Real marble floors have been the mark of a beautiful home for centuries — think chequerboard hallways, Venetian palazzo borders and bold two-tone herringbone. The catch has always been the upkeep. Classica, the marble-effect porcelain collection from Ceramica Magica, part of Italy's Terratinta Group, gives you all of that character with none of the sealing, etching or staining worries.
And it's now launching at Home of Clay. Classica is brand new to us, and we're offering the full range — every colour, every format, every pattern — so whatever you have in mind, from a simple chequerboard to a three-colour basketweave, we can supply it.
Sixteen marbles, one collection
Classica reinterprets sixteen of the most famous stones in Europe, from pure Apuan Carrara to deep red Rosso Verona and inky Nero Marquina. They're grouped into four families so you can build a palette quickly:
- Whites & neutrals: Carrara, Calacatta Viola, Calacatta Ambra, Bianco di Asiago, Marfil, Botticino and Fior di Pesco — from crisp white with grey veining to warm creams and golden Calacatta.
- Pinks & reds: Rosa Norvegese, Rosa Perlino, Rosso Verona and Rosso Lepanto — soft blush through to rich, earthy terracotta reds.
- Greens: Verde Perla, Verde Alpi and Verde Guatemala — the jewel tones of the collection, perfect for statement floors and bathrooms.
- Darks: Dark Emperador and Nero Marquina — deep brown and black for borders, accents and dramatic contrast.
Nine formats, built for mixing
What makes Classica special isn't just the colours — it's that every colour comes in nine formats. That means you can combine any two or three marbles in whatever pattern you have in mind:
- Large squares: 60 × 60cm and 30 × 60cm for a calm, contemporary floor with fewer grout lines
- Classic squares: 30 × 30cm and 10 × 10cm — the building blocks of a traditional chequerboard
- Planks: 10 × 60cm, 10 × 30cm, 7.5 × 30cm and 7.5 × 15cm for herringbone, basketweave and brick-bond walls
- Tozzetti: 7.5 × 7.5cm small squares for corner inserts and borders
- Ottagona: a 20 × 20cm octagon in Carrara and Bianco di Asiago, finished with 4.6 × 4.6cm Dot inserts in six colours (Carrara, Bianco di Asiago, Rosa Perlino, Rosso Verona, Verde Alpi and Nero Marquina)
That's over 150 colour-and-size combinations to choose from — and you can mix as many as you like in one order.
Pattern ideas to get you started
The chequerboard
Timeless in a hallway, kitchen or bathroom. For something classic, go Carrara and Nero Marquina. For a fresher take, try Carrara with Verde Alpi in 60 × 60cm, or Calacatta Viola with Rosso Lepanto in 30 × 30cm.
Cassettone
The Italian "framed" floor — a large square set within a border of planks with small squares at the corners. It works beautifully in living spaces and open-plan kitchens. Calacatta Ambra framed in Nero Marquina is pure grandeur; Rosa Norvegese with Marfil is softer and warmer.
Herringbone and zebra herringbone
Use the 10 × 60cm or 7.5 × 30cm planks for herringbone in a single colour, or alternate two marbles row by row for the striking "zebra" effect — Calacatta Viola with Rosso Lepanto, or Rosa Perlino with Rosso Verona.
Basketweave
Pairs of planks set around a small square give a woven, heritage look. Three-colour combinations really shine here — try Calacatta Viola, Verde Perla and Rosso Lepanto, or Verde Guatemala with Carrara and Nero Marquina.
Octagon and dot
The Victorian hallway favourite. Lay Carrara or Bianco di Asiago Ottagona and drop in a Dot of Nero Marquina for tradition, or Verde Alpi or Rosso Verona for a modern twist.
Our favourite pairings
The simplest rule: put a pale ground with a deeper accent.
- Carrara + Nero Marquina — the definitive black-and-white classic
- Bianco di Asiago + Rosa Perlino — soft, warm and romantic
- Marfil + Dark Emperador — creamy and rich, ideal for traditional homes
- Marfil + Verde Guatemala — bold and elegant
- Marfil + Botticino — tonal and understated
Why porcelain rather than real marble?
- Low maintenance: unglazed porcelain stoneware with stain resistance class 5 — no sealing, and no etching from lemon juice or cleaning products
- Safe underfoot: matt finish with R10 slip resistance (DCOF > 0.42), suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and wet rooms
- Tough: frost and thermal-shock resistant, rated for floors and walls in both homes and commercial spaces
- Consistent: 9.5mm thick (Ottagona and Dot 8.5mm), so mixed formats sit flush together
- Responsible: 20% recycled content, made in Italy
Planning and ordering with Home of Clay
Patterned floors need a little more planning than a straight lay — and that's where we come in. The Classica catalogue laying schemes show the percentage of each format needed per pattern, and our team can help you work out exactly how much of every colour and size to order. As a guide, allow around 10% extra for cuts and spares — more for herringbone and diagonal layouts.
- Minimum order 5m², sold by the full box (Dot inserts by the box of 25)
- Mix colours and formats freely in one order
- Typical delivery 2–4 weeks from Italy
- Free delivery on orders of £750 and over
See it for yourself
Marble-effect tiles are all about colour and veining, so we always recommend ordering samples to see them in your own light. You can also view the collection with us at Design Works in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
Shop the Classica collection →
Need help working out a pattern or quantities? Call us on 01782 617517 or email sales@homeofclay.co.uk — we're happy to help.