Even as we change building and designing materials to reflect new trends, marble has an eternal appeal as a natural, clean look that works well with all modern designs. Due to high import tariffs, costs for natural marble have increased, but homeowners can still enjoy the classic look of marble using ceramic and porcelain tile.
In bathrooms, you can combine the look of a natural, solid marble countertop with a faux marble floor for an elegant design with evergreen appeal. Marble is more popular in bathroom application because water does not stain; in kitchens, you have to worry about wine, berries, and other foods with strong pigments. Todays’ designs feature floor to ceiling marble in both real and faux materials.
In the kitchen, you can apply marble to the walls as they are not at risk for spills. However, you can enjoy a realistic marble look with tile as a backsplash or floor without concern. Today’s marble-look tiles are so realistic as they are created with three-dimensional printing technology that does a fabulous job of replicating the real design. Marble looks of years past looked fake and did not appeal to homeowners looking for a realistic effect.
We are even seeing marble floors show up in bedrooms. In Europe, marble floors throughout the home have been popular for centuries as the material is readily available and less expensive than wood. A marble floor, whether stone, ceramic or porcelain is easy to clean (especially if you have kids or pets). You can also add an area rug to bring more warmth the room.
And marble décor is readily available and easy to introduce to any room via picture frames, tables, statues, urns, etc.
Marble offers a wide range of colors to suit both warm and cold color schemes varying from white with grey veins to cool blues with black veins to beige and cinnamon-colored stones. Marble should be sealed yearly to add shine and protect the surface. If using the matte look of tumbled marble, the tiles will contain many holes that will be filled with grout. Tumbled marble will require several applications of sealant and will darken with each application. When buying tumbled marble, you can see what color it will be when sealed by wetting the surface of the tile.
Even if you decide to update your fabrics and patterns down the line, marble always has a place in the home. If you look back at home designs with marble from decades ago, they still have classic appeal. Decorating with industrial-style metals is a trend that will eventually fade away but working with marble will make it easier to update your home over the years without requiring a major overhaul.
So, do not shy away from marble because you do not think it is in your budget. Look at some of the realistic marble-look materials available on the market. Some brands do a better job of replicating a natural marble look than others. Earth’s natural materials will always be stylish.
