How To Clean Natural Stone Shower

Knowing how to clean a natural stone shower the right way so as not to cause damage, staining or scratches is very important.

While stone is a hardy and durable material for use in and around your home, you will need to be mindful of the cleaners you use and the way in which you keep it spotless. Fortunately, it’s not actually too difficult and our step-by-step guide will break down everything you need to know about stone shower cleaning.

Cleaning Stone Showers 101

Before we get started, there are some ground rules you should know before you get stuck into cleaning your shower.

Know your stone

Natural stone comes in a variety of different materials including marble, granite, onyx, limestone and travertine. Not all stones are the same in terms of surface and cleaning. For example, marble is more porous than either granite or limestone.

Make sure you know what kind of stone shower you have so that you can choose the appropriate cleaning materials.

Regular Cleans

The best way to clean stone showers is to do so regularly. A quick wipe down and gentle clean more often is better than an overly thorough clean infrequently. Not only will this allow you to easily get ahead of any build-up of unwanted grime, but it will also ensure that your stone is less likely to be stained. If you let mould build up in your shower, you’ll find it difficult to clean while also taking the required soft touch to your precious stone.

No Harsh Chemicals

When it comes to bathroom stone cleaners, make sure to move away from harsh and acidic chemicals. While it may be tempting to apply some stronger cleaning solution to get rid of any scum or grime buildup, highly acidic cleaners can wear down your stone shower’s sealant, and cause discolouration or even staining and scratches. Use pH-neutral products only and, if possible, opt for stone-specific cleaners.

Microfibre Cloths

Similarly, we recommend using microfibre cloths to wipe down and clean your stone shower. Soft yet effective, microfibre won’t damage or make you beautiful stone. Abrasive sponges, steel wool or scourer-like cleaning utensils may damage your stone as well as remove dirt. So don’t use any of them. If you don’t have a microfibre cloth, any soft cleaning cloth will do.

Professional Resealing

Being relatively porous, natural stone showers require professional resealing every 3 to 5 years. (Though this depends on the type of stone your shower is made from.) Resealing keeps the stone protected from potential damage caused by water and moisture getting absorbed into the stone, as well as other dirt, grime and debris. Plus, it makes the stone surface far more resistant to stains and scratches.

How To Clean A Natural Stone Shower

Step 1 – Mix a cleaning solution

Ideally you would use a stone-specific cleaning product but if you do not have one available, a low, neutral pH cleaner will do.

Mix a few tablespoons of the cleaner with 2-3 cups of water into a spray bottle.

Step 2 – Dry the shower

It’s best to clean your natural stone shower when it is dry, as opposed to right after you’ve used it. Using a clean and soft microfibre cloth (or one similar in feel), gently wipe over any wet areas of the shower.

Step 3 – Spray the solution

Spray the stone tiles of your shower with this solution making sure that generous amounts of solution is being applied all over, especially where you notice a particular build up of dirt or grime.

Step 4 – Wipe

Using a soft cloth or brush, wipe away gently at places where there seems to be light staining, scum build up or mould. Be careful to wipe hard enough to actually remove and dislodge the dirt without scratching or damaging the stone tiles themselves.

Step 5 – Rinse

Using either a bucket or another clean spray bottle, rinse the shower with clean water. You can even use the shower head itself if it detaches from the wall.

Step 6 – Dry the shower…again

Once the shower is completely cleaned and rinsed, take another cloth and wipe down the surfaces until it is completely dry.

Step 7 – Polish

Polishing your stone is an easy yet effective way to keep it as beautiful as it can be and as gleaming as the day it was installed.

You don’t need to purchase fancy stone polishers either. Simply get baking soda and water and combine about 45 grams of the former and a litre or so of the later.

Using a clean cloth, apply the polish mixture to your shower as evenly as possible. Leave the polish to dry for a few hours before using a microfibre cloth and warm water to rinse it off.

Antibacterial Products

There are a number of natural stone-friendly anti-bacterial products on the market that are safe to use. As long as the cleaner is not ammonia-based, highly acidic or containing harsh chemicals, it should be okay to use in your stone shower.

Of course, you’ll want to ensure that your stone tiles are as well taken care of as possible so if you’re not sure what sort of products to use to clean your shower, make sure to contact us here at Euro Marble.

