Gray Marble Shower Suite
About This Project
This bathtub surround installation in a Downtown Long Beach high-rise condo combined large-format gray marble porcelain tiles on the main wall surfaces with a horizontal black and silver mosaic accent border at the midpoint. The design decision to use a mosaic border at that height creates a visual break that makes the tall walls of the surround feel more intentional and less monolithic, while the chrome-black color contrast adds definition without disrupting the overall cool-gray palette.
The waterproofing membrane was applied as a sheet membrane (KERDI) to all wall surfaces before any tile went up, with fabric tape embedded at all corners and transitions. The mosaic border required careful alignment — the border grout joints needed to align with the main field tile joints horizontally, which required pre-planning the layout so the border landed at a full-tile course height. We set the main field tiles from the tub deck upward, confirming the border position before committing to the full installation.
Project Details
| Service | Bathroom & Shower Tile |
|---|---|
| Area | Downtown Long Beach |
| Materials | Large-format gray marble porcelain, black/silver glass mosaic accent strip, KERDI waterproofing membrane, unsanded grout |
| Scope | Residential — bathtub surround with accent border |
| Timeline | Multi-day install |
What We Did
KERDI sheet membrane applied to all wall surfaces, corners taped and embedded
Layout planned from tub deck up to confirm mosaic border lands at full-tile height
Main field tile set with leveling clips, mosaic border set in white thinset to preserve color
Unsanded grout throughout, silicone caulk at tub deck joint and all corners
Interested in a similar project? Contact us or call (626) 602-3062.
