EXPERT GUIDE MASTER THE ART OF MARBLE

Architect Mike Rundell of Rundell Associates’ advice on choosing and using marble

There’s definitely a move

towards strong-veined marble, or varieties formed of large fragments bound together with smaller particles, known as breccia. Bookmatching has also become popular – the drama of this kind of seamless pattern is unachievable with any other material. Large marble patterns have the presence to fill bigger areas, so, if budget allows, use it to wrap around an entire room. In smaller spaces, delicate veining is better suited. If your budget is tighter, make a basin surround from the best marble you can afford and carry the stone up the wall to the ceiling in order to create a really strong architectural element. Good value marbles are Fior di Bosco, which is grey with fine veins of gold, white and orange, and the silvery-green Verde Antigua. Grigio Billiemi looks great, too, and costs less than other varieties. Pietra di Vicenza Grigio has very delicate figuring, ideal when pattern needs to be kept to a minimum. Take care when bookmatching.

We photograph every panel and spend a long time working out the best layout. Ask your installer to use a glue joint rather than grout, which will create a wider line and destroy the rhythm of the stone. If you’re sourcing marble,

Livra ( livra.co.uk) and MGLW (mglw.co.uk), both London-based yards, have good quantities of stock. Alternatively, Mcmarmilloyd (mcmarmilloyd.co.uk) in Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire has some of the best marble in the UK. Visit Stone Circle (stone-circle.com) in Basingstoke, Hampshire if you want your stone worked into amazing shapes. Expensive stone can be ruined

by an inexperienced installer, so always check their previous work. I use Stone Circle, or Stone Age (stone-age.co.uk) in London.