Natural Stone at Home: How to Use Raw, Bold Materials Without Overwhelming the Room
Updated: 4 days ago
To use natural stone and raw materials at home, choose one bold surface, such as a veined countertop or a stone sink, and surround it with calm, simple finishes.
By Maya Sheinberger | 08.05.26
Remember Kylie Jenner's "bleeding marble" bathroom? At the time it felt like the peak of material drama. It turns out it was only the trailer. After six years of building behind high walls in Hidden Hills, she finally revealed her new home, reported at about 1,670 square meters, and the internet went into visual shock. Instead of the clean lines and polite minimalism that filled our feeds for a decade, the house is built from rustic stone walls with an antique look, reclaimed wood floors full of texture, and wild Tuscan marble with dominant veins quarried especially in Italy. You may love it or find it overwhelming, but it marks a real shift: after years of quiet white, raw material is back.
Key takeaways
Raw, imperfect materials are replacing years of smooth, white minimalism.
Bold-veined marble works best as one statement surface.
Rough stone, reclaimed wood and vintage-style pieces bring a sense of time.
Two dominant materials in one room compete. Let one lead.
In most homes, a calm background lets a bold stone breathe.
Kylie's fortress vs. a home you can live in
The fortress approach | The livable version |
Rustic stone on every wall | One stone wall, sink or counter |
Wide-veined marble everywhere | One veined surface, with plain surfaces around it |
Stone and wood fighting for attention | One leads, the other supports |
A museum of materials | A calm room with one material story |
The end of quiet white
Raw materials are natural surfaces left visibly textured and imperfect, such as rough stone, wide-veined marble and reclaimed wood.
What draws attention in Kylie's new home are the rustic stone walls. These aren't thin cladding panels but dominant masses of stone with deep texture. It's design that doesn't ask permission to be present. In a world that's becoming digital and flat, she goes as deep into the rock as possible. The new elite no longer want homes that look like perfect 3D renders. They want planned imperfection and materials that don't apologize for their roughness.
Bold-veined marble as a statement
The bathroom that caused a storm isn't there to soothe you. Its Tuscan marble has veins so wide and strong that standard marble looks like a blank sheet of paper next to it. At home, the lesson isn't to copy the drama everywhere. It's that one surface with a strong natural pattern can carry a whole room.
In the N apartment, natural materials were chosen to harmonize with the building's original elements. The U-shaped kitchen combines dark brown smoked oak veneer with a natural stone countertop, and exposed concrete beams add a raw touch.
The countertop's pattern moves from pink to gray-blue, so the stone itself becomes the decoration. Everything around it stays simple: dark wood, pale walls and a light floor.
Rough stone in the bathroom
The bathroom is the easiest place to start. A stone sink, a textured wall or a single slab of veined stone can make even a small room feel special, as long as the rest stays quiet.
In the N apartment's bathroom, a custom sink unit carved from red stone sits on black cabinetry, with large coffee-toned tiles around it. It's a raw, heavy piece, and it works because it's the only one.
When stone and wood compete
In Kylie's home, the reclaimed wood floor and the stone walls fight for attention, creating a space that isn't meant for people looking for visual quiet. In your home, let one material lead and one support, the same rule I use when mixing different interior styles in one home. If the wall is rough stone, keep the floor calm. If the floor is a characterful reclaimed wood, choose a quieter stone. For more on finding the balance between drama and calm, see my guide to reducing visual clutter.
Raw materials with a sense of time
Raw material also connects to the past. Vintage-style appliances and raw, green ceramic tableware in Kylie's home show the same idea: the new luxury is soul and well-planned imperfection, not perfect cleanliness. If you have original stone or old wood in your home, my post on keeping your home's original character explains how to make it the heart of the design. And for more on this year's move to raw materials, see my notes on Milan Design Week 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is natural stone back in interior design?
Yes. After years of smooth, white minimalism, raw stone, bold-veined marble and reclaimed wood are back, often with visible texture and imperfection.
How do I use bold-veined marble without overwhelming a room?
Use it on one surface, such as a kitchen island, a vanity or a bathroom wall, and keep the surfaces around it plain.
Where is the best place to add natural stone at home?
The kitchen counter and the bathroom are the easiest places. A stone sink or one textured wall can transform a small room.
Can stone and wood be used together?
Yes, but let one lead. Pair a strong stone with a calmer wood, or a characterful wood with a quieter stone.
Is raw stone practical for kitchens and bathrooms?
Many natural stones work well in kitchens and bathrooms when properly sealed. In the N apartment, the natural stone sits where it is seen most, on the kitchen counter and a custom bathroom sink. Ask your supplier about porosity and sealing for the stone you choose.
Thinking about natural stone for your home in Tel Aviv or central Israel? I'd love to hear about your project.
Maya Sheinberger is an interior designer with more than 18 years of experience. After five years at a leading architecture firm, she founded her independent studio in 2012. She holds a B.Des with honors from the College of Management. Her work has appeared in more than 170 publications in Israel and abroad, including eight Archilovers Best Project awards, and one of her apartments features in the book The New Minimalist Style.
Photography @itaybenitphotographer · Styling @maya_livnat_harush
This post was inspired by my column on Mako (in Hebrew).