Euro Marble – For all your stone-related needs

With over 30 years of industry knowledge providing professional advice and experience working with over 150 variations of stone, our team is made of leading experts who are more than ready to help you.

If you would like more guidance on how to clean a natural stone shower or want to double check that the bathroom cleaner you have won’t leave a mark, feel free to contact us today. We’re here to help.

What Are Pros & Cons of Travertine Flooring

Travertine is a stunning natural stone that has been used in construction since the time of the ancient Romans. While always popular, travertine flooring in particular is enjoying a resurgence nowadays across a variety of different applications.

If you’re considering using travertine stone for your flooring, it’s worth familiarising yourself with the pros and cons of travertine tiles.

What is Travertine?

Travertine is a type of natural stone most commonly found in Italy, Iran, Turkey, Mexico and Peru. Formed from the mineral deposits at the bottom of water beds, travertine is actually a preliminary form of limestone. Similarly it is made from the collected and compressed shells and debris of dead aquatic creatures. All of this gives travertine a dense, fibrous texture with beautiful earthy tones and deep, intricate detail.

Travertine Flooring Pros and Cons

The Pros of Travertine

Strength

Travertine, like other naturally occurring stones, is very hardy. Difficult to chip or break, travertine floor tiles can stand up well to the inevitable foot traffic your home’s floors are bound to sustain.

Durability

With some simple and affordable maintenance, you can keep your travertine flooring looking as beautiful as the day it was laid for many years into the future. That’s why this particular material is a strong long term investment option.

Suitable for the Elements

Travertine makes for a strong choice of flooring outdoors as it’s quite hardy against a variety of environmental elements including rain, heat, sun and moisture.

Timeless

It’s not just the quality of stone that will last with travertine flooring. The neutral, earthy aesthetic means the style won’t date regardless of whether you incorporate it in a modern or traditional design.

Beauty

Just because travertine flooring is suitable for a variety of applications and home decor, doesn’t mean it’s not eye-poppingly stunning. This stone, with its rich shades and colouring, is absolutely beautiful and will bring any space to life. Thanks to the way the stone is formed, there is a naturally subtle yet visible texture to travertine whether you opt for grey, brown or beige coloured slabs.

Easy to Repair/Replace

While hardy, no stone is completely indestructible. Fortunately, travertine isn’t difficult to source or overly expensive to replace. If you need to repair some damage or replace a slab or tile, you won’t find it too difficult to do.

Non-slip

When it comes to travertine flooring, it’s natural non-slip surface makes it excellent for use anywhere in or around the home. Kitchen floors, bathroom tiles or pool coping and surrounds, travertine works a treat for them all.

Environmentally friendly

Compared to other materials commonly used for home flooring, travertine offers a surprisingly green alternative. Without much in the way of processing or manufacturing, this stone is simply quarried and couriered to help beautify your home.

Affordable

Natural stone, travertine included, is not the cheapest building material to use. Nonetheless, as far as rich stone goes travertine floor tiling is quite affordable. You can enjoy all the elegance and sophistication of stone flooring without the hefty price of marble or granite.

Home Value

When it comes to selling your home, or simply adding value to it in the marketplace, travertine flooring can do wonders. Not only will it make a distinct impression on future buyers, it can also add tangible dollar value to your house.

Versatile

A travertine floor is highly versatile. Thanks to the easy nature of cutting travertine tiles and pavers, you can create just about any pattern across your floor and even fit odd-shaped rooms and spaces with travertine as well.

The Cons of Travertine

Resealing

Travertine is a relatively porous material as far as natural stone goes. That doesn’t mean that it’s unsuitable for us as flooring in your home, even in areas prone to exposure to water like bathrooms and kitchens. But you will need to ensure your travertine floors are properly sealed by professionals. Every few years, it’s important to get them resealed as well to ensure that moisture doesn’t get caught in the tiles and cause long-term damage.

Damage from Cold

While not particularly relevant for the majority of Australian fans of travertine, this beautiful stone can be damaged in extremely cold conditions if not properly sealed. When water or moisture gets caught in the stone and then freezes and expands it could cause cracks and breakages.

