All About the Surface of Indoor Fountains: Glass, Mirror, Slate and Marble

The material from which your fountain is made is just as important as its design. Materials can add different textures and colors. They can make rooms for larger. The right kind of material can help your fountain perfectly match you and your personal style. Materials are important.

Today, we’ll look at four types of materials you can commonly found in an indoor fountain. Though there are some similarities between them, each of these will offer you a drastically different feel.

Glass

When it comes to fountains, glass brings a certain sense of magic to the table. Not necessarily because it’s a nice-looking material, but because it allows for the fountain to function in such a way that it seems to be impossible. Take, for instance, the 10’ Black Onyx Grande with Clear Glass Floor Fountain. At 10 feet tall, this fountain is absolutely striking. The way this one works is water starts from the top and flows down the face of a glass panel. As it hits the river rocks in the basin below, it makes sweet, sweet nature music before recirculating back up to the top for another trip.

Since it flows across the face of the glass, it makes the surface look fluid. I mean, technically it is, but it seems as though you can reach right through it. Without the glass, you’d have a nice splashy mess down at the bottom, but this material lets you feel as though you have a piece of nature in your home. With glass, large indoor water fountains and waterfalls just work. If you like the look of this fountain, but aren’t in love with the colors, be sure to take a look at the Tranquil River Floor Water Fountain. It isn’t as tall, but it has much more customization, from changing the color of the base to the color of the glass.

Mirror

Nothing makes a room look bigger in the same way a mirror can. A reflective surface like this can give the illusion of more space. I feel the Calming Waters Wall Water Fountain takes this a step further, even. While available in multiple frame shades and multiple background materials, the silver mirror background gives the appearance of a window into some other place. The water flowing in front of it provides an ethereal ambiance, almost as though you are looking through some sort of portal. If you reach through, you might just be able to pet the Cheshire Cat!

On a similar note, the 7.5-foot-tall Gardenfall Silver Mirror and Brushed Stainless Steel Floor Fountain with LED Lights is like an actual door. Why simply give the impression of looking through when you can feel like you might actually step into some other place. With the addition of LED lights across the top of the fountain, you’re give a true otherworldly sensation. The lights make the water glow as it moves down the mirrored face of the fountain. The reflections of water and light can cast an eerie glow which will enchant anyone who looks at it.

Slate

At nearly six feet tall and more than seven feet wide, the monstrous Deep Creek Falls Wall Water Fountain is a sight to behold. Apart from the sheer impressiveness of its size, the slate which serves as the backdrop for the triple fountain makes for some interesting water magic. The cool part about slate is it isn’t typically very smooth. Because of this, as water flows over it, it makes additional sounds and shows additional movement. The surface moves and glistens as though the stone itself is glazed. Since it is also lit at the top, the light gets additional play thanks to the cracks and bumps in the pieces of slate.

As with the Deep Creek fountain, the Harmony River Floor Water Fountain also receives great benefit from its slate backdrop. For many of the same reasons, the slate works here to give a little extra life to the water as it cascades down to its termination point. There are a couple stone color options offered, in addition to various other finishes, and each one would look fantastic in a living room or office. If you want some movement in your fountain, slate is never a bad option.

Marble

There is nothing more classic than marble. It was used to make sculptures and construct buildings in ancient times. Now you’re more likely to see it on countertops or as flooring, but it can make large indoor water fountains look very, very impressive. The Cottonwood Falls Wall Water Fountain is a great example of this. It comes in a variety of surface materials, including slate and mirrored finishes, but the marble absolutely takes the cake in this piece.

The flaws in the stone mean yours is unique. Nobody else will have a fountain quite like this one in their home. As with the slate, when the water flows across the surface of the marble, you’ll be treated to a little bit of magic. It will distort what is behind it, making it shimmer and flicker in the light as it rolls down to the stones waiting below. Marble is truly an impressive material, and many of the other fountains I have talked about support it. If you’re thinking marble is more your taste, I would suggest popping back up and looking at a couple of the previously mentioned fountains to see if one of those combinations may suit your fancy.

No matter which you choose, you’re likely going to be quite happy. An indoor fountain gives you something to sit and enjoy for the rest of your life. Whether looking at the water flow or simply listening to the sounds it makes, a fountain provides a relaxing focal point for your home, as well as an interesting talking point for others interested. I’m a big fan of glass, but the mystery of a mirrored surface, the life of a slate surface and the time-worn beauty of marble cannot be denied.