For reasons both practical and aesthetic, natural stone has always been a preferred material in bathroom designs — it’s easy to clean and a resilient choice for those notoriously warm and wet environments.

But that durability doesn’t come at the expense of good looks. With an endless array of colors, sizes and surface textures to choose from, natural stone offers us a timeless connection to the earth as well as a flexible variety of options to suit both contemporary and traditional design styles. 

Natural Stone in Contemporary Bathroom Design

Contemporary bathrooms come in a range of stylistic iterations, from the luxe lavatory to the spa-like zen zone. Even with the occasional ornamental touch or punch of color, most are defined by their clean lines and updated finishes. Stones with straight edges and smooth, refined surface textures are typical, but more rustic stones can also add a bit of contrast to perfectly complement an otherwise modern bathroom design.

 Lucas Design / Photo: Aaron Leitz


Source: Elle Decor / Design: Augusta Hoffman


Design: Cortney Bishop


Source: Dezeen / Design: Jeffrey Dungan Architects


Design: Brant MacFarlain Design / Photo: Stephen Karlisch


Design: Electric Bowery / Photo: Laure Joliet


Design: Thomas Hamel / Photo: Matt Lowden


Source: Dezeen / Design: David Adjaye

Natural Stone in Traditional Bathroom Design

No less sumptuous than an in vogue en suite, traditional bathrooms lean towards a more classical kind of elegance. From farmhouse to French Provençal, they evoke a sense of comfort and warmth, with layered materials and an earthier palette. Stones with chiseled edges, rugged surfaces and high color variation are frequently featured, but contemporary stone can also blend seamlessly into a traditional bathroom design.

Design: Amber Interiors

Source: Dezeen / Design: Studio Schicketanz


Design: Gianetti Home


Source: Dwell / Design: Joan Lao Design

Design: Ohara Davies-Gaetano 

Photo: Jenna Peffley


Source: Houzz / Design: Snake River Interiors

Design: Atelier AM / Photo: François Halard

Natural stone is a pragmatic mainstay in bathroom design for a multitude of reasons, but its virtues extend far beyond utility. By bringing nature's bountiful offerings into our interiors we are able to both celebrate earth's gifts and express our own unique style. By turns sleekly sophisticated and warmly welcoming, natural stone is the versatile, hardworking material that helps us tell a story in our most intimate spaces.