Sensitive to Chemicals

Using acidic cleaning chemicals can cause damage and staining to your gorgeous travertine flooring. But don’t worry! It’s not impossible to keep your travertine gleaming and it doesn’t require superhuman effort. Simply mix a mild detergent with warm water and give your flooring regular attention and it will be beautiful for many, many years.

We’d also highly recommend you avoid abrasive sponges or other wiping implements as travertine can be scratched or damaged when you use overly rough cleaning tools.

Expense

Travertine flooring is by no means expensive compared to other alternatives out there but if the cost is your one and only criteria, no natural stone is going to top the list for cheap options. Travertine pavers do come with a price tag but you always need to bear in mind the longevity and long-term return on investment.

Holes

The fibrous and textured surface of travertine does come with a relative cost. The holes can catch dirt and make the stone susceptible to signs of general wear and tear, especially in a floor. However, remember that with regular, professional resealing you can minimise potential damage to negligible amounts.

High Traffic Areas

Travertine is a very hard and durable stone but it is not the strongest in its category. While it will more than measure up to use for flooring, some people do advise avoiding travertine in areas of extremely high traffic such as entrance halls. If you’re concerned about whether travertine flooring is suitable for your intended application, make sure to give the Euro Marble team a call.

Contact us to see your new travertine flooring

Whether you are already sold on the idea of a travertine floor or want to discuss some of the listed pros and cons, we’re here to help.

Euro Marble is the premier provider of natural stone and is both enthusiastic and experienced when it comes to infusing the beauty of travertine in your home. So, give us a call on (02) 8585 2999 or come into our showroom today!

Dark Marble Countertop Ideas

Marble is one of the most beautiful of natural stones. This stunning material has been used for construction purposes for many years and continues to be popular in use as flooring, benchtops, fireplaces, staircases, vanities and more.

Dark marble countertops are one of the many amazing uses of this natural stone. While marble might be well known for its signature white-and-grey veiny patterns, there’s a whole world of wide-ranging coloured marble, including dark colours and shades.

If the thought of black countertops made from marble intrigues you but you’re not too sure where to start, we’ve curated a list of dark marble countertop ideas just for you.

Dark Marble Countertop Ideas

Colours

Black Fantasy

Black Fantasy is as striking as it is beautiful. Dark and moody with flecks of white and grey veining, using black fantasy in your kitchen countertop will bring something alluring, exotic and altogether unique to your home.

Ebony Black

If you want something that’s even darker, you won’t be able to go past the sleek blackness of Ebony Black Marble. With a gleaming, seamless surface, this beautiful stone emulates the starry night sky and brings the transcendent down into your kitchen.

Nero Fossile

Nero Fossile is an excellent choice for a dark marble countertop for the designer who wants their black marble cake and to eat it too. With a pitch-black colouring, the pattern of randomised shimmering fossils brings a sense of depth, vibrancy and sophistication to this magnificent stone.

Nuova Portoro

Black and gold is, in a word, classy. The Nuova Portoro Marble is proof of that. This intensely black marble is broken with a refined spread of golden shapes, veins and patterns. The result? An absolutely delicate and decadent balance of prestige, blackness and glamorous gold.

Nero Marquina

Nero Marquina is at once both classically marble visually and uniquely different. The dark black marble brings with it a gorgeous pattern of shimmering white marble in the form veins and thin clouding. Charming to the last, this sleek marble makes for excellent countertops and benchtops.

Style

Matte Finish

Black marble countertops can come in a number of different finishes, yet our recommendation has to be matte. Ground to smooth perfection, your flat benchtop will be shimmering and gleaming in a way that is designed to bring out the luxuriousness and depth of the marble’s colouring.

Golden Fittings and Appliances

Black and gold is a winning colour combination anywhere in the house but if you’re thinking of incorporating a dark marble countertop you can accentuate the choice by incorporating gold elsewhere in the kitchen. Gold fittings, such as door handles and drawer knobs and lights, do a wonderful job at tying the entire area together and highlighting the feature black marble.

Incorporate a Black Sink

Incorporating a sink into the slab of your kitchen countertop is nothing revolutionary. However, when you put a sink into a black marble countertop you’ll be blown away by the effect. For some, a solid surface of dark marble might seem like a lot. With the visual and literal depth of a kitchen to break up the surface of the marble you’ll see the entire area transform into life. Plus, now you have a beautiful matching dark sink!

