Floor To Ceiling Marble Fireplace

Marble has become the go-to building material in today’s real estate industry.

In the days of old, it was used to adorn palaces, homes, government buildings, and even courtrooms.

It was fashioned into monuments like the Taj Mahal and cut into eye-pleasing, delectable sculptures to be enjoyed by the human race.

The shiny and glossy appearance of the rock was its selling point.

Only marble could give rooms, that elegant and classy finish that everyone so admired.

The rock has regained popularity in modern times.

More and more people opt to use marble to decorate their floors, kitchen counter tops, and bathroom walls. That elegant, refined, and crisp feel that only marble can give, is the desire of many homeowners.

Characteristics of marble

Marble is a hard rock. It is essentially limestone that has been exposed to extreme heat and pressure for prolonged periods.

The heat and pressure harden raw limestone into perfect marble.

The rock is mined deep from the ground. It is then cut and polished ready for use.

A lot of effort goes into the mining and polishing of marble, so be ready to pay a pretty penny for it.

This shiny rock comes in a variety of bright colors.

The color of marble is dependent upon the impurities found in the limestone from which it is made.

Marble that is a product of limestone that has few or no impurities will be white.

Marble formed from limestone with impurities such as clay or iron oxide can be grey, pink, black, or even blue.

This quality is an extreme advantage. Buyers have the opportunity to choose from a diverse color palette.

Marble is a very hard material. This is a quality that comes from the compact nature of its particles.

This trait of marble also makes it very useful as a building material.

The rock can withstand tonnes of pressure and can thus be chiseled and molded into shape without breaking apart.

Marble can be polished to give off a shiny, clear luster.

This glossy appearance of marble is what everyone looks for.

It makes any space feel elegant and luxurious. Marble, therefore, becomes very useful if one wishes to spruce up bathrooms, kitchens, or floor.

Marble comes in different types and colors. Some of the most famous types of marble are of the Calacatta marble, levadia black marble, Calacatta gold marble, and the silver beige marble.

The calacatta marble is the one of the most preferred and most expensive type of marble in the market.

It is extremely rare to find. This type of marble is white and has a dark veining pattern.

The levadia black marble is also loved by many. It has a pitch-black white veining and is quite useful in giving room a robust feel.

The calacatta gold marble and the silver beige marble are the most exquisite types of marble that exist.

The calacatta with its milky white appearance and gold veining, and the silver beige marble with its silver veining gives off the feel of class and luxury. Using such a type of marble gives a whole different experience to a room.

Advantages of using marble

Using marble to decorate a room, is the best choice anyone can make. Marble is shiny and glossy.

It thus gives a room a luxurious and elegant look. It allows a homeowner to show off their classy side.

The glossy surface is also very easy to clean. A quick wipe down and voila, the marble surface looks as good as new.

Since this metamorphic rock is smooth and glossy, it is not susceptible to staining from grease, dust, or soot.

Marble is also very acid-resistant. The makeup of marble is generally calcium carbonate.

This is a strong alkaline substance. It quickly reacts with acids reducing them to less corrosive substances.

It is therefore possible to clean marble surfaces with almost any available cleaning products. The surface will not be damaged regardless of the product used. 

Marble comes in a variety of colors ranging from blue to grey to white, pink, and sometimes even in weak shades of yellow.

It thus becomes possible to choose from this variety to satisfy one’s tastes.

Disadvantages of using marble

Marble does not come cheap. A lot of work goes into mining, polishing, and processing the mineral, and as such the prices of marble are not affordable to many.

If on a budget, it is possible to undercut these costs by decorating specific areas or sections of a room only.

Secondly, marble is a very porous substance.

This means that it quickly absorbs any water spilled onto it. If cleaned often, or used in areas where it comes to contact with a lot of water, the marble will break apart.

Because of this, the use of marble is not advised in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms.

It is however recommended in areas that lack immense people traffic.

Using marble to adorn fireplaces

Since decorating with marble may cost an arm and a leg, many homeowners will thus choose to decorate certain specific sections of their houses.

This practice still delivers that fancy luxurious finish with a fraction of the cost.

Further, having too much marble in one room, may end up making it look cold, and stark, an outlook you do not desire.

It is best to have just enough marble to give a room a modern elegant finish and not overdo it.

It is not surprising that in many homes, the most interesting area is the fireplace.

Hence it is the most obvious area to decorate with marble. There are many reasons why this is so.

The fireplace is a point of focus within a living room. Families light fires in the fireplace and gather to get warm during cold winter nights.

The mantelpiece above the fireplace acts as a family museum where family pictures and trophies are displayed.

Marble is not susceptible to soot. When used to adorn fireplaces, it does not discolor or stain.

It is easy to clean and it thus becomes possible to maintain that pristine look for a very long time.

Using marble to adorn fireplaces is therefore not only economical but also very smart.