Are you fascinated by the marble cladding in ancient palaces? Do it in your kitchen!
Previously, marble slabs were used to decorate palace halls. And in the 21st century, you can see marble in the interior of the kitchen in an ordinary city apartment. We will tell you why this material has remained fashionable for several centuries in a row and what designers make from it.
Pros of the material
The material has many advantages, among which it is easy to single out the main ones.
- Always at the peak of fashion. Palaces were decorated with marble hundreds of years ago. This material does not depend on fashion trends, it always looks relevant.
- It fits into any interior style: from classic to minimalism.
- Adds depth and dimension to the space. Shiny slabs of any shade will cope with this task. But for a small room, it is better to choose light ones so as not to make it look like a jewelry box.
- It has a unique pattern. Each slab is unique, so you will never get bored with cladding from them. Looking at it, you will always find some new details.
- There are imitations that compare favorably in cost and are not inferior in quality. Tiles and porcelain stoneware with a marble pattern are perhaps the most popular materials in decoration today.
Marble Kitchen Interior Design: Materials, Styles, Colors
The variety of colors and textures of marble is amazing. It can be white, black, or colored, and has a pronounced or barely noticeable pattern. And there are even more varieties of artificial materials that imitate natural ones. We will tell you how not to get confused when choosing what to combine different solutions with.
Natural or imitation: what to choose for the decoration of the kitchen?
For surface cladding, manufacturers offer slabs — thin slabs cut from natural marble. They are impregnated with special compounds to reduce the risk of stains. But natural stone is still a rather fragile, whimsical, capricious material.
- Strong blows and contact with hot pots can crack.
- Drops of coffee, tea, wine, and tomato paste should be removed immediately, even if there is a protective impregnation.
- Only special cleaning agents are allowed for cleaning.
- Surfaces should be polished regularly so that they do not lose their shine, rubbed with wax.
It is easier to use a skillful imitation of natural material for the decoration of the kitchen:
- cast marble;
- Porcelain tiles with matching patterns.
They repeat not only the color but also the texture of the slabs. But it’s much easier to wash them, and it’s harder to damage them.
In addition to stone or porcelain tile cladding, you can find wallpaper, frescoes, panels, and even self-adhesive film with the same pattern in hardware stores. But they don’t have the texture for which many people love this material.
White, Black or Color: Pros of Different Options
- The interior of the kitchen in white marble is already a classic. Light surfaces with a pronounced texture go well with many natural or artificial materials. White is known for its ability to expand a space and add light to it, so it is perfect even for a small dark kitchen.
- Black is more capricious and more demanding. A tiny room can make it too dark. And a spacious one will add depth and volume. To maintain the feeling of free space, use black marble in a small area as a noticeable accent, combined with light surfaces.
- Marble can be brown, greenish, reddish. Bright slabs are also used as accents. They like to make small elements for floor panels that imitate a carpet with a geometric pattern. Colored porcelain tiles with this pattern are used in small areas, such as a backsplash, for example.
What to combine marble elements with
Basically, with everything. But there are win-win options.
They always look good in the interior of a marble-effect kitchen:
- natural wood or its imitation – light or dark, with a pronounced texture or smooth;
- brass or other golden metal;
- White surfaces are smooth or textured.
If you have chosen colored tiles, choose your neighbors in Itten’s circle.
Styles that allow the use of marble
Natural stone or its skillful imitation can be used in a wide variety of interiors. But, again, there are recommended ones. And those where designers choose such a material more often.
- Classic. Marble columns and stacked floors are complemented by snow-white stucco, and furniture made of golden or chocolate wood.
- Neoclassical. It is characterized by a combination of snow-white surfaces with golden veins with golden metal décor. It makes the interior elegant and, at the same time airy, giving a sense of lightness.
- Eco-style. In it, stone coexists with natural wood, ceramics, and living plants.
- Modern style. Neutral light surfaces with a barely noticeable pattern, but a pronounced texture help to create a laconic, but not boring interior.
How to incorporate marble into the interior of the kitchen?
