Both luxurious and extremely durable, marble will always be the go-to for creating a timeless, stylish bathroom. These stone-clad projects from the ELLE Decoration archives show the endless possibilities when using this statement-making material across walls, floors, bathtubs and vanities.
The London home brimming with luxurious materials
Designer Peter Mikic was so enamoured by the opulence of stone he used it in the kitchen, spiral staircase and in all seven bathrooms of this grand Chelsea townhouse. This bathroom features Brown Tiger Onyx marble, with stripes of New Belgium Black marble, on the walls, floor and vanity.
A stunning marble shower in London
This shower is enveloped in a beautiful pink and green marble, while the gleaming copper showerhead and radiator pick up the warm tones in the marble’s veins. The work of interior design, architecture and salvage firm Retrouvius, this ensuite has a wow-factor that matches the rest of the beautifully designed home.
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An island retreat featuring Patagonia stone
This Ibizan villa is brimming with textured, natural materials – even the building’s façade is made from stone taken directly from the mountain on which the home sits – and the bathroom is no exception. Designer Peter Mikic paired a heavily veined Patagonia stone in the shower area with a bathtub crafted from limestone (perfectly positioned to soak up those stunning views) and wide oak panels that run up the wall.
The London home that’s an ode to marble
Design firm Own London are masters at fusing various types of stone to create unexpected yet beautiful interiors. This family home in Knightsbridge boasts a plethora of striking stone elements including a bathroom floor that uses eight varieties of marble and a sophisticated guest powder room featuring reeded marble detailing.
The oceanic themed bathroom in Sydney
‘Marble is so timeless, and with all the new coloured options from Brazil you can really have fun with it,’ says designer Greg Natale, who often uses solid slabs of marble for maximum impact. This bathroom, designed for a client in Sydney, is clad in Arcadia Quartzite with a clean-white ceramic tub dropped into place.
A luxurious brass and marble bathroom in Milan
Brass and lacquer give this elegant Milanese home a light-filled, reflective ambience – ‘It’s like capsizing the ceiling and creating a fresco on the floor,’ says architect and homeowner Vincenzo de Cotiis. In the bathroom, Brazilian green marble is used to great effect when combined with the mirror-like metallic surround. The round mirror is by FontanaArte and a 19th-century sculpture of Apollo lends grandeur.
Bookmatched onyx in a London home
This bathroom in a London home shows the visual impact of bookmatched marble, whereby two identical marble slabs are laid side-by-side to create a striking mirror image effect. Design firm Retrouvius chose a honey-toned onyx for the space and paired it with fitted oak benches and brass fixtures.
Butter meets burgundy in this bathroom
‘Like being in a butter dish,’ is how designer Rachel Chudley describes this space, which she designed in red but changed to bright yellow at the homeowner’s suggestion. It’s now washed in a bespoke shade – ‘Glossy Yellow RC38’ – from her workshop which pairs beautifully with the rich Calacatta Viola stone. Neisha Crosland’s ‘Marigold’ floor tiles in ‘Bean Green’ introduce a relaxed, handmade note into this glamorous scheme.
An all-or-nothing marble bathroom in France
Dramatically veined Calacatta Viola marble is used throughout this home in the French Riviera, but it’s in the bathroom that takes centre stage. Designer Jean-Charles Tomas created a spa-like space by cloaking every surface in the striking stone, while the ‘LC7’ chair by Le Corbusier for Knoll completes the scheme.
A dramatic wall of marble defines this bathroom
This vast space proved to be roomy enough to accommodate not just a giant custom-made tub, but also a generous armchair that already belonged to the client. The dramatic Calacatta Viola Estremoz marble provides all the decoration needed, and a rare 19th-century wooden occasional table from Debenham Antiques adds warmth and character.
