An all times classic : Marble

From prehistoric Cycladic figurines to the Parthenon and the Acropolis, marble has been used time and again in Greek Art and Architecture to honor the gods, celebrate beauty and impress the public.

I was born in Greece and Greece is marble. Marble has been a ubiquitous material in the Greek lands. A vibrant, glowing stone first exploited in prehistoric sculpture in the Neolithic era, later in the prehistoric Cycladic era, the Bronze age, the years of Pericles - with the Acropolis and Parthenon, the Temple of Hephaestus, the Athenian Agora, the Stoa of Attalos, the Lysicrates Monument - moving slowly through the eras and centuries with marble masterpieces to arrive to nowadays and to our modern societies.

Among the best marbles produced in the antiquity were the Pentelic marble, that became the primary material of the Acropolis, the Acropolis’ new buildings, as well as of buildings in the surrounding area and of many sculpted votive offerings and other statues, the Naxian marble - it is worth mentioning the imposing Lions (late 7th c. BC), Colossos (late 7th/early 6th c. BC) and Oikos (575 BC), and of course the well known Parian marble! Its white homogeneous marble was of superior quality and easy to carve. Parian marble became the premier material sought after by sculptors across the Aegean and mainland Greece.

Master marble masons were very experienced in finding the best marble to carve, as the material could have cracks, weaknesses and other hidden flaws. Then, aided by other workers, they extracted the stone from the marble quarries and transported it to the worksite, using ropes and wooden winches, cranes, sledges, carts and rollers. Although rough shapings would take place at the quarry, final finishings were always done on site, including the carving the columns’ delicate flutes after their final placement.

It is really impressive that this material that shaped our past and our architectural masterpieces to find use today, in completely different forms and meanings, holding this glamor and luxuriousness but being interpreted in whole new contextes, symbolisms and formalistic approaches.

Of course it always keeps this natural roughness, this endurance as a long lasting material, this ability to be shaped in the talented hands of a craftsman or a mere amateur, this sustainable beauty and force as a raw material, completely genuine with no artificial substitutes that comes from deep down the earth.

Today there is a trend or a spontaneous expression in contemporizing the use of marble in art, furniture design and of course interior design and architecture.

If we first speak about architecture, architects love this luxurious surface covering because of its natural beauty, diverse choices, classic but contemporary look, endurance and feel that suits almost any interior & design project. From kitchens to bathrooms to walls in focal rooms to living areas and of course staircases.

If we come to design, sculpture and furniture that we are passionate about, we see masterpieces that sparcle. Of course we talk about a utilitarian use, a functionality that serves the user, but also pure sculptural pieces offer such an aesthetique value to the viewer ! We meet pieces like marble trays, bowls, stone canisters, holders, geometrical shapes but also lighting features, coffee tables and multi use furniture pieces.

Unapologetically, it is a timeless element of design. A material that gains with its elegance and majesty but at the same time it offers a pure aethetic design approach, a minimalistic reference point when it is really well used. And above all it is a sustainable material. It is one of the more environmentally-friendly materials available. Hard-wearing and long-lasting the marble requires no chemical processing or extensive treatment. If you replant a quarry, if you leave the mountain as you found it, the impact on the environment is minimal - and this compared to other intensive procedures required for other materials.

Let’s introduce marble in our everyday lives ! Let’s indulge in marble rituals offering ourselves a heaven of serenity, luxury and self-care to our fast paced routines and fast-track lifestyles.

written by our Founder - Faye Tsakalides