I Spotted This Incredible 'Sampler' Marble Floor Idea — It's Like a New Take on Checkerboard Floors That's So Full of Personality
'Sampler' floor tiling is the grown-up, and far more stylish, version of pick'n'mix for your bathroom flooring
The hardest part of any design project is having to commit to just one of anything — whether that be your wall color, your countertop material, or your bathroom stone — having to choose the one you'll be sticking with, and say goodbye to all those other gorgeous options brings its own mini heartbreak, every time. And while I haven't yet found a total fix for this problem, I think I've found at least a partial solution, and it comes in the form of a bathroom tile.
Starel Stone's Arabescato Mix Marble Window Mosaic Tiles, to be exact. You don't have to commit to just one stone; you get to enjoy them all — a patchwork mosaic of different marble finishes, each one as striking as the next; it's like the grown-up version of a pick'n'mix, and a far more stylish version, at that.
Whether used on your bathroom floors or as a kitchen backsplash, I can't get the image of this gorgeous cacophony of marble out of my mind, and I've found some equally delightful alternatives to shop, as well.
Styling these tiles is a breeze; they'll look perfect with any manner of materials and finishes.
At once strikingly contemporary, yet simultaneously reminiscent of traditional designs, these tiles would make for a timeless touch in a modern bathroom.
Borrowing from time-tested traditions, Starel Stone's Marion Lane explains that the design was "inspired by classic marble inlay and window motifs, reworked into a contemporary mosaic."
The simple pattern sees a warm, earthy color palette of marbles framed by a milky white marble outline, allowing each individual square to make an impact, while also ensuring the overall design feels balanced.
At the center are squares of Arabescato Viola, Amazon, and Calacatta Gold, all using offcuts of larger tiles, making them a more sustainable material choice for your bathroom design. This combination of stones, each with its own unique veining and colorway, invites a greater freedom in your design process, allowing you to experiment with different colors for a marble bathroom that's far from standard.
"It works beautifully in bathrooms, kitchens, and hallways and is slip-resistant, pairing particularly well with oak furniture and natural materials, while coordinating easily with other tiles or finishes," explains Marion.
The ultimate mix-and-match design, these gorgeous tiles use mixed marble offcuts to create a type of bathroom tile that isn't just strikingly beautiful, but is sustainable, too. Calacatta marble frames the varied Arabescato marble squares for a checkerboard tile with a twist.
Stylish Alternatives
If you prefer a simpler, neutral finish, these basketweave tiles bring plenty of interest and texture to a white bathroom. The monochromatic materials keep it neutral, while the woven effect makes it anything but boring.
For a more rustic effect, these lovely stone tiles have a rough, textured surface, ideal for a farmhouse bathroom-look, while the warm, terracotta tones keep it feeling thoroughly on-trend.
Otto Tiles never ceases to excite with its selection of tiles. The magic rectangle tile uses five of the best Italian marbles in a mix-and-match design that invites you to get creative with its configuration, creating your own, unique pattern for your bathroom flooring.
If you love the look of marble, but are put off by the material's sensitive nature, these porcelain tiles are the perfect option for you. The ultra-realistic tile finish maintains the luxurious appeal of marble, with the added benefit of porcelain's supreme durability.
Another super convincing marble-look porcelain tile, this New York-inspired design has an optical illusion-like quality to it, thanks to the tile shape's unique use of color and depth.
With the same concept as the original Starel Stone tile, this one uses a more colorful selection of stones, so it's great if you're looking for something with a slightly more playful look.
When bathroom floors can so often be rather bland, this lovely mosaic design shows us exactly how easy it is to bring a little bit of personality into your space — I'm hoping to see much more of mixing stones in interiors going forward.