Matching Backsplash

A black marble countertop is a statement and will be sure to draw the eyes of family, friends and visitors. Pairing your dark marble slab with an equally dark and matching backsplash can help to balance a space and add a bit of soothing symmetry to the room. There’s still plenty of variety in choice of how to incorporate the marble as your backsplash, but no matter what you choose the double-punch impact of a dark marble countertop and backsplash will be a jaw-dropping combination.

White Kitchen

If black and gold isn’t quite your style, black and white might just be the colour scheme for you. There are plenty of ways to incorporate a black and white style into your home. However, if you’re sold on the idea of a dark marble countertop–and why wouldn’t you be–you can ground the central feature piece with a minimalist and sleek white kitchen. There’s a lot to love about this choice: You get all the benefits of a white, bright and light kitchen and the stunning, luxurious aesthetic of dark marble.

Waterfall Style Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands are popular both for their look and for their functionality, and if you’re thinking of adding a black marble countertop to your kitchen island bench you’re seriously going to be taking things up a stylistic notch. Waterfall-style kitchen islands do a lot more than add to the fashionable nature of your kitchen. It also gives you plenty of opportunity to show off the investment you’ve made into the glorious dark marble. Make the most of your chosen marble by incorporating it into a waterfall-style kitchen island countertop.

Solid Slab Kitchen Island

A great alternative to the waterfall island style is a simple prism-shaped solid slab of stunning black marble. Elegant in its utter simplicity and beautiful in its unparalleled ability to showcase your chosen stone, the solid slab countertop island is particularly well suited to modern-style homes.

Let’s Find Your Perfect Marble Countertop Today!

Have we given you some great ideas? Are the mental wheels of your inner designer turning? Fantastic! We can’t wait to help you find the perfect dark marble for your countertop. Our friendly team of experts here at Euro Marble love nothing more than helping our customers find the perfect natural stone for their particular application. So give us a call today or come on in and visit us in our showroom.

Marble vs Granite Flooring – Pros and Cons

Marble vs granite flooring: which material should you opt for?

There’s no question that getting a natural stone floor in your home is the ultimate design choice offering both stunning beauty and industry-leading durability. Natural stone comes in a wide variety of different materials, from limestone and travertine to quartz and onyx.

However, in recent years there has been a resurgence in interest in marble and granite flooring. Both of these options bring many pros and are a good choice for incorporation in just your home’s flooring but also your walls, fireplaces, vanities, kitchen benchtops and more.

So, how do you know which type of flooring is right for you? Have a read of our handy guide below before making your decision and if you’re still not sure, our lovely staff members will be more than happy to answer any additional questions you might have.

Marble Flooring

What is Marble?

Marble might be the most well known type of natural stone. This metamorphic rock is composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most often dolomite or calcite, to form a single crystal. Over the course of many, many years and through a process involving intense pressure and heat, limestone transforms into the gorgeous stone we know of as marble.

Marble stone is iconic for its glamorous aesthetic, often underscored by distinctive veining or cloudy patterns. While there are many different colours of marble, the classic white or off-white with grey veins is perhaps the most famous.

Pros of Marble Flooring

Marble is, in a word, exceptional. There are few materials that you can incorporate in your home that will stun and drop the jaw as effectively as marble. This is of course understandable because the visual allure of the stone is what’s made it such a sought after construction material for centuries.

As mentioned, while marble is perhaps most well known for coming in white and light colouring, this wonderful stone is actually available in a range of colours. Moreover, marble slabs often contain a versatile pattern of shades, clouds and veining, so if you’re a fan of marble but a little concerned that your choice of colour is restricted, don’t worry!

Marble is very easy to maintain. This durable stone simply requires a bit of diligence to keep clean, it’s not the difficult substance that some people mistake it to be. With a glossy, smooth finish, a stretch of marble flooring will be sure to take your home to a whole new level.

Cons of Marble Flooring

Marble flooring does have a few drawbacks. For one, it’s a premium material so it comes with a premium price. When you’re using marble for a splashback, vanity or even a benchtop, this price can be more manageable because of the size of the application.