If you overdo it with glossy natural stone, an apartment or house will look like a museum hall, and not a place to live. To avoid this, designers use it moderately and in doses, on a neutral monochrome background. This approach helps the natural pattern of veins to open up, show all its beauty, while freeing it from the aura of pomposity and solemnity characteristic of luxurious palaces. We tell you which corners of the kitchen can be finished with this material so that it becomes stylish, but remains cozy.
Marble countertop for kitchen interior
One of the easiest ways to decorate a simple, minimalist kitchen is to make a marble countertop for it. Bizarre patterns on the surface will liven up the interior, make it not so monotonous. At the same time, the natural pattern does not create visual noise, does not speckle. Choose the color of the stone taking into account the design concept.
- Look for slabs with pronounced, wide veins if you want to draw attention to them.
- A snow-white surface with barely noticeable thin lines will appear simply white from a distance.
Many headset manufacturers offer natural marble countertops. But think carefully before you pay for it. It is expensive, and also very capricious in care. It does not like cleaning products, it easily absorbs dirt. Spilled coffee will leave ugly stains on the snow-white stone, which are difficult to remove. Countertops made of artificial injection molded material are more practical, while being as beautiful as those made of natural ones.
Island or Bar
Attracting attention not with the brightness of colors, but with the contrast of textures, as well as a detail that stands out from the main style concept, is one of the favorite techniques of modern designers. To replicate it, order a bar or an island with marble cladding for a white or light wood kitchen.
Stone can be used to make:
- countertop only;
- ends;
- all surfaces.
An installation with an unobtrusive natural pattern in the middle of the room is a decoration in itself, especially if other surfaces in the room are monochrome and laconic. Such an island will perfectly fit into a neoclassical, minimalistic, even Scandinavian interior.
Floor
Marble floors will make any room more elegant.
There are many cladding options:
- seamless laying, forming a beautiful stone “carpet” on the floor;
- installation of panels with elements of different colors, with veins of different tones and thicknesses;
- Installation of large square or rectangular slabs of porcelain stoneware with visible joints.
Designers are especially fond of using natural stone or marble-effect porcelain tiles in the interior of the kitchen-living room. Such flooring in the main room of the house looks no worse than expensive parquet. At the same time, porcelain stoneware with this pattern is a very durable, low-maintenance, unpretentious material – which is important for the cooking area. Choose it if you want to save on joining laminate or parquet flooring with ceramic tiles, while maintaining the feeling of a living room in the kitchen-living room, and not just a place where food is prepared.
Marble-effect backsplash in the kitchen interior
Don’t know how to decorate a laconic interior with the same kitchen set? Match them with a noticeable decorative apron.
For versatility, opt for a white or black cast marble solution.
- A snow-white apron with a gloss will reflect light beautifully. It will fit well even in the interior of a tiny kitchen with a laconic white set.
- Glossy black marble will add depth and volume to the room. Choose a solution with wide contrasting veins if you want to accentuate the apron.
The backsplash can repeat the color of the tabletop or be an independent element. White or black natural material will fit well into the room in any color scheme.
For the backsplash, you can order natural or artificial marble, as well as porcelain stoneware or tiles with a similar pattern. Imitation in such a problem area will be easier to maintain.
A cost-effective option is plastic panels or self-adhesive film. But they lack the elegance inherent in natural textures. And they may not be able to withstand high temperatures.
Walls: porcelain tiles or marble-effect wallpaper in the kitchen
It is possible to finish the walls from floor to ceiling with high-quality marble slabs. It is usually or an apron supplement. But sometimes porcelain stoneware is also used to decorate a wall in the table area, for example. It turns out elegant and practical.
An alternative is wallpaper or frescoes that repeat a bizarre natural pattern. Bright murals imitating colored marble or onyx are more often used to decorate an accent blank wall, for example, at the dining table. It is important to choose the right material. Cheap wallpaper will usually give the same cheapness to the interior. There are good examples in the photo.
Decor & Accessories
Marble is used to make tea and dining tables, elements of lamps. It is easy to find plates, cups, trays with a skillful imitation of natural material or made of it.
Marble accessories will help you appreciate how this stone will look in the interior of your kitchen. First, add a couple of decorative plates or a serving table to it, and then decide whether or not to order a marble countertop.
