Expertly sourced and colour-matched, Eastland shopping centre’s marble tiles are a quiet delight

Nestled at the foot of the Yarra Ranges, the East Melbourne suburb of Ringwood is home to the Eastland shopping centre — a fashion, lifestyle, and culinary destination designed to invigorate the community’s urban hub. Originally opening its doors in 1967, the centre has undergone several redevelopments, with the most recent unveiled in 2015. The ongoing $665m renovation project and Eastland property is managed by developers QIC, in partnership with the council and state government — the first collaboration of its kind in Australia.

With an attractive selection of retailers, restaurants, and family-friendly events, the complex sees around 14m visitors a year. Due to the heavy foot traffic, material selection was carefully considered to ensure longevity with minimal maintenance. Of all materials in the shopping centre, the floor tiles take the brunt of the impact. Distinct to each of the three floors, the marble tile designs feature a selection of colours, functioning as both an aesthetic element and a practical lease line.

​Originally sourced by an unnamed supplier, Eastland’s marble tiles need to be replaced semi-regularly.

​“Marble stands the test of time and can withstand heavy foot traffic; however, part of the mall’s maintenance routine is an annual polish. Essentially, they sand a thin layer off the top of the tiles, reseal, and polish them, which makes the tile thinner and thinner over time,” says Prolific Stone’s Simon Heyblok.

​This means Eastland needs to keep a stockpile of each marble colour to ensure design continuity with replacements. When the original supplier was unable to meet the demand in 2021, Eastland called upon Prolific Stone International. With a reputation for large-scale sourcing and accurate colour matching, Prolific Stone was the right fit for the job.

“The brief asked us to source eight different marble tiles to replace sections of the floor with spares for future replacements. One of the original tiles was a pink marble that the first supplier was no longer able to source, so they had been sending them a tile that looked completely different. Fortunately, we were able to find a match to the original, which Eastland was really pleased with.”

Colour matching is a complex process. After requesting samples of each existing tile in 10 and 14mm thicknesses, Prolific Stone sent the samples to their sourcing agents, who then scoured the collections of various wholesalers in search of a perfect match.

“Marble colours don’t have specific names, so depending on who’s selling it, the tile could be called something completely different. The tile matches we sourced were a black marble with delicate white veining called Miumiu; Tumas, which is a green/grey toned marble; Galaxy, similar to Tumas but lighter tones; a white marble with deep grey veins called Nivea; Sirus Silver, which is quite a soft grey; Dessert Pearl, a white marble with subtle sandy veins; Bufon and Cate, both of which have light pinky tones,” Simon explains.

Because none of the marble tiles were part of Prolific Stone’s existing collection, the team were reliant on their wide network of sourcing agents.

“We pride ourselves on the fact that we can source pretty much anything through our network,” Simon says. “I hadn’t really thought about it before, but when we started this job, I began noticing floor tiles in malls, and it’s surprising how many of them are a jumbled mess. Because the tile patterns are a key part of the Eastland design narrative, it was important that the new tiles accurately matched the existing ones to keep things congruent.”

​Eastland’s design aesthetic effortlessly balances luxury and nostalgia, drawing inspiration from Melbourne’s iconic laneways. Retailers are encouraged to create fit-outs that offer an ‘escape from the mundane’, utilising a memorable, high-end design language. Similarly, the corridors, concourses, atriums, and plazas that make up Eastland’s common areas are beautiful and well-maintained — creating a pleasurable shopping experience. When visitors feel like their trip is a treat, they’re more likely to return.

As Simon mentioned, floor tiles aren’t always the first thing you notice, but when well maintained with consistent, attractive patterns, the space feels luxurious — even if you’re not paying attention. For this reason, Prolific Stone’s tile matching and sourcing success is a valuable aspect of Eastland’s ongoing redevelopment. When well cared for, the space will continue to realise the intended vision: a revitalised and invigorated urban centre in Ringwood.

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Learn more about Prolific Stone.