Your flooring is a different story.

The amount of marble required is significant so this will affect the bottom line.

While marble is absolutely great value for money, not everyone has the budget for this luxurious stone. Another con of marble is that it does require ongoing maintenance and twice-a-year resealing.

Part of what makes marble special as a natural stone also makes it more porous. This means it can be subject to more staining and damage than other stones. If you’re incorporating your marble flooring in a bathroom or kitchen this is one thing, but throughout the rest of your house–while something to consider–if you’re careful with your maintenance it certainly can be easily managed.

Granite Flooring

What is Granite?

Granite is the iconically grainy-looking natural rock. Made of igneous rock, it is composed of almost entirely quartz, plagioclase and alkali feldspar. Granite is formed from hot magma that slowly cools and solidifies in a long-term process deep underground.

Because it consists of numerous minerals and quartz crystals, it boasts a coarse-grained aesthetic which is both beautiful and intensely visually engaging.

Granite is a versatile material for use in both interior and exterior designers. While it makes for a practical and stylish floor, granite can also be used in benchtops, splashbacks, fireplaces, walls, and staircases.

Pros of Granite Flooring

There are many pros to choosing granite flooring. Firstly, it is a beautiful natural stone that comes in a wide range of colours and shades. It’s easy to find the perfect style to suit your home because there is simply so much choice available.

Additionally, if you’re looking for something with a bit of visual depth and sophistication, the coarse grainy aesthetic of granite is sure to cause you to fall madly in love.

On the practical side, granite is excellent as well. It is among the most highly durable of natural stones and is quite resistant to acidic liquid, protecting it from spills and other exposure to damaging chemicals. Granite requires very little by way of maintenance to keep it looking as beautiful and new as the day it was installed.

Cons of Granite Flooring

While far less porous than marble, granite flooring is made of a natural stone and for that reason does require some resealing every year or two. While the cleaning and maintenance requirements are not nearly as taxing when it comes to granite, there is some ongoing tender love and care that it will need.

The other con to granite, similar to marble, is that it too is a premium material which means it’s a more expensive option compared with cheaper flooring alternatives. Once more, for our money, it’s certainly a worthwhile investment both from an emotional point of view (there are few things more stunning) and a financial point of you (thanks to its long term durability and hardiness).

Getting your flooring from Euro Marble? The sky’s the limit!

The discussion around marble vs granite flooring is a tough one. Both are high quality, gorgeous natural stone materials that make for excellent floors in a home. While both have subtle pros and cons, at the end of the day it’s your choice.

Of course, just because it’s your choice doesn’t mean you’re on your own! Euro Marble is always here to help you with any questions or concerns you have relating to marble and/or granite flooring. Contact us today to find out more.

11 Modern Stone Fireplace Ideas You Are Going to Love

Fireplaces make for a lovely addition for many homes and offer a lot of versatility both in practicality in use and opportunity for internal décor and design. Modern stone fireplaces are becoming more and more popular in contemporary homes and yet there is still opportunity for you to make it your own.

There are many options when it comes to stone fireplaces, so whether you love entertaining around it, cozying up with the family in the warmth, or just lounging about, here are a variety of modern stone fireplace ideas you are going to love.

All White Fireplace

All white stone fireplaces are perfect for that modern, minimalist home. Whether you’re using snow-white marble or stone bricks painted white, keeping the surroundings of your fireplace plain and white is an effective way of infusing a light and bright feel to your entire home.

While white stone fireplaces can look magnificent coupled with a range of furniture and other interior design aesthetics, you can double down on the mesmerising effect with equally stunning white furniture.

The Floating Fireplace

This modern fireplace idea is best suited outside where you have the space to construct this luxurious design. Centered with a stonework base, the fire sits in the middle of the platform with the extending chimney descending from the pergola roof above. The floating centre fireplace design leaves plenty of room for family and friends to sit around and is as practical as it is stylish.

Polished White Marble with a Black Mantel

While this stoneplace idea reuses the concept of pure white marble from Idea #1, the inclusion of a black mantel works to bring out the overall effect and helps to ground the overly white and bright fireplace area. Black and white colour palettes are increasingly popular in modern and contemporary homes, making this idea even more suited.

