Marble in the bathroom and toilet

Mixing different types of stone creates a playful character

Marble is often linked with luxury and splendour. And that is true enough. Few materials give the exclusive feeling that marble does. Marble has been a popular building material for several thousand years. It is found not least in old castles, but also in other public settings such as stairwells, airports and museums. Places that stand up to wear every day, and have done so for decades and even centuries

We are in a time when quality and durability are very much on the agenda. People give priority to building something that will last. Something timeless that they will hopefully not tire of when one trend gives way to another. And what other material fits that better than marble. Because trends come and go, marble will always be a material that remains.

Dare to invest in the floor in a small bathroom or cloakroom

Guest toilets are rarely the room that gets the most love in Swedish homes. The room has stood untouched since the seventies, and has not seen daylight since. There is often a far too large basin for the few square metres available. A linoleum floor is also common. We would like to make the case for renovating guest toilets, because this is perhaps where the most enjoyable and most exciting renovation project is hiding. Here there is every opportunity to step outside your own comfort zone. Since it is often a small area, you can happily go all in to get an effect, a real one.

We like Flack Studio's design with our pink Fauskemarmor on the floor and skirting, combined with a render on the wall and a painted vanity unit. The details sit very well and the different material choices and colours melt together in an incredibly beautiful and self-evident way. Rose Uniacke has designed an elegant bathroom with a beautifully marbled stone on the floor, cream-white render and a classic porcelain basin. See how good it looks when the joinery is painted in the same colour as the wall.

Furnishing a room, adding warmth and combinations of material

Depending on the impression you want the room to give, you can play with different materials and colour combinations. If you want a snug impression in the room, you can concentrate on adding some warm materials and details alongside the marble. A deep wall colour, a shower curtain in woven linen or a vanity unit in wood usually gives the room a warmer feeling straight away. Perhaps a basin mixer in brass - another material that takes on a beautiful patina over time.

If you are after a more minimalist impression in the bathroom, it is a good idea to keep the number of materials and colours down, and to choose a marble with quieter veining. You may want to clad the whole bathroom entirely in one and the same stone, or you can limit the stone to the floor and meet it with a wet room paint in a neutral shade.

Few combinations are as fine as when different natural materials are mixed, and that goes for combining natural stone too. Mixing limestone and marble tends to be something of a forbidden thought for many who are on the threshold of a renovation. But instead of setting them against each other, combine them and get the best of both worlds. Their contrasting feeling can create incredibly beautiful results when they are put together harmoniously. One combination we like is Ekebergsmarmor with black Jämtlandskalksten. The limestone's black, dramatic veining together with the marble's sober pale colour gives a wonderfully beautiful, graphic impression. Whether the style is elegant, classic or rustic - mixing natural stone works either way. The right stone, the right mix, in the right place makes a good combination. And the combinations are endless.

Focus on the details

To really get that wow effect in a bathroom you should focus on the details. The fall towards the floor drain in the shower is one such example. Using a linear drain is a clever way of being able to use the same size of slab on both walls and floor. Here you can either match the finish of the steel with the mixer and other steel details (chrome, brass, brushed steel and so on). There are also models where the natural stone itself is used as the cover. These details contribute to the solid and undisturbed feeling.

Another fine (and practical) detail is to recess a shelf into the wall, a so-called niche. That way you get somewhere to put shampoo and soap in a harmonious and good-looking way, while the room gains a further dimension.

Patina is not an enemy

Natural stone is a hard-wearing, genuine and timeless material. Just like other natural materials the stone changes over time, and that is unavoidable. Patina is not an enemy but a natural consequence of use that contributes to the feeling in a bathroom and a home. It gives the impression of a warmer and snugger feeling in the home. The surroundings in the rooms become calm and pleasant. Compare it with how beautiful an old piece of furniture or a leather bag can become precisely thanks to its patina.

A durable material

Marble contains no chemicals, dyes or additives, and production is, compared with ceramics, very energy efficient and often runs on green electricity and renewable energy sources. Now, in times when people want to be extra careful with electricity, it can be good to know that marble stores heat efficiently and distributes it evenly. You can therefore happily run the underfloor heating for a shorter time, but enjoy a warm floor for a long while.

How to keep marble clean and beautiful

There are four things to keep in mind:

1. During installation. Use an adhesive and grout that are suited to natural stone. We recommend Ardex X32 and Ardex G10. The grouts are colour matched to the stones so that they sit tone on tone.

2. Always use a drain grate that is acid-resistant. Acid-resistant simply means that the grate does not release acid that damages the natural stone.

3. Before tiling in the shower, the underside and edges of the slabs are to be impregnated with VERNA Pre-Protect. When the tiling and grouting are finished, the stone is cleaned thoroughly with VERNA Deep Clean. Finish by treating the top of the stone with VERNA Protect.

The treatment makes the stone easier to keep clean and gives effective protection against oil, make-up and other substances that can otherwise cause stains.

4. Rinse the soap and shampoo residue off the shower area every time you have showered (that way you avoid damage around the floor drain). Use VERNA Daily Clean when you clean. Gentle on the environment and on your stone.

We hope this has made you a little wiser in your choice of material. And inspired. Good luck with your bathroom! If you would like material samples of our marbles you can order them here.