If you are looking for ways to up-end your bathroom without overdoing it, going for a marble bathroom is an ideal choice. Marble materials are effortless, luxurious, and eco-friendly as they come from natural materials. In this post, you may check out some of the best types of marble for the bathroom, so read on.
11 Types of Marble for Bathroom
Marble, be it full slabs, tiles, or for accent pieces, marble could do wonders for your bathroom. For those of you who are thinking of making the shift to marble bathrooms, here are some types of marble for your bathroom to consider.
1. White Marble
If you want a soft modern look, or classic effect, white marble is a go-to choice. Aside from adding natural light to the bathroom, it also makes it more homey and relatable. You can go for classic, pure white marble, or have more details using streaked white.
2. Pink Marble
Yes, you read that right. Whether it is popping pink, or subdued ones, you may choose pink marble for your bathroom to veer away from the traditional look. From here on, you can accentuate it with bolder neutrals like black or other playful details.
3. Black Marble
There is something sultry, intimidating yet warm about black marble bathroom. If you are into a statement bathroom, a more commanding, masculine feel, or just want to go all luxe and warm in the bathroom, black marble is the best choice for you.
4. Veined Marble
This type of marble is best for countertops. They bide well in bathroom sinks, around the vanity, for flooring, and to emphasize a focal point in the bathroom. They can come in gold, black, or gray veins depending on your choice. If you want to go a little extra yet sophisticated still, veined marble is the best bathroom choice for you.
5. Marble Backsplash
Another good way to spruce up your bathroom is by installing marble backsplash. If you are wary of the budget since marble can be expensive, a statement, and delightful looking marble backsplash would suffice.
6. Contrasting Marble
If you want more depth to your bathroom, you can mix and match marble tiles or full slabs for your flooring and bathroom wall. Choose the best contrast that would satisfy your aesthetic preference but at the same time cohesive, so that it will create a unique yet bold statement.
7. Marble Flooring with Matching Tub
Speaking of cohesive look, you can also opt for a marble flooring with a pattern that matches your centerpiece tub. You can find this type of marble bathroom usually in high-end hotels and mansions. Might as well incorporate such in your bathroom too.
8. Marble on Flooring and Shower Room
Another impactful type of marble would be limiting it on the flooring and shower room only. The continuous look of the flooring up to the shower room is majestic if done right. It gives due emphasis to the shower room, making it the focal point, but at the same time allows the whole area undisturbed.
9. Huge Marble Tiles
One of the functions of using huge tiles is to give an area a more expansive look. So, if you want an ordinary looking bathroom to look wider or a really small powder room or bathroom to have more dimension and depth, you should use huge marble tiles.
10. Wraparound Marble
But if you want your bathroom to scream marble, you can always go for a wraparound marble type. From the flooring, wall, shower room and tub, you can use one type of marble to make it the full deal. With this, you get a uniform look without having to isolate any detail of the bathroom.
11. Multicolor Marble
For a more playful look, you can install multicolor marble in your bathroom. You can mix and match white or black marble, combine veined marble with different colors, and create a geometric effect with them. Aside from a unique and striking appearance, they can also give more layers to an otherwise bland bathroom.
7 Things to Consider Before Choosing Bathroom Marble
Now that we have narrowed down the types of marble that you can use to elevate your bathroom, you should also be aware of some things to consider before choosing one. Here are seven tips to follow in choosing marble for your bathroom.
1. What First? Safe!
Contrary to popular belief, marble is not generically slippery. There are texture grades for marble, depending on your preference. Of course, those that are made for walls and backsplashes are glossier and more polished.
On the other hand, those that are made for flooring are more textured for your safety. Now that you know this, note where the marble shall be installed and what marble texture you shall choose.
2. Modern or Minimalism Style?
There is a fine line between modern and the minimalist style. Sometimes, they are even interchanged. Going modern means going for neutrals, streaks, and wraparound marbles. On the other hand, going for minimalism means staying with the neutrals, veering away from the veined types.
Thus, if you want a more mainstream look, go for modern. If you want a neater, more eclectic bathroom vibe, go for a minimalist style.
3. Go Big or Small?
It always pays to decide ahead of time if you will go big for color and design, or go low-key with small details but a cohesive style. Again, this depends on your personal preference. If you want to go big, you can choose full slab marbles, boldly streaked ones or the colorful ones.
If low-key and small is what you are looking for, there are a whole lot of neutrals to choose from when it comes to marble in your bathroom.
4. Which Layout? Be Playful!
Layouts are important in the overall impact of your marble bathroom. For a traditional neat look, you can go for the classic horizontal or vertical layouts for the wall and flooring. For backsplashes, you can have the stacked layout or the mix and match.
