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birchpoints

Faux Marble Bathroom Tiles

BirchPoint
9 years ago

I am building in an area with limited shopping resources. I have access to high end designers and the big box stores. Yesterday I saw at Lowes an American Olean Mooreland Carrara Wall Tile that seemed to blend well with the real marble accent tiles they stock. I plan on having real carrara countertops, grey floor tile, a faux marble in the shower, and white cabinetry. Any opinions or feedback on this tile at Lowes?

Comments (35)

  • kjo_tx
    9 years ago

    Looks like a really good match to me! I haven't seen it in person or used it, so can't comment on that, but definitely prefer faux marble in wet areas for two reasons: price and ease of upkeep.

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    9 years ago

    That looks much nicer than the photo on Lowes' site. It's not available in our area, so it may be in limited distribution, which would explain why you're not getting much response here. But it looks great, and AO is certainly a reputable tile company, not like the "style selections" junk that Lowes also sells.

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    Everything looks great in the photo. However, I thought the conventional wisdom was not to use faux marble in the same area as real, particularly in the shower where you would have the large faux tiles adjacent to the trim.

  • raehelen
    9 years ago

    Looks good in this pic,

    I'll pass on a piece of advice I found here on these forums. See if you can get several sample pieces of the tile. (You may have to buy them, but Lowes will take them back). I did this with my first choice for a porcelain limestone lookalike. Thanks heavens that I did. Each tile was EXACTLY the same, not what you want when you are looking for a stone replica. I ended up buying a more expensive tile (which is much nicer in every way), and in 88 12 X 24 tiles, I only found 4 or 5 repeats, which were easily used by flipping the tiles, so as far as anyone can tell, each tile in my BR is unique, just like it would be with real stone.

    With marble, you would like as many different tiles as possible. I think the number to look for is the V, V4 means highly variable, which I think is what you want.

    Linelle, it's good to be conscious about having faux next to real, in my case, I have real limestone mosaic in the back of the shower niche, right next to my porcelain. I think because my porcelain is such a good quality 'fake', that no one would think twice about it, but especially since it's in my Master BR, no one but me will see it anyways.

    I think this works, 2 reals, 1 fake:

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    raehelen, excellent advice about getting more sample tiles and looking at the V factor. I think your juxtapositioning of real and fake passes the test! The mosaics are so different from your field tile that it's hard to compare them anyway.

    There's also something to be said for a private space. As I agonize and dither over hall bathroom floor tile choices, I have to keep putting things in perspective: It's not a place people hang out for extended periods of time (unless you happen to be very unfortunate). It's a bathroom floor.

  • motherof3sons
    9 years ago

    I am a non-conformist in the "real next to faux" group. Our counters and tub deck are honed marble, faux marble porcelain on the floor, and polished marble/onyx basket weave in the shower. I think it depends on the quality of the finish on both. Ours "fooled" an interior designer who typically works in high-end homes in the greater Chicago area.

  • kitandkaboodle
    9 years ago

    I have the same question. I just saw this tile at Lowes today and thought bingo I've found a shower tile to go with the carrara marble top white vanity I just purchased. Did you end up using the AO Mooreland Carrara tiles from Lowes for your shower? If so, are you happy with it? Could you share pictures? What did you use for the shower floor?

  • BirchPoint
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I did not end up using the Lowes tile but I used Anatolia Classic Marble Matte 12x24 @ $3.53/sq ft. I was able to use slab carrara within the faux field on a window sill that is in the shower and it blends seamlessly. I also think the carrara countertops blend well. However, I have since become aware that my contractor did not install the tiles correctly and they will have to be ripped out and reinstalled! I'd post a picture, but I can't figure out this new site!

  • kitandkaboodle
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the info. So disappointing to learn that your shower will have to be redone because the tiles weren't installed correctly. Ugh..... :(

  • PRO
    Creative Ceramic & Marble/ Bill Vincent
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    One suggestion I might make-- use a BLENDING grout-- something like Mapei's warm grey, or Laticrete's Silver Shadow.

  • BirchPoint
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Beautiful!

  • enduring
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ok Here are some pictures i posted Birchpoint. I could go to the "photo" button below the text box and link from my own files these two pictures. They are sideways because I took them with my phone in a portrait format and apparently I need to always take landscape format pictures with my phone so that the photos aren't sideways. lol

    oh, and now I am editing to see that the pictures actually posted right side up, great.

  • vkjnk
    8 years ago

    Hello enduring, could you please tell me what is the toilet in your pics? While I am looking for the porcelain tile for a shower to go with "white" carrara vanity counter top I saw this pics and toilet is another thing I need to choose. Thank you in advance.

