Marble has always been an elegant addition to homes for thousands of years. But how has it captured so much interest and popularity?
The answer is in our history as humans. As we evolved and sought shelter to become less nomadic, our dwellings began to define our lifestyle. Marble, unlike many stones at that time, possessed an Earthly beauty, and so was used for both decorative and functional purposes. But, because the process to quarry marble was long and arduous, the material was mainly only used by high priests or nobility. It was cut into blocks (by hand) and used for sculptures, wall facades, or flooring.
In Greece, many marble structures still stand today, such as the temples of Olympus and Athena, the Panathenaic Stadium and the Parthenon.
As quarry, transportation, and preparation methods improved, costs were reduced and the time to deliver to the market improved, and so marble began to appear in the wealthier homes of the Greeks and flourished as wealth spread during the Roman Empire. Few home building materials evoked high-end living as simply and effectively as marble, making it the status symbol of luxury.
The Romans specifically preferred Carrara and Calacatta marble, because of its pure white color. Rather than using blocks, marble would be cut into slabs and used as a fascia over brick and mortar. Often, the fragments or pieces would be used to create mosaics for floors or to accent walls.
During the Renaissance and Victorian eras, marble became the stone of choice for many artists, and continued to signify elegance and wealth. The sculpture David by Michelangelo and The Veiled Christ by Guiseppe are but a few examples of the proliferation of marble at that time.
Today, there is no better home building material that reflects Earth’s natural beauty and one that continues to symbolize luxury. With advances in technology, marble is affordable and can be used for a variety of applications such as kitchen islands, bathroom flooring, backsplashes, mosaics and accent walls.