Nature Marble Book Match Slabs

Nature Marble Book Match Slabs

What is Bookmatching?

Bookmatching is the practice of matching two (or more) stone surfaces, so that two adjoining surfaces mirror each other, giving the impression of an opened book.

As applied to stone, bookmatching is usually done with marble (produced in one of several ways), but can also be done with granite. The technique is used to beautify a variety of objects such as TV wall, lobby, bathroom, living room etc, . 

The two adjoining surfaces are produced from the same piece of stone, so that they have (almost) exactly the same appearance, but mirrored. The final effect varies with the figure of the stone chosen and can range from extremely subtle (so that the two surfaces almost appear to be a single piece of stone), to dramatic effects with wavy grain showcased.

Marble isn't just marble. Every slab is distinct, some more subtly grained while others are vividly expressive. No matter your preference in pattern, a recently popular trend towards book-matched marble—the use of two mirror-image marble slabs, set side by side on the same surface like the pages of an open book—is the material at its most statement-making. 

"Fundamentally, I am all about finding interesting and authentic ways to incorporate nature into most of my designs," says interior designer Jeremiah Brent, who sprung for book-matched marble in the bathroom he co-designed with his partner Nate Berkus for their Manhattan home. "Book-matched marble is one of the truest ways to showcase the natural beauty of the stone and can become a statement piece of art."

We know what you're thinking: Acquiring two mirror-image slabs of marble is probably very costly, right? Right: After you pick a piece of marble you love—and you can only use marbles "with the right clarify, definition, and veining," Brent explains, this is one of those times the grain will really stand out—it has to then be professionally 'sliced' from one flat slab into two even flatter slabs. Come installation day, you'll want to be sure the two pieces line up precisely right. It's no minor undertaking. But, due to its high-impact look, a small
piece of book-matched marble goes quite a long way: "Use it in places where it can not only be appreciated, but also transition through the years seamlessly," Brent says, like on "bathroom walls, kitchen islands, fireplace mantels, or even in a nursery." And if marble is starting to sound like too much trouble, note that it's possible to book-match other materials, too. Brent has worked with mirrored pieces of "wood, leathers, silestones, and even ceramic materials" to the same pleasingly symmetrical effect. He recently used the latter in a bathroom design for a fraction of the cost of marble, and "you could never tell a difference. It instantly makes a space feel custom and elevated."

Does bookmatching cost more than using a standard layout?

Bookmatching is often more expensive because of layout restrictions. An experienced fabricator can work with you to answer questions about this and to work out the best use of material and layout for your project. There’s only one layout option to create a bookmatched effect, but leftover stone can sometimes be incorporated into other project areas such as backsplash, shower seats or vanity tops. The metalicus granite in this feature wall below is also used on a table top.