I shower surrounded by marble and I love it. There is something both peaceful and elegant when showering in marble enclosures. Natural stone triggers our body to relax, as does landscape pictures, and other symbols of nature. Marble also gives a sense of elegance that ceramic tile just doesn’t have. Marble Tiles, Bellmont Cabinets

Marble is relatively low priced (compared to granite) and polished marble tiles can be used on the walls of your shower. When having a marble tile shower enclosure installed, I request that my installer uses a very small grout line, just a hair. That way we see more of the natural material and less grout.

One extremely successful option that I recently explored is using entire slabs of marble on the walls of the shower and adjacent walls. With few to zero seams, you really will not ever have a ‘grout problem’ and the result is spectacular. Marble Slabs An easy way to go about this is to visit a ‘stone yard’ and look at marble slabs. There will be a wide variety of selections and with it, a wide variety of prices. But some of the most beautiful stones are the most ‘common’ ones and many of those are in the lower price section. Stone slabs come in different thicknesses. 3 cm is for counters, 2 cm can be used for counters OR shower walls. Some slab yards have 1 cm slabs that are specifically for walls. These are even lower priced because they are very thin.

A popular finish for stone is ‘leather’ (it comes in a variety of names). This finish is not polished, and it is not honed. It has a textured ‘hand’ which feels very ‘natural’ and ‘unproduced’ AND it is difficult to stain. Leather finished marble is perfect for a shower enclosure. It has the beauty of nature and the elegance that only marble brings to the table.

So, Who do you shower with? I shower with Marble!

The private Urban Spa is the most recent of trends in our community. Whether it is a reaction to the stress that we experience exponentially, or our desire to pamper ourselves, we are seeking relaxation opportunities for our lives. Many of us are creating private 'spas' in our homes to fulfill those needs. Remodeling a bathroom into your private urban spa is not necessarily more expensive than a normal bathroom remodel. You just need a few key items to ensure your relaxation. Here are some basics:

To create a peaceful, relaxing area you should a) select natural materials for the flooring, walls and counters b) allow the textures from the natural materials create pattern and interest c) select colors that are soothing (no fire engine reds) d) select fixtures that have simple lines (no ornateness)

Options for your home spa: a) heated towel warmer (this can double as the towel rack) b) steam shower (steam shower fixtures are available through Kohler) c) heated flooring d) music (sound system) e) tubs with heat, jets or bubbles f) large open showers with body sprays, rain shower heads and hand showers g) bench to lay down on both in the steam shower and outside the shower h) sauna i) foot massager j) foot baths (yes they exist! see MTI's foot bath) k) specialty shower enclosures l) aroma therapy & light therapy (available through most tub & shower manufacturers - see Kohler DTV electronic interface

As with any remodel, the key to success is planning. Call me and we can create your eternal relaxation spa! Chiao!