Interior Design Trend 2011 – Marmara Marble

Marble Bathroom Floor Tiles

"Calacatta Zebrino" Marble

I have been seeing this stone for the past 4 years in many applications and in 2011 I am predicting its going to get a lot more attention. This stunning marble has a beautiful and contemporary look that allows you to play with the grain just as you would do with wood. I love seeing it in Herringbone applications or staggered on a wall. When you are laying out your tiles/slabs be sure to focus on how the grains are flowing. Book matched may be difficult but would give you a pristine linear look. I love to see the tiles more random, emphasizing the edge of each tile as it gives a wall or floor a lot of visual texture and pattern. I have seen this marble named a few different ways but I am pretty sure that the correct name is Marmara Marble. Some other pet names suppliers have given this Turkish marble are Calacatta Zebrino, Mink and Asher grey. You can find this Stone from most distributors and in Edmonton I get it from Julian Tile. Don’t just think of this stone for walls and floors though, it makes an excellent countertop, quarter turned mosaic tile, custom mosaic accent strips, threshold strips, table top, bar counter etc. I could even see this used fantastically for furniture, vases and carved sinks!

For whatever reason I had a hard time finding images of this stone. I am sure i have a few more in my database that I will stumble upon one day – and will add asap. Do you have any great install photos or reference images? I would love to see them and add them to my post. Dont be shy!

Do you think this stone will be a hit in 2011?

Marble floor tiles

Herringbone Marmara Marble Floor

This one is super stunning it almost looks like horn rather than marble and the grain is fantastic!

Ann Sacks Marble Tile

Ann Sacks Marmara Marble

Ann Sacks knows how to apply marble in various patterns to achieve a beautiful room in just one material. I love the combination of long slabs for the wall and thin tile herringbone for the floor.

Marble Vanity tops

"Mink" Marble vanity backsplash

This is a very classy example of mink marble without being overdone or too trendy.

Marmara marble wall and floor application

Six senses spa in Turkey

Luxury Spa

Six Senses Spa Turkey

The Six Senses Spa in Turkey has taken this stone to its full potential accentuating the lines and pattern you can create with this linear marble. They obviously had some great installers as well for such large wall slabs and book matched seams.

Maramara Marble vanity Top

Maramara Marble bathroom

Witt Hotel Istanbul Suite Washroom

Witt Hotel Istanbul Marble Washroom

Mink Marble slab

Marmara Marble countertop

This is a great example of how someone who may be afraid of such a bold material choice can still enjoy the product without being overwhelmed by it. Seeing a marble in slab format can really accentuate the details in a bathroom or even make the space look larger.

marble floor tile installation
Marmara Marble Install

Check out this amazing installation and a great example of how you can play with the natural line work of the stone.

Antica stone bathroom

Antica Tiles by Glen Peloso

They did a good job of lining up the seams on this job, tough thing to do with some installers. I think I would still recommend always offsetting or quarter turning the tiles to emphasize the grout lines.
Antica Tile and Stone Bathroom and Tub

Antica Tile and Stone Bathroom and Tub

This stone looks stunning with this dark grey wall color. Very in style and exciting!
Rottet Studio Architecture and Interior Design

Rottet Studio Paul Hastings Office

Lauren Rottet has officially become a design icon to me. Ever since I first visited her firms website Rottet Studio I have been captivated by the innovative, benchmark designs her company creates. The Paul Hastings series of offices her studio has completed are all stunning with their use of materials, textures and elegant features. Here are some amazing examples of her use of Marmara marble within an office interior.
Paul Hastings board room table

Rottet Studio marble board room table

Marble floor detail

Paul Hastings office floor detail

Rottet Studio marble office kitchen

Marble office kitchen

Some places I have spotted this stone or its tile knock off: Holt Renfrew Calgary and newly renovated RW&CO stores

White Bathroom Interior Design

modern white washroom

Clean white bathroom via Contemporist

White is a classic color that never goes out of style. The purity and cleanliness of the color aids well in creating a beautiful washroom that feels refreshing to spend time in for your daily routine. Be sure to use texture through the space for both acoustic and visual aesthetic reasons. Towels and drapes can add a soft a luxurious feel while metal and crystal accents add more sparkle and definition. Nothing will better finish off a stunning white bathroom than a beautiful bouquet of fresh cut flowers! Here are some white bathrooms I love to get you inspired for a new fresh look to one of your homes most used spaces!

Consider using white calacatta marble as the base for your bathroom as it is a very crisp and clean white with strong warm veins in a brown/warm grey tone. Add some feminine features like a vanity stool or ottoman, farm white terrycloth robe, crystal drawer knobs or door pulls and flowing feminine curves in your mosaic tile patter, mirror shape or light fixtures.

