Stone hard to top for style and substance
For a recent residential project, interior designer David Hicks combined marble that was often used in Italy in the 1800s with large tiles of travertine on the floor.
"Stone is such a great surface as it can be sealed and wears very well. It is easy to clean and maintain if it is marble or granite, while sandstones need a little extra care."
Extending the stone beyond the floor to the walls can create a stunning space. For one penthouse bathroom, Hicks used marble slabs on the floors, walls, and joinery to create a clean, streamlined look. "The space looks like one big beautiful cube of seamless stone."
Sydney architect Hannah Tribe loves hard floors - concrete or stone - with underfloor heating. "We use solar water to run hydroponic heating, which is a beautiful heat that doesn't dry your skin. And in summer, concrete has a thermal mass [absorbs heat]."
And concrete flooring doesn't need to look cold and uninviting. For an apartment overlooking Bronte Beach, Tribe used a concrete slab with coloured pigment to give the floor a soft brown colour.
Concrete is clean and modern, says interior designer Aaron Wong. "I like the raw concrete look. Just polish gloss over it and it's easy to maintain. White-coloured concrete creates a minimalist feel, and it can really showcase furniture."
When architect Koichi Takada designed model Jennifer Hawkins' home, he used limestone flooring. "The white colour highlights the blue of the ocean. It looks absolutely stunning."
Bounce the light
Tiles are gaining ground, and with printing processes they can look like stone, says Takada. "Large-format tiles give a luxury look, and there's less grout. It looks impressive."
In designing One Central Park East, Takada used polished ceramic tiles on the floor.
"Coupled with the mirror vanity, joinery bounces the natural light throughout the bathroom. The reflections and the movement of light provide the small space with a sense of openness and perception of depth."
Cosy carpet
Carpet is useful for winter and there are some beautiful carpets around, but there is too much maintenance, says Wong. "I'd rather have a rug on timber floors." But the softness can feel luxurious. Takada likes an "amazing soft fluffy carpet" from Belgium.
He recommends carpet for the bedroom as walking on timber can be noisy, and stone is hard on feet.
Takada's philosophy is based on the way people live. "We get our inspiration from nature.
"We go to nature to find the texture and colour and bring that into our design."
LINKS
Koichi Takada Architects
www.koichitakada.com
(02) 9331 4868
David Hicks
www.davidhicks.com;
(03) 9826 3955
Tribe Studio Architects
www.tribestudio.com.au
(02) 9211 3211
Alexander Pollock
www.alexanderpollock.com
0414 269 571
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Designers in the article praise stone (marble, granite) because it can be sealed, wears well, and is easy to clean and maintain. Marble slabs can be used on floors, walls and joinery to create a seamless, high-end look — a feature many buyers and tenants find attractive.
Marble and granite are described as easy to clean and maintain once sealed. Sandstones, by contrast, need a little extra care. Proper sealing and routine cleaning are the main steps highlighted for keeping stone floors in good condition.
Yes. The article notes concrete is clean, modern and practical — it can be polished with a gloss finish for easy upkeep. Adding coloured pigment can soften the look (for example, a soft brown for a Bronte Beach apartment), and white concrete creates a minimalist backdrop that showcases furniture.
Architect Hannah Tribe favours hard floors with underfloor heating, using solar water to run hydroponic heating. She says this produces a gentle heat that doesn't dry your skin. Concrete also has thermal mass, which helps absorb heat in summer.
Yes. The article explains that modern printing processes let tiles look like stone. Large-format tiles give a luxury look with less grout, and polished ceramic tiles can bounce natural light to make small spaces feel more open — an approach used in One Central Park East.
Carpet is recommended for bedrooms for softness and quieter footsteps — Koichi Takada prefers a soft, fluffy Belgian carpet for comfort. However, carpet needs more maintenance, so some designers prefer a rug over timber floors to get warmth without full carpeting.
Designers suggest colouring and finishing tricks: use coloured pigment in the concrete slab to warm the tone (soft brown example) or polish with a gloss finish. White-coloured concrete can create a minimalist, furniture-showcasing backdrop while still feeling fresh and modern.
The article features commentary from interior designers and architects including David Hicks, Hannah Tribe (Tribe Studio Architects), Aaron Wong, and Koichi Takada. It also references projects such as a penthouse bathroom and Jennifer Hawkins' home to illustrate material choices.
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