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This covering is particularly popular in the interior design world, since it combines the natural beauty of marble with the greater sustainability and better technical characteristics of stoneware.
Marble-effect porcelain stoneware brings elegance and refinement into the locations where it’s used as a covering, together with a truly wide array of design potentials.
But what are the benefits of this material and how can we use it most effectively for creating unique, trendy interiors?
Since it’s so versatile, marble-effect porcelain stoneware can be used in a vast range of contexts and in many different ways. The different finishes available – glossy or matt – allow every space to be given an individual personality, and adapt to diverse styles and tastes.
These tiles are the perfect choice, and not just as a flooring: as a wall covering, they enable the creation of innovative, original interior design solutions.
In the kitchen, for example, they can be used as a backsplash to confer a touch of elegance, while in the bathroom they’re ideal for covering walls and creating a relaxing, sophisticated mood.
Marble-effect stoneware can also transform a living room with a sense of luxury and refinement.
The benefits of glossy marble-effect stoneware
The main benefits of marble-effect stoneware are those already mentioned for this material, which is extremely practical and high-tech.
In fact, stoneware has excellent resistance to abrasion and impacts, maintaining all its beauty over time. Stoneware tiles are extremely hygienic and guarantee a healthier environment, since the material doesn’t absorb mould or bacteria.
Another benefit is that it’s waterproof: marble-effect stoneware tiles are resistant to water and stains, making them perfect for damp or heavily used locations.
To sum up, this versatile material is ductile and durable, easy to care for and ideal even for the most demanding contexts (such as bathrooms and kitchens, or busy commercial premises).
However, when it comes to its strengths we mustn’t forget its appearance: the glossy finish reflects the light, creating reflections that amplify luminosity levels and make interiors seem larger and airier. This effect is particular popular in places like lounges or entrance halls where the aim is to create a stunning impression.
Thanks to the most innovative techniques, marble-effect stoneware accurately reproduces most of the colors and types of marble currently on the market: from the classic Calacatta or Statuario white marble to pink marble or black Emperador, and from Carrara effect through to green Verde Alpi.
At the same time, this material is lighter and easier to handle even in the largest sizes, so it can simplify installation procedures and speed up the times required to create the covering.
Glossy marble-effect porcelain stoneware in the kitchen and bathroom
The aesthetic associations of both glossy and matt marble simultaneously evoke the aesthetic rules of the classical style and simple, modern, minimalist design.
No longer merely used as a floor covering, large-size glossy marble-effect stoneware tiles can also be applied on walls, to render interiors more luminous and to beautify all surfaces with a look of contemporary elegance.
The kitchen and bathroom are two rooms where glossy marble-effect porcelain stoneware really comes into its own. Its resistance to damp and stains makes it ideal for these locations, where it’s fundamental to use a material that’s easy to clean and doesn’t deteriorate on frequent contact with water. In the kitchen, glossy stoneware can be used not only on the floor but also to create an elegant, practical backsplash, while in the bathroom it can transform the shower or walls and provide the basis for a modern, refined design scheme.
Matt marble-effect porcelain stoneware: a valid alternative?
Matt marble-effect porcelain stoneware is just as good an option for anyone seeking a more understated, natural solution: the main difference is in the finish itself. The glossy version has a shiny, reflective surface which gives the room a luxurious, sophisticated look, amplifying the light in the interior and providing an impression of spaciousness. It is a particularly good choice for anyone who wants an elegant, eye-catching floor that will dominate the design scheme.
In contrast, matt marble-effect stoneware has a more natural, unshowy finish, which evokes the authenticity of unpolished marble. This version is ideal for anyone in search of a more discreet, modern look, but still with all the typical refinement of marble.
Compared to the glossy version, matt stoneware is less vulnerable to scratches and footprints, making it particularly suitable for heavily used areas, or for homes where children and pets are in the family.
Matt stoneware also guarantees high resistance to stains and dust, so it’s perfect for locations such as entrance halls or corridors, where dirt tends to build up more easily. What’s more, thanks to its less slippery surface it’s an ideal choice for outdoor areas, where it guarantees greater safety.
Ideal applications and benefits of matt marble-effect porcelain stoneware
Like glossy marble-effect stoneware, the matt variant is also suitable for a wide variety of applications. It may be the ideal outdoor paving, thanks to its weather-resistance.
Opting for matt marble means choosing a solution that fits attractively into different interior design styles, both rustic and modern, with many opportunities for personalisation.
Marble-effect porcelain stoneware: comparing pros and cons
In both variants, glossy and matt, marble-effect porcelain stoneware is an excellent choice when designing locations: it provides all the functional properties of stoneware in an accurate reproduction of the natural material and its vein patterns. Marble-effect tiles precisely replicate the colors and shade variation of natural marble and offer the basis for an elegant, visually striking result.
Apart from its outstanding versatility, another of marble-effect stoneware’s strengths is its resistance to scratches, impacts, damp and stains, which makes it ideal for places like kitchens and bathrooms, where it’s important to have a material that maintains its beauty over time.
Although marble is intrinsically colder to the touch than other materials such as wood, with marble-effect porcelain stoneware this factor can become a significant benefit, also in view of its compatibility with under-floor heating systems.
Compared with other looks, such as wood, marble-effect stoneware has a more luxurious, sophisticated aesthetic. While the wood effect is ideal for creating a warm, inviting mood, the marble effect provides a touch of elegance and sophistication. In any case, the choice depends on the intended style: marble-effect porcelain stoneware fits well into many contexts and always adds a touch of class.
In the final analysis, this material provides an excellent blend of beauty and convenience, making it an ideal solution for anyone wishing to create refined yet practical interiors.
Factors to be borne in mind
In spite of their many benefits and infinite application potentials, it’s important to remember a number of factors to be borne in mind when deciding to use glossy marble-effect porcelain stoneware tiles in a project.
- Joints: regardless of stoneware tiles’ size or color, always opt for models with rectified edges so the joints are minimised and don’t interfere with the overall look.
- The type of furniture: since the images we associate with marble are those of particularly classy, luxurious interiors, the furniture and fittings must be chosen accordingly, so they don’t look out of place against the prestige of the floor covering.
- Cleaning: glossy marble-effect surfaces must be cleaned with suitable, non-aggressive products. In some cases, just warm water or steam can be used if there’s no stubborn dirt.
- Thermal insulation and soundproofing: marble-effect stoneware tiles do not have outstanding soundproofing and thermal insulation properties.
Leaving these considerations aside, it’s obvious that marble-effect porcelain stoneware is a really versatile solution, because of both the performance it offers and the aesthetic impact it can bestow on any location, whether residential or commercial.
With either glossy or matt finish, it offers a wide range of alternatives for giving personality to design schemes, combining the timeless beauty of marble with the practicality of a modern, easy-care material.
If you’re looking for a floor or wall covering with a blend of refinement, functionality and durability, marble-effect porcelain stoneware will definitely not disappoint you.
Check out Ragno’s Incanto, Mixed and Imperiale collections: explore a very wide variety of sizes – from the small mosaic effect up to the large 120×278 size – and color assortments which reproduce the main commercially available marbles.
Be inspired by the infinite design combinations to make all your interior design projects unique.