French Moderne Manor - Marble

If you ever go to France and take a stroll down the Champs Elysees visiting the little shops, patisseries, and cafes, you'll notice one common thread between them all...marble! While France doesn't always get the credit for harvesting marble, the French sure know how to use it. Whether it's applied on the floors, on the walls, or even used as counter tops, marble is a staple in French design. So, it should come as no surprise to see that our French Moderne Manor parade home is full of it! For starters, we're using marble in the fire surrounds for several of the fireplaces in the home. While this is a very traditional use of marble, the crisp straight lines give it a fresh and modern look that is also timeless. That second surround (hard to see here) has the most dramatic black veins running through it. Gorgeous!

This shower wall has to be one of the most amazing applications of marble I've ever seen. Look at how those veins match up...the sheer symmetry of it all! One of the reasons marble is so great is that it really serves a double purpose: as function and as art. When you find a piece of stone as incredible and unique as this one it deserves to be the center of attention.

Here we are using a light cloudy marble as counter tops. I get asked all the time if marble is a good choice for a counter top and the answer is "Yes!" There's a common misconception that marble is too "fancy" or "formal." Yes, it's beautiful, but it's definitely no pretentious. And remember how the French have been using it for thousands of years? Trust me...it's an excellent choice (as seen here).

Of course, you can't forget this amazing floor tile where we used a variety of marble to create a modern twist on a traditional French check floor. Stay tuned for more updates of our parade home and behind the scenes looks. Things are progressing nicely!