Marble

Real marble or marble look?

Real marble is a natural stone with veining that runs right through it. Our natural range is mostly mosaics, tumbled squares and subway tiles, which suit bathrooms, splashbacks and feature walls. It is softer than porcelain and reacts to acids, so it needs sealing and gentle cleaning. See the full range of natural stone.

Marble-look porcelain gives you the same veining in a tile that needs no sealing and resists etching and stains. It comes in big sizes such as 600 x 1200, 1200 x 1200 and 1200 x 2780 mm, so a bathroom or living floor can show long, unbroken veins. Look for Atlas Concorde Marvel T and Marvel Shine from Atlas Concorde, Porcelanosa Taranto Marfil, and good-value Builders Range Calacatta Vero, Multi Carrara and Oro Bianco.

Marble varieties

• Carrara: soft white to grey with fine feathery veins. The most versatile marble.
• Calacatta: brighter white with bolder, thicker veining for a statement.
• Botticino: warm cream and beige, beautiful tumbled for a classic look.
• Coloured marble: Viola and Rosso in deep reds and purples, Mint and Verde in greens, Nero in black, and Thassos in crisp white.

Patterns and shapes

Marble mosaics are where this collection gets creative. Choose from Herringbone Calacatta and Carrara, Basketweave Carrara with Nero, Thassos or Cinderella Grey dots, Fishscale Carrara, Castle, Art Deco and Alhambra Flower designs. See more in marble mosaic tiles, herringbone tiles and fish scale tiles. Calacatta pencil borders at 150 and 305 mm finish the edge of a niche or a tiled wall.

Where to use marble

• Bathroom floors: honed or tumbled marble mosaics give grip and follow shower falls.
• Splashbacks: a Carrara or Calacatta mosaic behind a stovetop, sealed well.
• Large floors: marble-look porcelain, or slab tiles for benchtops and full walls.

Warm Botticino and Viola look great with gold tapware, while Carrara suits chrome and matte black.