Every edition of Marmomac offers clues about what comes next. It is where the market meets the material, and where architects, designers, contractors, stone fabricators and industry professionals from around the world can see, compare, touch and interpret natural stone with their upcoming projects in mind.
This year, Marmomac pointed to a clear direction for natural stone. Light, depth of color and the ability of a material to shape how we experience a space will play an increasingly important role. Designers are looking for surfaces that engage the senses and stones that create atmosphere, evoke emotion and give spaces a distinct identity.
Several materials from the Galvani Trading collection drew particular interest: light-colored crystals, Canhimei Green marble, Seven Seas quartzite and Crystal Sunset, which featured in the “Aporia” installation at “the Bedrock” in Hall 10.
Light-colored crystals are gaining ground in interior design
One of the clearest signals from the fair was the growing interest in light-colored crystals. Their luminosity catches the eye, and their depth holds it. Natural semiprecious quartz is distinctive for its complex mineral composition, with transparent areas, inclusions and variations in color that change the way light passes through the stone. These qualities make it especially relevant to contemporary design.
Light is now an integral part of the design itself. As it passes through a material, it changes how we see it, shapes the atmosphere and gives a space a more immersive, distinctive character.
Galvani Trading’s semiprecious stones are natural quartz formations containing quartz crystals and gemstones, quarried as they formed in nature. Every slab is different, and each block has its own mineral pattern. Light-colored crystals, translucent surfaces and natural depth give designers ways to make the stone a focal point in high-end reception areas, lobbies, boutiques, cocktail bars, spas, private residences and contract interiors.
Explore our selection of semiprecious stones
Canhimei Green marble as a natural work of art
Canhimei Green marble was among the materials that attracted the most attention. This African marble combines multiple shades of green and white in a sharply defined, graphic pattern. Its striking bands are so precise they look drawn by hand, though the pattern formed naturally.
Canhimei Green fits a wider trend in contemporary design, where natural materials are used to express character and tell a story. Green remains a sought-after color in high-end interiors. It evokes nature, adds depth and pairs well with wood, metal and light-colored surfaces. It also suits contemporary spaces designed to support well-being through biophilic design.
Canhimei Green is suited to projects where the stone surface has a strong architectural presence, from large-scale cladding and feature walls to flooring and indoor and outdoor furnishings. Its graphic veining gives an organic material a distinctly contemporary look.
View the Canhimei Green technical data sheet
Seven Seas quartzite brings the calm of water into a space
Seven Seas, a Brazilian quartzite, also drew attention for its ability to evoke landscapes and moods. Its deep blue-gray background is crossed by pale veins and flowing lines that recall ocean currents.
It brings a sense of calm, depth and movement to a project. The natural pattern leads the eye across the stone, creating continuity and giving the surface a sense of motion.
These qualities make Seven Seas an interesting choice for architects and designers creating refined spaces inspired by water, well-being and the relationship between interiors and the surrounding landscape. It suits high-end homes, hospitality projects, spas and wellness spaces, as well as cladding and furnishings that call for both elegance and a natural character.
Its blue-gray tones also answer a growing demand for richer mineral colors that offer an alternative to white and beige while keeping a space visually light.
View the Seven Seas technical data sheet
When natural stone becomes an art installation
Another highlight was “Aporia,” presented in Hall 10.
Designed by Studio Nico Sandri and fabricated by Peroni Guido using our Crystal Sunset stone, the installation showed how natural stone can shape an experience of space.
“Aporia” invited visitors to walk through the installation, look closely at Crystal Sunset and interpret what they saw. In ancient philosophy, aporia describes the impasse reached when faced with an apparently irresolvable paradox. The work, a pyramid cut in half, revealed the stone’s transparent crystals and the interplay of warm red and orange veins with cooler purple and light blue tones. The combination evokes autumn light and makes Crystal Sunset especially well suited to dramatic design features and backlit applications.
The split pyramid gave visitors a passage through the work itself. The installation showed how a stone formed over millennia can become part of the language of contemporary art and design.
See how Crystal Sunset can be used in interior design
Three directions for the future of natural stone
The materials that drew the most interest point to three trends we believe will shape the future of natural stone.
- The search for light. Light-colored crystals and quartz that can be backlit will play a greater role in projects where stone surfaces help create the atmosphere of a space.
- The return of natural color. Canhimei Green and Seven Seas reflect a demand for stones with distinctive colors and patterns, from deep greens and mineral blues to crystalline whites, warm hues and irregular shifts in tone.
- Stone as an experience. Natural stone can become a medium for cultural and artistic expression, taking the form of an object, a surface, a sculpture, a landscape or a feature shaped by light.
Material selection as a design decision
For Galvani Trading, these trends reinforce the direction we have taken for years.
We select rare and exclusive natural materials from our own quarries in Brazil and Africa to give stone fabricators, architects, designers and contractors options that bring a distinct character to each project.
Direct access to our quarries means we know where the stone comes from and can select blocks and slabs based on their dimensions, pattern, color and visual continuity.
That matters especially when stone is central to the design, whether it spans large surfaces, is backlit or has a natural pattern that needs to work with the architecture.
Contact our team to check the availability of blocks and slabs, request material photos and discuss which stone would best suit your next project.
