Quartz and marble are highly multipurpose materials when combined with other textures. A good example of this is the work done by Janfri & Ranchal—a renowned Spanish architecture and interior design studio with lots of experience in using these materials.
Bathrooms
Janfri, director of interior design, creates projects combining quartz and marble in different ways depending on the room to be decorated. For example, he often uses deeply veined quartz in bathrooms alongside coloured glass to create a harmonious effect. ‘We take Calacatta and combine it with coloured glass doors so that the veins and transparent glass hues come together’, the designer explains.
This composition leads to gradation through lighting thanks to a cove ceiling concealing the LED strips that spotlight the vertical panels of the material. ‘As the transparent glass is coloured, the combination usually works exceptionally well. The LEDs in the ceiling have a warm temperature and really highlight the colour, providing an extraordinary hue’, he adds.
As a final flourish, the room can also have hardwood counters and taps in the same tone, combining the Calacatta design with aged brass that helps to underscore the simplicity of the design. ‘We can do all this with either quartz or marble. When we use marble, we like to open-end it so that the vein has a sense of continuity’.
Living Areas
This versatility in the bathroom can also run to the living area, where quartz and marble can act as unifying elements for a large amount of materials. ‘In this type of space, we have recently been using overlays. In turn, when we get a spectacular quartz or marble for the walls—the real protagonist of the room—then we try to also incorporate it into the furniture, for instance in tables combined with metal’, states Janfri.
Tables are not the only items that can incorporate the material—it also goes well with open-backed shelving. ‘The metal in the shelving, as well as brushed brass or nickel, work really well with a quartz or marble backdrop’, he underlines.
Kitchens
In a spirit of including all possible spaces, the designer offers some tricks to pair these two materials in kitchens. Here, he tries to use lighter examples, mixing worktops and backsplashes in the same material. ‘All this alongside metal flourishes and some wooden edges ensure that the material doesn’t come across as cold’.
Colour
The advice and possible combinations offered so far essentially represent a dialogue of texture between the different materials but, what about colour? How do colours combine? ‘We generally adapt to what our clients want and their personality in terms of chromatic mixes. As a general rule, we could say that men prefer more sober colours and women tend to opt for lighter tones. Singles incline more towards elegant hues and families with children ask for brighter tones more that do not show the dirt as much’, concludes Janfri, whilst adding a final insight into his work: ‘We are often asked for elements with deep veins and a brutalist design, which fits really well with what we tend to do’.
