Decorating with Marble: How to Choose and Style Marble Coffee and Side Tables

Marble starts life as limestone. Over a very long time, heat and pressure recrystallise it, and minerals moving through the stone leave the veins and clouds of colour you see on the surface. Every slab is cut from a different part of the block, so every top is different.

In practice, the table that arrives at your door won't be a perfect copy of the one in the photo. The veining will run its own way, and the tone may sit a shade warmer or cooler. That's the appeal: you're getting a piece with its own character, not a printed pattern.

Natural stone also carries small natural features. You might see fine fissures, tiny pinholes or a shift in tone across the top. These are part of the stone, not flaws in the making. Most of the collection is marble, with one travertine piece. Travertine is a different natural stone, known for its pitted, textured surface and earthy colouring.

Once you've found a stone you love, the next decision is what sits beside it.

Match it. A coffee table and side table in the same stone is the simplest way to make a living room feel pulled together. In open-plan spaces, repeating the stone helps define the seating zone. Athena and Rosso both come as a matching coffee table and side table, so the stone and shape carry across both pieces.

Mix it. Choose two different stones that share something. That might be a similar warmth, such as cream with beige or travertine, or the same base material. A cream marble coffee table with a textured stone side table feels considered rather than matchy.

Clash it. Pairing two contrasting marbles, like green beside chocolate, is a confident move that works when the rest of the room stays calm. Give the two pieces one link, such as matching timber legs, and let one of them lead.

For help with how far apart the tables should sit and how high a side table should be, see why every living room needs both a coffee table and a side table. If you're still working out size, our coffee table guide covers proportions in detail.

Marble is durable, but it's also porous, so a few easy habits make a real difference.

• For everyday cleaning, use warm soapy water and a soft, non-abrasive cloth.
• Clean up spills straight away, blotting rather than wiping.
• Avoid anything acidic, caustic, oily or petroleum-based. That includes vinegar, citrus, soft drink, chlorine and nail polish remover. Skip glass cleaners like Windex too.
• Use coasters, placemats and runners under hot cups, plates and drinks.
• If water sits long enough to leave a mark, try drying the stone with a hair dryer on low heat, moving it in a circular motion.

We recommend sealing the top with a marble sealer within three months of purchase, then every six to twelve months after that. Sealing helps stop stains soaking in, though it isn't a guarantee against them. To check whether your table needs it, drop a little water on the surface. If it soaks in within 30 to 60 seconds, it's time to reseal.

When you move a stone-top table, always lift it with a second person, one at each end. Never drag it, because that can strain the frame or snap a leg.

Over the years, marble develops a softer, lived-in look. Tiny cracks, pinholes and gentle shifts in colour are normal with everyday use. They don't affect the quality or life of the table, and they become part of what makes it yours.

Ready to find your stone? Explore our full collection of marble coffee tables and side tables.