When I think of marble, I think of Greece and Italy: the cold stone of the subway station in Athens, for instance, and a Carrara marble quarry I visited in Tuscany. The word "marble" is derived from the Greek mármaro, and has always been synonymous with luxury.
The recent marble revival trend has expanded into the world of lighting. Here are eight of our favorite table, floor, and ceiling lamps, most made of marble, others of alabaster and onyx, and all in shapes that are elemental and refined.
Above: London-based Greek designer Michael Anastassiades' Onyx Light is carved from white onyx; it has a black silk flex cord and is about five inches tall; $3,910 from The Future Perfect.
Above: From CB2, the Ohm Marble Table Lamp comes with a 13W CFL light bulb; $59.99 each.
Above: British designer Benjamin Hubert's Quarry Lamps are made from turned sheets of thin marble. They come in three sizes and have LED lights; available to purchase directly through Benjamin Hubert (contact for pricing and shipping inquiries).
Above: Marble Pendant Lamps from Graham and Green pair marble shades with copper fittings. The Percy Marble Pendant (L) is £75 and the Braxton Marble Pendant (R) is £115.
Above: From Belgian stone company Van Den Weghe Marmer, the Lambda Light is made of Carrara marble and measures about 14 by 14 inches; contact Van Den Weghe Marmer for more information.
Above: From Vaen Vintage Design Shop, a one-of-kind Marble Table Lamp; €265.
Above: Designed by Noergaard and Kechayas for Nevvvorks, the Material Lamp in Marble is part of a series by the designers that presents simple lampshades in a range of materials, including cork, terracotta, and concrete. This lamp has a marble shade and comes with approximately 10 feet of cable for hanging; €399 from Finnish Design Shop.
Above: From Swedish design firm Studio Vit, a collection of Marble Pendant Lights are made from cylindrical pieces of marble; to counterbalance the suspended pendant, marble floor weights are available. Contact Studio Vit for pricing and more information.
For more, have a look at our marble series: Exotic Marble in Modern Spaces, Beyond Carrara: 12 Splashy Marble Baths, and Remodeling 101: Marble Countertops. On Gardenista, read Michelle's confession: My Dirty Secret, or How I Learned to Live with a Marble Backsplash.
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