- Design Inspo
18 Marble Coasters for Fashionable Entertaining
One of the most successful design treatments is to use a material in a novel manner. Undoubtedly, this is unexpected, catching the eye. Cut crystal glasses but made from acrylic? A marble bust but made from wax? Similarly, modern coasters made from marble areeons away from the typical classical Greek or Roman marble statue. Below, Nest Casa has unearthed the best marble coasters to add a stately touch to any dwelling.
Christophe Pourny is a Brooklyn-based antique restorer—as well as the author of The Furniture Bible—who can’t stress enough the importance of using coasters . It’s even a topic in his tome, where he outlines how they defend furniture from heat and moisture. His first recommendation is for coasters to have three layers: a top of plastic, metal, or glass; a middle of cork to absorb heat and moisture; and a bottom of felt . But he makes an exception to say that, while it may be counterintuitive, marble coasters work well on their own.
“Because marble is so strong, it can absorb water and keep rings from happening. The same is true for heat,” he says. “If they are heavily honed, then it might absorb less, but it will create a strong barrier between your drink and your furniture.”
White Marble Coasters
Typically, marble is pictured as being white. The most common types of white marble include: Carrara marble from Italy, Thassos dolomite marble from Greece, and Makrana marble from India. These marbles are valuable for their lack of veining and purity in color.
Often, marble coasters feature a slight bevel to capture condensation. Sets can also come with a decorative stacking base, as seen with the Traver set of six coasters in a milk gray tone. Edging marble in a metallic band adds a cultivated look, as seen in Horchow’s Century set of four coasters. These feature an organic, textured edge that is painted with gold leaf—which yields an exquisite effect. Again, the edges are also a highlight of John Robshaw’s set, where they are cut in a six--sided floral shape (a motif typical in Indian decoration).
Black Marble Coasters
The opposite to white marble is black marble—which is equally seductive thanks to its mysterious and moody attitude within a dramatic design scheme. Commonly, black marble is either Negro Marquina marble from Spain’s Basque Country or Calatorao marble from Spain’s Aragon region.
A set of four coasters from Monterrey, Mexico—which is another popular spot for black marble. This set is handmade by local craftsmen and is demonstrative yet straightforward. The thickness protects furniture while making this round slab reminiscent of a large, stylized checker piece. Trouva mixes things up by presenting coasters in a hexagon pattern. The set of four can also be pieced together to form a trivet for hot dishes. Sometimes, black marble can refer to an effect rather than the actual material. Edie Parker’s set of four round coasters are made from acrylic. Made in the United States, they rest nicely in their square holder when not in use.
Green Marble Coasters
The earth tone trend and natural, organic lifestyles both lend themselves to using green in the color plan. The most famous green marble is Swedish green marble. This stone ranks as one of the world’s hardest marbles, coming from the quarries of Kolmården in the northeastern region of Östergötland. Its formidable veining is due to the stone’s serpentines (or, spotted minerals). Then, a darker version of green marble is also available in this set of five polished, round coasters from Italy. They are made from quartzite, which is formed when sandstone is subjected to extreme heat. (This set of foam green coasters can also serve as plating for finger foods.)
Pink and Rose Marble Coasters
This marble swiftly dispels any notion that pink is a delicate hue. Pink marble is trop chic and looks very modern. Interestingly, some of the world’s most preferred pink marbles hail from the United States: quarries in Pickens County, Georgia, and Hawkins County, Tennessee, have been used in impressive government buildings and monuments.
These Soho Home coasters reference another important building. They recall the marble furniture featured in Soho House’s coming London club, the 180 House on the Strand. Made of Phalodi marble from India, these four discs come with protective feet and have a fatty veining quality. The Juliet’s Rose set imagines that the home of the doomed Shakespearean character Juliet Capulet must have been doused in this feminine shade of Marble. (It also presumes that round glasses and cups are equally at home on a square coaster.) An attainable set of four coasters from Monday demonstrate how well pink marble looks next to white marble with pink veining.
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