While a brick-face fireplace is a classic choice that’s highly affordable, a marble tile fireplace provides a timeless, elevated look that can tie together or transform a room design.
Marble is one of the best materials for an attractive and high-quality fireplace surround. Because marble is stylish, durable, and can withstand high temperatures without damage, it is often used to update or modernize a fireplace surround. Marble can also be used to build an elegant and long-lasting fireplace hearth and mantle.
Marble slab or tiles can be used to build a strong, durable, and beautiful fireplace surround for a wood burning, gas, or electric fireplace. A custom marble slab fireplace can serve as a grand focal point for a great room or living room. However, this option is usually quite pricey.
Marble tiles are generally more affordable than marble slabs. Many designers and homeowners find that a marble tile fireplace can increase your home value and provides an excellent return on investment when selling your home. Available in a variety of sizes, colors, patterns, shapes, and finishes, marble tile is a versatile and high-quality material for contemporary fireplace designs. A marble tile fireplace can also be more easily repaired than a marble slab fireplace if localized damage such as a crack or chip occurs.
Fireplace Tiled in Mother of Pearl & White Marble Picket Tile. Photo Credit: @mylakedreamhome
Designing the Perfect Marble Tile Fireplace…It's All About Choices
One of the best parts of designing or redesigning a marble tile fireplace is choosing the exact shape and style of tile you’d like to use in your creation!
Fireplace Marble Tile Patterns
Popular tile patterns for marble tiled fireplaces include classic patterns such as hexagon, herringbone, arabesque lanterns, and penny rounds. Contemporary tile patterns such as picket tile and mini bricks are also popular. Luxury marble waterjet mosaic tiles can also be used to tile your fireplace and create a unique and unforgettable look.
Fireplace Marble Tile Colors & Types
Popular tile colors for a marble tile fireplace include white, black, and grey. Popular and high-end marble varieties for tile fireplaces include Carrara, Calacatta, Thassos, and Nero black marble.
Looking for a more unusual option? Calacatta Viola marble tile provides a romantic look with its creamy white base and veins of burgundy, plum, green, and gold. An Emperador dark brown marble fireplace offers a dramatic, sophisticated look that will complement traditional, rustic Mediterranean, and art deco style interior designs. And lovely Ming Green marble and soft taupe Wood Grain marble can be incorporated into a contemporary tiled fireplace design.
Fireplace Marble Tile Finishes
For a marble tile fireplace design, most homeowners and designers choose polished marble, due to its smooth, glossy surface that adds a luxurious and elegant touch to the fireplace area. Also popular: marble with a honed (or matte) finish, which offers a more subtle and understated look that’s ideal for contemporary fireplace designs. Brushed finish marble tile, which has a slightly more textured surface for a more rustic look, is another widely used type of marble fireplace tile.
For Your Inspiration…Marble Tile Fireplace Ideas & Examples
Marble Stacked Stone Fireplace
Beautiful marble split face stone or stacked stone provides a rustic yet cosmopolitan look that complements cottagecore or farmhouse style interior designs. Split-face marble brick is a popular choice for a fireplace surround and can also be used to tile a tall fireplace wall.
Painted Black Fireplace with White Marble Stacked Stone Fireplace Wall
Carrara Marble Tile Fireplace
A Carrara marble tile fireplace provides a classic, elegant look that never goes out of style. Carrara is a high-quality marble with a creamy, off-white base and delicate soft gray veining that’s prized for its sophisticated aesthetic.
Check out this example of a beautiful Carrara marble tile fireplace surround and hearth installed by WPD Tile & Marble in Virginia. This understated yet graceful design incorporates both Carrara marble subway tile and herringbone pattern tile.
Herringbone Marble Tile Fireplace
Herringbone is a classic tile pattern that is often paired with field tile to provide a clean, contemporary aesthetic. Marble herringbone mosaic tile is available in many different sizes and varieties including Calacatta, Carrara, and Wood Grain marble.
