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Halfway there!  For those just joining, I’m renovating my master bathroom as part of the One Room Challenge.  You can catch up on Week’s 1 and 2 here:

 

This is my Design Board {or vision} for the remodel:

Elegant master bathroom design board with freestanding tub and crystal chandelier. One Room Challenge makeover from Tidbits&Twine
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

 

But this is what the bathroom currently looks like…

ORC master bathroom renovation shower with pony wall

 

If you look closely, you’ll see that the tile is starting to go in.  Whoo hoo!

 

Choosing the Right Tile

One of my biggest decisions was choosing what marble I wanted.  This was a big decision because I’ve decided to use marble not only in the shower, but also for the entire bathroom floor and as you can imaging, that requires a lot of marble!

 

I ended up ordering a bunch of samples and bringing them home because I wanted to see how they looked in my bathroom and with my cabinet color.  You can also bring home sample boards if your store allows, but for me, it was easier to just buy a few square feet so that I could keep it with me.

 

Carrara Marble

Based on my inspirational images, I originally thought I wanted Carrara because I just wanted white and gray.

In reality, though, traditional Carrara isn’t really white.

Traditional Carrara is actually more a combination of light and dark gray, especially depending on which quarry the particular lot is coming from.  The less expensive Carrara tends to have a darker gray background, while the more expensive has a lighter gray background.

Here’s a look at Carrara marble:

Tidbits&Twine Carrara Marble Sample

 

Asian Statuary

Since I wasn’t sold on the idea of having a gray bathroom, I did some more research and learned about Asian Statuary {sometimes know as Oriental White}.  This stone is beautiful and has a true white background.  The veining that runs throughout tends to be a combination of gray, brown, and yellow.  For those of you familiar with Calcutta marble, Asian Statuary is somewhat similar, but much less expensive and without as much yellow/gold {again, depending on the quarry}.

Here’s a look at Asian Statuary:

Tidbits&Twine Asian Statuary Sample

 

Venato Carrara

Eventually, I came across Venato Carrara, an exclusive line from The Builder Depot.  They state that their Venato line has the whitest base of any Carrara, with subtle gray veining.  There are also some warmer tones in some of the veining, but not gold like in Asian Statuary.  I chatted online with their rep and then decided to purchase some sample pieces.

Here’s a look at Venato Carrara:

Tidbits&Twine Venato Cararara Sample from The Builder Depot

 

Comparison: Carrara, Asian Statuary, Venato

Here’s a look at all three stones side-by-side so that you can see the difference.  The regular Carrara has a gray background that varies greatly depending on where it comes from.  The Asian Statuary has a white background similar to the Venato Carrara, but darker veining and more color variation.  The Venato carrara is primarily just a white base with light gray veining, but I do know that there are some light gray pieces in the line as well.

Tidbits&Twine Marble Comparison Carrara, Asian Statuary, Venato

 

Ultimately, I decided to go with Venato Carrara from The Builder Depot because I wanted a white base with subtle veining and without a lot of color variation.  Once my decision was made, I decided to email The Builder Depot to see if they’d be willing to work with me.  They were so kind and responded right away and I’m thrilled to partner with them on my makeover!

 

My Tile Designs

I chose to use honed marble because it’s less reflective and with such a small pattern on the floor, I didn’t want the pattern to compete with the reflections cast from the window and skylight.  Honed also shows less water marks and soap residue, so that’s definitely a bonus for the shower area.

Here’s what it’s looking like this week!  Note that it isn’t finished or grouted yet, so it’ll look quite different once it is.

For the shower, I’ve chosen to do a 4×12 subway pattern:

 

For the bathroom floor, I’ve chosen a 2″ hexagon that will be bordered by the 4×12.

 

Next week, I’m so excited to share my bathtub selection and my faucets with you!  And as always, you can follow me on Facebook to see my shopping expeditions.

 

Week 1 – Week 2 – Week 3 – Week 4 – Week 5

 

 

 

 

 

As always, a big thank you to these amazing partners who are working with me on this makeover!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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9 Comments

  1. Jessi Musick says:

    I saw where you said that you had the countertops custom made. Do you recall the pattern/ brand you chose? That would be so helpful!

    1. User Avatar Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi Jessi!

      It’s Sereno Bianco from Vadara Quartz.

      :) Kim

  2. Ok, this is the best post of my lifetime!!! I could have just stopped at your mood board and I would have been happy. So informative about the marble. Thank you!!
    I’m redoing my tiny main bathroom, and I want this on a smaller scale. There is not one thing I don’t like about your mood board, I love it all. I cannot wait to see the final result!!

    1. User Avatar Tidbits&Twine says:

      Hi Tracey!

      I’m so glad you found this post helpful! I can’t wait to see the final result either. Lol! I redid my downstairs bathroom a few years ago and used marble in there as well and I haven’t had any issues with it. The style of the downstairs bathroom is a bit different because there isn’t space for a chandelier or big tub, etc., but it was still quite a transformation. If you haven’t had a chance to see that makeover, you might find some parts of it useful. Here’s a link: https://www.tidbitsandtwine.com/guest-bathroom-makeover-reveal/

      Thanks for taking the time to stop by and leave such a kind comment! :)Kim

      1. Kim, not only have I seen the other bathroom redo, but I printed that same photo on real live paper and it’s posted on my bulletin board (and it’s pinned on my Pinterest board). I forgot that bathroom was also yours. I love that bathroom!!
        It was in large part inspiration for my tiny bathroom that I put in my basement. I just didn’t have room to put in an antique vanity, as I only had 28 inches.
        So there you go…I guess I love what you do!!

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