DARK & STORMY
Wrapping the entire bathroom in deepest black marble slabs pays homage to the beauty of the natural stone, creating the engulfing-yetcomforting feel of a cosy cave. With the walls accessorised only with the rock’s naturally occurring lightning-like white veining and supported by simple furniture and accessories, the room is an ode to the properties and beauty of black marble – at once utterly simple while taking the breath away.
Waterfall shower in Brushed Gold, £1,863; glass shower panel with Brushed Gold details, £947; wall-mounted vanity unit, £1,368; marble countertop basin in
Black Basalt, £819, all Ripples
Internationally acclaimed designer Martin Brudnizki is responsible for some of the world’s most bombastic bathrooms – think the gold swan taps, flower-covered ceiling and green onyx-bedecked bathrooms of London private members club Annabel’s, for a taster. Now, there’s a new stone in town. Martin tells us why the contemporary bathroom is going over to the dark-and-veined side.
Black wasn’t a colour that was often used in the home until recently, but when it comes to marble it’s a different story. Its texture and grain brings a whole different quality to the darkest of tones and creates a pattern that feels simultaneously grounded, natural and traditional, while also monumental, glamorous and stylish.
Black marble works so brilliantly in the bathroom because it’s practical – looking better with age or when slightly worn – and incredibly versatile.it goes with almost anything else in the room, especially colour. Peach and black is a traditional combination that you often find on the Ligurian coast in Italy. Noir Saint Laurent, a black marble with golden, coppery veins (which the famous fashion designer was known for using) is a modern way of combining the two, demonstrating how well the black marble and colour can work.
Using black marble can add drama and highlightfeatures, such as making a white wall look that little bit stronger or framing a window to give it more prominence. The floor is the main place I see black marble in the bathroom, but it can also be used as an accent stone to create a motif on the walls or architraves. A black marble sink in a monochromatic room makes for a very crisp, slick feel. My dream marble bathroom would combine the darkest black marble with lighter accents to create a powerful contrast and give a wonderful heritage feel while remaining light, bright and inviting.
Black marble fits in really well to what we want from a modern-day bathroom (and interior spaces in general) – its darkness makes it incredibly reassuring and enveloping, tying into our desire for a comforting and honest feel in our bathrooms.