surfaces Marble

Natalie Holden, director, Natalie Holden Interiors (natalieholden.com) shares her expertise

■ Marble is so versatile – it suits both traditional and contemporary kitchens. It’s natural so each slab has a unique veining – hand-select from a stonemason if you can, as pattern and colour will vary between each piece.

■ Marble is expensive, but you can get the look with composites that are also non-porous. Think about using a lower-priced worksurface in your utility room or area, leaving more budget to splash out on marble in the kitchen.

■ To really work a marble look, take it from the worksurface and use up the walls as a splashback, or go down to the floor on the sides of an island.