Nothing screams luxury more than marble. Known as one of the most opulent building materials, marble can really stand out in any space thanks to its gorgeous veining and colour variations. For thousands of years, marble has been the choice of material for monuments, temples, and construction projects.
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The stone has stood as a symbol of heritage, luxury, and exquisite taste for a very long time. It is also fascinating to note that some of the most famous structures in the world were built by the Ancient Greeks using exquisite white marble. The Parthenon in Athens, the Colosseum in Rome, the Taj Mahal in India, and even the White House are excellent examples.
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Even today, the use of marble is highly appreciated and valued. With the advancement of technology and quarries, we have access to a variety of marble cuts and finishes. From marble walls and floors to marble wall coverings, kitchen splashbacks, and accent wall panels, it adds a chic accent to any space.
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The glistening white stone has long been associated with ancient structures and architectural marvels, but it is now a fashionable addition to every modern home. With careful use and appropriate design, marble is a great investment that may increase the value of your home at a reasonable cost. To grasp a better understanding of how marble can be used in homes, LuxeBook spoke to Rupesh Shinde, Founder and Chief Curator, The Quarry.
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The Quarry has the best Italian marble that’s handpicked from 31 countries and 179 quarries across the world. Each slab is cut and polished by generations of Italian craftsmen to the world standard of 20mm thickness. Their expertise is in crafting bespoke luxury marble solutions for your interiors, based on your specific needs.
What are the best ways to incorporate marble in interior design?
Marble and natural stone offer architects, designers and homeowners many exciting solutions. Take, for example, exteriors, marble shields the outer surfaces of a building and comes in a breath-taking range of colours and finishes that add luxury, style and durability. While using natural stone in interiors can transform the design and aesthetics of the space, luxury marble, granite and rare Onyx bring individuality and sophistication to a home compared to factory-made tiles and sheets.
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In fact, natural stones even protect the home from external weather conditions and noise pollution. I strongly recommend you choose marble that is 100% natural, crafted by nature over centuries. And Mother Nature is a great artist! We curate marble from quarries that mine responsibly, giving the home it adorns a sense of exclusivity and refinement.
Are there any specific types of marble that can only be used in the home?
It depends on the area of application. Every stone has its own properties and technical specifications in terms of porosity, abrasion resistance, density, and how a natural stone is formed over the years. For example —is it a metamorphic rock or an igneous rock? It also depends on what parts of a particular quarry the marble has the block has been procured from. We propose a QSIA for all our clients –Site and Installation audit — and recommend the appropriate type of marble.
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Money and availability are considered only after functionality, aesthetics and longevity of use. Over the years, we have used technology to better capture and understand data on usage, preferences and colours that India loves and have been able to streamline our curation process to deliver better solutions.
What is the best type of cut or finish when using marble in the home space?
For years, only a polished finish has been conventionally offered and used. But today’s modern homes deserve more. The Quarry offers finishes like mirror, honed, lether, waterjet and more. However, avoid using lether finish on kitchen countertops as it can collect masala stains or spills that are common in Indian cooking.
What are some pros and cons of having marble flooring?
Pros: The pros of having marble flooring are that it is very low maintenance, and if maintained well it can stay for decades. If you get the right curation, marble exudes luxury and style.
Cons: There is a lot of cheaper inferior quality marble in the market, posing as the original. But sadly, they are imitations that do not last. It is what you can commonly see in almost every 5-7 star hotel lobby and even the wealthiest homes.
Can the climate have severe effects?
India compromises more than the weather affects the marble. Therefore, we insist on every slab being cut and polished in Italy using Alpine water by generations of Italian craftsmen. Our global inspectors insist on personally handpicking every slab and ensuring it is cut to the exacting global standards of 20mm thickness. Curators insist on auditing the site and recommending only the right marble for the right application. Ensuring minimum seepage in bathrooms or colour loss due to the wrong marble being placed in direct sunlight. Marble is beautiful and celebrated all over the world for centuries and will continue to be celebrated by the discerning.
Is marble flooring better than terrazzo or carpet?
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Absolutely! Marble is definitely better. It is more durable. Believe it or not, is very low on maintenance and more importantly it is 100% natural. Carpets are high maintenance, whereas terrazzo is an artificial alternative. It’s almost like comparing fine wine with a fizzy cola.
How important are the veins found in slabs?
Veins in natural stone are what make each piece of marble one-of-a-kind. These veins are a natural occurrence created by crystallized minerals depositing as water runs through the stone and evaporates. Because different types of minerals are left in the stone during this process, veining can come in all different colours and patterns.
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At The Quarry we even have a selection of natural stone with Jurassic and semi-precious deposits, they are just wow! When veins are book-matched, they create the most exclusive mirror-like patterns. Both rare and cannot be replicated.
The best marble to use as flooring in a home space?
That’s like asking a parent to pick their favourite child. It’s tough for me not to fall in love with all our curations. India and most parts of the world often choose Italian marble for its flooring because of its shine and luxurious feel. As a curator, I know that even in Italy stones like Statuario and Carrara come from various parts, but the most durable marble is Laas from North Italy.
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It is very difficult to pick one but The Quarry curated Laas Authentico is everyone’s favourite. For flooring, I would recommend The Quarry-curated Laas Authentico from Italy and Blue De Savoy from Brazil. At The Quarry, we are always on a journey of discovery, travelling to new quarries across the world and delivering them to the doorstep of our clients.
The most sought-after type of marble?
India has trends which evolve over time. Initially, there was a time when a lot of people preferred the colour beige, later greys were the colour of choice, and today the skew is towards whites.
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Since consumers or even professionals are not aware of the stone names, unless briefed correctly, they usually pick their marble through colours. So currently, I would say the most sought-after type of marble is white!
While marble adds opulence to every home, Shinde has shared some valuable insights to keep in mind when you step out to scout for that exquisite piece.
