MESMERISING MARBLE
Beautiful and imaginative ways to use this enduring material in bathroom design
1 SUSTAINABLE SOURCING
Rather than quarrying fresh slabs, interior designer Deborah Bass suggests seeking out reclaimed marble from places like ebay, then commissioning a specialist stone restorer to cut and polish. You can combine marbles if there’s not enough of one stone. ‘Stonemasons’ off-cuts, which otherwise go to waste, are also perfect for smaller areas like vanity tops,’ says Deborah. Verde Luana marble slab and bespoke basin; a similar bathroom design by Base Interior costs from £15,000.
2 OLD MEETS NEW
Classic marble may be centuries old, but this versatile material can feel just as relevant in a contemporary setting. Carved from a solid piece of Carrara marble, the crisp, modern lines of Piet Boon’s freestanding bath for Cocoon is a case in point. Shown here on polished concrete flooring with a neutral backdrop, the designer’s signature clean lines truly celebrate Carrara’s gentle veining. Piet Boon by Cocoon bath in natural Carrara marble, £27,300, C.P. Hart.
3 PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT
Marble has a reputation for being high maintenance but with due care, says Guy Stansfeld, director of 23+GS/318, it can prove extremely practical. ‘Effective sealant will protect against most stains,’ he explains, ‘but the best advice is to treat it like a luxury piece of furniture. Clean it regularly, wipe off greasy substances before they have time to penetrate and don’t leave items like wet soap sitting on it for long periods.’ A similar 23+GS/318 bathroom, designed in collaboration with Samantha Todhunter Design, would start from £10,000.
4 SHAPE SHIFTERS
Playing with shape and scale can dial up the impact of marble in a small space. Here, Elnaz Namaki has used the same large format slabs on the floor and bath surround, visually boosting the surface area. ‘The smaller format marble tiles share a design language but the change in pace draws the eye inwards and makes the look more memorable,’ she says. Bathroom design featuring Arabescato Corcia marble slab, from £3,000 a slab, Elnaz Namaki Studio. For similar tiles try Misty Fjord bevel polished marble, £87.50sq m, Topps Tiles. →
5 IN THE FRAME
This framed panel of Calacatta Borghini marble feels like a work of art behind Devon&devon’s sculptural Kalos bath. Framing marble is also a great way to provide a natural stopping point for the slab, saving the expense of cladding the full wall, while boosting the sense of symmetry. Switching to Verde Orientale marble on the floor grounds the scheme. Kalos bath, £8,652; bespoke Calacatta Borghini marble wall slab; bespoke Verde Orientale and White Thassos marble floor tiles from the
Elite Marble collection, all Devon&devon, price on request.
6 A CUT ABOVE
Step outside your Carrara comfort zone and go for stone bursting with dramatic colour and vivid veining, as seen in this combination of Verde St Denis and Verde Luana marble sourced from Italy. The creation of New York-based interior designer Steven Gambrel, this bathroom maximises the marble’s full potential thanks to skilful bookmatching and marquetry-style borders that provide exquisite rug-like detailing underfoot. The Chessleton shower, from £1,896; shower pipe, from £1,134; hand
shower/wall bracket, from £426; shower rose, from £450, all in Antique Brass, Drummonds.
Interior design by SR Gambrel.
7 MIX MEDIUMS
Too much stone can feel cold and sterile – and marble is no exception. In this bathroom, Fiona Barratt Interiors used wooden panelling to introduce warmth and deaden the echo of hard surfaces. ‘I also like to do marble half-walls with specialist plaster or other textured finishes above. The mix of materials helps break up the monotony of the stone,’ says founder Fiona Barrattcampbell. Bespoke Banheira Ovale bath from the Escavo collection by Pibamarmi, from £18,000, Fiona Barratt Interiors.