  • enduring
    8 years ago

    That is a Toto Maris 2 piece toilet with a Novita advanced seat (bidet). The only Maris is now in the wall mounted model. This type isn't available. There is another Toto that is similar but don't recall the name.

  • loves2read
    8 years ago

    To the OP:

    What was problem with installed tile and did you get it remedies?

    Photos of the tile you chose over the Lowe's?

  • summertimei
    8 years ago

    enduring, what manufacturer did you use for your tile in the shower? Is it a matte finish or is it glossy?

  • enduring
    8 years ago

    So, John w. Post is gone, now green designs and olychicks. Did Houzz remove all three, or did each individual remove them?

  • PRO
    Mint tile Minneapolis
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Snoopy and I had a good debate the other day. Houzz deleted at least mine, I was happy to leave them up ..

  • PRO
    By Any Design Ltd.
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    "....So, John w. Post is gone, now green designs and olychicks. Did Houzz remove all three, or did each individual remove them?..." - enduring


    I'm looking at my post two up and it is still there. I was paying you and Bill a compliment Enduring for the skill used to install your two projects (in respect to the way you lined up the marble to look so life like). This is what I wrote - word for word....

    "...The other men above show some clever layout where these vein lines are factored in to what tile gets set where. Take the same tile and install them different and they can look cheap or just wrong. With the larger tile you will want to have a good 20% - 30% overage to Cherry Pick the tile....." - ME

    Not sure how this could upset you but if I did - sorry. Perhaps if you can not see my post then, someone else was upset that I complimented your work, or Bill's and flagged it.

  • Jeanette Vey
    8 years ago

    Lovely tile choices. I have similar choices as far as color but I chose a wall paint that is much too dark & I have a dark floor. What is your paint color,it looks much better than mine.

  • enduring
    8 years ago

    If you are interested in my paint color, I used BM Horizan, Aura Bath and Spa. It is a light blue gray with a very slight hint of green. It looks white in the picture. Good luck.

  • Jeanette Vey
    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for the quick response.I am looking for a light true gray with no undertones. Will try to post a pic. So disappointed in my floor tile & can only change paint!

  • enduring
    8 years ago

    What color is your floor?

  • loves2read
    8 years ago

    I would appreciate photos of installed tile the OP chose...

    Think they were posted and maybe removed

  • newranch
    8 years ago

    @enduring, would you share the mfr of the porcelain carrara tile in your shower? It looks great.

  • enduring
    8 years ago

    atlas concorde, marvel, calacatta extra. It is a very nice tile from Italy.

    There is a very slight warmth to the white background that isn't really visible. Looks great with my walnut in the bathroom.

  • summertimei
    8 years ago

    enduring - I ended up buying the same tile. Thought it would be a different one, but it turns out I saw (and ordered) the same one as you. It is really pretty and good quality.

  • newranch
    8 years ago

    @ BirchPoint, I was so sorry to read that your tiles were not properly installed. May I ask what went wrong? We have been cautioned by the owner of the tile store we are using that not all installers know how to install rectified tiles. I wondered if that was your issue? Thank you in advance.

  • BirchPoint
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Our contractor hired a carpenter to install our tile! He did no waterproofing behind the tile and his layout and grouting were terrible. I have a professional tiler redoing it all now!

  • newranch
    8 years ago

    @Birch Point, thanks for the prompt reply. Your story sounds like a nightmare, hope your contractor is making good on it for you, but it's still extra time and mess for you! I'm sure it will come out great this time!

  • Elena L
    7 years ago

    Hi enduring, I came across your post and love the tile in your shower! Do you know where I can purchase atlas concorde, marvel, calacatta extra tile? Which size did you use in your shower? Thanks!

  • enduring
    7 years ago

    Hi there. I used 12x24". I got my first look at these at a RBC showroom. I ordered them through Nebraska furniture Mart near me that carried some RBC tile lines. RBC only sells to the trades I believe. Nebraska Furniture Mart special order them for me from RBC. I DYI'd the tile job. If I had it to over again I would have used a larger grout space to hide my slightly uneven lipage.

  • Elena L
    7 years ago

    Thanks, it looks gorgeous! Was the tile - atlas concorde, marvel, calacatta extra? I am having a hard time finding it. I saw something similar at Lowes (American Olean Mooreland Carrara White), but they only have 9x12.

  • enduring
    7 years ago

    Yes that was my tile the Atlas Concorde.


    https://www.atlasconcorde.com/en/collections/marvel-floor-amp-wall/fondi/calacatta-extra/honedrettificato/

    Ask a tile show room to find it for you.