3 Reasons to Choose Marble for Your Fireplace

If you want a marble fireplace, you're in good company. Marble gives any hearth a sophisticated luster and suits a wide range of decorating styles. Here are three more reasons to choose marble for your home or business fireplaces.

1. Marble Is Durable

Marble is formed from limestone, which in turn is composed of ground-up seashells collected on the ocean floor. Marble is subjected to massive pressure and heat. These forces cause the marble to be a hard, durable material.

Marble has been used with fire since humans learned to work with the stone. Ornately carved marble mantels were used in ancient Roman, Greek, and Chinese fireplaces. Those fireplaces were often carved out of statuary marble - the same kind of stone used to make busts and statues.

Many of today's marble fireplace surrounds are crafted in similar designs as the classical shapes. Other modern-day fireplace surrounds are made of thinner marble tiles and sheets carefully installed over the thermal masses of the fireplaces.

When installed by a professional, a marble fireplace surround or mantel stands up to the heat and the years of use. As long as you wipe away dust from time to time, avoid acids or acidic cleaners, and polish (never wax) the marble occasionally, it retains its rich patina and bold color.

2. Marble Fits All Decor

Marble isn't just for the ancients. Throughout past fashion eras and interior- design fads, marble has been a favorite choice for fireplace design.

Marble was used in fireplace mantels and surrounds from the ancient Middle East to medieval Northern Europe to the newborn American colonies. Some of the home-design movements that incorporate marble into their fireplace designs include:

The use of marble doesn't stop there. In the mid-1950s, massive floor-to-ceiling fireplace surrounds were constructed of luscious white marble. The lines were boxy, simple, and graceful to let the marble itself shine. This period also saw retro classic designs in fireplace shapes to mimic a more regal time in the past.

Today, you can achieve a modern mid-century look with a corner or free-standing marble fireplace surround that offers fire on both sides. Enjoy the cozy flames in the living room while the kids do homework in the fire-warmed kitchen.

Free-standing marble fireplaces are also great choices for commercial spaces including hotel lobbies, fine-dining restaurants, and upscale nightclubs. If you have an office or study fireplace, a new marble mantel completely refreshes the space and your workday.

Don't be afraid to step outside the fire box when designing your new marble surround. Use marble tile in a herringbone pattern or super-huge marble tiles to give a contemporary edge to an urban- or industrial-style living space. In a transitional room, use a fireplace with simple lines and just a hint of a curve at the mantel's edges.

For a more regal fireplace, use marble columns and planters on either side of a carved marble mantel. To achieve a French country or rustic look, use marble accented with painted decorative tiles or with bold hammered metal accents.

3. Marble Comes in More Colors

Because marble is a hardened form of sedimentary soil, it has slight surface imperfections that make it unique. Each piece of marble is one-of-a-kind due to its natural formation. Different areas of the world produce common and rare color variations of marble.

White or black marble with contrasting streaks is widely used for fireplace mantels and surrounds. Deep green marble veined with gray, black, and white streaks is also used as an accent color on fireplaces.

Other colors you can choose (when available) include:

Marble comes in dozens of varieties with amazing color variations including rose and black, pearly pastels, and deep burgundy tones. Colorful marble works well as tile accent trim or a stunning mantelpiece.

Schedule your new marble fireplace installationby contacting Best Marble & Granite Company today. We have access to stone materials from around the world so you can create the cozy, charming, or elegant hearth of your dreams.