White Master Bath Interior

White master bathroom via Contemporist

small powder room design

Small white powder room via Zulte stone company

Boffi Italian bathroom design

Boffi Italian washroom via Boffi Spa

white mosaic spa

White marble mosaic bathtub via. Eva Designs

feminine washroom

Elegant white bathroom

residential spa and relaxation room

Residential white bathroom spa

traditional washroom design

Classic White bathroom

classic white marble bathroom

Traditional White bathroom

White master bath sinks

Custom Master Bathroom Vanity

Kids furniture, mats and indoor playgrounds

Adrenalina.it-italian kids furniture

Adrenalina Italian Play Furniture

I have been searching for a while now to find cool, fun and unique furniture for a childcare centre I am currently designing for infants, preschool, kindergarden to 13 year old development and care. Through my research I have found a couple of favorites outside of the basic Ikea kids section that I thought I should share. Please let me know if you know of any other great companies that have inspiring product and I will be sure to look into them and add them to my post. Thanks to all my twitter friends who helped me find some of these cool lines!

Adrenalina is an Italian furniture manufacturer who’s products are for big and little kids alike. These pieces are unique, colorful and entertaining and a GREAT way to add playfulness and character to a childs space. These fun shapes and bright colors are stimulating and original. I wonder if anyone in Canada sells this line?

fatboycanada.com bean bags

Fatboycanada.com bean bags

Fatboy furniture has evolved over the last few years. This high end Italian fabric bean bag company offers many variations of their original including an outdoor option in rain, stain and uv resistant coatings. They also have some cool partnerships with Marimekko and even a line of metallic finishes. The Junior sized bean bags (40″x55″) are $198CAN the full size original (55″x70″) $298CAN and the Marimekko (55″x70″) is $378.00CAN. In Edmonton you can purchase Fatboy products at Dwell Modern .

Feel More Human Eco Friendly children's furniture

Feelmorehuman.com Eco Friendly children's furniture

Feel More Human is a great company that supports a modern lifestyle.  The target of the products they carry is to have  a cleaner, healthier and less cluttered life. I commend them on their statement to have responsible business practices and I fully support both their mission and product. Amongst all of their home, gift and lifestyle products they have a great collection of well designed modern kid and baby products. Some of the lines they carry include: Spot on Square, Oeuf, Pixel Organics, notNeutral, OFFI and KLT Works

Wesco Childrens play mats and furniture

Wesco Childrens play mats and furniture

Wesco N.A. is an International children’s soft play manufacturer that creates developmental play products for childcare facilities, airports, museums, malls and anywhere else you need to keep a terrible 2 occupied and happy! These indoor playgrounds are great for any scale of space and can all easily be stored if they are for seasonal/occasional use.

Sitting Bull Bean Bag Chairs

sittingbullusa.com - bean bag chairs

Sitting Bull has some cool bean bags, pet bags and other fun lounge furniture. The products are made of a great washable,  durable fabric in fun and original designs. The latest collections patterns were designed by Michael Sieger a product designer at Sieger Design in Germany. The polyester beanbags cost $219US and are 71″ x 55″ x 12″

Ella and Elliot Canadian kids furniture store

ellaandelliot.com - Canadian Kids Furniture

Ella and Elliot is a Canadian supplier of fun juvenile kids furniture. Cribs, gliders and rockers, change tables, loungers, beds, storage, desks and miniature modern classics like the Barcelona chair, Diamond chair, Panton chair, Womb chair, Eames molded plastic rocker and Kartell Ghost chair all kiddie sized! The have some great eco-friendly lines particularly in cribs and dressers and a fantastic line of kids accessories.

Feel Good Designs Children's Play Furniture

feelgood-designs.com - Soft play spaces

Feel Good Designs is dedicated to development, learning and quality of play for young children through good design and eco friendly choices. Their products are the outcome of the children, spaces, relations research project and are made in Italy. These products are the result of ongoing collaboration between designers, architects and the world-renowned schools. They also provide custom services and interior design services for public space projects. The two main product lines are Play+Soft and Atelier 3. Here is a slideshow of their product offering.

more kids stuff:

Baltus Kids Childrens bedroom furniture in bright neon lacquer colors

Laura Bielecki Oil and Acrylic portraits

Laura Bielecki Paintings

Laura Bielecki 2000-2006 Oil and Acrylic Portraits

I don’t share my personal work on my blog often, so when I stumbled across my folder of old works today I had to take a peek and share it with everyone. It’s been over 3 years since I last painted. On New Years eve 2011 I was at my dearest friends home and noticed the paintings I had given her carefully hung on her walls for all to view and I smiled having forgotten them all together. Another great friend just a week ago said he has decided to take up sketching again and wants to bring his sketchbook to Italy with me on our big upcoming trip. It clicked this week how much I miss expressing myself by drawing and painting… why had that not been my resolution for the year! I have been so wrapped up around advancing my career that I have been forgetting to take care of the other great things in my life that make me happy. Thank you both for reminding me of my passions, you know who you are!

This brings me to one of my New Years Resolutions…. Taking an evening painting course again!