Alabaster, marble and travertine are all solid stone, and all three are carved for AWAYFROMOBJECT lighting and objects. They do not behave the same way. One passes light; two do not. One is the softest and needs the most care; one takes a polish; one is full of open pores. This guide sets out the differences that matter when choosing between them.
Light transmission
Alabaster transmits light; marble and travertine, at the thicknesses used for objects, do not. That is the first and largest difference. Shaped by nature and defined by soft translucence, each piece transforms light into a warm, quiet glow. When an alabaster fixture is switched on, the stone itself becomes the source, and the veining shows as a pattern in the light. This is why alabaster carries most of our ceiling lighting and wall lighting: the Sei Alabaster Chandelier, the Alom Alabaster Dome Ceiling Light, the Serenité Alabaster Wall Sconce.
Marble and travertine work with light on the surface. A marble fixture such as the Monolith Marble Sconce shapes light by where it lets it out, and the stone reads as mass beside it. Travertine's open pores catch light across the surface, so a piece like the Saguaro Travertine Table Lamp shows texture rather than glow.
Weight
All three are heavy, and marble is the densest of the three. For the same volume, alabaster and travertine weigh somewhat less than marble, but none of them is light. This matters for wall fixtures, which need solid anchoring into framing or masonry rather than drywall alone, and for pedestals and tables, which should be placed once. Weights for each piece are on its product page.
Surface
Alabaster is smooth and soft; marble is crystalline and hard enough to polish; travertine is banded and pitted. Alabaster has a fine grain and a low sheen, and it is the softest of the three, so it is handled with care and never abraded. Marble takes a honed or polished finish and holds an edge. Travertine forms in layers, so its surface shows bands and small voids that are part of the stone, not defects.
Variation
No two pieces match, and that is the point. Shaped over time and marked by natural variation, each piece carries its own depth, movement and permanence. Alabaster varies in translucence and veining, so two sconces from the same design will not glow identically. Marble varies in vein density and color. Travertine varies in banding and pore size. Product photographs show a representative piece; the one you receive will differ in these respects. Stone that did not vary would not be stone.
Our marble and travertine come from Turkey, the United States, Italy and Greece, chosen block by block.
Care
Dust all three dry. Keep water and solvents away from alabaster; use nothing more than a soft dry cloth on it, and keep it out of direct sun and damp rooms. Marble and travertine tolerate more, but acids, including citrus and vinegar, etch both. Use low-heat LED sources in stone fixtures so the surface stays cool. Full instructions are on the product care page.
Which to choose
Choose alabaster when the stone should be the light; choose marble when mass and a clean surface matter; choose travertine when you want texture and a matte, warmer presence. In practice that means alabaster for fixtures, marble for sconces and objects whose form is read in daylight as much as at night, and travertine for lamps and pieces that sit close to hand.
See alabaster lighting and marble and travertine, or read the materials page, which also covers the third material in the collection, aged brass. Every piece is handcrafted, made to order, and designed in Phoenix, Arizona.
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