It’s Official: Travertine Is the New Marble

updated Oct 26, 2020
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Tesselated stone table in designer Shannon Claire's apartment

When I spoke with Washington, D.C.-based designer Shannon Claire Smith about the surge in popularity of tessellated stone tables, she said that there’s been “a design resurgence of warm, cozy, creamy spaces—a slight departure from the brightly contrasted, black-and-white neutral spaces of the past few years.” Take one look at next year’s color trend predictions, and you’ll see Smith is onto something. Other designers seem to agree: Warm neutrals and textures like natural stone will continue to trend in home design. 

Marble has been having a moment for some time now—whether real or faux—and while it’s probably not going anywhere for a while, there’s another stone on the rise in the home design world. I’m calling it now: Travertine is the new marble. If you can’t afford travertine countertops or a solid sculptural table, not to worry. Below, you’ll find several ways to bring this trending textured stone (and a few other varieties) into your home at all budgets. 

Credit: Target

Travertine Charging Pad

Technology in the form of a rock? Honestly, kind of cool in my book. This travertine charging pad would be a great finishing touch to your new home office or that corner where your desk lives.

Buy: Travertine Charging Pad 10W, $59.99 from Target

Credit: Etsy

Propagation Station

A plants-on-stone combo is a duo I can get behind. This propagation station combines travertine with glass test tubes, making a cute home for your plant babies. At four inches wide, it could fit just about anywhere—from a deep windowsill to a bedside table.

Buy: Propagation Station, $33.99 from Etsy

Anya Travertine Dining Table

If you’re ready to fully commit to this trend, may I suggest this travertine dining table? At nearly $1,500, it’s definitely a splurge purchase, but the neutral palette means this piece would pair well with a variety of styles, so it could grow with you as your tastes change. I love how the tubular wooden pedestal legs add additional texture to the table.

Buy: Anya Travertine Dining Table, $1,498.00 from Anthropologie 

Credit: Etsy

Natural Stone Coasters

One simple way to test out a trend is to introduce it on a smaller scale. Take these travertine coasters, for example. Stacked on your coffee table, they’d be an inexpensive way to bring stone objects into your home. These would pair nicely with anything wood-toned.

Buy: Natural Stone Coasters, $15.83/Set of 4 from Etsy

Credit: CB2

Carve Travertine Small Cocktail Table

The fluted base paired with a square stone top makes this cocktail table a brutalist design lover’s dream. Combine it with softer textures like bouclé or a woven pendant light to add balance.

Buy: Carve Travertine Small Cocktail Table, $349.00 from CB2 

Marble Dumbbell Weight

It might not be the most practical pick in the world, but this travertine dumbbell sure is nice to look at. Weighing in at 2.2 pounds, I could see this little free weight fitting right into your home’s gym/office/bedroom combo space. When your workout is through, incorporate it as a decorative object on your bookshelf or use it as a paperweight for a touch of form and function.

Buy: Marble Dumbbell Weight, $110.00 from Urban Outfitters

Snug Candle Holder

Functional art is great, especially when it’s this beautiful! This travertine candle holder is handmade in Spain and would look particularly wonderful atop a dinner table—you know, so that your holiday Zoom dinners feel a bit cozier.

Buy: Snug in Bone White Travertine, About $136.44 from Studio Sanna Völker