Don’t you love the elegant style of a marble-topped table? No matter what the shape or style of piece, I’m hard-pressed to think of a table, cabinet, shelf, credenza, or anything with a flat surface that wouldn’t be enhanced by the beautiful material.

Like this dining table, for example. The classic marble-topped Saarinen tulip table looks stunning, with its perfect proportions and clean lines and curves. White and grey marble adds substance and style to the slim pedestal base, and the combination is timeless.

Another great look for the dining room is adding a marble top to a contemporary white rectangular table frame. I love the sleek shiny marble top paired with mismatched dining chairs and an industrial lantern pendant. And the elegance coincides nicely with the gold-dipped legs of the kitchen island.

The combination of luxe marble on a wrought iron table plus modern bentwood chairs, all on a natural rug is lovely and balanced in this dining space. The horizontal plane of the light colored tabletop coincides nicely with the lines on the wall, showing a great eye for design details. And the overall simplicity of the space is magnified – in the best way possible – by the beautiful marble veins.

While we’re in the kitchen, how about admiring this marble-topped island workspace, which happens to match the rest of the countertops? A beautiful continuation of style onto a piece (the wooden island table) that is different from the rest of the kitchen lends cohesion throughout.

Moving into the living room, this large marble topped coffee table makes a huge statement. It excels in holding its own as a stylish piece, even amongst leather lounge chairs and a highly decorative mantel. The simplicity of form of the table itself, paired with the elegance of the marble itself, makes a lovely match.

Crisp, clean marble makes an excellent choice for topping a coffee table in an uber contemporary space. The contrast of free-flowing marble veins with the straight lines and exacting angles inherent in modern style provides a lovely visual depth.

Of course, marble makes an excellent table topper in non-contemporary spaces as well. With more coloration and heavier veining, this small marble top is a standout piece on an ornately carved wooden side table. Lots of other natural elements, mainly wood, look chic with even a small bit of visible marble here.

As an elegant stone in and of itself, marble that tops a luxe and sophisticated bedroom’s nightstands (and small conversational table, for that matter) is a natural choice. The wood bases of the tables soften the shine of the marble and help to keep the very light space grounded.

It won’t be as elegant or beautiful as real marble, of course, but if your budget is tight, you might consider employing the strategies behind this DIY marble-top table from Ikea. This is a Klubbo coffee table customized with a bit of adhesive marble-printed vinyl. I can’t say I hate it, at least for the interim until the real thing comes along!

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9and 10.