friends and family.
#2 Tan Coloured Marble Tile Floors in the Living Room
Marble tile floors in this living room highlight the variety of colour that this natural material is known for. The warm tan shade of the marble gives the room a soft, airy feel.
#3 Italian Marble Slab Flooring in the Living Room
Huge 5 foot slabs of marble are both impressive and beautiful in this living room. The marble floor’s colours are reflected in the rest of the room’s decor: tan walls, wood cabinetry for the bar, beige furniture, and soft lighting make this room feel natural and warm.
#4 Marble Tile Flooring in the Living Room
This contemporary Canadian home’s living room really sticks to a palette of blacks, whites, and greys. The natural stone fireplace surround would be the highlight of this room if it weren’t for the gorgeous marble tile floors with their deep veining and natural variation from tile to tile.
#5 Chinese “Wood Vein Marble” Tile Flooring
Are those floors highly polished wood? Nope! These are actually a type of marble known as “wood vein marble.” This type of marble comes in a variety of shades, but the owners of this contemporary living room chose a lovely brown shade that gives the space a soft, warm feel.
Marble Ideas for the Fireplace
Unfortunately marble isn’t a good choice for a fireplace surround because it doesn’t stand up to heat well. Our natural stone supplier tells us that it tends to crack. As an alternative to a marble slab fireplace surround, we recommend using quartz.
Marble Ideas for the Bedroom
If you want to give your bedroom a look of opulence and splendor, marble might be just what you’re looking for. Marble comes in soft hues that create a relaxing atmosphere, which is perfect for the place you go to rest.
[av_one_half first]Pros for Using Marble in the Bedroom:
✓ Will last a very long time
✓ Comes in a variety of colours
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[av_one_half]Cons for Using Marble in the Bedroom:
✗ Marble can be cool underfoot and takes a long time to warm up
✗ Cold feet can be easily avoided by placing a soft rug where you step, so don’t let that deter you from using marble in the bedroom.
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Have a look at some fabulous ideas for using marble in the bedroom.
Top 5 Marble Bedroom Ideas
#1 Marble Tile and Hardwood Floors in the Bedroom
This fairytale bedroom uses beige-coloured marble and dark hardwood together to create a dreamy, elegant place to rest. The marble tiles are 50 cm by 50 cm and four are placed together to create 100 cm by 100 cm squares. The tiles were laid first and the wood parts were put in afterward.
#2 Marble Tile Flooring in the Bedroom
This bedroom looks simple and clean. The white marble floor tiles are complemented by crisp white bedding and an elegant chandelier. Touches of natural colour with browns and beiges were added in the drapery, headboard, lamps and tables.
#3 Polished Marble Floors in the Bedroom
This classy bedroom is a lovely example of a different shade of marble, which the homeowners have matched in the wall colour, bedding, curtains, and ceiling. Blues and browns go well with the hue, giving the room an earthy, vacation-villa-for-the-working-professional feel.
#4 Marble Tile Floors in the Bedroom
Everything about this room, from the floors to the ceiling, says vacation villa. It is, in fact, a beachside condo in Miami, but you could create your own bedroom oasis with 48” by 48” marble tiles on the floor, some black and white furniture, and white bedding.
#5 Grey Marble Floor Tile in the Bedroom
The grey shade of the marble flooring in this bedroom is a gorgeous departure from many of the all-white marble colour schemes that are very popular. It feels intimate and cozy–a peaceful place to spend some downtime.
Marble Ideas for the Outdoors
If you’re looking to introduce marble to your outdoor spaces, you might want to go with look-alike materials like porcelain tile instead. Sun, rain, snow, hail, and other weather elements can all eat away at marble over time, making it difficult to maintain the clean, pristine look it has when you first install it.
In Edmonton, homeowners like modern styles with clean lines that look classic and new, years after installation. A weathered marble patio, for example would be fashionable in Europe, where they enjoy the appearance of age in their architecture.