Black Marble with Veins

If you like the idea of incorporating dark, moody colours into your fireplace, there are fewer materials that can make more of a visual impact than glossy black marble. With a variety of shades and veiny patterns available, you can customise the level of complexity in the aesthetic of your marble to suit your taste. Black veined marble is particularly impactful when incorporated in a full length, floor to ceiling fireplace.

Stacked Stone Fireplaces

Stacked stone fireplaces walk the line finely between modern and contemporary decor and a more traditional or almost rustic look. By keeping the stacked stones a light, blonde or cool toned shade you can benefit from the earthy, complex aesthetic whilst still keeping the overall effect minimalist and modern. Plus, the horizontally stacked stone slabs with cool shades contrasts stunningly with the vertically rising, warm glow of the fire.

Fireplace Frame

A fireplace frame gives you a lot of opportunity to customise and tailor the design of your space to your liking. Even if your fireplace is not made of stone, you can still benefit from using natural stone to huge effect in the form of a fireplace frame. A modern stone fireplace framed with a black marble or ivory-coloured marble will look stunning in just about any contemporary-styled home.

Grey Marble

Grey is a very popular colour for use in modern homes. With the lightness that is lost with black shades and a complexity and warmth that can be lost with white shades, grey marble can blend with a wide variety of interior design styles. A contemporary stone fireplace made from grey marble will seamlessly blend into a wide variety of lounge and living spaces.

Firewood Wall

Using stone on glass is a popular design choice for modern homes and there’s plenty of scope to do the same with your fireplace. A wall of firewood kept behind a pane of glass beside an exposed stone brick fireplace will look wonderful in most spaces. Of course, the stacked wood might not suit every home environment, but if you’re looking to incorporate a practical and stylish feature in your fireplace, this is certainly a winner.

Colour and Stone

Earthy-coloured stone, like limestone and travertine, looks fantastic next to coloured tiles like blue or dark red. This is an effective method for retaining the minimalist modern design aesthetic while still injecting a bit of vibrancy and colour around your fireplace.

Rough-cut Stone Walls

Large roughly-cut stones of different sizes and shapes making up the surrounding wall of your fireplace is a bold and visually beautiful arrangement that perfectly suits the modern home. There’s still plenty of scope to mix and match the colour and shading of the stones used and being roughly-cut, the sizes and shapes can be customised as well.

Double Stone Fireplaces

If you’re a big fan of natural stone–and you bet your bottom dollar we are–you’ll love incorporating a complementary stone mantel above and around the original stone of your fireplace. This laidback yet sophisticated look makes the most of the unique stone of your fireplace while decorating the mantel with luxurious, contemporary styled stone as well.

Find Out More

If you’d like to find out more about the practical and stylish benefits of incorporating stone fireplaces into your home, make sure to reach out to the team here at Euro Marble on (02) 8585 2999. We love helping our customers find the perfect modern stone fireplace to match their preferences, needs and home designs.

Stone Flooring Ideas For 2022

Looking for a way to freshen up your entire home for 2022? Or are you building your dream house and wondering what sort of stone flooring will best suit your design?

Natural stone is an excellent choice of material for use for your flooring for a wide range of reasons:

It’s stunning aesthetically.
It’s functional and hard wearing.
It never goes out of style.
It’s easy to maintain and keep clean.
It’s unique with no other identical slab anywhere else in the world.

So, what are the top stone flooring ideas for you to consider? We’ve curated a list to help inspire, excite and inform on all things stone flooring for indoor and outdoor use.

Rustic Limestone Tiles

Limestone is a popular natural stone material for use in both indoor and outdoor construction. Known for its earthy quality and natural-looking shades and tones, limestone is wonderful for use in homes with a rustic or country design style.

Limestone flooring perfectly complements exposed and rugged stonework on walls, cream or light coloured kitchen cabinetry and units, and homes that incorporate other natural (think wood) features and accessories.

White Marble Flooring

To say that white marble has come back into style implies that it was out of style. While that might not be strictly true, it is true that the elegant white marble stone with its distinct cloudy veins and milky shades is certainly a popular trend moving into 2022.

