Help me select a marble counter for my bathroom.

6 years ago

Hi everyone,
I have been lurking a reading all the old posted on bathroom remodeling. I need help selecting a marble counter for my bath.
We are taking out a huge jacuzzi tub and putting in a freestanding tub. Custom cabinets and Calacatta gold 6x12 on shower walls with hex on the floor. The bathroom floor will be 12x12 Calacatta gold set in a diamond pattern. The walls behind and to the side of the the tub will have 6x12 subway pattern tiles. The faucets are Delta trinsic in champagne bronze. I’m debating between the Brizo tub filler or the Delta trinsic tub filler.

Questions:
1. I am leaning toward a Calacatta borghini marble but the slabs I have found have some iron streaks. The guy at the marble yard said I could incorporate them into my counter but I feel like it would look like rust. Is this a characteristic of the Calacatta Borghini?
2. I’m trying to select a cabinet color. The marble slab will help me make the final decision but the third pic has swatches and I have an asterisk next to the top three. The cabinet maker recommends a dark grey but the rest of my house is Brazilian cherry floors so I’m trying to keep some warm colors in the bathroom. I am thinking Greige cabinets at this point.

3. The tiles have a huge variance in patterns. The fourth pic is a layout of two boxes of the 12x12 polished. These I’ll be cut into 6x12 for the subway patterns on shower and wainscoting wall by tub.

The floor tiles have so much variance in what’s present. I have opened up 4 boxes so far and some have veins that are lighter and then there are these thick streaks. It’s all pretty but I’m just wondering how it will all blend on the floor? Will I have to pick either or to use? There are also many pits, surface chips on the honed tiles. I have a separate post asking about that, if that is to be expected.

Featured Answer

PRO

Dragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Quality Calacatta is harder to obtain. You need to work with good suppliers for this. You can expect variation, as with any natural stone, but we are seeing, and perhaps due to the mining and availability right now, that there are strong variations. As for pits and chips, well that would not be acceptable. We are wrapping up a very long project and one of the baths is all Calacatta. The countertop will also be Calacatta (carefully selected from our trusted supplier and matched to the tile) but it isn't installed yet so no pictures. Here's some in progress photos. Note the third pic where we stacked the trims pieces in front of the field tile. The trims on the right were a good blend but the left was void of veining and not a good match. As a contractor with relationships and "buying power", we were able to shade all our tile in a dry lay out and return the unacceptable for replacements. You will always have SOME variance so you need to tolerate and expect this. But based on our experience we are able to discriminate between "expected" and unacceptable. It's a beautiful stone and dramatic statement if you can get it right. Good luck with your project.

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Comments (6)

Mamaof4
Original Author
6 years ago
I have having trouble posting all the pics. Will add a pic of the floor tiles. Also, how do I change the title? I should have stated help me with bathrooms design issues.
PRO
Focal Point Hardware
6 years ago
I like the first pic. the tile looks larger from the pic. I think it flows nicer and gives a grander look.
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Mamaof4
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks Dragonfly Tile.
Mine definitely has a lot of variance and many tiles are almost plain white. I went back to Bedrosians and they said they will give me replacements for chipped corners but not the pitting. She said that is normal and to be expected with marble.
My chair rails are mostly white as well. I guess for my next remodel I def need to hire a designer with some buying power.
Mrs Pete
6 years ago
I'd go with drawers instead of doors by the sinks. Actually, I'd go with one nice sink in the middle and allow for two stacks of drawers -- one on each side of the sink /one for each spouse.

I don't see any point in the small countertop in front of the storage area -- I'd make it into a closet instead. This would allow you to place a hamper in the lower half and have about three shelves above it. My linen closet is only 24" wide, but it holds an amazing amount.

Where will your shower towels hang?

Excuse me, I'm blind now. This is much too busy for my taste.

On a more practical note, will you have a window over the tub so you can see into the shower? If not, I would make the shower a "skimp area". Why? Because it won't be visible except when you're in the shower ... or on the toilet.
Mamaof4
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for your input Mrs. Pete.
That was the best drawing I had to show a representation of my space. My cabinets will be as attached below. I need 2 sinks bc often my kids are in our room brushing and I think a master bedroom deserves 2 sinks.
I have another cabinet not pictured here that will be a 27w and 22” deep for folded towels.

I was able to get the tiles with large pits exchanged. I also will exchange the polished tiles for honed tiles so I won’t have the issue of tiles not being cohesive. I plan to use the plainer tiles for the wainscoting wall on sides of tub. The shower will have the marble. It is in another room with a door.
I plan to have the tiling be done and then select my countertop to see how busy the space looks.
I choose the cabinet next to vanity to be offset instead of a straight linen bc I like the look better. The top part is 18” deep so I can put towels in there if I need.