marble effect tile kitchen — *Casalgrande Padana’s Statuarietto Smart marble-effect tile in a kitchen.*

Sponsored Content: This post has kindly been sponsored by Casalgrande Padana. All words, thoughts and opinions are by Melanie Lissack.

Grand, opulent and luxurious, there’s no denying that marble within a home setting creates a sophisticated design scheme. Often featuring muted tones and intricate veining, marble has a timeless, classic elegance that can bring the wow factor to bathrooms, kitchens and flooring. Many homeowners instantly gravitate towards real marble slabs or tiles for shower enclosures, bathroom floors, kitchen splashbacks, and hallway flooring due to their aesthetic appeal, without being aware of the level of maintenance, care, and preparation required upon installation.

Real marble slabs and tiles are derived from metamorphic rock, an organic material that is quarried for decorative use. While this rock can be cut down, shaped and smoothed to use in the home, its natural composition means that it isn’t the most practical choice for wall and floor coverings as part of modern living. The rich colouring of cooking spices or the acidic nature of lemon will quickly stain real marble in a kitchen, as marble by its nature is highly porous. Even if you seal your marble regularly, this will only protect the stone to a certain extent, and any spills will require an immediate cleanup.

At the same time, real marble cannot take the harsh application of common bathroom, floor and kitchen cleaners with bacteria-eroding agents, as they are too harsh for the delicate nature of the stone. Marble also scratches and marks easily and isn’t an overly durable material, making it impossible to maintain if you have a busy and chaotic family lifestyle.

blue marble tile bathroom — *Alabastri Blue by Casalgrande Padana*

While some argue that the everyday discolouring of marble adds to the natural character and patina of the stone, if you don’t want to see splashes of red wine weeks later or have to be ultra careful when cleaning the shower tray, then I would avoid real marble at all costs! However, if you are in love with the look of marble (and who isn’t?), there is an alternative option that offers the genuine look and feel of natural marble wall and floor coverings, but without all the disadvantages!

High-quality marble-effect porcelain stoneware slabs and tiles are low-maintenance, easy to clean, do not require any sealing, are non-absorbent and do not stain or scratch easily. Once installed, they require no particular attention or care and can be exposed to abrasive household cleaners.

Luxury Italian tile manufacturers Casalgrande Padana are leaders in the field of porcelain stoneware slabs and tiles due to their technical ability to replicate all of the classic features of natural marble - gentle veining, iridescent colouring, polished or unpolished finishes - without any limitation. They offer a variety of marble-effect collections that can be used on multiple surface areas - from internal walls and floors, to exterior patios and facades. Available in a range of colours, sizes and finishes, these durable slabs and tiles are environmentally friendly as they are completely recyclable, being composed using only natural materials that are free from plastic particles.

black marble effect tile — *Marmoker’s Deep Dark provides a modern a dramatic statement in this textured kitchen.*

Compare & Contrast:

Authentic Marble Tiles & Slabs:

Constructed from natural marble stone
Require regular sealing to attempt to protect the surface area
Highly porous
Prone to scratches and surface damage
Cannot be exposed to acidic foods or abrasive cleaning agents that will erode the marble
Cannot be exposed to stain-inducing products, such as tea, red wine and spices
Prone to cracking

Casalgrande Padana Marble-Effect Collections:

Constructed entirely from natural materials, such as clay and organic minerals
Technical innovation allows for an authentic replication of the colours, veining and finish of the real stone
Requires no sealing and minimal upkeep, making them a low-maintenance option
Non-porous and water-repelling
Stain-resistant and can be cleaned easily with harsh cleaning products
Hard-wearing, durable, and not prone to marks, scratches or breaking
Recyclable

If this has convinced you that high-quality marble-effect slabs and tiles would be a superior option for your home renovation project, you might want to explore the following marble-effect tile collections by Casalgrande Padana:

Alabastri

One of Casalgrande Pandana's latest collections, Alabastri marble-effect tiles emulate the very beautiful vintage-style look of alabaster stone. Alabaster has often been used to create decorative objects like lamps and vases, as it has a cloudy, mother-of-pearl-like appearance that is very soft and delicate.

pink marble tile — *Alabastri Pink porcelain stoneware.*

What I love about the Alabastri collection is the opportunity to embrace colour (as well as the appearance of marble) within a home renovation project. The gleaming tones of Alabastri Pink would create the most exquisite bathroom if the large-scale tiles were used on the floor alongside the walls, as well as being installed within a shower enclosure, or used for bath panels. For smaller projects, Alabastri is also available as a number of decorative tiles, accommodating smaller splash backs, alcove decor, or the ability to create a fireplace surround.

As well as pink, Alabastri is also available in hues of black, blue, green, and white, with two finish options: polished or as a smooth variant with a soft, silky appearance. All colour and finish options are available in a wide range of sizes.

Marmoker

Marmoker is a contemporary collection of marble-effect tiles that are used to create cutting-edge design schemes. Featuring 26 designs, including popular Calacatta marble replications to striking and on-trend emerald green and deep red stone effects. This unique collection is available in ten size options with a choice of three finishes, allowing the creation of a luxurious and elegant space, regardless of its size.

dark marble tile masculine room — *Deep Dark from the Markmoker Collection by Casalgrande Padana.*

Onici

Casalgrande Padana's Onici collection takes inspiration from quartz stone - of which onyx is a variety - for a technical recreation of this natural material's timeless elegance. From the honey tones of Onice Arancio, the sediment lines of Onice Bianco, and the glassy patterns of Onice Quarzo, the iridescent colours of natural quartz have been transferred over to these porcelain stoneware tiles in order to create a warm, inviting, and visually interesting interior.

onyx wall floor tile — *Onice Grigio onyx effect.*

Marmosmart

If you are after a traditionally classic interpretation of marble, Casalgrande Padana’s Marmosmart collection embraces the soft and detailed veining that the stone is commonly known for, while keeping to a palette of off-whites, greys, browns and blacks.

marble effect tile calacatta — *Vagli Smart, part of the Marmosmart collection of marble-effect tiles.*

I particularly love Vagli Smart, a marble effect with a soft colouring and featuring a heavily detailed vein, allowing for the perfect balance of impact alongside elegance.

Marmora

If you love striking, thunderbolt veining within marble, then Marmora is the collection for you. Palombino and Nero Antico replicate the dramatic, thin veining found in sedimentary rocks worldwide that can be applied in a bathroom, kitchen, or as flooring, without any detriment to its appearance over time.

luxury marble bathroom — *Onice Perla tiles from Casalgrande Padana.*

Conclusion

Marble in its natural form is a wonderful, versatile material, but in a busy, modern world, what it adds via its appearance, it fails in terms of practicality. If you love the look of marble and want to use it in your home without compromise, it would be worth exploring high-quality, marble-effect porcelain stoneware slabs and tiles that offer a viable alternative to marble. Luxury Italian porcelain stoneware manufacturers Casalgrande Padana’s popular collections of both large-scale and decorative tiles offer the genuine look, finish and and feel of real marble, but their tiles (that are constructed entirely out of natural materials) are also hard-wearing, strong, do not stain or scratch easily and require a low level of maintenance in order for them to remain looking their best.

For more information on Casalgrande Padana’s porcelain stoneware collections and to locate a supplier, head on over to the Casalgrande Padana website.

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