We’ve always been impressed by marble. We know ancient philosophers spouted their truths among Ionic and Doric columns. Michelangelo waxed poetic about how every block of stone has a statue inside it and it was his job to discover it, yada yada. It’s an expensive material, a texture made more beautiful by its impurities. Marble brings a luxurious feel to any room with its sweeping swathes of dark across stark white.
While we appreciate the Parthenon and Bernini’s The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, we like to do marble in a fresh and cool way. We want clean and comfortable, not stuffy or old fashioned. How can we incorporate marble into our homes without making it look like the chateau at Versailles?
In big doses, pair marble with smooth lines and no fuss with warm wood accents for a bright and elegant kitchen. Tile a wall in a striking color in unexpected diagonals to leave a funky zigzag border. Add other touches of luxe with small dishes, bookends striped with wood or a clock with glinting metal hands. The trend has made its way over to textiles too, so put a marble-patterned duvet on your bed or wallpaper in an entryway.