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The First Stone

The deep dive that anchors the rest of the Stone Library. Calacatta Gold is the most coveted Italian marble on the contemporary market and the natural starting point for the series.

Calacatta Gold marble cased opening
The Stone Library · Article 01

Calacatta Gold: History, Origins & Uses

A Jurassic seabed turned to stone, then quarried for two thousand years from the cliffs above Carrara. The story of the white-and-gold marble that runs from the Roman Pantheon to the lobby of One57.

14 minute read  ·  Read the article →
The Stone Library

The full library, 20 stones

Twenty stones, each covered in depth: where the marble is quarried, the buildings and designers it appears in, how it reads in a room, the practical considerations of living with it, and which materials pair well alongside it. The reference our own design team works from.

Carrara White marble cased opening

Carrara White

The most common luxury marble, the stone Michelangelo carved, the cool sibling of the Calacatta family.
13 minute read →
Nero Marquina marble cased opening

Nero Marquina

The Spanish black marble with sharp white veining. The contemporary specifier's go-to for graphic contrast.
13 minute read →
Statuario marble cased opening

Statuario

The fine-grained Apuan cousin: the marble of Renaissance sculpture, the architect's favourite white.
13 minute read →
Calacatta Viola marble cased opening

Calacatta Viola

The trend stone of the past few years. Purple-to-grey painterly veining over a warm white field.
13 minute read →
Verde Guatemala marble cased opening

Verde Guatemala

The deep green serpentine that's pairing best with Calacatta Gold in contemporary design.
13 minute read →
Sahara Noir marble cased opening

Sahara Noir

The dramatic dark Tunisian marble: brown-black field with bold gold and white veining.
13 minute read →
Travertino Romano cased opening

Travertino Romano

The classic Italian travertine from Tivoli, near Rome. The stone of the Colosseum and contemporary luxury alike.
13 minute read →
Emperador Dark marble cased opening

Emperador Dark

The warm-toned Spanish brown marble. The sleeper choice for cabinetry, surrounds, and warm contemporary interiors.
13 minute read →
Thassos White marble cased opening

Thassos White

The whitest stone in the world. A Greek dolomitic marble that reads almost luminous in person.
11 minute read →
Volakas marble vanity

Volakas

The quiet Greek white. Soft cream undertones and feathered grey-beige veining for warmer schemes.
10 minute read →
Arabescato marble feature wall

Arabescato

The most painterly of the Carrara whites. Bold curving dark grey arabesque veining.
12 minute read →
Bianco Lasa marble kitchen island

Bianco Lasa

The quietest Italian white. Cool, nearly monochrome, the modernist's marble.
10 minute read →
Crema Marfil cased opening

Crema Marfil

The Spanish cream stone. Warm beige with fossil inclusions, the most-specified beige marble in the world.
11 minute read →
Pietra Serena fireplace surround

Pietra Serena

The Tuscan blue-grey. Used by Brunelleschi and Michelangelo. Florentine architecture in stone.
12 minute read →
Grigio Carnico kitchen island

Grigio Carnico

The warm Italian grey. Sophisticated rather than cold, paired with warm woods and aged brass.
10 minute read →
Verde Alpi vanity

Verde Alpi

The Italian Alpine green. Mid-tone serpentine, jewel-like under good lighting.
10 minute read →
Verde Tinos fireplace surround

Verde Tinos

The Greek forest green. Dense, deep, the dark grounding green for confident schemes.
10 minute read →
Rosso Levanto feature wall

Rosso Levanto

The burgundy stone of Liguria. Saturated red with white veining, the colour-confident choice.
11 minute read →
Breccia Capraia kitchen island

Breccia Capraia

The painterly Italian breccia. Angular fragments of red, grey, and cream in a rich abstract pattern.
11 minute read →
Rosa Portogallo vanity

Rosa Portogallo

The romantic Portuguese pink stone. Soft rose with quiet grey veining, warm and architectural.
10 minute read →
Buyer Guides

For the spec stage

The questions actually asked when a marble specification is being locked in. Less editorial, more reference; commercial intent material that captures the moment a buyer is comparing options.

Marble vs Quartzite comparison

Marble vs. Quartzite vs. Quartz vs. Porcelain

The four-way comparison every kitchen and bath project asks. Honest trade-offs, real numbers.
14 minute read →
Polished, honed, leathered finish comparison

Honed vs. Polished vs. Leathered

How each finish reads in a space, what light does to it, and where each one belongs.
11 minute read →
Hand wiping a polished marble vanity

How to Care for Marble

Daily routine, sealing schedule, etching response, stain removal by type. The practical guide to living with luxury stone.
11 minute read →
Reference

Specification material

For designers and architects who need to lock in details. Linkable reference pages on the technical decisions that show up in shop drawings.

Three carved marble edge profile samples

Edge Profiles

28 stone edge profiles with cross-section diagrams: bevels, radii, bullnoses, ogees, Duponts, Magnas, and more. Reference for spec sheets.
Reference page →
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