Most any kitchen or bathroom floor can be made more elegant and beautiful by using marble tile. While fashions and fads may come and in for home flooring, marble tile is a classic, and it can increase the beauty and value of any home. Available in a range of subtle earth tones, marble is appropriate for both formal and casual flooring in a bathroom or kitchen. In fact, nearly any space in your home can be made more elegant and dramatic by using marble tile.

These days there are dozens of different marble tile materials, including a full range of customized patterns, and natural colors ranging from soft yellow to warm beige. With so many different choices, it is important to shop around and decide on the exact style, color and material for your kitchen and bathroom. Of course, marble tile can be a major investment, so choosing a design is not something to take lightly. After all, once it is installed, you will have to live with your choice of tile for many years.

It is also important to remember that marble is a natural material, taken directly from the earth, so there will always be a certain level of variation in the veins and color of the tiles. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be concerned about. But because of marble's natural variance, it is important to inspect the tiles themselves, and not simply order your marble tile based on a picture.

Different marble looks will be appropriate for different rooms in your home. Countertops, for example, normally require a smoother marble tile with heavier surface glazing to resist stains. On the other hand, kitchen floor marble will need to be stronger, with thicker tiles to withstand the natural wear and tear of shoes, boots and high-heels over the years. For a bathroom floor, a smaller size marble tile will often give the room a "cute" and casual appearance, though smaller marble tile can be more time-consuming to maintain.

Size is one of the most important considerations when choosing kitchen and bathroom marble tile. As a rule of thumb, a kitchen or hallway should use larger marble tile squares, while the bathroom will often look more elegant and spacious using smaller tiles. It's also important to remember that larger marble tile squares will tend to give any room a more formal appearance. If you're planning a more casual design for a particular room, smaller tiles are usually a better choice.

But whether you choose large or small tiles, a formal or more casual design, your kitchen and bathroom marble tile will need regular maintenance in order to maintain their classic, elegant appearance. Even the most beautiful and expensive marble tile will begin looking a little dirty around the edges without regular maintenance.

To keep your marble tile clean and in showroom condition, normally all that is required is warm water. Store-bought cleaners or other chemicals are not necessary, and these can actually damage the natural grainy surface of marble tile and are not recommended.

When properly maintained, kitchen and bathroom marble tile will add an elegant glow to your home, and provide you with trouble-free flooring that you'll be proud of for years to