Wood Grain Light Oak Marble Herringbone Tile Fireplace
White Marble Tile Fireplace
White marble varieties like Danby and Thassos are prized for their bright white color and luxury look. However, while a sparkling white marble tile fireplace is undoubtedly gorgeous, it will require more cleaning than darker stones.
Marble Subway Tile Fireplace
A white or gray marble subway tile fireplace provides a crisp, clean look that’s both contemporary and timeless. Marble subway tile complements nearly any type of interior design scheme.
This fireplace design by Kira David Design illustrates how well a marble subway tile fireplace can tie together a room design. Popular grout colors for a marble subway tile fireplace include white, light gray, and black (which is typically paired with black marble subway tile).
Black Marble Tile Fireplace
A black marble fireplace makes a striking statement piece for your home.
Black Marble Fireplace with Herringbone Pattern Firebox
Subway tile or large format tile in Nero Marquina black marble with thin white veining is a popular choice for modern or contemporary fireplace surrounds. Black marble herringbone tile can also help dress up the firebox of a decommissioned fireplace (aka faux fireplace).
Hexagon Marble Tile Fireplace
You can never go wrong with a simple and tasteful marble hexagon tile fireplace surround! Check out this marble hexagon fireplace install by JKS Tile and Flooring in Nebraska.
Marble hexagon mosaic tile is available in a range of sizes including 1”, 2”, 3” hexagons.
Marble Mosaic Tile Fireplace
Some of our favorite marble tile fireplaces feature marble mosaic tiles in popular patterns such as elongated hexagons or arabesque lanterns.
Calacatta Gold Marble Mosaic Tile Fireplace in 3” Arabesque Lanterns
A mixed material mosaic that incorporates marble and other durable, heat resistant materials (such as mother of pearl) can also elevate your fireplace design:
Fireplace Tiled in Mother of Pearl & White Marble Picket Tile. Photo Credit: @mylakedreamhome
How to Add Marble Tile Around a Fireplace…And Other FAQ
Some key questions you may have about installing marble tile around a fireplace:
How do you tile a marble fireplace surround?
Adding marble tile around a fireplace is a simple way to enhance the overall look of your space. We always suggest working with a professional tile installer or fireplace installer to ensure your marble tile fireplace looks perfect and is installed properly.
However, for most DIYers installing marble tile around a standard fireplace is actually a fairly simple and straightforward job. Check out this guide from This Old House which details the process of installing a marble herringbone mosaic tile fireplace surround and marble subway tile fireplace hearth.
Is marble a good choice for a fireplace?
Yes, marble has excellent heat tolerance and is suitable for every part of a gas or wood burning fireplace, apart from the firebox (firebrick should always be used in the firebox of a working wood-burning fireplace as it can withstand extreme high temperatures). Marble slab or tile also makes a beautiful fireplace surround for a modern electric fireplace.
Marble is one of the best natural stones for creating a luxurious and artistic fireplace surround that is also easy to clean. When properly installed and maintained, marble will rarely crack, chip, or stain. Consider sealing a marble tile fireplace surround periodically for best results.
Will marble crack around a fireplace?
If marble is not properly sealed and then exposed to extreme heat and humidity, it can crack around a fireplace. Inadequate support can also create stress points on a marble surface that make it more prone to cracking over time. However, proper installation, sealing, and regular maintenance will help prevent the marble around your fireplace from cracking. That’s why we recommend working with an experienced tile installer to install marble tile around a fireplace. A skilled fireplace installer can also help you create a custom marble slab fireplace or marble tile fireplace.
While minor cracks, chips, or scratches in marble can be easily repaired, we recommend keeping some spare tile on hand in case a damaged tile ever needs to be completely replaced.
Ready to Create Your Own Marble Tile Fireplace?...Let Us Help!
If you have additional questions about incorporating marble tile into your fireplace design, or if you’d like assistance with selecting the best marble tile for your fireplace, contact TileBuys Customer Service at 575.742.8453 or contact@tilebuys.com
