TRAVERTINE & MARBLE TABLES
MADE TO ORDER
IN BANGKOK

Stone is the material people most often ask us about after fabric. A travertine coffee table, a marble dining top, a stone disc on a timber side table — they bring a weight and a calm to a room that wood alone does not. They also behave differently from wood in daily life, and in Bangkok the differences matter. This is what we tell clients before they choose a slab.

TRAVERTINE AND MARBLE ARE NOT THE SAME STONE

Both are calcium-carbonate stones, which is why they share the same weakness to acids. But they look and wear differently.

Travertine forms around mineral springs and is naturally full of small holes and voids. Its warmth — creams, beiges, honey and walnut tones — and its layered, linear texture are why it is back in fashion. Marble is denser and more uniform, from the white of Calacatta with its grey veining to the near-black of Nero Marquina with white veins. It takes a higher polish and reads as more formal.

FILLED OR UNFILLED TRAVERTINE

Travertine is usually supplied filled — its natural holes packed with a resin or cement filler, often tinted to match — or unfilled, with the holes left open. Unfilled travertine has the most texture and character, but on a table top the open holes collect crumbs, liquid and dust. For dining and coffee tables we generally recommend a filled surface; unfilled can be lovely on the side or base of a piece where nothing is set down. Ask to see the filler colour in daylight before approving — a poor match is the first thing you notice.

HONED OR POLISHED

A polished finish is glossy and makes veining vivid, but every etch mark and scratch shows clearly on it. A honed finish is matte or satin; it looks softer, hides minor wear far better, and suits the restrained, warm palette most of our clients choose. For a table that will be used every day, honed is the forgiving choice. Polished is best kept for pieces that are admired more than used, such as a console.

ETCHING: THE ONE THING TO KNOW ABOUT LIVING WITH STONE

Lime juice, vinegar, wine, tomato, many cleaning sprays — anything acidic reacts with marble and travertine and leaves a dull mark called an etch. This is not a stain, and sealing does not prevent it: a sealer slows the absorption of oils and coloured liquids, but it does not stop acid reacting with the surface. In a Thai kitchen, where lime is everywhere, this is worth taking seriously.

Practical habits: use coasters and placemats, wipe spills promptly, clean with a pH-neutral stone cleaner rather than general household sprays, and re-seal periodically as advised for your particular stone. A honed surface makes light etching much less noticeable, and over time many owners come to like the soft patina a stone table develops. If you want a dining surface that stays pristine without care, stone is the wrong material and a solid-timber top is the better choice.

WEIGHT, FLOORS AND THE LIFT

Stone is heavy. A large dining top can easily weigh over a hundred kilograms on its own, so three questions need answering before the slab is cut:

• Will it go up? In a condo, the service lift's internal dimensions and weight limit often decide the maximum size of a one-piece top. We measure the lift and the route into the unit at the site visit.
• Can the base carry it? The base has to be designed for the top's weight and overhang, not just for its looks — especially on a pedestal table.
• How many people does installation need? Large tops are carried by a team and set in place on site; that is part of white-glove installation, and it is also why delivery is planned with the building in advance.

If a single slab will not fit the lift, a top can be designed in two pieces with a deliberate joint, or a smaller format chosen. It is far better to decide this at the drawing stage than on delivery day.

EDGE PROFILES

The edge changes how heavy a top looks. A square or eased edge (very slightly softened) is clean and modern. A bevelled or chamfered underside makes a thick slab look thinner and lighter. A rounded or bullnose edge is kinder to hips and children, and chips less. For a family dining table we usually suggest an eased or softly rounded edge.

STONE ON TIMBER: THE COMBINATION WE BUILD MOST

Most of our stone pieces pair a stone top with a solid-timber or steel base made at our own atelier. The slab is chosen with you — ideally you see the actual slab or a large sample, not a small chip — and cut to the dimensions on the approved drawing; the base is made to carry it. The Nimman pedestal side table is the simplest example: a stone or timber disc on a slatted hardwood pedestal, from ฿38,000. For reference styles, see the marble pedestal side table and the marble and brass console in our style library.

For larger stone dining tables, everything above applies with more force — the size of the slab, the lift, the overhang and the chairs all have to be resolved together. We cover that in our guide to commissioning a custom dining table in Bangkok.

CHOOSING A SLAB: A SHORT CHECKLIST

• See the real slab, or a large sample, in daylight.
• Decide filled or unfilled (for travertine) and honed or polished before quoting.
• Agree where the veining or pattern will fall on the finished top.
• Confirm the thickness, the edge profile and the sealer.
• Measure the lift and the route in before the slab is cut.
• Ask for care instructions in writing.