How to decorate with marble accents

The natural beauty of marble makes it a popular choice for decorating, whether in a living room, kitchen or bathroom.

The natural beauty of marble makes it a popular choice for decorating, whether in a living room, kitchen or bathroom. In its palest forms, it's super versatile, allowing you to decorate in pretty much any way you like, while highly veined versions will make a statement in themselves. Here, the traditional marble fireplace is a focal point in a room that has been painted in a modern teal colour. The bold shade creates a strong contrast so that both features - the fireplace and wall colour - appear to stand out equally. The pink sofa makes things even more interesting and reinforces the modern feel of the scheme.

1/8 Living room with marble fireplace and teal accent wall

blue living room with pink sofa and fire place

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tom Leighton)

Similar fireplace
Chesney's

Similar paint
Farrow & Ball

2/8 Bathroom with veined marble floor and wall

bathroom with veined marble floor and washbasin

(Image credit: Future PLC/James Merrell)

From a little to a lot - this bathroom is so striking with its marble floor and wall, which flow seamlessly in to each other. Each floor tile has been lined up to continue the flow of the marble veins so that it's almost impossible to spot where they join. A marble freestanding basin keeps the look uniform and ensures the marble wall can be seen, as it totally deserves to be.

Similar marble
Marble City

3/8 Hallway with chequerboard marble flooring

hallway with chequered tiles and stairs

(Image credit: Future PLC/Paul Raeside)

Chequerboard flooring isn't usually what comes to mind when you think of marble, but this hallway shows how versatile a material it is. You could create a similar look for a lot less using any black and white tiles, but marble has a textural feel, with its gorgeous veins and variations in colour, as illustrated here. Marble has also been used for the skirting board, and is mirrored by the pale grey carpet on the stairs.

Similar floor tiles
Topps Tiles

4/8 Bedroom with gold marble-effect wallpaper

bedroom with gold effect wallpaper and pillows

(Image credit: Future PLC/Emma Lee)

Okay, so this isn't technically marble, but marble's decorating significance is spreading far and wide, to the extent that many wallpapers and fabrics now replicate its attractive veins and patterns. The gold wallcovering here is a beautiful example and makes a stand-out feature in this bedroom. Piles of gold soft furnishings and a glistening chandelier add to the opulent feel, while the rug’s complementary pattern also has a look of marble about it.

Wallcovering
Zinc Textile

5/8 Kitchen with marble and lilac island

kitchen area with cabinets and worktop

(Image credit: Future PLC/David Parmiter)

Marble is a very classic look for a kitchen worktop - it looks great and is durable, so it's win win. Island units are always a focal point in a kitchen, but this one has other noteworthy features, too - namely the large, attractively veined, pale-marble worktop, undermounted sink and lilac-painted woodwork. Prefer another colour? Because this kitchen has been kept neutral elsewhere, pretty much any colour would work in place of the purple.

Similar marble worktop
Stone Collection

6/8 Bathroom with marble flooring and hexagonal green tiles

green hexagonal tiles and wallpaper with white table

(Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Bevan)

There is so much good stuff going on in this bathroom that it's hard to know where to start. Should we talk about the marble floor tiles, which aren't at all uniform, but make things more interesting by clashing with each other? Or the bold green hexagonal tiles? Or perhaps it's the hexagonal green and gold wallpaper that steals the show. And we haven't even touched upon the ornate table, cool sculpture and funky wall-hung lights...

Similar floor tiles
Fired Earth

7/8 Hallway with marble-effect wallpaper in two colours

hallway with marble effect wallpaper and blue floor

(Image credit: Future PLC/Paul Raeside)

These wallpapers accurately replicate the look of marble, both in terms of the veining and the colours. If you prefer the grey and white paper, you will have carte blanche to add other interesting colours, such as the blue floor here. If you're a fan of the pink version, stick to a more neutral palette to let the wallpaper stand out and avoid overdoing it.

Wallpaper
Ferm Living

8/8 Marble bathroom tray

bathroom marble tray with scents

(Image credit: Future PLC/Carolyn Barber)

If you're not looking to redecorate, why not try some pretty marble accessories, such as this lovely tray? It's an easy way to get the look without all the effort and the shops have cottoned on to the trend so there are lots of great marble buys out there, from clocks to soap dispensers. Marble is a pricey material so choosing small accent pieces is also an affordable way to benefit from its beauty.

Similar tray
Rockett St George