White marble not only looks sophisticated and beautiful but it also helps to brighten up a space. Using marble stone kitchen tiles or incorporating marble flooring in your bathroom will help make the entire space seem larger and more inviting. Plus, marble offers the added benefit of suiting traditional decor or modern, minimalist design styles as well.

Large Stone Tiles

If the minimalist aesthetic of clean white marble isn’t really for you, and you’re looking for something with more visual texture, a rippled stone flooring design might be the key. Large format stone tiles–we’re thinking limestone or travertine–cut long-ways can create an almost wood-like appearance.

This sort of aesthetic not only looks remarkable on its own, but when teamed up with wood and stone incorporated in the rest of your house, it looks like a real treat!

Flooring with a Rough Stone Finish

While there are certainly cleaning and maintenance aspects to rough finished stone flooring to consider, there is no doubt that there’s a unique rustic charm to a stone floor with a rough yet polished finish.

Rough stone gives the entire room a sense of earthiness and injects a huge amount of style into just about any space. Of course, this will mean that the floor is uneven, but done professionally and elegantly the aesthetic style sure makes it worth it.

Sleek Stone Tiling

If you’re looking to go to the other end of the stone flooring spectrum, then simple square or rectangular stone styles with a sleek and brushed finish is the way to go. With your choice of shade, pattern and stone material, there’s plenty of opportunity to still make this design your own.

Particularly useful for areas of the house that you want to seamlessly blend together, like a living area and dining space, or hallways and entrance hall, sleek stone tiling may be simple but its effect is nothing but extraordinary.

Mix and Match Stone Flooring

Another fantastic stone flooring idea is the incorporation of multiple different tones of marble, granite or another natural stone in a custom pattern. Instead of using just one colour or shade, you benefit from a real multi-dimensional visual aesthetic. Not all stone floors need to be arranged in large tiles or slabs. Mixing and matching different shades of stone in a neat pattern can be an excellent way for you to add depth to a space without the effect being overwhelming.

Herringbone Pattern

Herringbone stone tiling is back! Opting for a herringbone pattern for your stone flooring gives you the best of both worlds: the elegant simplicity of stone tiles with the sophisticated complexity of a geometric pattern.

There’s even a lot of opportunity to tailor your herringbone stone floor further. You can incorporate a blend of two different stone tiles to give a bit of a contrast (we recommend going dark and light) or you can even seamlessly blend your walls and floor by having the herringbone pattern seamlessly flow from the floor up the wall.

Black and White Checkered Stone Flooring

There’s something classic and enthralling about a black and white marble checkered stone floor. Whether you want to use it in the kitchen to match your white and black cabinetry and appliances, or in your bathroom where it will elevate the entire space with sophisticated style, this stone idea can go just about anywhere.

Marble stone itself comes in a wide variety of shades of black and white, each with a unique level of contrasting veining and flecks. This all makes for an opportunity to create a truly eye-popping flooring design.

Black Slab Indoor Flooring

Want something bold and full of character? If your home is all about rich luxury and moody style, an all black stone slab flooring can do wonders. Paired with brass or gold accessories and fixtures, dark granite or other stones can really bring your home to life.

Of course, you don’t have to go for single-shade black stone either. Many black stone slabs come with natural veining or a natural grainy quality that will help to diffuse the ‘oppressiveness’ of single shade black without losing the unique aesthetic quality.

Let’s Discuss More Stone Flooring Ideas Today!

There you have it, some of the hottest stone flooring trends for 2022. If you’re still unsure what sort of stone kitchen tiles you should choose for your home, or wondering what’s the most practical stone flooring for your indoor space, our team at Euro Marble can’t wait to help.

Get in contact with us today for all things natural stone and flooring!

How To Choose the Colour of Your Granite

When it comes to choosing a natural stone for use in your home there’s nothing quite like granite. Versatile, beautiful and hardy, the advantages of a granite floor, countertop or vanity are numerous!

Choosing the Right Granite

You would be forgiven for assuming, however, that choosing granite would be the end of your decision making. There are many different granite types, and many different colours, shades, patterns and hues.

But don’t worry! That’s a good thing. It gives you the opportunity to find the perfect type of granite stone to suit your preferences and your interior design style. Choosing the colour of your granite can be overwhelming, so we’ve put together the following guide to help you understand everything you need to know about granite.