If you want to emphasize some focal points like the shower room or the tub, you can personalize your layouts for that purpose. It gets tricky if you are using a full slab, so if you are not sure about the layouts or you have an irregular shaped bathroom, talk it out with pros.
5. Rougher Textures or Polished Flat Surfaces?
Aside from safety, there are other reasons why you have to choose your marble texture properly. Rougher textures are meant for the rugged, bolder bathroom and of course, for the flooring.
On the other hand, polished flat surfaces are usually for walls, backsplashes, countertops, and accent details for the bathroom. They also give your bathroom that shine, thereby adding a lot of natural light in the space.
6. Hate Cleaning? Factor in How Easy It is to Clean
Marble is expensive. As such, maintenance is a must. If you want to have a lower maintenance type of marble, go for the polished ones. Nevertheless, you still have to routinely check your marbled bathroom. Do the necessary wiping, cleaning, and other maintenance checks to keep them in pristine condition.
7. Play with Shape, Tile Patterns and Texture for A Modern Twist
Also, contrary to popular belief, marble is a very workable material. Like tiles, you can easily play with shape, patterns and texture to get to that desired look. What is imperative is that you know right ahead what design and arrangement you are going for.
Important Design Choices
When it comes to design choices, you have to be very discerning when using marble. Thus, here are some important marble design choices to keep in mind when choosing one:
Make sure that it is original
Believe it or not but there are fake marbles being sold out there. Counterfeit marble has an impact in your design choice because they would not be as shiny, as durable, or as low-maintenance. A white stone slab can easily pass off as a Calacatta marble so you must have a discerning eye and make sure that it is original.
Marble variety
This is important if you are going for the veined type of marble. There are three major types: Breccia, Carrara and Calacatta. Each of these have unique veins. Some are bolder and more pronounced and some are thin and fine. This is an important consideration in your design choice because each offers a definite appearance for your bathroom.
Physical features
If you are using full slab marble, make sure that it is free from cracks and fissures. They are a one-time-big-time installation and you do not want to compromise your overall bathroom design just because there are small dents or cracks.
In the same way, make sure that your marble tiles are in good condition, equally polished or textured, depending on your choice.
Marble color
This is perhaps one of the most important design choices that you have to ponder on before buying one. Marble colors make or break any space. When it comes to bathrooms and kitchens, your marble color varieties are: gray, gold, black, white, brown, pink, green, red and orange.
Finish
Like color, this is an equally important design choice when it comes to marble. There are three major finishes for marble: polished, honed, textured. Polished is the most popular one and if maintained well, can maintain its shine for years.
Honed on the other hand is slightly polished but comes with an equally smooth and polished finish. It becomes more of a matte look so it is good for flooring and backsplash. Lastly, textured would have that rougher surface which is perfect for foot traction and layered look.
Of course, there are still other things to consider, moving forward. Nevertheless, these are the first ones that you should consider when it comes to design choice as to marble.
How Much Does Marble Cost
Marble is generally expensive and depending on the type of marble we are talking about, the cost differs. However, at an average, marble with installation per square foot cost range from $40-100 and above.
The cheapest marble varieties are the Makrana marble which is at $12 and pink marble at $15 while the most expensive is the Calacatta marble which is at $180. Some marble varieties at the moderate range would be the Carrara marble at $40, Statuario at $50, cultured marble at $65 and Danby at $80.
Drawing from these average costs for marble, you should be able to project your total cost if you intend to make a marble bathroom.
How to Import Marble from China
China is one of the top regions when it comes to marble. They supply internationally with some top notch marble manufacturing companies like George Buildings which continually meet the demand of the international market.
If you are looking for ways to directly source marble from China, here is a fast take on what you should know about import transactions.
Tariffs and Other Fees
Importing from China may be a bit complicated because of restrictions. As such, make sure that you know all the tariff amount and other fees to be paid before finalizing your order. Part of this is to also calculate your landed cost for your order.
Find Reputable Chinese Manufacturers
Service, network and experience are the three major factors in checking if a Chinese manufacturer is reputable. Note the leading marble manufacturing regions in China or research the top Chinese manufacturers of marble in the net. From there, place your orders.
Quality Control through Product Inspection
As proof of order, send detailed specifications, quantity, and other details. This will be the basis of the customs’ quality control through product inspection. There might also be other required documents to furnish depending on the shipping location. Be sure to also check this beforehand before shipment.
Logistics
This is the trickiest part. It does not begin and end with choosing a good logistics partner. You also have to be wary about packaging requirements, handling and broker fees, container fees, courier service or sea freight requirements.
Conclusion
When it comes to bathroom overhaul, construction or remodel, marble is one of the best materials to choose. Be it for your walls, flooring, focal points, or the entire bathroom, marble could do a lot of makeover wonders. The only downside to this material is its upfront cost. As for all else, it is commendable material.
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