From the Colosseum to modern mansions: Travertine makes a stylish comeback

Travertine — the stone that built the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica — is experiencing a modern revival, celebrated for its natural veins, warm tones, and timeless elegance. Designers are embracing it for interiors and furniture, combining durability with organic beauty, WWD reports.

Renowned American designer Mick De Giulio, known for his bold and refined interiors, notes: “Today, travertine feels more relevant than ever. It meets modern design needs — neutral, yet capable of making a striking visual impact.”

De Giulio frequently uses the stone for fireplace surrounds, wall cladding, and countertops, often juxtaposing it with metal to create depth and texture.

In Italy, Salvatori, a family-run company spanning three generations, emphasizes travertine’s unique qualities, highlighting that its beauty depends not just on geographic origin, but on how it ages, patinas, and responds to its environment. CEO Gabriele Salvatori explains: “Travertine is a living material. How it’s quarried, selected, and processed determines how stunning it will be in a space.”

At Paris Design Week, American designer Haydn von Werp showcased his Arcus collection — a sofa, bench, and bar cart crafted from travertine, inspired by ancient ruins and Art Deco aesthetics. “The material allows for contrast: it can be polished for a refined, controlled effect, or left raw to highlight architectural strength,” von Werp says.

This season, travertine has appeared across interiors and outdoor spaces alike, from RH’s California collections to Cassina’s Patricia Urquiola-designed garden furniture. Italian brand Giobagnara also unveiled a luxury games collection featuring travertine, leather, and wood.

Even in architecture, the stone poses challenges. For the Zurich Polytechnic architectural school, monolithic travertine panels up to 16 feet tall were used as solar louvers. Salvatori recalls: “Such blocks aren’t commercially available. We had to commission custom equipment and rebuild the supply chain specifically for this project.”

Today, travertine is more than just a material — it’s a symbol of craftsmanship, heritage, and contemporary style, bringing the grandeur of ancient luxury into modern homes without losing its relevance in today’s design world.