Crystalline and Granular

One of the many reasons why granite is so popular, even compared with other natural stone materials, is because of its unique aesthetic. In addition to being one of the hardier and more durable of stones, granite also boasts an extra feature. Thanks to its granular make up, this stone has a crystalline look to it providing a level of attractive depth and complexity of pattern that you’re bound to fall in love with.

Thanks to the various minerals that can be found contained within it–such as feldspar, mica and quartz–granite not only comes in various colours and shades, but it can contain multiple colours within a single slab of stone.

What Colour is Granite?

While there are many, many different colours of granite available here at Euro Marble, we can break down the options into two main (though unofficial) categories.

Soft colours

If you’re looking for a granite stone in a colour that isn’t too bold or too out there, there are plenty of grey, pink, white and off-white options.

These shades are easy to match with existing interior design and particularly popular for sleek, minimalist or monochromatic styles. Of course, opting for a grey granite doesn’t mean you won’t still benefit from the complex crystalline pattern and depth of colour.

All granite colours are stunning, it’s just a matter of finding the right hue for you.

Bold Colours

Whether you’re using stone cladding on a feature wall or want a kitchen benchtop that really makes a statement, you might want to consider a bold granite colour.

There are three general categories of bold colours when it comes to this stone:

Once again, within each of those subcategories there’s a ton of variety in shade and pattern so it’s easy to find the perfect match for your home.

How To Choose the Colour of Your Granite

So, how do you choose the right colour of your granite? With so many options, it can be overwhelming simply looking at all the different colours online or in our showroom.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

Choose soft or bold

The first question to ask yourself is which category of granite colour you’re after. Do you want a soft coloured stone that will blend in and complement the surroundings or do you want a bold black, red or blue that will stand out and really make an impression on visitors and friends. There’s no right answer here, and for many people it will depend a lot on the colour scheme of the rest of the room and house.

Choose light or dark

Once you have narrowed down the category, it’s time to choose between light or dark shades. Don’t worry if you haven’t even chosen the actual colour yet, it can often be easier to cut your options in half by committing to a light colour or dark colour. Consider where in your house the granite is going to be applied and what sort of lighting there is. (More on that later.)

Consider other features

Your granite is not going to stand by itself. Whether you’re looking at a benchtop or fireplace, there are bound to be numerous other features in the room that will affect the look of your granite. Look at the colour and patterns of your flooring, walls, cabinetry, vanities, basins, benchtops and more. You’ll want to settle on a granite colour that will complement and work with these other features.

What’s your decor style?

Considering your style of decor is another way to help narrow down the options. If you’re going for a modern, minimalist or Scandinavian style, you’ll want to steer towards more monochromatic granite colours. If you’re aiming for a country or rustic theme with your design, warmer, richer and darker colours will complement the uses of wood and timber.

What lighting is available?

The level of lighting in your room is very important, especially when it comes to walls. Think about how much light the space gets, whether it’s natural lighting or not. If it’s well lit and the sun streams through the windows for most of the day, you can choose a darker blue or black hue to offset the brightness. If your room seems darker or stuffier than you’d like, a lighter grey, white, or pink will help increase the brightness.

What pattern are you after?

As mentioned above, granite is known for its high level of granular detail. This means there’s a wide variety of patterns and aesthetics. Knowing how ‘busy’ and ‘deep’ or ‘smooth’ and ‘simple’ you want your granite to be will help you narrow down both colours and slabs.

Timeless or trendy?

Similar to matching your interior decor, some home owners love trendy, out there design choices while others want to opt for something less bold yet more timeless. The benefit of granite is that there’s truly something for everyone. Whether you’re wanting a jaw-dropping red granite, or a safer, simpler grey granite, is all up to your personal preference.

Is it a feature in the room?

If you’re applying granite to your kitchen countertop, you might want to really highlight the stone by choosing a feature colour. If you’re using the stone for wall cladding, you may want something that blends in more and draws the eye less. Knowing how and where you’re using your granite will go a long way to helping you find the right colour.

Come on into our Showroom Today!

It doesn’t matter whether you know exactly what you’re after and want to see a sample in person or still have no idea. Just drop into our showroom today and our team will help you find the perfect granite colour to elevate your home. See you soon!