Marble Bathrooms

La Dolce Vita

This traditional bathroom breaks the mold by adding campaign hardware to an espresso modern vanity. The wainscoting and marble mosaic floor tile go well with the home's paneled doors and brass doorknobs.  Below, I've broken down the pieces to make this bathroom:

Sea Shell Paint, benjaminmoore.com

Benjamin Moore Sea Shell is a favorite paint color of designer Lauren Leiss. She has proven over and over again that this is a classic color, but Benjamin Moore Ivory White could work also. The choice would depend on other paint colors in the home and the colors in the counter and mosaic floor tile.

Deco Moldings at host.web-print-design.com

Paneled wainscoting is very popular in bathrooms.  I personally installed my own in our bathroom remodel, and it has made our tiny bathroom feel luxurious (see here)! The style in this photo looks like either the wall panel or the raised panel.  You could get the same look using either, and the choice would probably come down to your carpenter and your budget.

White River Granite, stonecontact.com

Carrera marble is an obvious choice for the counter, but my most recent experience in a client's home is that it scratches waaaay too easily (keep the electrician's toolbox far far away from this delicate material!). If you can find granite in a color like "White River", "River", "White Galaxy", or "Bianco Romano" then the durability is worth the cost! Marble is less expensive than granite right now in many cases, so check on prices before you fall in love with a slab!

Berkshire 60" Espresso Vanity by Foremost

This 60" vanity in espresso will go beautifully with a marble bathroom counter and neutral mosaic tile.  60" is a little narrow with only the small square drawers in between the double sinks.  The vanity size all comes down to the shape of the bathroom space.  A locally made vanity will have better wood, better construction, and a finish that will be 100x more durable that this one by Foremost (think of the scratched edges that show up quickly in an inexpensive piece of furniture), but there is a huge cost difference. The hardware is not impressive, but that can be fixed!  The inset style of drawers really improves the look.

Campaign Hardware Drawer Pull, ansaldi.com

Kick up the hardware on this vanity with some brass-toned campaign hardware.  This large backplate will stand out against the espresso vanity.

Visual Comfort Thomas O'Brien Hulton 2 Light Sconce, amazon.com

This double sconce is so delicate and strong at the same time!  The natural shades will compliment the neutral wall color, and sconces at eye level are the best placed lighting in a bathroom for personal hygiene.  Have the bathroom wired for 3 sconces, on each side of the mirror.

Uttermost Renzo Vanity Mirror 32" high, amazon.com

Tall mirrors make a bathroom feel bigger and the ceiling more impressive.  Getting one mirror for each sink gives more of a furniture feel to the space, which I think is more classic than a big mirror glued to the entire wall space over the vanity.

Moen Vestige Widespread Brushed Nickel Faucet, amazon.com

Salt Lake plumbers prefer Moen products, and this Vestige widespread faucet keeps that traditional feel I was talking about with the paneled doors and wainscoting. Brushed nickel might be a little too grey in color, depending on the stone you choose for your counter.

Carrera White Basketweave Mosaic Tile with Black Dot, marbleonline.com

Great news with the tile--this black dot mosaic is a great idea for most bathrooms.  So traditional and classic.  Tile in a mosaic pattern goes great with traditional elements like wainscoting.  White marble bathrooms, in general, look better with a floor that has the contrast of this black dot basketweave design, which dates back to the Victorian era.  Thisoldhouse.com suggests getting unglazed porcelain rather than marble for a durable, long-lasting, and historically accurate look.  The article is really helpful here.

Almost all of these elements are historic/traditional, but with the pop of the modern vanity in an espresso finish, the drama of the room and surprise really makes the room!