Marble vs marble effect tiles

With the trend for using marble in our homes continuing to rise, we look at our show-stopping marble tile offerings, both real and our clever marble-effect equivalent, to showcase just how versatile they are as well as how easily they bring a luxe look to your interior.

Marvellous marble

As our name suggests, here at Mandarin Stone we have always been the connoisseurs of natural stone with marble being just one of our best-selling categories. Innately beautiful and undeniably timeless, marble tiles are an investment worth making. But as well as our real marble collection, we are proud to offer our customers an extensive range of clever marble-effect tiles too, both of which give an impressive and flawless finish to any renovation project.

Marble has historically been used through-out palatial homes and residences for hundreds of years, as well as for statues, sculptures and even construction. Think of the sprawling floors of palaces across Europe, the impressive statues of Italy (such as Michelangelo’s David) and those show-stopping bathrooms of London’s top hotels. And there’s a good reason for using marble in these settings too. Not only does it bring a luxury in terms of aesthetics, but it is exceptionally hard-wearing, long lasting, sustainable and yet easy to work with.

And while we’re not suggesting you use our tiles to create imposing male statues, you can easily recreate beautiful flooring and glamorous spa-like sanctuaries in your own home, as marble and marble effect, remain the ultimate expression of modern bathroom luxury.

The real deal

Our marble tile collection comprises a wealth of different styles, shades and sizes, from large-format slabs to smaller decorative mosaics, and more in between. Although an investment, it’s one you won’t regret with our head-turning marble tiles allowing you to create your dream bathroom, kitchen or hallway, that will last you a lifetime.
Technically speaking, marble is a dense natural limestone, ranging from pure white and beige, to blue, black, purple and green, and is usually interlaced with contrasting mineral veins, giving it its instantly recognised and sought after look.

Marble is often thought as being prone to staining or water damage. However, with the right application of our exceptionally high-quality sealant to act as protection, and by using the correct cleaning products to ensure longevity, you don’t need to worry that your walls or floors will be subject to damage.

Tactile texture

When it comes to using marble as a flooring in areas of your home that could become wet, such as your bathroom or entryway, we would always recommend opting for a honed or tumbled tile. These finishes provide a more textured surface that offers better grip while still maintaining the natural beauty of marble.

Here our super-chic Arabescato Gold Honed Marble tiles adorn the floor and one wall of this contemporary shower space, ensuring it not only looks amazing, but the honed finish also minimises the risk of slipping too. Using our glossy Hoxton Toffee Gloss Porcelain tiles on the back wall, creates an eye-catching contrast but doesn’t fight for attention against the tactile marble.

Another striking way to use our marble tiles is in a timeless chequerboard layout. Here our Rosso Di Scacchi Tumbled Marble tiles make an entranceway feel authentic, rich and sophisticated, with their antique, tumbled surface creating a warm welcome, as well as a slip-free walkway.

Finishing touches

If polished, light-reflecting marble is more the aesthetic you are after for your bathroom, then we can also deliver on this too. Here both our Troy Polished Marble and Calacatta Viola Polished Marble offer a timeless, sleek yet sophisticated flooring for your washroom and is a popular choice for indulgent ensuites.

And tiles for walls and floors aren’t the only marble offerings we can provide. To really elevate the finish of your bathroom, hallway or kitchen, we have a range of extra elements such as slim marble ‘pencils’ to use as trims, marble skirtings and cornices to take your space from elegant to exquisite, and cut-to-size marble slabs to create anything from bathroom vanities, to bath surrounds and kitchen worktops.

Finally, if you’re looking for a real statement piece to elevate your bathroom or cloakroom further, we also stock a selection of expertly crafted marble basins. Choose from our classic bowl-shaped designs, or a more striking conical pedestal basin, to really embrace the marble trend and create a show-stopping space.

Faking it

While our real marble is worth the investment, if you’re looking for an alternative that’s a bit more budget friendly and lower maintenance, then our marble-effect tile range could be the answer. We’ve harnessed the power of the latest digital technology to create marble effect porcelain tiles with an incredibly realistic finish. Some of these designs even mimic the tactile surface texture of this luxurious material, such as our Arena, Monaco & Amalfi Gold collections.

Porcelain tiles are incredibly dense and hard-wearing with almost no absorption, something that real marble does slightly falter in. They are also excellent at imitating the appearance of a range of materials, making them a real winner in bigger spaces, where the cost of buying large quantities of real marble tiles can quickly add up.
But just because our marble-effect offering can’t be credited as real marble, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deliver the same beautiful aesthetic, that to the untrained eye, would never know the difference.

Here our Basilica Carrara Gloss Porcelain tiles have been used on one wall of this chic bathroom, while on the other, our Basilica Carrara Matt Fluted Decor Marble Effect Porcelain tiles give a textured ‘ribbed’ contrast. Both in large format, this reduces the grout lines, producing a seamless, clean appearance and lets the marble-effect tiles create a refined and luxurious look.

And it’s because of their large format size that so many people choose marble effect porcelain. While it’s hard to secure real marble in a thin enough thickness to suitably use on walls, this is where marble effect excels. Ideal for walk-in showers, you also don’t need to seal marble effect, so it’s the obvious choice if you want that cocooning aesthetic, with minimal upkeep.

Another example of how closely our marble-effect tiles mimic that of its quarried twin, is this bathroom, featuring our Basilica Troy Matt Marble Effect Porcelain on the floor, with our fluted decor counterpart on the walls. With intricate veining and organic patterns, no one needs to know that it isn’t the real deal as the elegant finish will have any admirer totally duped.

Again, if you’re after a glossy look, we have a range of marble-effect tiles to give your surfaces a polished look too. Our Mimica Bianco Ravenna Gloss Marble Effect Porcelain tiles are available in an impressive large format size for a beautifully clean finish, suitable for both floors and walls.

For high-traffic areas such as kitchens and hallways, marble effect is again ideal. Its non-porous quality means it is almost completely stain resistant, so although real marble has been used for kitchen floors through-out history due its hard wearing durability, marble effect will give the same look and feel, but won’t need nearly as much maintenance.

So what do you think will work best for your next project- marble or marble-effect? With a large offering of both, you can be sure we’ll have everything you need to deliver your next show-stopping home renovation, and honestly, you can’t go wrong with either.

For more inspiration and ideas on how you can use marble or marble-effect tiles in your own home or space, browse our extensive tile range and view real-life My #mandarinstone projects. You can order online or at one of our tile showrooms around the UK. See our lookbook or contact us on +44 (0)1600 715444 to learn more.