Porcelain tile makes a great outdoor substitute for marble because it is designed to look identical, while being more durable and less expensive.
Marble Ideas for Your Laundry Room
Marble’s light shades, reflection of light, and clean look make it an ideal choice for the laundry room. It might make you actually want to spend time doing laundry.
[av_one_half first]Pros of Using Marble in the Laundry Room:
✓ Makes a great backsplash or counter to fold laundry on.
✓ Shades of white and grey in carrara and calacatta marble are calming.
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[av_one_half]Cons of Using Marble in the Laundry Room:
✗ Countertops can show wear over the years, giving the space a more European feel
✗ Certain cleaning products may stain or harm marble
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Top 5 Laundry Room Marble Ideas
#1 Marble Countertop in the Laundry Room
The soft shade of seafoam green subway tiles for the backsplash with green and white walls are a beautiful complement to the calacatta marble countertop in this farmhouse-style laundry room.
#2 Waterfall Edge Marble Countertop and Marble Mosaic Tile Backsplash
This laundry room looks clean and sleek with smooth cupboards, recessed drawer pulls, and a waterfall edge marble countertop. The marble mosaic tile backsplash that covers the wall space ties the room together by incorporating the colours of the floors, walls, and appliances.
#3 Marble Slab Countertop in Laundry Room Adjacent to the Kitchen
Marble slab countertops are a wonderfully smooth surface to fold laundry on. The white subway tile backsplash with a built-in picture add character to this charming farmhouse laundry room.
#4 Marble Backsplash and Marble Countertop in the Laundry Room
Soft grey hues on the walls and large grey porcelain floor tiles make this laundry room look charming and cozy. Marble countertops around the large, salvaged antique sink and marble tile for the backsplash add function and fashion to the space.
#5 Marble Countertops and Backsplash in Laundry Room
A grey palette is popular in Edmonton, so our top idea for marble in the laundry room is this stunning, modern room. The countertop and backsplash are marble slab and marble tile, which works well with the chrome hardware, white hexagonal porcelain tile flooring, and cabinet and wall colour.
Marble Ideas for Your Basement
Marble tile or a slab of marble for a wall in the basement can make your basement feel both cozy and relaxing, which is great if you use your basement to unwind in. If you’re building a basement bar, consider using marble. It’s smooth and durable, and it can also be a conversation starter.
[av_one_half first]Pros of Using Marble in the Basement:
✓ Marble’s intricate designs are interesting to look at.
✓ Marble is naturally cool to the touch and having it in the basement can be a way to escape the heat in the summer.[/av_one_half]
[av_one_half]Cons of Using Marble in the Basement:
✗ If you have kids running around in the basement, marble could be too slippery for them.
✗ Marble could make a basement that’s already cold in the summer even colder in the winter.
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[Tweet “Stay cool in the hot #yeg summers with marble floors #customhomebuilder #luxury”]
Top 3 Basement Marble Ideas
#1 Marble Countertop and Marble Backsplash for Basement Bar
This bar incorporates a variety of natural materials that come together to create a look that is earthy and classy. It features two different types of marble: calacatta marble for the backsplash and a slab of Pietra di Cardosa marble for the countertops.
#2 Marble Bar and Marble Countertops in the Basement
This room looks ready for a party! Wooden cabinetry and light fixtures with stainless steel appliances and cabinet pulls give a modern feel to the classic, timeless beauty of the marble countertops.
#3 Dark Marble for the Bar in the Basement
This rustic yet elegant basement bar mixes colours and textures that go together perfectly. Marble comes in a wide variety of colours, so don’t let your love for reds, browns, greens, blues, or any other colour of the rainbow stop you from using marble. There are so many shades of marble to fall in love with. See some of them here
Do you love marble or know someone who does? Share this article with other marble lovers!
When you’re designing your home with us, your custom home builder, you have a lot of options to choose from. Using marble is a way to add luxury, class, and a cool, clean feel to your home.
What are your favourite marble ideas? Let us know in the comments!
